Turn your phone off during cruise duration?

[NJRonbo]

It has been a long time (12 years) since I cruised and will be on my first Celebrity vacation next year.

 

There used to be a big warning to cruise travelers to turn off their phones (or at least the cellular connection) during a cruise.

Reason being, when you are out of range of the domestic cell towers, your phone is now roaming and can accumulate all sorts of data charges during your time onboard and on foreign soil from signal roaming.

Is this still a problem?  Is it necessary to turn your cellular connection off during a cruise?

Edited October 27, 2022 by NJRonbo

[Team Stag]

8 minutes ago, NJRonbo said:

It has been a long time (12 years) since I cruised and will be on my first Celebrity vacation next year.

 

There used to be a big warning to cruise travelers to turn off their phones (or at least the cellular connection) during a cruise.

Reason being, when you are out of range of the domestic cell towers, your phone is now roaming and can accumulate all sorts of data charges during your time onboard and on foreign soil from signal roaming.

Is this still a problem?  Is it necessary to turn your cellular connection off during a cruise?

I put my phone in airplane mode.  It allows me to turn off the cellular signal but still use wi fi (for the celebrity app, texting the better half etc) and blue tooth (headphones / watch).  

 

Turning off my phone is my favorite part of cruising!

[1025cruise]

13 minutes ago, NJRonbo said:

It has been a long time (12 years) since I cruised and will be on my first Celebrity vacation next year.

 

There used to be a big warning to cruise travelers to turn off their phones (or at least the cellular connection) during a cruise.

Reason being, when you are out of range of the domestic cell towers, your phone is now roaming and can accumulate all sorts of data charges during your time onboard and on foreign soil from signal roaming.

Is this still a problem?  Is it necessary to turn your cellular connection off during a cruise?

YES!!!!! Unless you want unexpected charges, turn the cellular connection off on your phone.

[go.without.you]

Check with your carrier for the rates. Here's an example of mine:

[cyntil8ing]

If you have onboard internet access and want to make/receive calls, before the cruise make sure wi-fi calling is enabled. If you have an iPhone, it's in the Phone settings.

 

Once onboard, put the phone into airplane mode. If you want to use the Celebrity app, connect to the ship's wi-fi. You do not have to have an internet package to do that.

 

 

 

 

 

[NJRonbo]

Thanks, everyone.  I suspected as much.  Definitely turning my cellular off.

 

I also understand carriers have their own out-of-country plans.  However, it is worth noting that you can make calls while connected to the ship's WiFi which is a cheaper option than getting a plan from your carrier.

 

Of course, things may have changed and there may be better advice to be given.

[hcat]

We turn our phones off ( and  in airplane mode..just in case)....and keep  them  in the safe while sailing. We take it out in  a port  if our cell  plan includes svc there.

 

We use our tablet onboard to check e mail and read downloaded books.

 

Our devices are all too old to use the Celeb app..and we manage fine without it.,   ,info is often incorrect anyhow!

[atobols]

I use wifi when on the ship and my regular google fi phone plan when off the ship for texting and data.  I have sailed Canada, Mexico, and the Mediterranean without any additional charges.  One of our teen sons was on a Verizon plan when in Europe and accidentally connected for a few minutes.  It cost us about $30.  They both got switched over to google as soon as we got home.  

[PTC DAWG]

Yes…I don’t need it, love it being in the safe. 

[Bigdrinks]

No, it depends on your data contract with your service provider surely? Nowadays most have data roaming included, thus no need to switch off! 

 

Note how I didn't resort to the “if you don’t do it like me, you’re doing it wrong” motif. 😉

[Jim_Iain]

I set my phone to Airplane Mode when on the ship.  As many others I turn on Internet Calling.   Once on the ship I create a WiFi account by connecting to the ships wifi and then use the ships wifi for both telephones calls and wifi.

 

I have T-Mobile which has free international roaming in 215 countries.   While roaming the cost for a phone call is 25 cents.   Once in Port I turn off airplane mode and when connected to the provider I get a text message confirming free roaming, the option to pay more for faster speed and the cost of telephone calls.

 

It is best to check with your carrier to understand their conditions and prices.

 

[Charles4515]

51 minutes ago, Bigdrinks said:

No, it depends on your data contract with your service provider surely? Nowadays most have data roaming included, thus no need to switch off! 

 

 

They don't include roaming onboard the ship. On the ship you could be connected to Cellular at Sea and get expensive unintended data roaming charges. So onboard to turn data off, the easiest way is Airplane mode with wifi turned on so that the ships wifi can be used for using the ships app or if buying a ships intenet package. 

Edited October 27, 2022 by Charles4515

[mtempelaar]

2 hours ago, cyntil8ing said:

If you have onboard internet access and want to make/receive calls, before the cruise make sure wi-fi calling is enabled. If you have an iPhone, it's in the Phone settings.

 

Once onboard, put the phone into airplane mode. If you want to use the Celebrity app, connect to the ship's wi-fi. You do not have to have an internet package to do that.

 

 

 

 

 

I keep seeing this pic and wanting to hand you a power cord 😂

[Arizona Wildcat]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

I set my phone to Airplane Mode when on the ship.  As many others I turn on Internet Calling.   Once on the ship I create a WiFi account by connecting to the ships wifi and then use the ships wifi for both telephones calls and wifi.

 

I have T-Mobile which has free international roaming in 215 countries.   While roaming the cost for a phone call is 25 cents.   Once in Port I turn off airplane mode and when connected to the provider I get a text message confirming free roaming, the option to pay more for faster speed and the cost of telephone calls.

 

It is best to check with your carrier to understand their conditions and prices.

 

And read the fine print.  With Tmobile I can make free calls on network to the US and have free data and texting .  However incoming calls are billed at country rates. 

 

[mtempelaar]

Just now, Arizona Wildcat said:

And read the fine print.  With Tmobile I can make free calls on network to the US and have free data and texting .  However incoming calls are billed at country rates. 

 

Yes to free data and texting, but take another look at the calls.  Whether you have free calls depends on your plan and where you are.  I can do free TMobile to TMobile calls in Mexico, but if I'm in Europe I have to pay .25 per minute even with their top tier.   They changed the details of the plans.

[RedIguana]

4 hours ago, hcat said:

Our devices are all too old to use the Celeb app..and we manage fine without it.,   ,info is often incorrect anyhow!

If your devices are too old to use the celebrity app, you really should consider either getting new devices or at least new batteries for them. Lithium-ion batteries get a little scary past 5-6 years.

[Charles4515]

43 minutes ago, RedIguana said:

If your devices are too old to use the celebrity app, you really should consider either getting new devices or at least new batteries for them. Lithium-ion batteries get a little scary past 5-6 years.

Also if their devices are that old they probably don’t get security updates. 

[bjahil47]

I just turn cellular data off.

[GottaKnowWhen]

12 hours ago, hcat said:

We turn our phones off ( and  in airplane mode..just in case)....and keep  them  in the safe…

…

Our devices are all too old to use the Celeb app..and we manage fine without it.,   ,info is often incorrect anyhow!

Just curious - if your phone is off and you don’t use the app, how can you tell whether or not  the info on the app is correct? It does get updated periodically, and if you hit the Update button, you will get good info…

[cruise47]

You are on a cruise and this is time for you to relax. 

Please turned off that cellphone. 

 

 

 

[NJRonbo]

13 minutes ago, cruise47 said:

You are on a cruise and this is time for you to relax. 

Please turned off that cellphone. 

 

 

 

Yes, understood. However, by nature, many people who are new to cruising just naturally leave it running

[Charles4515]

13 minutes ago, cruise47 said:

You are on a cruise and this is time for you to relax. 

Please turned off that cellphone. 

 

 

 

You probably imagine yourself to be profound when you are not. The cruise line expects passengers to have their smartphone on. The activities, folio, reservations, notices all come on the Celebrity app.

[Charles4515]

26 minutes ago, NJRonbo said:

Yes, understood. However, by nature, many people who are new to cruising just naturally leave it running

As you have not cruised in 12 years a lot has changed. A smartphone is used onboard even if you don't purchase internet to the outside world. That is only an option. That is not required.  The daily activity schedule, reservations, menus, folio and more are on the Celebrity app. Plus these days a smartphone is everyones camera. Most people new and old to cruising leave it running. The cruise line expects passengers to be using their smartphones. 

Edited October 28, 2022 by Charles4515

[wrk2cruise]

Just off the Summit yesterday.  If the cruise line expects you to use the app maybe they should make it somewhat accurate.  The times/locations in the app were consistently wrong.  The lunch menus weren't listed for Luminae for the last 2 days.  The paper equivalents were provided to everyone and were accurate. 

 

Bottom line using a cell phone onboard to day to day ship life in not a requirement and Celebrity has a long way to go if they want to make it one.

[Charles4515]

26 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

Bottom line using a cell phone onboard to day to day ship life in not a requirement and Celebrity has a long way to go if they want to make it one.

It is not a requirement but it is headed that way.