Cell coverage? Internet Packages?

[GAgaltravel]

Posting here rather than cruise line because I am curious as how this is specific to western Mediterranean cruises. I know we will use our carrier's cell service for ports of call during our trip, but what's the possibility of having any service while on board the ship while cruising? We've only ever done Caribbean cruises in the past. Trying to decide on purchasing the ships WiFi - which I know can be iffy. This is not for streaming, just keeping in touch with family at home. Thanks!

[Hlitner]

The possibility is slim.  As a general rule, you should be able to start connecting to shore-based cells when about 10 miles out to sea, but even this is not guaranteed.  However, cruise ships generally cruise much further out to sea where your only cell service is what is provided by WiFi and Cellular at Sea (very expensive) onboard.

 

One obvious hint is that if you do want to get shore-based cell service while nearing ports, the best service is on the highest points of the ship with an unobstructed view of shore.  Just be very careful that you are connnecting to a shore-based cell, and not the dreaded "cellular at sea" system (which can cost many dollars per minute).

 

Hank

[GAgaltravel]

This is exactly what I needed to know. Traveling without my husband and he'll want peace of mind in being able to contact us, even with the ship's unpredictable WiFI service. Thank you!

[VMax1700]

You will lose the land based carrier's cell service very shortly after leaving the port.  Sometimes it may be available for an hour, but most ports it drops very quickly.  Occasionally, when passing close to an inhabited island you may connect for a moment or two, but you could not depend on it.

Even with our European roaming regulations (calls in all of europe are included in our cell cost) we take the ships wifi for staying in contact.

[euro cruiser]

Yes, if you purchase the ship's wifi and you have a WhatsApp account, you can make wifi calls for no additional cost.

[Hlitner]

A little follow-up and tale about how we learned about the wonders of T-Mobile (which includes worldwide coverage in many of its plans..at little or no additional cost).  We were cruising on HAL's Prinsendam and enjoying some adult beverages, late one evening, while we happened to be cruising past the island of Stromboli (yes, there is such a place).  We noticed many of the ship's entertainers and some crew using their cell phones in that upper deck lounge and asked some questions.  They were all linking to a cell on Stromboli and they told us how they all had T-Mobile because it simply works "everywhere."  

 

Shortly after that cruise we switched our cell provider from ATT to T-Mobile and have been happy users for years.

 

Hank

[GAgaltravel]

37 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Shortly after that cruise we switched our cell provider from ATT to T-Mobile and have been happy users for years.

We, of course, have ATT. 😂

[Hlitner]

18 minutes ago, GAgaltravel said:

We, of course, have ATT. 😂

The problem with ATT and Verizon is that you need to pay extra to use it outside North America.  

 

Hank

[alserrod]

Hello

Telephone antennas, at least in Europe, do not reach 10 miles. They are between 7 and 8 km. Maybe 10 km, which is less distance.
That is, as soon as you leave port you are left without coverage.

Now, if the problem is that someone wants to know that "everything is going well", it seems to me that if you warn before leaving port... either the ship sinks, or you arrive at the next port without problems.

Remember that with the boat's Wi-Fi, assuming it works perfectly, you will be able to receive calls via WhatsApp, Telegram or other applications, but not phone calls.

Regarding telephone companies, remember that each country has its own network and regulations. For an EU citizen it is not a problem because since 2017 they can all be used interchangeably. However, for someone who is from another country, they should check what the cost of using it is.

If it is too expensive, you can choose to use a prepaid card from a local company. Before entering the cruise at any telephone store you can check for cards that will give you an amount of data to be able to use the internet on your mobile and a number of calls included. It's probably cheaper than any supplement you have at your current company.

And above all, calls from satellite (when you are on the boat at sea), are very very expensive

[GAgaltravel]

8 hours ago, alserrod said:

Remember that with the boat's Wi-Fi, assuming it works perfectly, you will be able to receive calls via WhatsApp,

Thanks for your thorough reply. Great information.