OMG -- cell phones on board?

[MercedMike]

Watch out, folks, it is coming!

 

On another board there is a post from a lady, seriously inquiring if she will be able to use her cell phone on board to call her hubby someplace else in the ship and "make plans to meet up."

 

What next? Sitting at the dinner table, calling her hubby to find out when he is coming to dinner? How long do you think it will be before it comes to that? Spare us!:(

[x lindsay x]

Well she might make tons of those calls to her hubby the first time out but once coming home and seeing the insane bill from her cell phone provider she will probably never do it again.

 

I'm guessing that she will also make a stop to the CC boards to post about how she was ripped off by the cruiseline for the calls she made.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Last I heard it's not only "coming", it's already here. I recall some threads very recently that the satellites were already set up on some of the ships and the others will soon follow.

 

Yet another "improvement" in cruising:( and like it or not we have to accept.

[GMoney]

I had great cell phone reception on my recent Noordam cruise. I was very pleased. Made all the calls I needed to from my stateroom, and had no problem with any inconsiderate users.

[twinkletoes4445]

We were just on the Zuiderdam and our cell phone worked most of the time. We did only use it while we were in our cabin (had a few things happening at the office), but other than that, I didn't see anyone really using their phones a lot while we were on our cruise.

 

It still costed us roaming and regular charges, so I just can't see people yakking away like they do when they are home...but I guess I could be wrong.

 

For those of you who are lucky enough to go off and never have to worry about dealing with issues at a business, you don't know how darn lucky you are. I just wished we could get away from it all...but we can't.

 

Oh...and the cruiseline doesn't charge a dime to do this. All we had were our roaming fees (except in ST. Thomas, where our phones weren't roaming), and the fee that the cell phone company charges. In our case, it was $1.65 or so per minute.

[sail7seas]

Cell phones worked just fine on Noordam in January.

 

[Sopwith]

This will be worse than the people who light up cigars on their balconies or the outer decks and think they're not bothering anyone.

[Navy_Chief]

Unfortunately, we live in a society which seems to grow cell phones or Bluetooth devices on people's ears. Frankly, I have no use for them (the cell phones that is) and don't own one personally. I was issued a Blackberry for work but I leave that at home, I'm on vacation after all; even still, I rarely place calls with it (I got one of the cheapest phone bills in my department). Its gotten to the point that I generally ignor those ring tones now a days just like those annoying car alarms, so if people feel more important by looking like they are talking or arguing with themselves in a corner, don't let it bother your vacation, get a little chuckle out of it and move on :D.

[Luv4dacruise]

Watch out, folks, it is coming!

 

Mine has worked onboard a few different ships for a few years now, no new news.

[Seago2]

What people don't seem to understand is that being connected to work actually allows people to take MORE time off. I used to look at women in the supermarket with kids, yakking on a cell phone, and think: OMG, she can't even be with her children and give them her attention. Now I know I can take full days off of work as long as I can respond to some crisis if need be. Much better than going home at 5 and dragging the child to the store. No more 40 hours a week chained to the office or the courthouse for me. Connectivity allows me to be home when my kids get off the bus more often than not, and I am a lawyer who (supposedly) works full time.

 

Same goes on vacation. I take about ten weeks off a year- much more if you include the single days here and there. But I need to be able to put out fires if need be. So, EVEN THOUGH I DON'T WANT TO, I have to fire up the cell phone in port, and this last cruise, on the ship twice. I am not retired- like 97% of the people on the ship- plus I DH and I have a total of 8 kids, 7 under 17, that we need to check on.

 

So as long as it is done discreetly- such as in the stateroom- it shouldn't provoke peoples' ire or even be an issue at all. I don't know who would call the other person to see where they are at dinner time. That would be insane!

[sail7seas]

We understand that people need to stay connected for various reasons.

 

And please, as an attorney, I'm sure you strive for accuracy. 97% of the pax on board Retired??? No, hardly. I'm sure you meant that as a 'fun' exaggeration.

 

My husband is not retired and we have cruised a lot for years. He has always found ways to stay connected. Never stopped us from cruising. He cannot be away without the ability to be contacted. He has never once disturbed anyone else while conducting whatever business he absolutely must tend to while we are away.

 

All people are asking for is consideration. Whatever a person's need to be connected and use their phone is really of no interest to any of us. We really don't care why anyone has to be on their cell phone. The only thing that interests me is that a cell phone user not disturb my enjoyment at the pool, on Promendade Deck, in a Lounge, in the dining room, the show lounge.....Anywhere. When someone's 'connectivity' is loud and invasive to other people's peace and enjoyment, it is inconsiderate and selfish IMO

 

No matter the reason for their yakking on the phone. Few if any of us are the least interested in hearing anyone's else's conversation.

 

Keep it low; keep it private; keep it in a place that does not disturb fellow pax.

 

97% retired, indeed???? :D

[Navy_Chief]

I suppose if you work for yourself, you're "Your own worst boss" :D. Fortunately enough, even though I'm fairly high in the food chain with what I do, they can manage without me. There is not much I'm going to be able to do in the middle of the "Big Pond" if desaster strikes my work place. I have very reliable people working for me and they can get the job done regardless if I'm there or not and I don't have to "hover" to know things are right (not saying or inferring anything here). But, if you must work, do it from the stateroom and not the dining room; they have this wonderful aide called "Voice Mail":D

[Seago2]

No offense meant by the 97% comment! No offense at all- yet... I stand by it. I put in my review that I ran into an elderly gentleman on the cruise who noticed DH had a Cruisecritic T-shirt on. He flagged us down to say that the average age on that cruise was 75- and most people that age do not care for constant piped-in music (nor do I). So... if that man gauged the median age at 75... and he was definitely much older than that... ;)

 

I have never been around such a massive collection of elderly people in my life- not even at Grandma's FLL condo (God rest her soul).

 

There were (according to HAL) 18 kids on board.

 

I am in my 40's- and my generation was scarcely represented.

 

FWIW, I am a big fan of the older set. I loved cruising with those who knew how to dress, tell a good story, and add to, rather than take away from, the experience.

 

Wonderful cruise, fantastic time, great fellow pax, used my cell, no problems- except that I had to come home!

[twinkletoes4445]

I'd say the bulk of the people on our cruise were between 40 and 65 or so. The next age group was 65 and up. Probably 10% or so were until 40. I think we saw 5 or so kids, and maybe 6 or so teenagers (and all of those were very well-behaved).

 

It was a quiet and wonderful cruise. We booked the cruise hoping that there wouldn't be a lot of kids, or adults who were looking for a party...and we found what we wanted. It was awesome. Everyone was extremely polite... :)

 

Twenty years ago we'd have been looking for a more action-packed cruise. Not any more. HAL is perfect for us! :)

[HeatherInFlorida]

Carla, the comment that 97% of cruisers are retired is actually offensive because it assumes that if someone is 75, they are retired.

 

First of all I have never been on a ship yet that the average age was 75 so I really think that's an exaggeration. But even if it were so, it would not mean these people are retired. My husband is still working full time and he is past retirement age.

 

To say 97% are retired means that on a ship with 2000 people, only about 60 of them have a job:D :D :D ...

 

As for cell phones, I have no problem with people discreetly making necessary calls from their cabins or in a private area. But it's only a matter of time before it becomes annoying. It's just a given ... it's the way things are these days. It's annoying to listen to a person speaking loudly on a cellphone and there's no reason in the world to do it.

 

There was a time not so very long ago that somehow business got done, money was made, crises were dealt with, emergencies were handled ... and there wasn't a cell phone in sight.

 

They are a wonderful invention. They save lives and they're great for so many things. But they are way overused and for some reason there are people who believe they have to yell into them at the top of their lungs.

[Pisces11]

They are a wonderful invention. They save lives and they're great for so many things. But they are way overused and for some reason there are people who believe they have to yell into them at the top of their lungs.

 

That is the exact problem with cell phones-people are incapable of not shouting into them. It's bad enough that we are subjected to peoples' personal lives on the buses and trains taken to work. This would be a nightmare on vacation. A lot of cell phone users think that their rights to gossip trump everyone else's rights to peace and quiet on vacation. The great majority of cell phone conversations shouted out on public transportation is pure gossip that none of us want to hear about. I hope to never hear a cell phone go off in the dining room of a cruise ship but it's just a matter of time until someone is shouting into their cell phone.

[jtl513]

97% retired? Average age 75? Depends on where you sail, and when. Just remember, "All generalities are false ... including this one!" :D

[Tricia724]

I just dread the thought of the having to listen to the neighbor next door yakking non-stop on a cell phone while I'm sitting on my balcony reading a book and enjoying the sound of the ship cutting through the waves. That is one place where I really enjoy some peace and quiet.

 

I honestly don't think some people have any idea how loud and intrusive they can be on the phone. I don't understand the logic that if you can't hear someone else, you think the problem will be solved if you talk louder.

 

One thing I can tell you for sure.....if I'm ever in the dining room for dinner, and a table companion makes a cell phone call or receives one and proceeds to take the call while seated at the table, then I'm going to ask to be reassigned to a new table. That is not my idea of a pleasant dining experience.

[retiredldo]

Does anyone know what the additional roaming charges are I noticed for example in St Marteen last week and at other times actually, that I had plenty of bars but was not connected up other than through the ship as my time and date were all zeros; yet once back off the coast of FLA I picked up the satelitte tours and got the correct time etc back. I think some folks are going to be surprised to see what the additional charges are or were

[Seago2]

Okay, okay, mea culpa, I am wrong! Truly sorry if I offended anyone, especially since at the rate I am going, cruise-wise, I will be working until I am about 90 (should I live that long :) ).

 

The sailing was MS Noordam, 1/17/07. God only knows how many of my roll call mates are laughing right now reading this controversy!

 

Ok, sorry again, I'm outta this one-:o -

[akeka]

I understand/share the concern. It's the fear that the cell phone users are going to be obnoxious on the ships like they can be on land.

 

We were my nephew's wedding Saturday night where my FIL (the groom's grandfather) carried on a long conversation on his cell phone from his table at the reception. I was at a neighboring table and had difficulty hearing the toasts going on at the time because of this. Certainly someone this clueless would be so on a cruise ship.

[kakalina]

Last I heard it's not only "coming", it's already here. I recall some threads very recently that the satellites were already set up on some of the ships and the others will soon follow.

 

Yet another "improvement" in cruising:( and like it or not we have to accept.

 

I just can't pass this one up.

How do you get a satellite on a ship?:rolleyes: (satellites are in space)

Virgil

[waiting2retire]

It will be interesting to see as cell phone use becomes more common on ships (and it will :( ), how the cruise lines deal with it. I personally think that cell phone use should be banned in the diningroom and the theatre, as well as many other common areas on ships. I have trouble imagining any circumstance where anyone would have to leave their cell phone on and answer incoming calls on a ship. As someone already said, that's what voicemail is for. Check your messages.

 

Maybe cruise lines should restrict cell phone use to cabins only. Not much can be done about balconies, however, except to politely ask your neighbour to refrain from using it on the balcony.

 

Maybe they should convert an area to a "cell phone zone" where everyone could try to outshout each other :D

 

For those wondering about using them to locate their travelling companions on the ship, I am reminded of my DD and DN (mid-teens) calling each other between the cottage and the beach (within waving distance :eek: ) to find out when the other was coming to join them, or to bring an extra drink, etc.

 

I am one of the lucky ones who still travels incommunicado, leaving only the ship's phone number in case of extreme emergency!

 

Bonnie

[RuthC]

...in case of extreme emergency!

Let us not forget how mothers used to define "extreme emergency", either: There better be bleeding!

[HeatherInFlorida]

I just can't pass this one up.

How do you get a satellite on a ship?:rolleyes: (satellites are in space)

Virgil

 

Hmmm ... well, I'm technically challenged. But that was the wording used when I read about it here on the board. So what is the word for whatever they installed so that we can connect to the satellites (which is what I meant) so that we can communicate by cellphone?

 

If you're going to tell me how stupid I am, how about helping me out???;)