AT&T and Cell Phone Use

[elliekate]

We will soon be on Equinox and I have called AT&T to inquire about their Cellular at Sea packages. Unfortunately, we need to stay in touch with the office even while on vacation:(

 

We can mostly handle contact through text messaging which is free for incoming texts and $.50 for outgoing texts. Phone calls are $2.50/minute. There is a package for $60.00 which covers 50 minutes for phone calls and 100 text messages. I talked to a nice rep who said we could pick up that plan at any time on the cruise if we find that we need it. So, for now, we plan to "pay as we go" on the text messaging. If we sent four texts a day at $.50/text, it would only be $22 for our eleven night cruise.

 

My question is I was told by two different reps two different things about the settings on the phone. One said to turn off data roaming and leave cellular data on and another rep told me the opposite! I am afraid if I call a third time, I may be told the wrong setting! So, I thought someone on the boards may know the correct answer!

[godfreyb]

If anyone knows the answer to this question please respond. I put my phone on 'airplane mode' on our last cruise but found that my Bluetooth headphones wouldn't work unless I put it back to regular mode. But then 'AT&T at Sea' came up and I didn't know whether I would be charged automatically or whether I had to sign up and if I didn't I wouldn't be charged.

[oneputt18]

We had that package on our last cruise. We had data roaming off, cell service on. If you take the $120 package you leave the data on.

[kzengineer]

This is great info. I wasn't aware of this option!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[killsport]

godfreyb, you can force the Bluetooth on after you turn on Airplane mode. What I do is first turn on Airplane mode, then turn on Bluetooth. It has worked on both my iPhone and Android devices. I can listen to my music (that's downloaded on the device) using the Bluetooth. And when I get into a port like San Juan, where I know I have coverage, I just turn off Airplane mode. When we pull out of the port, I just re-apply the Airplane mode, then turn back on Bluetooth again. Good luck!

[killsport]

With data roaming off... keep in mind that means you must be sending TEXT messages. For those with iPhones, that means no iMessages (which are Apple to Apple and go through data and Apple's servers) or MMS (picture messages).

So, if either the sender or the receiver is using an I-Device and sending an iMessage, you might not get it. If that is the case, tell whoever is sending to force it to send as a SMS.

If it were me, I'd test it while I'm still on terra firma :)

Check out this link, which applies to ios 7, but may still apply. Happy cruising!

http://www.igeeksblog.com/how-to-force-a-message-to-be-sent-as-sms-and-not-imessage-in-ios-7/

[Tommy3putts]

Here is another option. If you have an iPhone, and the Internet on the Equinox is good---a question I can't answer---you can use FaceTime (audio or video) and iMessage with other iPhone/iOS users. We used this option on our recent RCI Allure cruise. Granted the Allure has high speed internet, but it worked well and was cheaper for me to stay connected with work issues.

 

Just go to airplane mode and turn on wifi.

[elliekate]

Thanks for the replies! Looks like data roaming off and cellular data on is the correct answer. I have read that the internet on Equinox is painfully slow. Hopefully there will be some internet shops in some of the ports. I read that the jewelry stores have free WiFi. When I was in Thailand, FaceTime worked great when I had internet!

[az_tchr]

Face time will not work except in ports when you use land based service. Internet on board supports no video or other things like Skye. Only voice and slow data.

[jb008]

If you really need to stay in touch with the office, you may want to see if it is possible to upgrade to the Go Best promo which appears to now includes unlimited internet.

 

Our TA was able to scratch the Go Better promo and replace it with the Go Best promo without touching our original fares (which were much less than the prevailing rate) for an upcoming cruise.

 

Internet may be too slow to do VoIP or video chats, but there are data based sms apps out there, and I can use email just fine and service on Summit was sufficient to support use of DW's online class software (blackboard fwiw).

 

I was on the fence about the original 3 perks (OBC, Tips, drinks) but w/4 perks (+internet) and knowing we were going to pay for an internet plan anyway, the Go Best option was a reasonable deal (YMMV).

 

 

 

Based on what you described, you ABSOLUTELY want data roaming off!!! Leaving data roaming on is what leads to the stories of the $4,000 cell phone bill after an international vacation.

 

Cellular data is an umbrella for all data (both in-network and roaming)

Data Roaming is a sub-category of data and is the off-network (non at&t network) data.

 

If you're looking to just use the text messages and voice then you don't need or use data for that and you want and want to turn data roaming off at a minimum (in fact, unless you know you need data off-network it is generally good practice to just always leave roaming data to off). Data would be required to send iMsg... and iMsg gets flakey when receiving messages while off data (based on my personal past experiences when being in Canada with data roaming off).

 

I don't even think it is possible to have Cellular data off, but data roaming on... at least in iOS the roaming option becomes unavailable once Cell data is off.

Edited March 10, 2016 by jb008

[godfreyb]

godfreyb, you can force the Bluetooth on after you turn on Airplane mode. What I do is first turn on Airplane mode, then turn on Bluetooth. It has worked on both my iPhone and Android devices. I can listen to my music (that's downloaded on the device) using the Bluetooth. And when I get into a port like San Juan, where I know I have coverage, I just turn off Airplane mode. When we pull out of the port, I just re-apply the Airplane mode, then turn back on Bluetooth again. Good luck!

 

Thanks!

[CruisersTimesThree]

Thanks for the replies! Looks like data roaming off and cellular data on is the correct answer. I have read that the internet on Equinox is painfully slow. Hopefully there will be some internet shops in some of the ports. I read that the jewelry stores have free WiFi. When I was in Thailand, FaceTime worked great when I had internet!

 

I have cruised several times on the Summit since getting an Iphone (have Verizon, but its all the same) and have only shut off the data roaming button, which should be off by default. You can go into your cellular settings and look.

My phone was able to make and receive calls if needed, and I was able to send and receive texts without a problem. Iphone to Iphone texts revert to SMS when not connected to Wi-Fi, so they still go through.

Connected to Wi-Fi where available without a problem.

No huge bills when I got home, just about $20 for the texts.

Verizon charges 50 cents to receive, 25 cents to send (or visa-versa)

 

To keep in touch at home, we just bought phone cards and used them to call home whenever we were off the ship, not much free Wi-Fi in Bermuda.

[Music Cruiser]

We had AT&T $60 package on a recent Reflection cruise. Beware--cellular at sea is not turned until ship is clear of 3 mile limit. When in port you are connected to local cell service. So, on port days we did communicate with home until late in the day.

[Coochuck]

I just called ATT as I always do to have the phone available on our upcoming cruise. For $30 you get 50 min of phone. Sending texts will be 50 cents per text. All incoming texts are free with ATT. It should be noted the ATT changed their calls to and from Mexico, which are now free to ATT Share Plan Users, which we are, however you need to call ATT to have Mexico calling added to your plan. We are visiting Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Mexico and Haiti. It should be noted that the 50 min of Calling which we signed up for covers the Ship, and those islands. Phones that are not being used on the cruise should always be put in 'Airplane Mode', before you turn it off...I was surprised when the ATT Rep told me that this morning.

[ROYALBOY]

I just called ATT as I always do to have the phone available on our upcoming cruise. For $30 you get 50 min of phone. Sending texts will be 50 cents per text. All incoming texts are free with ATT. It should be noted the ATT changed their calls to and from Mexico, which are now free to ATT Share Plan Users, which we are, however you need to call ATT to have Mexico calling added to your plan. We are visiting Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Mexico and Haiti. It should be noted that the 50 min of Calling which we signed up for covers the Ship, and those islands. Phones that are not being used on the cruise should always be put in 'Airplane Mode', before you turn it off...I was surprised when the ATT Rep told me that this morning.

 

 

Thank you for the tip...Just added Mexico and Canada to our share plan... Mexico will come in handy in 2 weeks on the Connie, and Canada next year for the Alaska Cruise... Not often ATT gives you something for free.[emoji3]

Edited March 12, 2016 by ROYALBOY

[teacherman]

This thread has nothing to do with me, but, we have ATT and were just in Mexico. Someone left me a voice mail message and I could not listen to it because when I tried to access the voicemail, like I do at home, it kept asking me for the "access code". That is because it is going through the Mexican phone system. When I got home, I set up a code. I guess I will see if it works next time I am out of the country.