Cellular Data charges on RCL

[Daffydk1]

Hi all, 

 

We recently returned from a very relaxing cruise on Grandeur of the Seas only to discover a huge bill from our cell phone carrier, ATT. Apparently, while still at the dock we assumed we were connected to the nearest cell towers, NOT WiFi and used some data. We ignored a warning text message about data charges. ( FYI:The text started with "Welcome aboard.") 

 

We put our phones on airplane mode soon after because we don't bother with overpriced WiFi.  We came home 12 days later to over $300 of additional changes for cellular data, (not WiFi) usage from ATT.  We called and got that dropped down to their standard cruise ship data package of $100, but I still feel bamboozled and ripped off.  We were 50 FEET offshore at the time. 

 

Why am I posting this in an RCL forum? Because RCL has to be complicit in this scheme. They must have a signal repeater of some sort they use to provide cellular service and reap a $$$ reward from the cell providers. I know such things exist because I used to have a small one in my house when we had a different provider and a lousy signal in the neighborhood. 

 

It doesn't seem to me that this is something we should have opt out of. It should be an opt-in situation where you accept terms to use the phone, rather than have to be careful to shut off the phone the minute you board. It seems like just another money grab by two companies that do their best to get all they can from customers, ATT & RCL. 

 

Anybody else experience this? We found one more person onboard who had on a previous trip. (We saw our bill while in port and on WiFi during the cruise.) 

[cruzlover]

Happened to me on MSC so it’s not exclusive to RCCL. We were still in port so I assumed I was ok to post a quick message before we sailed. The carrier removed the charge but not sure they would have if it had been a large amount. I almost always have data roaming turned off whenever I’m traveling in the States (I’m Canadian)

Edited March 31, 2019 by cruzlover

[Clarea]

The ship is supposed to turn off their cell service within some specific distance of shore.  It sounds like the ship did not follow the proper procedure. 

 

You always have to look at your phone's upper left display to see the cell carrier.  If it says Celllar at Sea, then you are on the ship's cell service

[blackshirt]

The ship cell service should not even be on when in port. Are you sure that is when it happened? Just an FYI and tip for next time, make sure “data roaming” is set to off and only turn it on when you want to use data. That way, you won’t get roaming data charges when you connect to cellular at sea or any other carrier, even when you don’t notice it.

Edited March 31, 2019 by blackshirt

[bowler15547]

5 minutes ago, Daffydk1 said:

Hi all, 

 

We recently returned from a very relaxing cruise on Grandeur of the Seas only to discover a huge bill from our cell phone carrier, ATT. Apparently, while still at the dock we assumed we were connected to the nearest cell towers, NOT WiFi and used some data. We ignored a warning text message about data charges. ( FYI:The text started with "Welcome aboard.") 

 

We put our phones on airplane mode soon after because we don't bother with overpriced WiFi.  We came home 12 days later to over $300 of additional changes for cellular data, (not WiFi) usage from ATT.  We called and got that dropped down to their standard cruise ship data package of $100, but I still feel bamboozled and ripped off.  We were 50 FEET offshore at the time. 

 

Why am I posting this in an RCL forum? Because RCL has to be complicit in this scheme. They must have a signal repeater of some sort they use to provide cellular service and reap a $$$ reward from the cell providers. I know such things exist because I used to have a small one in my house when we had a different provider and a lousy signal in the neighborhood. 

 

It doesn't seem to me that this is something we should have opt out of. It should be an opt-in situation where you accept terms to use the phone, rather than have to be careful to shut off the phone the minute you board. It seems like just another money grab by two companies that do their best to get all they can from customers, ATT & RCL. 

 

Anybody else experience this? We found one more person onboard who had on a previous trip. (We saw our bill while in port and on WiFi during the cruise.) 

 

There are so many things wrong with this that I don't know where to begin. First off, always pay attention to what your phone says. If it says AT&T, you are not roaming, if it says anything else (Cellular at Sea, EE, some other provider) you are then roaming internationally.

 

It would also be helpful to know what port you were in, as your phone will always default to the home carrier and not a roaming carrier. 

 

When in doubt, ALWAYS keep your phone in airplane mode and turn the wifi on manually. RCCL is not in cahoots with any particular cell phone carrier. They provide the cellular at sea service, which is a carrier in itself. You said yourself that you ignored the message about additional charges. 

[Clarea]

This is one reason why we turn off cellular data when onboard.

[blackshirt]

5 minutes ago, bowler15547 said:

It would also be helpful to know what port you were in, as your phone will always default to the home carrier and not a roaming carrier. 

 

One would think that is true but I’ve seen many complaints from people close to either the Mexican or Canadian border complain about roaming charges even though they were still in the US. The phone will default to the home carrier if the signal is strong enough, so maybe in this instance it wasn’t.