Cruising and Iphone settings

[CruisersTimesThree]

Hi all!

I started a thread back in 2013 about data settings and an Iphone and it wound up to be a wealth of information.

Basically, shut off your "data roaming" to avoid any surprises on your bill when you got home.

My voice roaming is switched on, but I don't think that matters as far as racking up extra unexpected charges unless I make a phone call.

I do know that on Verizon (my phone carrier) that a phone call will cost me $2.95 a minute if I need to make or receive one and that texting will be .50 and .05 (send, receive or visa versa)

Now here is my question.

My last cruise I had an Iphone 5 and now I have an Iphone 6.

I don't remember if there was a setting for "Internationl CDMA"

By default, this is on.

What is this exactly? From what I am finding on the internet, it has to do with voice calls? But it also says to turn it off if you experience poor messaging or data performance.

Should it be on or off? If off, does it affect my ability to have calls/texts.

I will have unlimited Wi-Fi on board and with data roaming off know I wont incur any charges while on Bermuda, but this setting has me confused.

Any help out there from a techie?

[snowmc]

I just got off the Eclipse on July 31. We all have iPhones....6 and 6s. Just put your phone on airplane mode, then turn on the wi-fi in settings. This will allow you to connect to the ship's internet but not allow any calls to come through. We have done this on our last 3 cruises with no surprises. We are also Verizon customers.

 

Enjoy your cruise :)

[Iamthesea]

When I bought an International package while traveling in Europe, Verizon told me to turn the "International CDMA" to OFF.

[CruisersTimesThree]

I just got off the Eclipse on July 31. We all have iPhones....6 and 6s. Just put your phone on airplane mode, then turn on the wi-fi in settings. This will allow you to connect to the ship's internet but not allow any calls to come through. We have done this on our last 3 cruises with no surprises. We are also Verizon customers.

 

Enjoy your cruise :)

Airplane mode shuts off everything, but still allows connection to Wi-Fi.

I am not looking to do this, I still want to have call ability and texting.

Data roaming is all I need to do, but I am not sure what CDMA is.

[pl281]

A couple of things

1) With Verizon (and I believe with AT&T) you can enable wifi calling this should enable you to make calls and get iMessages over wifi - no additional cost / per minute

 

2) Verizon now has a plan called Travel Pass - $10/24 hour period and take your plan (data & voice) with you - make calls to home just like you were home

Note: this doesn't include service while on the ship

[sujac]

I find WhatsApp to be invaluable. It allows calls over WiFi without incurring any charges. Also, iPhone to iPhone allows free facetime calls, again through WiFi.

[carolslc]

We put our phones in airplane mode and use whatsapp. Our work pays for wifi. Works great.

[Formerly known as Seabee]

Can someone help me with a "charging" question? I kmow power on board will be 110v so no issue here. We will be in UK for pre cruise. Many small appliances will take 110 and 230v. What about an I phone5 and 6. Can I charge direct from 230v with just an adapter or do I need to take the convertor?

[Charles4515]

My last cruise I had an Iphone 5 and now I have an Iphone 6.

 

Congratulations on having an iPhone 6 and an Unlimited WiFi onboard. That means you can enable WiFi Calling. After you set it up when on the ship put your phone in Airplane Mode and turn on WiFi. You will have free voice from WiFi calling!

 

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203032

Edited August 6, 2016 by Charles4515

[Charles4515]

Can someone help me with a "charging" question? I kmow power on board will be 110v so no issue here. We will be in UK for pre cruise. Many small appliances will take 110 and 230v. What about an I phone5 and 6. Can I charge direct from 230v with just an adapter or do I need to take the convertor?

 

You only need a plug adapter. Your charger is good for both 110 and 230.

[pcur]

I found this helpful from Apple. CDMA is just an acronym for the type of cellular technology used, by the way:

 

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201643

[blackshirt]

As others have noted, CDMA is a mobile network technology. In fact Verizon has a CDMA network. Having international CDMA on will allow your phone to connect to a CDMA network but unless you are traveling in Asia, you are not likely to encounter a CDMA network. European mobile networks are GSM.

[Charles4515]

As others have noted, CDMA is a mobile network technology. In fact Verizon has a CDMA network. Having international CDMA on will allow your phone to connect to a CDMA network but unless you are traveling in Asia, you are not likely to encounter a CDMA network. European mobile networks are GSM.

 

CDMA outside the US is being retired in countries that had it and I don't think Verizon allows any International CDMA roaming anymore. Verizon intends to end CDMA on its USA frequencies by the end of 2019. If you have a phone with a SIM card with Verizion you have GSM and International GSM roaming. 4G LTE is GSM. So it is not only European mobile networks, Verizon is GSM wherever they have LTE.

Edited August 7, 2016 by Charles4515

[CruisersTimesThree]

So if I am understanding correctly, I can turn the CDMA setting to off and not have it affect anything if I need to make a call either here at home or when I am in Bermuda?

As I stated above, in the off position it helps performance of messaging and data.

Edited August 7, 2016 by CruisersTimesThree

[Iamthesea]

Must be correct because I never turned mine back on when we returned from our trip in early June. iPhone 6S works fine!

[DZalumni]

Airplane mode shuts off everything, but still allows connection to Wi-Fi.

I am not looking to do this, I still want to have call ability and texting.

Data roaming is all I need to do, but I am not sure what CDMA is.

 

I don't know about Verizon, but t-mobile allows calling on wifi, so setting my phone into airplane mode & connecting to wifi my phone works just like it would if I was on the t-mobile network.

[AdoraBelle]

A couple of things

1) With Verizon (and I believe with AT&T) you can enable wifi calling this should enable you to make calls and get iMessages over wifi - no additional cost / per minute

 

2) Verizon now has a plan called Travel Pass - $10/24 hour period and take your plan (data & voice) with you - make calls to home just like you were home

Note: this doesn't include service while on the ship

 

 

Huh, really? That could save my butt on my upcoming cruise. Off to google.

 

Edit: wow, lots of cruise ports!

 

http://www.verizonwireless.com/plans/travelpass-countries/

Edited August 8, 2016 by AdoraBelle

[CruisersTimesThree]

In looking around I just realized I could also use Facebook messenger to make free phone calls and use it to send instant messages instead of texts.

Anyone I need to stay in touch with has the app, so as long as I have a wifi connection onboard I should be good to go.

Travel pass sounds great, but we have 3 phones and its $10 per device. That would cost $30 a day if we all used our phones. Would be really expensive for a 7 day cruise!

[ilenekm]

My husband got a package with Verizon last summer to use on the ship. I don't recall the details but it may be worth calling

 

Sent from my SM-T817V using Tapatalk

[pl281]

In looking around I just realized I could also use Facebook messenger to make free phone calls and use it to send instant messages instead of texts.

Anyone I need to stay in touch with has the app, so as long as I have a wifi connection onboard I should be good to go.

Travel pass sounds great, but we have 3 phones and its $10 per device. That would cost $30 a day if we all used our phones. Would be really expensive for a 7 day cruise!

 

 

We were in the British Isles - what we did was only take the travel pass on one phone since we said we didn't need it on the other phone as if needed to make calls and we were away from the ship not everyone would be making calls.

 

Also as mentioned the WIFI calling works great. Additionally depending on who you work for / what you do, you maybe able to expense the travel pass cost as a business expense to stay connected

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Jim_Iain]

I don't know about Verizon, but t-mobile allows calling on wifi, so setting my phone into airplane mode & connecting to wifi my phone works just like it would if I was on the t-mobile network.

 

I also have TMobile and set an additional setting on my account - not the phone to Block "Charge International Roaming" but leaving "Block International Roaming to OFF

 

This will prevent the selected line from incurring any international data roaming charges that can be incurred in countries not included in your plan.

[Brewster]

A couple of things

1) With Verizon (and I believe with AT&T) you can enable wifi calling this should enable you to make calls and get iMessages over wifi - no additional cost / per minute

 

2) Verizon now has a plan called Travel Pass - $10/24 hour period and take your plan (data & voice) with you - make calls to home just like you were home

Note: this doesn't include service while on the ship

 

Thanks! Your post was very helpful! I have Verizon Wireless and never knew I had this capability. I just successfully set this up with my Iphone. This will be very helpful to use with the ship's internet on my upcoming cruise.

[Charles4515]

Thanks! Your post was very helpful! I have Verizon Wireless and never knew I had this capability. I just successfully set this up with my Iphone. This will be very helpful to use with the ship's internet on my upcoming cruise.

 

 

Not surprising that you didn't know about it. Verizon only enabled WiFi Calling this past March. Four months ago. AT&T enabled it at the end of last year. T Mobile and Sprint had already had it for awhile. A lot of people on Verizon and AT&T don't know about it yet.

[easyboy]

I also have TMobile and set an additional setting on my account - not the phone to Block "Charge International Roaming" but leaving "Block International Roaming to OFF

 

This will prevent the selected line from incurring any international data roaming charges that can be incurred in countries not included in your plan.

Thanks for the tip.

[Duanerice1]

Travel pass sounds great, but we have 3 phones and its $10 per device. That would cost $30 a day if we all used our phones. Would be really expensive for a 7 day cruise!

 

Remember you only get charged the days you use the plan and the plan only works in ports. So if you only use 1 phone it's $10. You can sign up just in case and if you don't use it you don't pay.