Cellphone Annoyance

[wrongwaywatson]

While it is nice to be able to stay in touch with loved ones in case of an emergency, was cell phone usage annoying on the ship? We are sailing on the Grand 3/3/07 and I just read that cell phones work at sea on the Grand. Last year on the CB it was kind of nice to have a week with no cell phones ringing. (As a person who carries 2 every day - personal and business). I hate eating dinner and hearing cell phones going off all over the place. I hope that it is used at a minimum, preferrably in people's cabin. Did anyone notice people walking around with a phone stuck in their ear?

[khicks1101]

The thought of people doing business over their mobiles during a cruise, teenages talking to friends on their phones and the rest of us receiving a myriad of calls or SMS messages from friends and others is horrifying:eek:.

The idea of a cruise is a restful, de-stressing HOLIDAY and Cell phones will only spoil the experience for almost all of us:confused:

 

If a emergency occurs we can be reached via the ship to shore onboard, otherwise we can stay in touch via email onboard as it is.

 

Lets hope we don't cheapen the experience of cruising by continuing on this ridiculous preoccupation with mobile / cell phones

[ECCruise]

I was one of the biggest "the sky is falling" posters prior to cell phone availability. Since that time, we've done 3 cruises where cell phone service was available at sea. Really, it was not a problem. Maybe it has to do with $2.49 per minute PLUS roaming if you are not Cingular/ATT. The stupid hour long senseless chats you see elsewhere just don't seem to materialize when its going to cost you 150 bucks I guess.

[dsfitz]

We never noticed anyone using a cell phone. As was previously said, it's very expensive so I think that keeps people from using them a lot - except in case of an emergency.

 

Don't worry about it affecting your cruise - I don't think it will.

 

Enjoy!

[RIGirl]

When we went on our recent cruise, we left our children home with my SIL for 8 days. This was the first time we had ever left them for any length of time. We had my cell phone with us and left it in the cabin. I called home 4 times during the week but I always did it from the privacy of our room. Throughout the ship, I never saw one single person use a cell phone. I think most people know "cruise etiquette" (of course there are some exceptions - and you know who you are! ;) ).

[Red Rox]

After carrying a cell phone now for over 20 years, I can't imagine leaving home without it. But that doesn't mean I'm not sensitive to conversations in the midst of restaurants, shops and other public areas. I avoid those situations as much as possible at home and when I'm traveling. However I agree that the most important factor in my choice to not use my cell phone on the ship will be the cost. I will take time when I'm in port to seek out an internet cafe to check email and I'll make my cell phone calls while on land. I guess that makes me a cheapskate, and polite. I'm OK with either label.;)

[cruiseryyc]

Nothing wrong with being a polite cheapskate!!! A few years ago I was in the Horizon court one afternoon and had to listen to some guy very loudly dictating instructions to his secretary over his cell phone. I nearly grabbed it out of his hand and threw it overboard!

[kryos]

I was one of the biggest "the sky is falling" posters prior to cell phone availability. Since that time, we've done 3 cruises where cell phone service was available at sea. Really, it was not a problem. Maybe it has to do with $2.49 per minute PLUS roaming if you are not Cingular/ATT. The stupid hour long senseless chats you see elsewhere just don't seem to materialize when its going to cost you 150 bucks I guess.

Exactly. I like the idea of being able to use my cell phone on a ship ... but at those rates, you can bet it would only be for VERY short and VERY necessary calls. You're not gonna get the teeny boppers chatting up their friends at those rates, that's for sure. I doubt mom or dad will even let them bring their cell phones along.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[bdjam]

My understanding is that the only hot spots on Princess ships was going to be in cabin and on the upper decks. That should alleviate part of the problem.

[Red Rox]

Nothing wrong with being a polite cheapskate!!! A few years ago I was in the Horizon court one afternoon and had to listen to some guy very loudly dictating instructions to his secretary over his cell phone. I nearly grabbed it out of his hand and threw it overboard!

Oh my! That wouldn't be very polite now, would it?:eek:

[Strawberry]

When we were on the Island Princess in January while we were offshore, at portside or cruising near the Islands people were constantly using their cell phones onboard the ship. In particular, the restaurant at breakfast one morning was "cell phone hell" with people all around us shouting into their phones, having inane hour long conversations. Perhaps they had been suffering from withdrawal and we were just coming back into cell phone range or something. I wrote a comment card and left it at the Purser's Desk asking if the Dining Rooms could be designated cell phone free zones. I also spoke to the Maitre'd about it and in addition, I put a note on my questionnaire at the end of the cruise. I don't mind people talking on cell phones but some people just cannot use a normal conversational tone of voice and you can hear them all the way across the room. Please, I really don't want to hear about all your intimate throughts and problems!:eek:

[khicks1101]

Exactly. I like the idea of being able to use my cell phone on a ship ... but at those rates, you can bet it would only be for VERY short and VERY necessary calls. You're not gonna get the teeny boppers chatting up their friends at those rates, that's for sure. I doubt mom or dad will even let them bring their cell phones along.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

 

 

But what is a necessary call:confused:

 

Finding out what happened on your favourite TV show? :eek: Or telling a family member of your day? :rolleyes: Or maybe to make sure everyone back home is well?:confused:

 

Email could achieve this and would not bother others and would give you a break from relying on that phone to live your life.

 

I use one all the time for work and socially, but will not turn it on during the cruise. If there is a emergency then I CAN be reached via the ship to shore.

 

I will check emails every two or three days, so will miss little of what is happening, but won't be annoying others or dealing with those annoying calls of people who want advice.

 

The only HOT spot should be in the cabins, and then watch how quickly many will switch them off.:D

 

[gambit57]

I wish only hot spots are in the cabins. I'm still tempted to buy and bring along a cell jammer if I end up on a cruise with cell access everywhere.

 

Most everyone on CC is polite and considerate. Unfortunately, the general public isn't quite so.

[khicks1101]

Firtly I want to apologise to Kryos if they took my last post as an attack, it was just a response and not meant personally.

Secondly in response to "You're not gonna get the teeny boppers chatting up their friends at those rates, that's for sure. I doubt mom or dad will even let them bring their cell phones along."

teeny boppers will get their phones with them and mum and dad may not even know, they are pretty resourceful/sneaky. Most will not consider the cost of the call and will certainly sms, meaning constant beeping all over the ship:eek:

Enough from me, 'may all your seas be calm, skies be blue, and cell phones be out of range':D

 

[khicks1101]

 

 

Keep the dream alive, lol

[MNYTRPS2GO2]

Last September while on the Crown we were woken up very early on port days by the two women next door. They spent hours on the cellphone not only going through their previous days memories but also their life problems that they were alledgedly escaping from for the week. I knew way more about them and their alcohol consumption than I needed to know. To make matters worse their balcony had the beam and apparently the hotspot was between the beam and very short distance to our partition.When they returned to the balcony in the afternoon they would again get on the phone until sailaway.

There was no use saying anything to them. When we tried to introduce ourselves the first day they were crude and walked away.

While I like the idea of having access for an emergency I don't appreciate this kind of behavior...

(At least they were in bed by 8 each night)

[CZEE]

Maybe it has to do with $2.49 per minute PLUS roaming if you are not Cingular/ATT.

 

What's the deal with Cingular? Is that the carrier on the ships>

 

Thanks.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Gee, I'm so unknowledgable about cell phones (by choice) that I don't even known what is SMS.

[lovebug33]

On my cruise to the MR the only place my cell worked was the back of the ship by the hot tub. I liked being able to use it because I call my mom two to three times a day and I was able to talk to her (and Dad :) twice on the cruise. It made me feel good!

[MercedMike]

I wish only hot spots are in the cabins. I'm still tempted to buy and bring along a cell jammer if I end up on a cruise with cell access everywhere..

 

OOH, OOH, can I really get one of those?? Where do I get it??

 

Seriously, when we disembarked the Grand Princess last month they passed out a survey asking pax opinion of the current plan -- which is apparently that the public lounges, dining rooms and theater do not have cell phone access. I, of course, heartily endorsed that plan!

[NavySis]

I can understand the fustration with people people talking on cell phones all the time. At work customers will be on their cells trying to talk to someone and also talk to me. I usually just tell those customers to let me know when they are finished and I will help them. I polite, but it is annoying to me. The day is long gone when it was cool to talk on cell phones all the time in public.

lOn my last cruise, I went to the upper deck when we were docked and used my cell then. I just called home to let everyone know I was ok, and I made sure others weren't around me when I was on the phone.

 

 

NavySis

[gambit57]

OOH, OOH, can I really get one of those?? Where do I get it??

 

Seriously, when we disembarked the Grand Princess last month they passed out a survey asking pax opinion of the current plan -- which is apparently that the public lounges, dining rooms and theater do not have cell phone access. I, of course, heartily endorsed that plan!

 

They sell them online. Usually from a country other than US b/c I don't think they're legal here due to FCC regs or something like that. About $300 for the portable ones. Range is only about a room, but it should be enough to give you peace.

 

If Princess keeps them out of the dining rooms, theaters, and most public lounges, I'm cool with that. Out on the deck outdoors, it's so noisy anyways, I don't care if people use them. It's just I've had too many people (teeny boppers usually) keep talking during a movie that I'm quick to get annoyed by cell phones now.

[khicks1101]

Gee' date=' I'm so unknowledgable about cell phones (by choice) that I don't even known what is SMS.[/quote']

 

 

SMS or Short Message Service is sending text messages to the mobile phone. Teenyboppers love this as it is cheaper than the regular phone call.:rolleyes:

[bovs]

SMS or Short Message Service is sending text messages to the mobile phone. Teenyboppers love this as it is cheaper than the regular phone call.:rolleyes:

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I thought it was some kind of "bondage" thing...............

[dforeigner]

What's the deal with Cingular? Is that the carrier on the ships>

 

Thanks.

 

Cingular has the cheapest rates. I believe the other carriers go for about 4.95 a minute. If I am not mistaken, if you have Cingular, one must activate their International plan or it may actually be more than 2.99 a minute.