Help - How to be reachable on the ship? cell/blackberry, direct, email, ...

[InGearX]

Good day all - how can I be reached on the ship?

 

questions:

#1

BlackBerry: I have a BlackBerry from AT&T with international data plan - what do I need to do to ensure the internet will work off the ship's cell tower?

 

#2

How does:

FLASTNAME####@GEM.cruisemail.net

work? If someone e-mails to it - where does it go?

 

#3

How can I find the direct number to reach the NCL Gem ship? So someone could call and ask for my cabin or for me by name? no joke...

 

Please list all other way...

 

Any tips, tricks, links, suggestions are much appreciated ;)

Thank you...

[Toyz711]

you would need to pay for the internet package..they have several, then you can check our own web-based server.

cell phones work, it's just expensive.

from what i understand, the phone to the ship mean they will leave you a message...and the ship will deliver that message.

if it's really important, use your own cell phone.

[InGearX]

if it's really important, use your own cell phone.

sure, but first they need to be able to get in touch w. me immediately...

[CC Help Michell]

Good day all - how can I be reached on the ship?

 

questions:

#1

BlackBerry: I have a BlackBerry from AT&T with international data plan - what do I need to do to ensure the internet will work off the ship's cell tower?

 

#2

How does:

FLASTNAME####@GEM.cruisemail.net

work? If someone e-mails to it - where does it go?

 

#3

How can I find the direct number to reach the NCL Gem ship? So someone could call and ask for my cabin or for me by name? no joke...

 

Please list all other way...

 

Any tips, tricks, links, suggestions are much appreciated ;)

Thank you...

 

 

NCL answers these questions in their FAQ (which for no apparent reason on their website they bury under "site map"):

 

General info on being contacted onboard -- http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/cruiser/cmsPages.html?pageId=FAQ#intouch

 

Specific information on "Freestyle Cellular" -- http://164.109.173.140/PDF/freestyle_cellular_service.pdf

 

In a non-emergency situation, email you check at a shore-based internet cafe, or voicemail on an international plan cell phone, are the cheapest, but I didn't read your post as inquiring about the cost, more about the immediacy? Anyway, hope that helps.

[cruise4kicks]

The ship has a Cingular tower onboard. My Verizon phone worked on Roaming at a charge of $2.49/minute. Calls didn't seem to come through, but instead were routed to voice mail. But, then you can see what # called and phone back, check your voice messages, whatever.

 

I was able to send and receive text messages at normal rates, plus a few cents ($0.09?) for international texting. That was the quickest & cheapest way to communicate.

 

I think NCL will charge you an additional fee for using their personalized @ncl.com e-mail address. Just have people e-mail your regular address instead.

[bluesea777]

If your cell phone and blackberry carriers are US-based they will work in PR and St. Thomas. For other ports you need roaming service - check with your carrier about it.

 

Unless you use the ship's expensive stuff, your cell and curseberry will not work at sea between ports - out of country zones (no-man-lands).

 

Last cruise I had to take my work curseberry and I loved the at sea days!! :D

[cruise4kicks]

Unless you use the ship's expensive stuff, your cell and curseberry will not work at sea between ports - out of country zones (no-man-lands).

The ship has a cell tower, and cell phones DO work at sea. I was able to use my cell (Verizon) to call my mother for her birthday from the middle of the Atlantic on the Gem transatlantic! :D

[Bigdog49]

Good day all - how can I be reached on the ship?

 

questions:

#1

BlackBerry: I have a BlackBerry from AT&T with international data plan - what do I need to do to ensure the internet will work off the ship's cell tower?

 

#2

How does:

FLASTNAME####@GEM.cruisemail.net

work? If someone e-mails to it - where does it go?

 

#3

How can I find the direct number to reach the NCL Gem ship? So someone could call and ask for my cabin or for me by name? no joke...

 

Please list all other way...

 

Any tips, tricks, links, suggestions are much appreciated ;)

Thank you...

 

Stick with your AT&T Blackberry it works like a charm onboard. I never missed a mesage in 20 days on the Gem. Total roaming cost including time online in port in Europe $39.

 

Cost details here

http://www.wireless.att.com/travelguide/coverage/cruise_ships_rates.jsp?PIDL=IRSD|IRWT

[Ms belp]

Why do you think you have to be connected 24/7? To whom? For what? This is what all the articles have been written about; that people never disconnect and relax anymore...:(

[Bigdog49]

Why do you think you have to be connected 24/7? To whom? For what? This is what all the articles have been written about; that people never disconnect and relax anymore...:(

 

Simple answer - so I can cruise more often. Far more relaxed knowing things are fine back home. Also making sure the $ is still coming in makes booking the next cruise possible.

[Ms belp]

Simple answer - so I can cruise more often. Far more relaxed knowing things are fine back home. Also making sure the $ is still coming in makes booking the next cruise possible.

 

You can cruise more often knowing the $$ "are" still coming in?! Are you the guy that drove oil over $100/barrel just to say he did it?:) Don't you have enough in savings?

 

Fine back home? Did you leave your children, your elderly parents, doggy, kitty?

[CanadianTwosome]

The ship has a Cingular tower onboard. My Verizon phone worked on Roaming at a charge of $2.49/minute. Calls didn't seem to come through, but instead were routed to voice mail. But, then you can see what # called and phone back, check your voice messages, whatever.

 

I was able to send and receive text messages at normal rates, plus a few cents ($0.09?) for international texting. That was the quickest & cheapest way to communicate.

 

I think NCL will charge you an additional fee for using their personalized @ncl.com e-mail address. Just have people e-mail your regular address instead.

 

Thank you so much for the text tip!!! I'll make sure to let my mom (looking after our pets) know that if she needs to contact us all she has to do is call one of our friends who knows how to text! (I'm dead serious, she doesn't even own a cell phone, let alone know how to send a text message!) It certainly provides an easy contact, though!

 

BigDog, thanks for putting a dollar value on it. $39 doesn't sound like much to stay connected if you choose to. :) (especially for 20 days)

[CanadianTwosome]

The ship has a cell tower, and cell phones DO work at sea. I was able to use my cell (Verizon) to call my mother for her birthday from the middle of the Atlantic on the Gem transatlantic! :D

 

I was just telling my husband that we could use text messaging on the ship, and he wondered if there would be a charge for using the Cingular tower. Five years ago, if we had used our analog phones in the US (or anywhere else outside of Canada) we would have paid a fee just for turning our phone on and pinging a tower... now we have digital phones, with GMS... did you pay a connection fee, or just the call charges?

 

Does anyone know about this? Would we have to call Cingular to find out?

[Ms belp]

I know some people have to stay connected. We took a cell phone and although we lost signal sometime, people at home were always able to text us.That included our wonder pet sitters. It's just that the OP has been asking help for his cruise with his girlfriend and didn't seem to be someone who had to be connected with anyone other than just to be "CONNECTED". And, $ guy; I just don't get it. I thought the point was to relax; maybe I'm out of touch anymore...:(

[salty dingo]

Simple answer - so I can cruise more often. Far more relaxed knowing things are fine back home. Also making sure the $ is still coming in makes booking the next cruise possible.

 

So you can "run a business" via blackberry messages? Or just feel like you are still in control when you're really not?

 

Methinks the business will be just fine without you for a few weeks :D !

[CanadianTwosome]

So you can "run a business" via blackberry messages? Or just feel like you are still in control when you're really not?

 

Methinks the business will be just fine without you for a few weeks :D !

 

That reminds me of a saying... Oops, I had it completely wrong, but looking it up, I found this:

 

http://www.ezrasf.com/wplog/quotes-to-make-you-think

 

The closest to the one I was thinking is 'Don't be irrepleable; if you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted'

 

I found out I had it wrong, but on the bright side, I found a really funny list of quotes!! Enjoy!! :)

[salty dingo]

'Don't be irrepleable; if you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted'

 

Oh, I so agree with that! I just cringe when people say "job security" and think that sharing their knowledge with others will make them subject to a layoff. I got news... there is no such thing as job security today... it does not exist!

 

I have gotten great satisfaction by volunteering to turn over the reins to a subordinate and then starting over ... and I ended up a lot better off. Anyone who desires only to keep what they have is sadly denying themselves what they can only reach by letting go!

[Ms belp]

Unfortunately, it comes to us, at one time or another, that we can all be replaced. Maybe a tribute or two, but still replaced.

[DMRick]

I stay connected because I get the shakes otherwise LOL!

 

Seriously, we vacation often, and run an online business. My buyers don't need to know I'm away, and I like to keep selling, so I can cruise again. I do sign up for wifi on the ship, for work, but I also use the internet in most ports (even the poorest have inexpensive internet cafe's) to keep up on my personal mail. I can stay away longer that way, and I actually enjoy my business, and don't like to be away. My business is relaxing and fun.

I did go through the trouble in November (we were gone about 2 1/2 weeks) to buy a month of an international plan with my Verizon phone, which enables me to make port calls for a lot less than regular roaming costs. But then I left my phone home by mistake. I found myself stalking my future SIL, so I could borrow his phone. I acutally borrowed a strangers phone, to call my hotel shuttle, since the crew members had all the phones in the port tied up. Sad, just very sad.

[Cosmopolitan]

Cruising home in the N'easter in 2006, we did not have internet service, ship phone service or cell service for several hours.

 

Be prepared:)

[DMRick]

Cruising home in the N'easter in 2006, we did not have internet service, ship phone service or cell service for several hours.

 

Be prepared:)

Oh, don't tease. I feel the shakes coming on!

[Guest Anorak33]

Cruising home in the N'easter in 2006, we did not have internet service, ship phone service or cell service for several hours.

 

Be prepared:)

 

 

 

This is why I always take a number of carrier pigeons on board, works well but getting them to come back with the return message has proved to be a bit of a problem.

[Ms belp]

I stay connected because I get the shakes otherwise LOL!

 

Seriously, we vacation often, and run an online business. My buyers don't need to know I'm away, and I like to keep selling, so I can cruise again. I do sign up for wifi on the ship, for work, but I also use the internet in most ports (even the poorest have inexpensive internet cafe's) to keep up on my personal mail. I can stay away longer that way, and I actually enjoy my business, and don't like to be away. My business is relaxing and fun.

I did go through the trouble in November (we were gone about 2 1/2 weeks) to buy a month of an international plan with my Verizon phone, which enables me to make port calls for a lot less than regular roaming costs. But then I left my phone home by mistake. I found myself stalking my future SIL, so I could borrow his phone. I acutally borrowed a strangers phone, to call my hotel shuttle, since the crew members had all the phones in the port tied up. Sad, just very sad.

 

Hope you have a wonderful, connected cruise, staying in touch with your $$$ so you will be able to cruise again. :rolleyes:

[Cosmopolitan]

Oh, don't tease. I feel the shakes coming on!

 

Not kidding...just be prepared.

 

When we heard the storm was coming, we never thought that we would lose connection. We did.

Believe me, when we lost phone service, I held on and walked to the internet cafe...no service.

Service came back when we entered the port...great picture of the pilot coming out to sea:eek: He/she must make great bucks:)

 

Just advise family and customers that you may be "disabled" communication wise - we are prepared for the next one.

The cruise is SO worth it;)

[DMRick]

Hope you have a wonderful, connected cruise, staying in touch with your $$$ so you will be able to cruise again. :rolleyes:

Wow, you have a lot of zingy one liners at your ready today for everyone, don't you?

 

Thank you, I do have a wonderful time on all my cruises. I love my business (and my grands, who I also miss when away, so I am able to talk with them via computer and phone), it's a lot of fun, and earning the extra $$$ while cruising, means I get to cruise and vacation often (and the buyers don't even know I'm not at home..I love technology!). I get the best of both worlds. I get to continue to run my business while away from home, and live our dream, to travel travel travel. If I don't have a problem with it, I can't see why anyone else would.