Verizon on Gem

[Blaaamo]

Hey all,

Leaving from NYC on the Gem and wonder about cell service. We're leaving from NYC and I don't know how far out to sea we go and if there will be any cell service. I'd like to use a verizion phone as a personal hotspot and wonder if it's possible.

 

Also I saw that St Thomas and Puerto Rico are not considered international/roaming anymore, so I could ostensibly run a hotspot from these ports no problem.

 

Has anyone tried this? Any Verizon advice for a first time cruiser?

 

Going to Puerto Rico, St Thomas, St Martin and Bahamas.

[mking8288]

Nope - sorry. Coverage will quickly fade and switch to roaming - dropping home signal - for $$ : typically, 90 minutes or less after leaving the West Side pier, once it's gone past the VZ Bridge as it head out & away from the closest shoreline, Staten Island on starboard side ... if you are still outside on the open decks and/or standing/sitting on your balcony stateroom.

 

See this - petty much the same detailed answer, whether it's on the Breakaway or the GEM - and for the Caribbean run out of NYC, ship is further & farther out on its course ... forgetaboutit.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2431545

 

Most updated report as of today from Dexddd, currently onboard the GEM, on local coverage in different, popular Carib ports - http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=51765181&postcount=47

 

Just to be clear, do NOT attempt to use your VZW plan & device to run a hotspot, international roaming data via satellite WiFi connections are very, very, very, super $$$ expensive - even if you can live with high latency & slow speed. It will be billed via MTN or Cellular At Sea, the roaming provider onboard to your VZW account, might take an extra billing cycle for the charges to get updated.

 

VZW's current cruise ship plans are basically pay-as-you-go, call 611 and speak to int'l or global support desk for details & confirm/review your options - before leaving.

 

If you have or can switch among the "Free At Sea" options and select the WiFi 250 (minutes) plan - you will have some coverage on a time-based option for connectivity ... with usage metering.

Edited December 15, 2016 by mking8288

[BirdTravels]

Hey all,

Leaving from NYC on the Gem and wonder about cell service. We're leaving from NYC and I don't know how far out to sea we go and if there will be any cell service. I'd like to use a verizion phone as a personal hotspot and wonder if it's possible. Also I saw that St Thomas and Puerto Rico are not considered international/roaming anymore, so I could ostensibly run a hotspot from these ports no problem. Has anyone tried this? Any Verizon advice for a first time cruiser? Going to Puerto Rico, St Thomas, St Martin and Bahamas.

 

Once you lose direct line of sight to a land based cell tower, you lose Verizon coverage. Verizon charges $1.79/min for calls on the ship. $0.50 per text message sent/$0.05 per message received. And $2.05/MB for data. That is MEGABYTE. $2050.00 per gigabyte.

 

Cheaper to buy an unlimited internet package.

[agargoyle]

Hey all,

Leaving from NYC on the Gem and wonder about cell service. We're leaving from NYC and I don't know how far out to sea we go and if there will be any cell service. I'd like to use a verizion phone as a personal hotspot and wonder if it's possible.

 

Also I saw that St Thomas and Puerto Rico are not considered international/roaming anymore, so I could ostensibly run a hotspot from these ports no problem.

 

Has anyone tried this? Any Verizon advice for a first time cruiser?

 

Going to Puerto Rico, St Thomas, St Martin and Bahamas.

 

 

Hi,

 

I have Verizon as a carrier. We spent a week in Puerto Rico in October. It says roaming but I was not charged for any texts, posts on FaceBook or using google maps.

 

I also have used my phone in St. Thomas in October -- cruise stop before our week stay in PR.

 

Sorry I don't remember about St Martin or Bahamas.

[antsnanny]

Good News. Verizon has a cruise ship plan. We paid 40.00 for 100 talk minutes and 100 outgoing texts, incoming texts are free. That only works on the ship. Verizon also has caribbean packages that I don't know much about, you might want to give them a call.

[cpprinttom]

It is free to use your Verizon phone in San Juan & St Thomas, but the data service is VERY SLOW. it took us several minutes to load a webpage on our laptop using the hotspot.

Now we just look for a bar with free WIFI while in any port.

 

We power off all cell phones & hot spots while at sea, I've heard horror stories about HUGE BILLS!!

Edited December 16, 2016 by cpprinttom

[Blaaamo]

Good News. Verizon has a cruise ship plan. We paid 40.00 for 100 talk minutes and 100 outgoing texts, incoming texts are free. That only works on the ship. Verizon also has caribbean packages that I don't know much about, you might want to give them a call.

 

Awesome, I will look into that.

 

Thanks

[MikeBTN]

Good News. Verizon has a cruise ship plan. We paid 40.00 for 100 talk minutes and 100 outgoing texts, incoming texts are free. That only works on the ship. Verizon also has caribbean packages that I don't know much about, you might want to give them a call.

 

This was the case in June, but when we sailed last month they had done away with this plan. It is now pay as you go as listed above. The good news is St Thomas is now included in domestic calling.

[ECCruise]

As for the islands and cell service, St. Thomas (USVI) and Puerto Rico have always been on US plans.

 

Bahamas, St. Martin and virtually all the other islands are roaming and available for international plans.

 

There is also Verizon's Travel Pass, where you can access your own minutes, text and data. Cost will be $10 per day and is available on most Caribbean islands.

[tempus137]

As for the islands and cell service, St. Thomas (USVI) and Puerto Rico have always been on US plans.

 

Bahamas, St. Martin and virtually all the other islands are roaming and available for international plans.

 

There is also Verizon's Travel Pass, where you can access your own minutes, text and data. Cost will be $10 per day and is available on most Caribbean islands.

 

The Verizon Travel Pass depends on if your phone is World Phone capable. You can check with Verizon wireless online to determine if it is.

[dexddd]

Currently on Gem and using VZW and speeds are very slow despite being "3G" according to phone. Texts are better but also some delays between send/receive in terms of a few hours.

[Blaaamo]

Currently on Gem and using VZW and speeds are very slow despite being "3G" according to phone. Texts are better but also some delays between send/receive in terms of a few hours.

 

Do you have the internet package or are just using Verizon?

[Crusin6]

Awesome, I will look into that.

 

Thanks

 

 

Verizon USED to have a cruise ship plan

 

Not anymore

 

 

Unless of course they went back to having a cruise ship plan....but they didn't have one 6 weeks ago

 

 

I'm very well versed about Verizon service btw .....so unless they changed it in the past 6 weeks....it's pay as you go and very $$$$$

 

No more ship plans but they do have land based plans for when you are in port

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums