Trac Phones

[cuestic66]

I have read about cell phones not working, but I was told that trac phones would work cause they are on satalites. Does anybody know if this is true or not?

[adkcruiser]

I used a Tracfone from St. Thomas a year ago while aboard the Victory. Didn't seem to work in St. Maarten.

[Ephraim]

Tracfones should work on US networks in San Juan and St Thomas.

 

Unfortunately Tracfones don't use only one network, they can be either CDMA or GSM. And even if they are GSM, they may not cover all four bands of GSM. Even then, they may not offer roaming. You are best to check directly with Tracfone.

[Vellamint]

We used a Tracfone on our recent Western Caribbean cruise. We were able to use them on the ship with no problem at all. Unfortunately I dont know about Cozumel or Costa Maya because we were afraid to use them in those places...my friend called Tracfone and they told her that if we tried to use them in Mexico it would lock up the phone...

 

No problem at all on the ship....I did not keep track of whether they took 1 minute per 1 minute or 2 minutes for 1 minute of talk time. I think it may have been 2 minutes for 1 because I used 40 minutes of talk time up and really dont remember calling home that much.

 

That 19.99 Tracfone was one of the best things I bought for the cruise......

[choclitsnda]

Thanx for the TracFone info....I was wondering the same thing.

 

I'll give TracFone customer service a call & ask about Mexico.

 

*I hope I'm not violating any rules by mentioning the phone by name....If I am, I apologize.:rolleyes:

[iluvdoxies]

My tracphone worked fine on the ship.

[huhwhat]

or just near ports? We are going through the gulf from New Orleans to Cozumel, even if I can't use it in Cozumel, it might be nice to have it if it works at sea.

[chattiepatty]

hi everyone i have a tracfone also.. i used it in the eastern carribbean st. thomas puerto rico... st. maarten it dont work because that is the british island... not usa.. i also used it in vancouver canada... and all through alaska.. this past july... dont really know if it works in mexico or not but i would like to know if someone finds out... patty

[darladelight]

Mine worked fine in Nassau and Freeport Bahamas, with no roaming charges.

[Vellamint]

It worked at sea for me on a Western Caribbean itinerary - Mexico out of Galveston.

[albertiger]

St. Maarten/St. Martin is Dutch and French.;)

As to tracfone, it also works fine in Hawaii!

[jobster71]

I have a bonus code that doubles 60 min cards.

codes:51283

[ChristieDawn]

What is a Tracfone and were do I get one?

I need to be able to be in comtact with my mom since she will be watching my daughter. Do calling cards work? :confused:

[garycarla]

What is a Tracfone and were do I get one?

I need to be able to be in comtact with my mom since she will be watching my daughter. Do calling cards work? :confused:

 

* You can get them at walmart, sams, target, or online. Type TRACFONE into your google or yahoo search engine.

 

* According to Tracfones website, you can NOT use your phone to make calls from Intl locations. But, it does appear to work sometimes, but you risk having them turn it off.

 

* There are lots of reports of it working on some of the ships. If enough people call and ask them, they will figure out how to turn it off. SO DO NOT BE STUPID AND CALL THEM TO ASK ABOUT USING IT ON THE SHIP.

 

* Cell phones do not connect to satellites. They do connect to towers that then connect to satellites sometimes, like at sea.

 

* Be careful with calling cards. If you are using a cell phone to call into the calling card system, you have to pay for that cell phone call. People make this mistake all the time.

[ChristieDawn]

Will there be pay phones in port? I could use a calling card then!

[garycarla]

Will there be pay phones in port? I could use a calling card then!

 

Most of time, yes. But you must know the Country or Local phone number to dial to connect to the calling card system. Check with your provider BEFORE you leave.

[mrskbrown27]

hi everyone i have a tracfone also.. i used it in the eastern carribbean st. thomas puerto rico... st. maarten it dont work because that is the british island... not usa.. i also used it in vancouver canada... and all through alaska.. this past july... dont really know if it works in mexico or not but i would like to know if someone finds out... patty

 

 

Hello everyone :) I just wanted to let you know that last year when I was on the Triumph Western carribbean cruise my tracfone was fine UNTIL I got to Mexico (our ship went backwards in our itenerary) an tried to use (I didn't know that they WILL lock the phone:eek: ) and u will not be able to use it until u call customer service and after a few headaches with their CS, they ended up sending me a whole new phone.

 

 

Carnival Destiny 8/12/07

Carnival Triumph 6/2006

Celebration 6/2005

[CyClore]

I have read about cell phones not working, but I was told that trac phones would work cause they are on satalites. Does anybody know if this is true or not?

 

As said earlier a tracphone can be used on either GSM (Cingular/AT&T) or CDMA (alltell/Verizon). It just depends on who the phone is set to work with and how the coverage in for that mode. They DO NOT run off a sat. If they did, you would never loose coverage or get spotty anywhere.

[TX_Agitator]

Satellite Phones are out there, but they're EXPENSIVE to buy & use.

 

Over time, they may come down in price. I'm a long-haul trucker by trade, and I can honestly say that there would be a market for Satellite Phones if the costs associated with them were more reasonable.

[Jlrymedic]

Some of you may want to check out Mobal phones, not satellite, but an unlocked simm card(?). The expenses are a bit more, but you are pretty much assured a connection anywhere. I used mine through Italy, Croatia, Greece, and Turkey. Just google Mobal and you will find the website. :)

[garycarla]

...They DO NOT run off a sat. If they did, you would never loose coverage or get spotty anywhere.

 

Partially correct. The cellphone connects to shipboard "tower" which then connects to a satellite which then connects to landbased systems. So, you are correct in that the cellphone it self does not connect to satellites.

 

As to the question about Mobal phones, there is a link and discussion about them in the other tracfone/cellphone message thread here

 

Just noticed this thread is on the Carnival Board, and the other is on the NCL board. Make sure YOUR Carnival ship has the CELLULAR AT SEA towers on them. I think some did not at one time.

[CyClore]

YEs, you are correct, I just didn't want the poster to think they had a satellite phone and it would work anywhere...

[garycarla]

YEs, you are correct, I just didn't want the poster to think they had a satellite phone and it would work anywhere...

 

Good point. People will assume lots of things.

 

Like:

 

I have a "no roaming" contract, therefore I will not get charged extra.

I have free calls to family, therefore I will not get get charged extra.

I have "walkie talkie" like service, therefore I will not get charged extra.

I have free nights and weekends, therefore I will not get charged extra.

I get free intl calling, therefore I will not get get charged extra.

I am calling a toll free number, therefore I will not get charged extra.

I have unlimited calling, therefore I will not get charged extra.

 

By the way, NONE of the above are true if you connect to a shipboard tower and or any international based phone service.

[big_duck]

Good point. People will assume lots of things.

 

Like:

 

I have a "no roaming" contract, therefore I will not get charged extra.

I have free calls to family, therefore I will not get get charged extra.

I have "walkie talkie" like service, therefore I will not get charged extra.

I have free nights and weekends, therefore I will not get charged extra.

I get free intl calling, therefore I will not get get charged extra.

I am calling a toll free number, therefore I will not get charged extra.

I have unlimited calling, therefore I will not get charged extra.

 

By the way, NONE of the above are true if you connect to a shipboard tower and or any international based phone service.

 

You left out:

 

Calling my wife's phone while we are both aboard is a local call, therefore I will not get charged extra.

[sea_u_onboard]

Good point. People will assume lots of things.

 

Like:

 

I have a "no roaming" contract, therefore I will not get charged extra.

I have free calls to family, therefore I will not get get charged extra.

I have "walkie talkie" like service, therefore I will not get charged extra.

I have free nights and weekends, therefore I will not get charged extra.

I get free intl calling, therefore I will not get get charged extra.

I am calling a toll free number, therefore I will not get charged extra.

I have unlimited calling, therefore I will not get charged extra.

 

By the way, NONE of the above are true if you connect to a shipboard tower and or any international based phone service.

Sprint charges $2.49 a minute and by the way - they don't list this charge ANYWHERE on their website. The cards in the cabin books tell you to check with your provider. Once you're on the ship it can be difficult to contact the provider. I tried to use *2 Talk on my handset will in Alaska and that funtion does not work in Alaska.