NCL's newest gimmick

[Casshew]

I used my cell phone on the Sea just to check in and make sure my cat was still among the living and tell friends what a great time I was having. Is that so wrong?

It's not wrong at all. Don't let anyone browbeat you into thinking you are invading their space because you call to check on your cat. :rolleyes:

 

Now cruising with Scott Peterson might be a different story, he had 5 or 6 cell phones.:eek: can you imagine??

[ArkansasFish]

One of my phones has free roaming. How will they do this?

 

Is there a site where they tell all about it?

If they charge us, they need to provide service. Will they do that?

Where can I find out more?

[sbcs5390]

I think this is just in the planning stages, so there won't be much info yet.

 

-Brian

[jkrislc]

The times have changed. While cruising was once a way to "get away from it all," many people do not want that. As a result, the cruiselines are meeting the passangers demands.

 

I also wouldn't call this a gimmick as the new cell service will actually save people money over the more costly satelite calls that are currently available at $5-$10 per minute.

[Markandrews]

I used my cell phone often on my recent cruise to Hawaii. I have also used it in St Thomas and San Juan. I like to check in with my family and work. I only use my cell phone in my cabin. Using your cell phone at dinner is as rude as smoking around a group of non-smokers. NCL can enforce "no cell phone areas" just as they do dress codes in the evening. I am also on a roaming charges plan and will be interested in seeing how this works. Was there a start up date for this service?? Hope it is by 10-28-04, that is my

Mexican Riv cruise and there is no cell service on that run.

[albertiger]

the service will begin as early as next month, first ship; Norwegian Sun.

fleetwide by next year if successful... :(

[coka]

I get a kick out of listening to all of your conversations on land...so it would not bother me for a few chuckles to listen to you while on the seven seas. Am I the only one who finds this amusing? It is also a great opportunity to count my blessings. One being that I have no idea what my cell phone number is!

 

Coka

[disneycrazy730]

well my 2 oldest are not going on my cruise and i will like the idea if i feel the need to call home on a sea day i can this is great way to go ncl:) :D

[cruise182]

What is the difference between two people having a conversation in the open space of a bar, deck, balcony or someone using their phone in a open space of a bar, deck, balcony? The only difference I see is you only have to hear half the conversation when the person sitting next to you is talking on the phone! Why is that so irritating? I think I would rather be sitting next to someone on a cell phone where I hear only half of the conversation rather then next to two people having a conversation! Now if the person on the phone does not have good phone etiquette and are yelling into the phone,,,well then that does bother me just as 2 rowdy drunks bother me. But never would it affect my cruise one iota…. the drunks or the cell phone user that is!

 

I also have a friend who has his own business and he will not take a cruise because he needs to check in with his employees daily. He would love to try a cruise but cant go because of not being able to be in touch. Why not open the cruise industry to people who would normaly not be able to cruise.

[smeyer418]

What is the difference between two people having a conversation in the open space of a bar, deck, balcony or someone using their phone in a open space of a bar, deck, balcony? The only difference I see is you only have to hear half the conversation when the person sitting next to you is talking on the phone! Why is that so irritating? I think I would rather be sitting next to someone on a cell phone where I hear only half of the conversation rather then next to two people having a conversation! Now if the person on the phone does not have good phone etiquette and are yelling into the phone,,,well then that does bother me just as 2 rowdy drunks bother me. But never would it affect my cruise one iota…. the drunks or the cell phone user that is!

 

I also have a friend who has his own business and he will not take a cruise because he needs to check in with his employees daily. He would love to try a cruise but cant go because of not being able to be in touch. Why not open the cruise industry to people who would normaly not be able to cruise.

 

I don't object to cell phone however for what ever reason people tend to raise their voices on cell phones and are much louder than the conversations you state. I have the same objection to two way radios.. we are entitled to as much and peace and quiet that you can get on a cruise. I have no objection NONE to using it in your cabin. You friend could have always used in the in room satelite phones. If you have to check in every day, IMO opinion there are other reasons he/she won't go on a cruise....but that's for another thread. We have had the same discussion about wireless computers on NCL as well.....

[newmexicoNita]

I don't object to cell phone however for what ever reason people tend to raise their voices on cell phones and are much louder than the conversations you state. I have the same objection to two way radios.. we are entitled to as much and peace and quiet that you can get on a cruise. I have no objection NONE to using it in your cabin. You friend could have always used in the in room satelite phones. If you have to check in every day, IMO opinion there are other reasons he/she won't go on a cruise....but that's for another thread. We have had the same discussion about wireless computers on NCL as well.....

 

 

I agree people do seem to talk louder, they also think it's ok to use in restaurants and it isn't! What did we all do to keep in contact with the people at home before cell phones? When we will learn to slow down and enjoy our time away from the mad house of work or whatever? NMnita

[cruise182]

I don't object to cell phone however for what ever reason people tend to raise their voices on cell phones and are much louder than the conversations you state. I have the same objection to two way radios.. we are entitled to as much and peace and quiet that you can get on a cruise. I have no objection NONE to using it in your cabin. You friend could have always used in the in room satelite phones. If you have to check in every day, IMO opinion there are other reasons he/she won't go on a cruise....but that's for another thread. We have had the same discussion about wireless computers on NCL as well.....

Just because one owns his own business does not make him wealthy which is what you need to be to use what is available now on a ship to contact home. Since I personally know my friend and deal with him daily business wise I am sure that is the only reason he chooses land base verses sea vacations. so your opinion is wrong. What makes you think you know the reason? Do you know him? Have you discussed this with him? I think we all know the answers so need not to respond back with answers. As for the "people tend to raise their voices on cell phones and are much louder than the conversations you state" Then that’s the problem..Not the use of the phone but the way people use them. I find most people who use cell phones on a daily basis know that there is no need to raise your voice to communicate to the person on the other end. I am sure when Bell Telephone first became widely available people would raise their voices! 2ndly have you ever heard how loud it is up on deck? Or in a bar? You would have to struggle to hear me having a conversation on my cell phone!! Please don’t assume you know me or my friends!

[cruise182]

I agree people do seem to talk louder, they also think it's ok to use in restaurants and it isn't! NMnita

 

And so say's who that it isn't right?

 

Why allow it? example: I buy and sell real estate. I have a partner. We put a bid in on a house ......they counter offer at 7:15pm because they have another bid higher then ours that expires at 8pm. My partner calls me to discuss whether we should go higher. We agree to a higher price and purchase the house. 6 months latter we sell the property for 82,500.00 profit. Now if I hadn't had a cell phone when I was out to dinner with my family we would have lost the house and thus I would have lost a profit of 41,250.00. (Not a Trump deal but certainly my biggest gain)

[uneamie]

In my own personal opinion, I dislike cell phones. I do have a cell phone. It's a pre-pay. I put $15 a month on it and that's all I get. I have a cell phone incase I'm stranded or in danger and once or twice when I was lost. But I've never used a cell phone to have a random conversation about anything. I detest people that drive and use a cell phone. I detest people that take calls in the movie theater. I detest people that take calls in a restaurant. If someone has a genuine emergency, yes, use the cell if that's what you have. But stop, focus, go to a quiet place, and take care of your business. I don't see any reason why someone should have a cell phone at all times for random conversations about nothing. Again, just my opinion. I think cell phones have ruined face to face interaction. There's nothing worse than having coffe with someone at a nice cafe just to have them have to interrupt to take a call from someone else leaving you sitting there waiting...

 

Enough of my soap box...I just don't think cell phones are the big positive that everyone else thinks. As for cell phones on a cruise...I can't stop technology advancing, I can only learn to live with it. But if I felt infringed upon during my cruise with someone else's irritating cell phone, I don't think I'd be quiet about letting them know how I felt.

 

Oh boy did you take the words out of my mouth! :rolleyes:

Inconsiderate use of the cell phone annoys me to no end. Stand on any city cornor and watch all the "robots" walking by with phones up to their ears talking while walking down the street bumping into you while they focus on their conversation. Is that really necessary? Then there's the lady with a couple of kids hanging on her and her grocery cart while she pushes it with one hand and talks to her girl friend with the other moving very slowly up the isle and you can't get passed her and her kids cause she ain't paying attention.

Not sooo annoying, but needs to be mentioned anyway, is the person who takes their cell phone into the restroom and sits in the stall talking loudly while you have to listen to their life story as you pee. :rolleyes:

I could go on and on but you get the picture. I use my cell phone if it really really important (chit chat is not important), or if it's an emergency. Also, if I use it, I use it sitting down somewhere private out of hearing range.

My personal choice is to not have my cell phone turned on. I dont' want anyone calling me on it. They can call me at home and or leave a message on my machine.

Today's world has grown dependant on it and I understand the need for some people to have it with them and use it, often for business or their kids...but the majority of the time it's a clear annoyance. :(

[smeyer418]

Just because one owns his own business does not make him wealthy which is what you need to be to use what is available now on a ship to contact home. Since I personally know my friend and deal with him daily business wise I am sure that is the only reason he chooses land base verses sea vacations. so your opinion is wrong. What makes you think you know the reason? Do you know him? Have you discussed this with him? I think we all know the answers so need not to respond back with answers. As for the "people tend to raise their voices on cell phones and are much louder than the conversations you state" Then that’s the problem..Not the use of the phone but the way people use them. I find most people who use cell phones on a daily basis know that there is no need to raise your voice to communicate to the person on the other end. I am sure when Bell Telephone first became widely available people would raise their voices! 2ndly have you ever heard how loud it is up on deck? Or in a bar? You would have to struggle to hear me having a conversation on my cell phone!! Please don’t assume you know me or my friends!

 

I assume nothing, 1. I said in my opinion 2. none of the places you describe are approrpiate in my opinion for the cell phone. If you get a call, say hold one second and go someplace where you can be heard without screaming. You are entiltled to you opinion as I am so don't be so self righteous. In my opinion if he has to call in everyday something is wrong. That doesn't mean that there aren't times when someone has to call in everyday but if it is everyday year in year out there is clearly a problem....also in my opinion

[WCAB]

I used my cell phone on the Sea just to check in and make sure my cat was still among the living and tell friends what a great time I was having. Is that so wrong?

 

My question to that would be, did you have this conversation out on the open deck where others were forced to listen to how good a time you were having or did you have this conversation from your cabin or other private location?

[Host CMLA]

Since I personally know my friend and deal with him daily business wise I am sure that is the only reason he chooses land base verses sea vacations. so your opinion is wrong. Please don’t assume you know me or my friends!

Wow...a little aggressive. And an opinion isn't wrong. It's how one person feels based on the facts they have.

[ChrisConnolly]

Cell phones are a really controversial topic as their penetration levels have gone from 1 percent of the population in 1990 to over 65 percent today.

 

Cell phones,like every extroverted act you do during the day, require good ettiquette..Using cruise182's example he could have put his phone on vibrate and when it began to ring verified the number on the caller id and excused himself from the table to take the call in private. There by offending no one.

 

You really have two schools of thought with cell phones. Some people considering them their life blood while others detest them. Not much middle ground.

 

In my opinion you are not going to see people all over ncl's ships talking about nothing, because NCL is still a middle of the road line and $1.50 a minute "aint" cheap. I really think it gives people a viable option to check in daily with their work or families.

 

 

 

 

Chris Connollly <====== Free Nights and Weekends

[cruise182]

I assume nothing, 1. I said in my opinion 2. none of the places you describe are approrpiate in my opinion for the cell phone. If you get a call, say hold one second and go someplace where you can be heard without screaming. You are entiltled to you opinion as I am so don't be so self righteous. In my opinion if he has to call in everyday something is wrong. That doesn't mean that there aren't times when someone has to call in everyday but if it is everyday year in year out there is clearly a problem....also in my opinion

 

Ok lets try to make some sense of this. First off it’s very presumptuous of you to assume that there is something wrong if you need to call in daily to one’s business if you do not know any of the circumstances. If we see a car and its black but you say IMO its white then you are wrong. My friend who we will call Alan is a franchise owner. As a franchise owner in a new business (The business has only been franchised for 3 1/2 years he has owned since they franchised it) he is required to participate in the Franchise partners call daily except Sunday. He knew that being one of the first franchises that he was going to have to commit a lot of time to it as it grows. As the franchises grows the franchisee's will not require the partners to call in daily. But since it is a new business they are doing what is necessary to make sure that they are running it at 110% so that they can sell more franchises at higher prices. I hate to have to waste good time to defend what I write. I believe if you are going to share your opinion you should have some knowledge. Obviously you do not. All of this has nothing to do with the original topic so IMO this post will be zapped.

 

My main opinion is there is nothing wrong with someone using a sell phone in a public place IF they use it in an appropriate manner. Just because someone is annoyed by seeing someone on the phone doesn’t make it wrong or impolite. No one as of yet has answered my original question “What is the difference between two people having a conversation in the open space of a bar, deck, balcony or someone using their phone in a open space of a bar, deck, balcony?” If there is know difference then what is the problem?

“

[smeyer418]

Ok lets try to make some sense of this. First off it’s very presumptuous of you to assume that there is something wrong if you need to call in daily to one’s business if you do not know any of the circumstances. If we see a car and its black but you say IMO its white then you are wrong. My friend who we will call Alan is a franchise owner. As a franchise owner in a new business (The business has only been franchised for 3 1/2 years he has owned since they franchised it) he is required to participate in the Franchise partners call daily except Sunday. He knew that being one of the first franchises that he was going to have to commit a lot of time to it as it grows. As the franchises grows the franchisee's will not require the partners to call in daily. But since it is a new business they are doing what is necessary to make sure that they are running it at 110% so that they can sell more franchises at higher prices. I hate to have to waste good time to defend what I write. I believe if you are going to share your opinion you should have some knowledge. Obviously you do not. All of this has nothing to do with the original topic so IMO this post will be zapped.

 

My main opinion is there is nothing wrong with someone using a sell phone in a public place IF they use it in an appropriate manner. Just because someone is annoyed by seeing someone on the phone doesn’t make it wrong or impolite. No one as of yet has answered my original question “What is the difference between two people having a conversation in the open space of a bar, deck, balcony or someone using their phone in a open space of a bar, deck, balcony?” If there is know difference then what is the problem?

“

 

You obviously see the world through one way glasses. You must not accept other peoples opinions. You obviously are one of those people who know everything so why are you posting at all? What I said that for some reason unlike when MOST people holding a conversation they don't tend to yell while people on cell phones tend to. Since you agree that it requires special circumstances which you describe to call in every day, you obviously accept the premise that it is unusual to have to call in every day. Did I say it was wrong or inpolite? I said that people on cell phones tend to yell. I don't want to hear their conversation or your conversation if you are yelling in a public place either and I do think your posts are inpolite and inappropriate as obviously others do as well.

[newmexicoNita]

My question again: how did some of you live without cell phones only 10 years or so ago? People ran businesses, I was a Real Estate agent in the 80s and managed to take cruises at least once a year. Always someone else would fill in while I was gone; My son in law has a very successful pool maintainance business and can get away without his phone (well maybe he does use it some) people lived for years and owned their own business or left the kids and the pets at home without checking on them every day or so. Cell phones are fine and I love mine, but I am very considerate as to when I use it. In my opinion and yes, it is only an opinion, they are for emergancy use and to be used to talk to family out of the area. I don't use it while driving, I don't wonder around the store carrying on conversations with family or friends, would never have it on in a restaurant, movie, concert and certainly not in a casino like I have seen lately. Hopefully, at a $1.50 per minute most people will think very hard before using on a ship.

 

NMnita

[DocJohnB]

And so say's who that it isn't right?

My partner calls me to discuss whether we should go higher. We agree to a higher price and purchase the house. 6 months latter we sell the property for 82,500.00 profit. QUOTE]

 

Super, great, I truly am happy you made a nice profit on this piece of real estate and wish you good luck in you future endeavors.

 

However to conduct the conversation in a restaurant is just plain rude, IMO. If you are expecting some type of call while dining, you park you receiver on vibrate, THEN, leave the restaurant and have the conversation outside. End result would be the same (almost). You and your partner conduct your business, make the bid, get the deal and make a profit, yet you haven't disturbed or PO'd those people who were seated near you.

[kkorman]

Good, then people will use them for emergencies only and not to talk to every human being back home. It is still cheaper than the $5+/minure to use the other phone.

[DocJohnB]

I fully understand that there are legitimate uses for cell phones and as I stated earlier, I even use one.

 

I think most people are considerate in their use of cell phones. However there are enough users who just don't have a clue. They are in their own little world.

 

We all have stories of these idiots, but last week I experienced what had to be the epitome of a rude, clueless cellphone user.

 

We were visiting Washington, DC. We were at Arlington Cemetery and were at the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Midway through the ceremony a cell phone goes off (with one of those cutesy little rings) somewhere behind me. Incredibly, I then hear this stupid woman engage in a conversation (she was whispering, but in the silence of the ceremony, it sounded like she was shouting). According to my daughter (who was nearer the ampitheatre building, thus behind this idiot) a man standing behind her, grabbed the phone, disconnected it and put it in his pocket. As we were leaving, the idiot was engaged in an animated conversation with the man. It was apparent that they were not together. Not sure what, if anything happened after. I am sure this woman was incensed that someone had "invaded her space" and disconnected then kept her phone. But my thought was "Good on him".

[cruise182]

You obviously see the world through one way glasses. You must not accept other peoples opinions. You obviously are one of those people who know everything so why are you posting at all? What I said that for some reason unlike when MOST people holding a conversation they don't tend to yell while people on cell phones tend to. Since you agree that it requires special circumstances which you describe to call in every day, you obviously accept the premise that it is unusual to have to call in every day. Did I say it was wrong or inpolite? I said that people on cell phones tend to yell. I don't want to hear their conversation or your conversation if you are yelling in a public place either and I do think your posts are inpolite and inappropriate as obviously others do as well.

I do not see the world through one way glasses. That’s why it dosent bother me if you are on a phone, laptop, wear jeans in the dinning room…whats works for you may not work for me! When I am on a cell phone I speak in the same tone that I would if you were sitting next tom. Technology is amazing and there is no need to yell. Again if a cell phone is used properly no one should be bothered!

 

Super, great, I truly am happy you made a nice profit on this piece of real estate and wish you good luck in you future endeavors.

 

However to conduct the conversation in a restaurant is just plain rude, IMO. If you are expecting some type of call while dining, you park you receiver on vibrate, THEN, leave the restaurant and have the conversation outside. End result would be the same (almost). You and your partner conduct your business, make the bid, get the deal and make a profit, yet you haven't disturbed or PO'd those people who were seated near you.

And that is exactly what I did and do. I do not sit at a table having conversations on my cell. I will go and have the conversation either in the lobby or out in the street!

 

My question again: how did some of you live without cell phones only 10 years or so ago? People ran businesses, I was a Real Estate agent in the 80s and managed to take cruises at least once a year. Always someone else would fill in while I was gone; My son in law has a very successful pool maintainance business and can get away without his phone (well maybe he does use it some) people lived for years and owned their own business or left the kids and the pets at home without checking on them every day or so. Cell phones are fine and I love mine, but I am very considerate as to when I use it. In my opinion and yes, it is only an opinion, they are for emergancy use and to be used to talk to family out of the area. I don't use it while driving, I don't wonder around the store carrying on conversations with family or friends, would never have it on in a restaurant, movie, concert and certainly not in a casino like I have seen lately. Hopefully, at a $1.50 per minute most people will think very hard before using on a ship.

How did people run businesses before electricity, plumbing, internet, FedEx, ups, fax machines….etc…

To stay competitive in today’s market as a businessman you have to utilize all current technology