OMG -- cell phones on board?

[Navy_Chief]

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???;)

Technically, it would be a "Satellite Uplink" that would be installed on the ship (so you weren't that far off, not that you couldn't put the satilite on the ship, it just would be a fancy deck ordament:D ). I wouldn't hold the technically challanged part against you Heather, heck, when my wife tried to use my computer once, she grabbed the track ball and tried to get the cursor to move by sliding it around on the desk :eek: , you seem to have her beat there :D

[kakalina]

 

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

 

Not stupid at all. It's more of a thing geeks like me know about.

Like Navy Chief said the ships have a link to the sats.

Sorry but sometimes I just have to do it.

Virgil

[Jade13]

I hope cell phones will be banned from the dinning room. The problem is that the wait staff is just so nice they won't say anything to the pax.

 

They let people into the dinning room on Veendam on formal night that weren't even dressy casual (Kaki casual and the women were dressed similarly). My Dh wanted to know if he could go change to casual too:)

[twinkletoes4445]

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 -

 

You didn't offend me. Our cruise was mostly made up of middle-aged and up cruisers ... which was exactly what we'd hope it would be. I overheard someone say it was like a "nursing home on the high seas." We saw more walkers and canes than we've ever seen anywhere while on a vacation.

 

I joked to hubby that on one of our HAL excurstions the guide gave us 30 minutes to shop. Well, by the time everyone got off the bus (and unloaded the 2 wheelchairs, then we all slowly walked to the restroom, we really had about 30 seconds to shop. :)

 

But honestly, we had a ball. And we can't wait to schedule our next HAL cruise.

 

Have a great cruise! :)

[Janespup]

:( :( I never even thought of the aggravation cell phone users could generate on a cruise until now! I find public cell phone users to be totally disrespectful of other's rights. Although I have one and use it daily, I think people should keep them on vibrate when in public. On a cruise ship, I think that all public areas should be off limits to cell phone use. Staterooms should be the designated areas. If there is no reception in the staterooms, then one or two small calling areas should be set up.

[twinkletoes4445]

:( :( I never even thought of the aggravation cell phone users could generate on a cruise until now! I find public cell phone users to be totally disrespectful of other's rights. Although I have one and use it daily, I think people should keep them on vibrate when in public. On a cruise ship, I think that all public areas should be off limits to cell phone use. Staterooms should be the designated areas. If there is no reception in the staterooms, then one or two small calling areas should be set up.

 

I don't think people are really going to have to worry about this. We only saw a few people using phones, and those people were quite polite about it.

 

I also don't think you're going to see any sort of "bans" on cell phones. Look at the smoking issue. We would have loved to had been able to go to the casino more often, but we can't stand smoke...and it was quite smokey, so we had to limit our time there. Can you imagine telling the smokers that they can only smoke in two small smoking areas?

[HeatherInFlorida]

Not stupid at all. It's more of a thing geeks like me know about.

Like Navy Chief said the ships have a link to the sats.

Sorry but sometimes I just have to do it.

Virgil

 

Well, I'm still not sure I understand why you "have to do it", but whatever floats your boat:D . And though you may be a geek, you still haven't given me the proper word. I know it isn't "link". There's another word. Whatever it is, you knew what I meant.

 

Twinkletoes, the reason many of us are concerned isn't about what it's like now when so many people don't even know they can use their phones at sea. But it's like anything else. As more and more people find out they can use their cell phones on ships the privilege will likely be abused. And soon people will just love sitting out on their verandas, calling their friends back home screaming into their phones "Guess where I am!!! I'm calling you from the middle of the ocean!!!!" .... and blah blah blah.

 

Eventually it could easily become a huge issue. We'll see. All I know is that when I'm in an airport more people are talking on cell phones than not. And 9 times out of 10 they are speaking at a decibel level that is intrusive. I just hope that doesn't start happening on cruise ships.

[twinkletoes4445]

 

Twinkletoes, the reason many of us are concerned isn't about what it's like now when so many people don't even know they can use their phones at sea. But it's like anything else. As more and more people find out they can use their cell phones on ships the privilege will likely be abused. And soon people will just love sitting out on their verandas, calling their friends back home screaming into their phones "Guess where I am!!! I'm calling you from the middle of the ocean!!!!" .... and blah blah blah.

 

Eventually it could easily become a huge issue. We'll see. All I know is that when I'm in an airport more people are talking on cell phones than not. And 9 times out of 10 they are speaking at a decibel level that is intrusive. I just hope that doesn't start happening on cruise ships.

 

I still think the extra costs will stop people from using the phones like they do when there is no additional charges. I agree, more people are on their phones (in an airport) than aren't, but they also aren't paying $2.00 per minute and up. I know the cost alone made my phones calls brief. lol I called the kids and it was like..."how are you...fine...the cats...fine...bye."

 

Maybe we were fortunate, but I've never been around a more civilized group of people (on our cruise) as we were. One night we went out on our balcony, and I could hear the neighbors chatting with people on their balcony. I heard someone say they should keep it down because we were on ours. I thought that was nice. But really, they weren't making any noise to speak of.

 

I find that if people are rude, they are going to be loud whether they are just talking to each other, or talking on the phone. So the phones aren't a big issue to me. If they are rude...they are going to be rude no matter what.

[sail7seas]

I don't think people are really going to have to worry about this. We only saw a few people using phones, and those people were quite polite about it.

 

I also don't think you're going to see any sort of "bans" on cell phones. Look at the smoking issue. We would have loved to had been able to go to the casino more often, but we can't stand smoke...and it was quite smokey, so we had to limit our time there. Can you imagine telling the smokers that they can only smoke in two small smoking areas?

 

You should think about sailing Noordam. Her casino is smoke-free. It's Wonderful!!!

[twinkletoes4445]

You should think about sailing Noordam. Her casino is smoke-free. It's Wonderful!!!

 

Really...I didn't know that. We would have stayed longer, but the smoke was horrible, so we left. But I was losing money, so maybe it was a good thing. :)

 

We will sure add the Noordam to our list. Hubby was just saying tonight that he can't wait to get back on a HAL cruise! What's interesting is we are still talking about how wonderful our cruise was (we got back home on the 10th). I don't ever recall having a vacation that was as enjoyable as this one was. While we were on our cruise, we met so many people who'd cruised HAL many, many times...we sure know now know why. We loved every single minute of the experience.

[dolls4sell]

I myself feel that is is just rude to bring a cell phone in a dining room or show room. I take mine when I go on vacation because of my father who is in a nusing home, but I leave my cell phone in my room, as I can check my messages through out the day in my room and if I have to make a call it is from my room as I do not need bother others with my conversation. We like to get away from everything including phones that's why we go on vacation. Now what did we do years ago before cell phones? Some people can be so inconsiderate of others.

[twinkletoes4445]

dolls4sell...

 

I agree. Being able to use a cell phone on a ship is wonderful (at least for us). However, it would be nice if people wouldn't use in the dining room or show room. Even with us having to deal with business issues, we did it in our cabin. After all, it is a vacation, and you really do have to get away. If it's important, people will leave a message, and we can get back with them.