Turn AT&T to airplane bEFORE entering ship

[markeb]

5 minutes ago, oatbagg1 said:

We always put on airplane mode when we start moving.  We got a text from AT&T. Although a passenger cautioned we may have been hacked via unsecured Celebrity WiFI

So someone randomly hacked your phone and the only thing they did was turn off your airplane mode? 
 

Are the charges from Cellular at Sea? Are they for the day you were in port? That should be available from ATT and maybe even in your online account.

[gfkcruiser]

5 hours ago, miched said:

We have ATT.   I have permanently turned off roaming.  I live close to Canada and sometimes with roaming on we would pick up Canada and get hit with the bill.   
 

When we board the ship in FL we never had that problem with extra charges.   We would turn on air plane mode after we connect to the ships internet as we usually have the internet package.      It would be very easy to forget about doing that if we didn’t.    We will also remind each other for the same reason.  
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅
 

 

Was that Canadian issue recent?  Our service covers us to/from US to Canada and Mexico.  

[Charles4515]

34 minutes ago, gfkcruiser said:

Was that Canadian issue recent?  Our service covers us to/from US to Canada and Mexico.  

AT&T Unlimited plans include Canada, Mexico and Latin America. They may not be on an unlimited plan. 

Edited April 5 by Charles4515

[cruisegal40]

I would try and call A, T and T. I have had to call them over the years for charges.  (DS was making bad 800's   Uggg). They were very accommodating. This was a quite a few years ago. So not sure if they have changed. They removed the charges.

[skivoodoo]

AT&T has a $10 a day international plan that I have turned on. It works in most Caribbean ports we frequent. In case something glitches, that’s all we get charged. The rest of time it’s airplane mode and we are not charged. 
 

A few years ago we had Verizon. My husband turned his phone on while in a port and all the downloads were waiting. He was charge close to $200. But Verizon refunded us with a call when we were back home. 

[miched]

4 hours ago, gfkcruiser said:

Was that Canadian issue recent?  Our service covers us to/from US to Canada and Mexico.  

It was many years ago.   I always keep roaming turned off on my phone.  Don’t see any use for it.  
 

I am not sure how that international plan works but my niece  went to a casino in Windsor Ontario.   It is a city across from Detroit.  She got hit will a large bill because she was texting and her phone was connected to I think was called Rogers Service.   She purchased the international plan from AT&T to use for a future cruise.  She also got a big bill for her usage on board the ship.  Don’t really know the whole story but I don’t see the need to keep in touch with anyone unless it is really important.   
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Edited April 6 by miched

[prmssk]

1 hour ago, miched said:

She purchased the international plan from AT&T to use for a future cruise.  She also got a big bill for her usage on board the ship.  Don’t really know the whole story but I don’t see the need to keep in touch with anyone unless it is really important.   

An international plan doesn't cover Cellular at Sea (while a ship is at sea).  There is a separate plan for that which can be costly if you use a lot of data.  International plans are only good for cell towers on land in foreign countries.

[Pushka]

As others have said, your phone must have connected to the ship signal when just a few miles offshore.   And the ship signal isn't considered part of the international plan. 

Edited April 6 by Pushka

[NutsAboutGolf]

9 hours ago, oatbagg1 said:

They were impossible to reach. Not until the 2nd day did a rep contact us. 

 

What did they say and did they share the exact location?  If you don't know the location, I would suggest you call them again and ask.  There was a time when I was on hold for over two hours with Celebrity, just put your phone on speaker and do what you'd normally do

[keesar]

17 hours ago, oatbagg1 said:

We got hit with $200 international charges thru AT&T even though we were in port docked in Miami.  Then they cut off our phones. Apparently T-mobile & What’s App are ok….. we finally got the WIFi package to communicate with family at home but it’s just another money grab. 20 cruises we never experienced not texting or calling in a Us port.  Never. 

At what point in your cruise did you go to the airplane mode?

[hcat]

just to clarify...we have AT & T

 

if we set the phone to airplane mode, can we still use it onboard to take photos, send and receive  e mails?

 

What is needed in a port to do e mail and  short tel call...International Plan?

 

thanks

 

[cruisetonowhere10]

21 hours ago, CruisinShips said:

Interesting.  I have always had AT&T and have never been charged for usage while in Miami or Fort Lauderdale aboard the ship on over a dozen cruises I have been on.  Including my most recent one in February (Port Everglades).  

 

I wonder how ATT would know you're even on a ship while docked....

I was wondering the same thing…

[prmssk]

3 hours ago, hcat said:

just to clarify...we have AT & T

 

if we set the phone to airplane mode, can we still use it onboard to take photos, send and receive  e mails?

 

What is needed in a port to do e mail and  short tel call...International Plan?

 

thanks

 

In airplane mode you can definitely take photos.  Photos don't require any type of signal or wifi.  

 

If you purchase an internet package through the cruse line, you can send and receive e-mails while on the ship.  You would turn airplane mode on, turn wifi on, connect to the ship's wifi, and log in.

 

In port, you need a cell plan that covers the country you are in.  Many US plans already include Canada and Mexico (and sometimes certain other countries).  And if your plan doesn't already cover the countries you are visiting, you would need an international plan.  

[Rick&Jeannie]

22 hours ago, prmssk said:

While docked in Miami you would still be connected to US cell towers.  Any Cellular at Sea receptors on the ship do not get turned on until you are 12 miles out at sea (which would be the first opportunity to hit an "international" cell tower).

 

So something else happened here.  

This ^^^^^^^

[Rick&Jeannie]

16 hours ago, skivoodoo said:

AT&T has a $10 a day international plan that I have turned on. It works in most Caribbean ports we frequent. In case something glitches, that’s all we get charged. The rest of time it’s airplane mode and we are not charged. 
 

A few years ago we had Verizon. My husband turned his phone on while in a port and all the downloads were waiting. He was charge close to $200. But Verizon refunded us with a call when we were back home. 

We have the AT&T International Day Pass. It's not just for Caribbean...works in Europe and most all countries world-wide.  (There are a few where it doesn't...but I'm not planning on any trips to North Korea anytime soon!)  Have never had any issues with it...I leave it activated ALL the time, just in case I forget about it.  If I hit a particular port that I *know* I don't need any service (rare, but occasionally) I just leave phone in airplane mode.  AT&T is none the wiser, and I save $10 for that day.

[billc23]

10 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

We have the AT&T International Day Pass. It's not just for Caribbean...works in Europe and most all countries world-wide.  (There are a few where it doesn't...but I'm not planning on any trips to North Korea anytime soon!)  Have never had any issues with it...I leave it activated ALL the time, just in case I forget about it.  If I hit a particular port that I *know* I don't need any service (rare, but occasionally) I just leave phone in airplane mode.  AT&T is none the wiser, and I save $10 for that day.

In addition, AT&T International Day Pass charges max out at $100 per billing cycle per line. I find it a pretty good deal for a long trip to multiple countries. For single day use the first line is $10 for 24 hours and any additional lines are $5 extra. It is important to note that the plan gives you your current plan benefits - at home I have unlimited data so the same applies when traveling.

[Maggie North]

Also important to turn off "WiFi Assist" (at the bottom of the cellular section under all the apps) even when on Airplane Mode. When WiFi signal is weak, phone automatically switches to Cellular.  I even have this and data roaming turned off on land.

 

I always set an alarm on boarding day...a reminder to turn on Airplane Mode around noon on phone and iPad and watch (which is about the time I sign into ship WiFi).

[NutsAboutGolf]

14 hours ago, Maggie North said:

Also important to turn off "WiFi Assist" (at the bottom of the cellular section under all the apps) even when on Airplane Mode. When WiFi signal is weak, phone automatically switches to Cellular.  I even have this and data roaming turned off on land.

 

I always set an alarm on boarding day...a reminder to turn on Airplane Mode around noon on phone and iPad and watch (which is about the time I sign into ship WiFi).

 

It's not a bad idea to turn off Wi-Fi Assist to reduce data usage, however, on the iPhone, WiFi Assist does NOT work while in airplane mode.  IDK about androids but the feature may be called something different

[Rick&Jeannie]

7 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

It's not a bad idea to turn off Wi-Fi Assist to reduce data usage, however, on the iPhone, WiFi Assist does NOT work while in airplane mode.  IDK about androids but the feature may be called something different

I'm using a Samsung Galaxy S22. I don't seem to have this.

[hcat]

On 4/6/2024 at 10:07 AM, prmssk said:

In airplane mode you can definitely take photos.  Photos don't require any type of signal or wifi.  

 

If you purchase an internet package through the cruse line, you can send and receive e-mails while on the ship.  You would turn airplane mode on, turn wifi on, connect to the ship's wifi, and log in.

 

In port, you need a cell plan that covers the country you are in.  Many US plans already include Canada and Mexico (and sometimes certain other countries).  And if your plan doesn't already cover the countries you are visiting, you would need an international plan.  

thank you..

your explanation easy to follow!

we have basic requirements..this works!

[Volk9048]

Something is not right here. As already posted the Cellar at Sea does not go on until 12 miles out of US ports.  I always leave my cell on until we are down to a bar sailing away.  Also I think Cellular at sea show up different than International charges but I could be wrong.  
 

You have not said who charged you. If it is ATT you need to asked for a complete bill showing times and dates of charges.  If you were charged while in US ports you need to dispute it.  
 

finally if you have ATT I suggest signing up for the ATT International Plan. It is automatic so no major mistakes in foreign ports. You get charged $10 a day for unlimited data, text and calls.  You are only charged if you use it. This does not cover Cellular at Sea when the ship is between ports. 
 

 

 

[Charles4515]

13 minutes ago, Volk9048 said:

g is not right here. As already posted the Cellar at Sea does not go on until 12 miles out of US ports.  I always leave my cell on until we are down to a bar sailing away.  Also I think Cellular at sea show up different than International charges but I could be wrong.  

AT&T or any US carrier will pass on any roaming charges. They will be itemized on the bill. Cellular at a Sea is treated as a carrier. Sort of treated like international roaming although it is owned by AT&T 50%.

Edited April 9 by Charles4515

[Arizona Wildcat]

On 4/5/2024 at 10:48 AM, oatbagg1 said:

They were impossible to reach. Not until the 2nd day did a rep contact us. 

Do not understand as you said your phones were shut down - suggesting while still in port.  Things don't make sense.

[NutsAboutGolf]

@oatbagg1, once you receive the location information from AT&T, please post it here.  If a mistake was made, we'll all be respectful, if it's confirmed by AT&T it is Miami, we need to know