Cell Phone Use on Summit?

[Johncn]

Hello,

 

I've had trouble finding an answer about whether or not cell phones can be used about Summit, and how the fees are handled. Anybody know for sure?

 

Some posts say that yes, Summit has cell phone access, and that your "standard roaming charges" apply, based on your cell company. Others say that "international roaming charges" apply.

 

One post talks about how if you don't turn off your cell phone before leaving port (on Celebrity's RCCL parent....and same probable service provider), that even incoming messages and calls you don't answer are billed at $4.95 minute. Certainly this can't be correct. If so, I'll collect the kids' cell phones and lock them in the safe pre-departure!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=447149

 

The Celebrity website is not at all helpful, and only has a press release from 2004 about this as a "coming service" announcement...and that's about it.

 

I think it's odd that there is not some concrete info out there...maybe I'm not looking efficiently.

 

Question 1: Does cell phone service exist on Summit?

 

Question 2: If so, if I have a plan that allows nationwide roaming, does

that include while aboard Summit?

 

Question 3: Would my Edge Card for broadband interenet work? :D I know it will in Hawaii....so I can check in with the office while there.

 

Any advice appreicated!

 

Regards,

 

JTC

[AstridSJ]

1. yes

2. no

3. not sure how that is being charged

 

 

 

In most cases your cell phone will work on the ship, however check with your service provider regarding rates and requirements.

 

We found Cingular to be the cheapest in our case. We did have to add the international plan to be able to get it. The rates in April on Summit were $1.69 per minute, the access was displayed as Cingular at Sea and this way we would know that we got charge the excessive rates.

We just got off Summit yesterday and the rates now being charged are $2.50 per minute.

 

Even though your cell phone uses the ship's cell tower, those charges will appear on your regular cell phone bill.

 

We kept our phone off and told everyone before we left that the calls would cost us $2.50 per minute and NOT to call unless there was an emergency.

We would also check, when we were in port, on or near the ship, that the cell phone did not hit the ship's tower or we would still be charged the $2.50 per minute, again in our case the display would show "Cingular at Sea"

[kitty9]

I've used both my Blackberry and Verizon cell phones on Summit. And, it wasn't cheap. The Blackberry was the least expensive, but even there I racked up some pretty good charges, with the rates being in the $3 to $6 a minute range depending on location and roaming fees. You probably should lock up the kid's cells as the incoming charges are very high---for mine it was $4.95 a minute for incoming calls. You will also need a phone that's GSM or GPRS equipped. My regular cell that doesn't have those services, didn't get a signal on board or in any of the ports.

[lvz2cruz]

We are getting ready to go on the Millie to the caribbean. In the past we have used our cell phones (T-Mobile) in San Juan and St. Thomas. These ports do not require roaming or extra fees. I remember standing on the upper deck and calling home to check on elderly parents. Has something changed in the last year or so that the ship gets the signal and charges for the call as opposed to our carrier?

[Johncn]

Wow...

 

I won't be using the cell at sea then...but at least in the Hawaii ports, I SHOULD have a free roaming connection on my Cellular One "nationwide" account. Right?

 

Will the phone automatically associate with the ship instead of the cell site in the port? I've contacted Cellular One, and they don't seem to really know how it works. Three different answers from three people. I'll need to connect to the office a bit in port. Hmmmm.

 

As far as Celebrity at Sea, or whatever they call the Internet plan they have, that's simply insanity. And, I hear there is no more "all you can eat" rate plan available..by the minute only. Ouch. The rates are the worst I've ever seen. I love the Summit, but the rates for Internet access border on comical.

 

Anybody use Cellular One on Summit? I know it's a long shot, but hey, it's a well used forum ;-)

 

Thanks for the prompt responses!

 

Johncn

[Lsimon]

The service on the Summit and other available ships is part of a joint venture through Cingular. If you have Cingular service you can find the rates at Cingular. Go to their international roaming rates page which is currently at: http://www.cingular.com/learn/international/roaming/international-roaming.jsp

 

There is a drop down menu on that page for picking country for the rate, and they actually list the specific ships they have service on and the rates for those ships. It currently shows $2.49/minute regardless if you have the Cingular World Traveler plan or not.

 

I'm not sure of this - but you might also have to call Cingular before your cruise to have the international calling for your phone turned on if you've not specifically done so before. We had problems calling international numbers and colling home from Mexico, and after following up with Cingular discovered it was because we'd never authorized international calling on our phone.

 

I do not know what the rate is, nor how to find out, if you are going through another carrier. I guess you can call your carrier and ask - but it seems like a hard question to get them to understand to me.

[ECCruise]

Summary:

We've used the service on both Summit and Century.

1) THe service is only currently available on Century, Summit, Galaxy and Millennium.

2) Cingular's rate is $2.49/minute. Your other cell service may charge additional roaming costs.

3) Only GSM phones work.

4) Service was strong and clear inside the cabin.

5) On Cingular, you must activate international service. There is no discount for cruise ship service, though, it you take one of the international discount dialing plans.

 

Hope this helps.

[RLM77]

Will the phone automatically associate with the ship instead of the cell site in the port?

 

No. On our recent Summit cruise to Hawaii the shipboard cell service was turned off while in port. Our Verizon phone immediately associated with the land-based towers (even at the tender ports) and we paid no extra charges. I believe that Celebrity turns off the shipboard service at all ports, not only in Hawaii. Of course, unless you have an international calling plan you'll still pay some hefty roaming charges if you use the phone at foreign ports!:eek: