Cingular cellphone service on Triumph at sea?

[gypsyrose]

Legalwife...very well said! I have my cell too, some ports they work with no added costs. I don't carry it around on the ship but have it in the cabin. To each their own, right? Some just get more vocal than others;)

[ParrotRob]

Why do some people have to be so rude?

 

I agree. There's almost nothing ruder than using your cell phone at sea!

[ParrotRob]

Why do some people have to be so rude?

 

I agree. There's almost nothing ruder than using your cell phone at sea!

[serene56]

If I had to I would fly home at the next port. I'm not talking if the cat died or something like that. I do have a passport.

 

suppose if the next port was some place like Belize- could we get home from there at a moments notice?

I searched some flights from St thomas and see that flights are not available like they are from here at home.

Suppose if it was a sea day and you still have one sea day before you get to port...i think I would be soooo upset if i heard bad news on a ship that i couldtn do nothing about it anyways?

 

(just curious to how this would work)

[breanne$5]

The cellphone is great. My inlaws are elderly and worry while we are gone, and if we just make a quick call and say we're having fun, they feel better - I figure it's the least we can do while we are having the time of our lives!:)

[sinkers22]

I agree. There's almost nothing ruder than using your cell phone at sea!

 

This one boggles me. How can using your cell phone at sea be rude? I'm sure most people would use it in the privacy of their cabin and not sit at chat at dinner.

 

Actually, this whole thread boggles me. If someone wants to bring their cell phone, who's business is it?

[INCHARGE]

This one boggles me. How can using your cell phone at sea be rude? I'm sure most people would use it in the privacy of their cabin and not sit at chat at dinner.

Actually, this whole thread boggles me.

I could not agree with you more. :rolleyes: I see many people with their phones, So what??

I bring my phone, use it, call whomever I feel like it, with no excuses. If I want to make a call before I leave a port, I will do so wihout a thought of being rude, because it is not. As long as I am in my cabin making my call, or not in private settings, it's all good. When people are up on the Lido drinking and having big fun everywhere, do you think that they will stop their fun to look at someone talking on the phone and say that they are rude? I don't think so.

I like to keep in touch with my family, so 'nuff said.

[serene56]

This one boggles me. How can using your cell phone at sea be rude? I'm sure most people would use it in the privacy of their cabin and not sit at chat at dinner.

 

I dont think most people will use a cell in the privacy of their cabin. Taking public transportation every day for work shows me this. You'd be surprise on how much private information is given out very loudly on a cell phone by people--yes many people-- at the same time sitting around you.

 

I was at a show once and didnt hear most of it because of the kids behind me with walkie talkies.. i can only imagine what it will be like when cell phones are a norm on a cruise ship- I'd rather it not be part of the experience.

[enjoyinglife]

We were on the eastern cruise for the Victory last March and were able to make calls in San Juan and St Thomas at no extra charge.

 

 

I called cingular and was told the same - that I could use it in San Juan and St Stomas at no extra charge. I have never taken one on the ship before, but will this time because my son is taking a friend with us and I want him to be able to check in on one of the days.

[enjoyinglife]

I thought one of the main reasons for going on a cruise was to get away from @#&% cell phones!

 

 

My cell phone never ring enough for me to believe this is true!

[enjoyinglife]

NO ONE is that important. What did you do BEFORE this service was available?

 

 

Once I had my son, I never left him behind - he has always come with me, but I know if I were to leave him behind, I would definately want to call and check on him! He is worth the extra effort, and I dont believe this is rude!

[dmfriedman]

so back to my original nosey kinda question.. If you are at sea and get an emergency call-- what can you do about it?

A reasonable question, and a wide variety of possible responses. In my case, about 5 years ago I was on a cruise with my family in Alaska. I was in the middle of a divorce and we were selling our house -- everything had been packed, with all of my stuff in storage and her stuff in a new apartment. Three days into the cruise, I receive a note from the ship indicating that my ex was desperately trying to reach me. When I called her (from the ship phone at a cost of around $11/minute at the time), she informed me that our lovely empty for-sale house was under about two inches of water. As all of the insurance and home warranty information was in my name and in my storage unit, she had no way to reach anyone to figure out what to do. Fortunately I had a cheat-sheet of all of the information with me so I was able to give her the info she needed, make a couple quick calls myself to authorize services, and by the time I got home the house was back to normal and sold a couple days later.

 

Now... would a cell phone have helped this? Perhaps. The ship only got the message to me about 12 hours after she called -- she'd tried every way she could, but I was never in my cabin. If I'd been carrying my cell phone, she might've gotten to me earlier than that and saved us far more money than the cost of an international roaming call by having less damage done to the house (i.e. only having to replace the floors instead of also having to replace the kitchen cabinets).

 

On a slightly different note, in my line of business, I live partly on commission. While I don't want to be interrupted by work if I'm on vacation, if something came up with a deal I was working on and I had to make a go/no-go decision affecting a multi-million dollar deal, I would certainly much rather take a quick call than to hope that someone else would make the same decision I would. Definitely other people are capable of handling the situations, but with the larger deals, I don't want to leave the choices to others.

 

So yes, there are definitely emergencies that I want to know about and carrying my cell phone would be helpful. That being said, I still don't plan to keep mine turned on when I'm at sea -- I always turn it (a CrackBerry) on the morning we get into port and let it download my email and voicemail so I can scan through to see if anything urgent arrived, make a quick call to family using the standard roaming service from port (generally around $1/minute under my corporate contract), and then turn it back off and go back to enjoying my vacation.

 

All that said, I'm a workaholic and a geek. Others have said they're family men/women. Who knows what anyone else's excuse is. Of course, then again, who cares... ;)

[BirthdayGirl30]

I wouldn't care if it was $100 a minute. It would be worth it to know that my parents could get me if there was an emergency with my kids.

[773 Miles Away]

I agree. There's almost nothing ruder than using your cell phone at sea!

 

Actually that's not true, basically.

 

But anyway... I have a feeling this poster is simply here to start fights, as oppose to offer any good advice or even good conversation. so we might as well ignore it.

[GoinCruisin]

This one boggles me. How can using your cell phone at sea be rude? I'm sure most people would use it in the privacy of their cabin and not sit at chat at dinner.

 

Actually, this whole thread boggles me. If someone wants to bring their cell phone, who's business is it?

 

I'm going to have to disagree with you here. I can tell you that at LEAST 5 times a week, I deal with people using their cell phone in restaurants, in business meetings, theatres, etc. There IS NO common courtesy anymore when it comes to cell phone usage... if you haven't experienced this, I would say get out a little more and you will see the abuse. What makes anyone think it's going to be different on a cruise ship? People are all about "me me me"... one person has already stated they don't know "when they will get back to their cabin" hence the use of the cell phone, do you think they are going to slip into a corridor to use it? No. And with the wind blowing, the music, etc... they are going to have to SHOUT to think they are being heard. I would love it if people would have the decency and respect to NOT disrupt others with the use of their cell phones, but it's not going to happen.

 

Being a business owner, I have managed to get by while staying in touch with my customers on a daily basis while cruising... For years many have gotten by just fine without a cell phone on a cruise... in an emergency, what is $10/minute??? People scoff at that, but in a true emergency, I don't think anyone is worried about $10/minute or $100/minute. There has always been a mode of communication available and people have done just fine. Just my 2 cents, it IS going to cause problems... mark my words, you will hear plenty of reviews about the rude people and the use of their cell phone. We hear it about the rude smokers, the rude drunks, and now it will be this.

[INCHARGE]

Hi Chris, how are ya? :)

I disagree to an extent because what difference does it make if someone is on Lido laughing and having big fun, or having a conversation with their children on their phones? Everyone is talking to someone up there. Now, in the showrooms, and other sedate places, I see where there would be a problem. I basically use mine in my cabin, or when we pull out of Miami, I like to call my sweeties and let them know we are off! It's just in fun like everyone else is having fun. Not a rude thing to me. However, It can be rude in quiet settings.

[tbrown]

Very cool MS. I was just thinking the same thing. Barring I can remember to do that before I leave! LOL..

 

 

Thanks!

 

Take sticky notes and put what you have to do on them and put them everywhere...computer, office, bedroom door, bathroom, refrig, you will get tired of seeing these and do it. LOL

[lovncruzn]

There are drunk obnoxious people everywhere, but God forbid I sit around on my cell phone talking to my children!

[GoinCruisin]

Hi Chris, how are ya? :)

I disagree to an extent because what difference does it make if someone is on Lido laughing and having big fun, or having a conversation with their children on their phones? Everyone is talking to someone up there. Now, in the showrooms, and other sedate places, I see where there would be a problem. I basically use mine in my cabin, or when we pull out of Miami, I like to call my sweeties and let them know we are off! It's just in fun like everyone else is having fun. Not a rude thing to me. However, It can be rude in quiet settings.

 

Just fine! Hope you are as well Glo!!!!

 

Just as I don't want someone standing beside me screaming at someone with them, I don't want someone beside me screaming in a cell phone (have run into this ;)) and it DOES happen. Now, I am all for someone doing whatever they want on the lido deck, I don't care, as long as they are mindful of those around them.. cell phone or not. My concern isn't the lido deck really... but I guarantee you, if they work, people will have them in the auctions, tea time, dinner, shows, you name it. I think they should have them available, but allow you to use them in your stateroom... that way people have no NEED to take them out of the cabin and CONVENIENTLY forget they have them when they go into the dining room, showroom, etc.

[GoinCruisin]

There are drunk obnoxious people everywhere, but God forbid I sit around on my cell phone talking to my children!

 

Have you really cruised where there are drunk obnoxious people everywhere????? I can say that I've never experienced that :confused: Why would you continue to cruise if there are drunk obnoxious people everywhere???

[773 Miles Away]

Hi Chris, how are ya? :)

I disagree to an extent because what difference does it make if someone is on Lido laughing and having big fun, or having a conversation with their children on their phones? Everyone is talking to someone up there. Now, in the showrooms, and other sedate places, I see where there would be a problem. I basically use mine in my cabin, or when we pull out of Miami, I like to call my sweeties and let them know we are off! It's just in fun like everyone else is having fun. Not a rude thing to me. However, It can be rude in quiet settings.

 

precisely. When I talk on my phone in an area where others are holding conversations I talk at the normal conversation volume.. so really there is no difference between using a cell or not! In the same frame of mind, if i'm not going to be holding a conversation during a broadway show, I also won't talk on a phone..

[GoinCruisin]

precisely. When I talk on my phone in an area where others are holding conversations I talk at the normal conversation volume.. so really there is no difference between using a cell or not! In the same frame of mind, if i'm not going to be holding a conversation during a broadway show, I also won't talk on a phone..

 

You guys all realize that it is NEVER US who inconvenience people right? It's always someone else :p Just because YOU are considerate, and YOU use your normal conversation voice, does NOT mean others do or will. Like I said, I see it everyday, in every city I travel too... in very fine establishments as well. It happens. Anyone that hasn't seen it, or doesn't believe it, you are lucky. Those of us that deal with it on a daily basis, it's frustrating. I am VERY disappointed that there will be cell service on all ships... but I can't stop it, so I'll deal with it, but I think it's just another thing that takes away from the cruising experience... I wonder why people even bother to go on vacation sometimes :rolleyes:

[773 Miles Away]

I wonder why people even bother to go on vacation sometimes :rolleyes:

 

I guess it all depends on how you define an enjoyable vacation. To each their own. I could have my phone ringing all day (and the person's next to me as well) and still have a great time.. but then again, my life isn't hectic or busy like others, so I don't go on vacations to "get away" or relax, I go for the destination etc etc..

 

Personally I usually am never bothered by cell phones simply because 1) most things don't bother me, and 2) if it is bothering me I always tell them so, and usually, depending on my tone, they get the point :rolleyes:

 

I only hope that people don't become bothered by cell phones in areas they shouldn't, such as those loud areas where conversation volume (or more) is typical and you can't tell the difference between a cell phone talker and some people chatting.

[ParrotRob]

I'm going to have to disagree with you here. I can tell you that at LEAST 5 times a week, I deal with people using their cell phone in restaurants, in business meetings, theatres, etc. There IS NO common courtesy anymore when it comes to cell phone usage... if you haven't experienced this, I would say get out a little more and you will see the abuse.

 

Thank you. I'm glad to see not everyone thinks I'm just here to "pick a fight" :rolleyes:

 

To all the other posters who don't seem to get it, no one cares if you use your cell phone IN YOUR CABIN. It's when you're on the balcony next to mine, on the Lido deck, beside the pool, in the restaurant... and if you DON'T think that will happen, like GoinCruisin said, you don't get out much.

[serene56]

I guess the point is-- if you dont experince this cell phone abuse you cant really appreciate why Cell Phones on a ship is a bad idea.

 

comparing the people chatting on the lido deck with someone "chatting: on a cell phone can not be compared. The person on the cell phone is having a one way conversationwand more then likly will be loud on their end so people all over the place will be hearing it.. as the people having a conversation on the lido deck will be kinda quiet.

 

I have not cruised with a bunch of drunks all over the place.. maybe a few hear or there but not bunches. I am afraid that if cell service takes the way of every day life here at home I wont be cruising much afterwards.