Calling Home

[willcruiseanythyme]

Getting ready to cruise on the Oosterdam in a week and was wondering if someone can tell me how easy it is to call home using our cell phones while onboard.  It's been awhile since I've called from a ship.  To not incur phone charges, we keep our phone in airplane mode, correct?  Then take it off to make calls?  We have verizon.  First hand knowledge would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for your help.  (In the past, I've gotten different answers from my carriers that I don't know if I really trust their answers anymore.)

[Mary229]

Perhaps your best source of information would be Verizon

 

https://www.verizon.com/about/news/vzw/2014/09/planning-a-fall-or-winter-cruise-heres-how-to-stay-connected

 

I have t-mobile and make calls from port with no additional charges.  I don’t call from the ship.   

[shipshapegirl]

I have Verizon and I use Travel Pass.  $5.00 a day calling home from Canada and Mexico, $10.00 a day (24 hours)  from everywhere else.  I have used it in the Caribbean and on the Voyage of the Viking cruise.  It worked great.  I did leave my phone in airplane mode until we docked in each port we were visiting.

[FlaMariner]

I'm on Verizon also.....Looks like the $10 a day plan will work for us in Europe......But while on the ship, it looks like this is the plan...(no data, just phone and text) .I used NA but would think it's the same for other HAL ships?  I got this from the Verizon site.

 

Holland America Nieuw Amsterdam

International Pay As You Go

• Pay only when you use your device.

Only pay for what you use on your international trip.   Use Wi-Fi where available.

Holland America Nieuw Amsterdam

 

$2.99/minute 
$0.50/message sent
$0.05/message received 
$0.25/MMS message sent
$0.25/MMS message received