cell phone use while ship in port

[cruise cruise cruise]

According to the Tmobile rep I talked to today, my plan includes texting in the countries we are going to. Once we dock, I would love to send a few texts before I get off the ship and be able to leave my phone on the ship.

 

Do I have to be physically on land while in port for my phone to recognize this and RCCL to unrecognized so that I do not get billed via the crazy $$ that using my phone on the ship will cost me?

[Clarea]

According to the Tmobile rep I talked to today, my plan includes texting in the countries we are going to. Once we dock, I would love to send a few texts before I get off the ship and be able to leave my phone on the ship.

 

Do I have to be physically on land while in port for my phone to recognize this and RCCL to unrecognized so that I do not get billed via the crazy $$ that using my phone on the ship will cost me?

No, you don't have to be on land. The ship turns off it's cell tower within a certain distance of land, so by the time you dock, your phone should be off the ship's cell tower.

[impatientlywaiting]

According to the Tmobile rep I talked to today, my plan includes texting in the countries we are going to. Once we dock, I would love to send a few texts before I get off the ship and be able to leave my phone on the ship.

 

Do I have to be physically on land while in port for my phone to recognize this and RCCL to unrecognized so that I do not get billed via the crazy $$ that using my phone on the ship will cost me?

 

No, you don't. I have T-Mobile (I've been with their parent company since 1994) and have much experience cruising with their plan. We discovered when cruising in Europe that when we woke up in the morning and saw land, even while we were still cruising into port, we would turn our phones off airplane mode and be able to start texting, checking emails, logging onto Facebook, etc. We never incurred any charges. It was awesome!

[Markanddonna]

It is my understanding that your cell phone actiivity is sent through the cell towers on the ship until they turn them off. I recall early on seeing land so I thought I could use my cell phone. The bill next month told me I was wrong.

 

I would wait until you are safely docked and it is past the time the ship has announced you will be in port. No one informs you of when the signals will be turned off. Please inform me if I am incorrect.

[Paulxyz2004]

The key is to check what Provider / Network you are connected to.

Just check your Screen for the Network Provider and act accordingly.

If you are connected to something like cellular at sea it´s the ships Tower if you are connected to T-Mobile you are connected to T-Mobile.

Easy as that and no guessing.

[blackshirt]

The key is to check what Provider / Network you are connected to.

Just check your Screen for the Network Provider and act accordingly.

If you are connected to something like cellular at sea it´s the ships Tower if you are connected to T-Mobile you are connected to T-Mobile.

Easy as that and no guessing.

 

Of course you won't be connected to t-mobile when in port, you will be connected to the local provider. The point is still valid, though. As long as you don't see "cellular at sea", then you are not on the ship's system.

[Paulxyz2004]

Of course you won't be connected to t-mobile when in port, you will be connected to the local provider. The point is still valid, though. As long as you don't see "cellular at sea", then you are not on the ship's system.

 

Well the T-Mobile was just used as an example. It could be AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Oragne, TIM, ....

I think you got the Point though.

 

Know the Provider you want to use and check your phone for it.

[kerryincork]

Just check that you are on the correct network before using phone, you should be fine

[Keith1010]

Just check that you are on the correct network before using phone, you should be fine

 

This is the key.

 

Sometimes you can get it before the ship docks.

 

We walk outside and that helps.

 

Keith

[Firefighterhoop]

Just check that you are on the correct network before using phone, you should be fine

 

Can't emphasize this enough.. Sometimes when you are still at sea your phone will bounce from the Land tower to your or another ship's tower. I have almost been caught making a last minute phone call and having it made off the ship's tower.. or switching to the ships tower in the middle of a phone call while the ship is arriving or departing.

 

This is more of the case when you are sailing close to land not pulling in/out of port. Just beware!