cell phone service

[gfargo]

has anyone ever experienced any problems with cell service while aboard a cruise ship?? our dilema is that 85 year old fil might be scheduled for bypass surgery while we are on our cruise next week aboard the brilliance 10 day trip. panama canal.if something terrible happens like heart attack or even death we would need to know via our cell phone so we could get home in a hurry.we just hope we are not making a mistake by going in the first place

[cb at sea]

We have Verizon and were not able to get a signal once we left Miami. If your family has access to e-mail, that's the cheapest, easiest way to find out what's going on.

Or, you can buy an international calling card at your ports, and call home via payphone. (Don't buy the card in the States--that is for calling TO a foreign place!)

You say he MIGHT have to have surgery--with luck, he won't! And if he does, the odds are very good that everything will be fine. Your being there will not affect the outcome. There is an "emergency" phone number your family can call if something bad should happen. Just tell them to use it only in emergency! If you don't get a call, everything is ok! the number is 888-724-7447 It will cost you $7.95 per minute.

[AAAMom]

If you have Cingular/AT&T you will be able to get cell coverage. Call ATT and make sure you're phone is set to received/call on the ship. Once you are 5 miles from shore the cell tower on the ship kicks in. It is $2.49/minute roaming (no add'l long distance). Just make sure you don't use the phone when you are within the 5 miles of shore because the cost will be from whatever island you just left (ex. Grand Cayman $1.99/minute plus roaming). If you want to lower your cost within the 5 mile limit you will need to get ATT World Traveler added to your phone $5.99 per month. Also, you will need to get the tel no to reach voicemail. They will set you up with an international password.

 

My Dad is having knee surgery on Tues. We leave in less than 3 weeks. If they need to reach us, I did some research, so that's why I know this. I just got off the phone with ATT an hour ago and added World Traveler to one of our phones.

Good luck

[gfargo]

thanks to the two of you for the info

[vickiw0318]

I have AT&T. While we were on the Radiance last February, DD was driving home (through rural Oklahoma) to dog sit for the weekend and got sleepy. She called my cell - not really thinking she'd get through. I talked to her 'til she felt better. It was a $20+ call, but worth every penny.

[gfargo]

I have AT&T. While we were on the Radiance last February, DD was driving home (through rural Oklahoma) to dog sit for the weekend and got sleepy. She called my cell - not really thinking she'd get through. I talked to her 'til she felt better. It was a $20+ call, but worth every penny.

no doubt the best twenty dollar investment you have ever made

[Alexis]

has anyone ever experienced any problems with cell service while aboard a cruise ship?? our dilema is that 85 year old fil might be scheduled for bypass surgery while we are on our cruise next week aboard the brilliance 10 day trip. panama canal.if something terrible happens like heart attack or even death we would need to know via our cell phone so we could get home in a hurry.we just hope we are not making a mistake by going in the first place

 

I have Verizon and it cost me $2.49 per minute outside of the US/San Juan, St Thomas.etc.. Free until I left there on my minutes. If not, I could still have used it in ports for the same price, and I did often. ;) There were no roaming charges for me. A flat $2.49 per minute for each call. On board or ashore in ports all over the Southern Caribbean.

The ship was $7.95 per minute to use their phones/service.

They put me on International and it would roam and pick up anywhere we went except Margarita Island, Venezuela. No phone or computer service there for the whole day.

It is definitely worth it to use your own by first checking with your own company.

Before you leave home and the US, call your company and have them put you on International Roaming. It automatically switches over when you need it on the ship or off the ship.

My connections for my whole 13 day Southern Caribbean cruise were always clear as if the person were standing next to me. I never had a problem anyway in the Caribbean.

[ehfl]

Cell phone service is not as reliable as in the US...but just have them leave a message. When your phone beeps, or vibrates, etc, you'll know to check in for your messages.

[vickiw0318]

no doubt the best twenty dollar investment you have ever made

 

That would be correct!

[BigDaddyCVO]

Definately contact your carrier and have your international roaming activated (this is a must do).

 

As noted in an earlier post, Verizon (also my carrier) charges $2.49/min while onboard and not in port, but many ports have different roaming rates, some as low as $.99/min.

[boomhaursgrl]

I had excellent service with AT&T/ Cingular... Prices seemed about right as stated above.

[gfargo]

Definately contact your carrier and have your international roaming activated (this is a must do).

 

As noted in an earlier post, Verizon (also my carrier) charges $2.49/min while onboard and not in port, but many ports have different roaming rates, some as low as $.99/min.

we also have verizon and called today and had our international roaming activated.thanks to all who have posted with a helpful comment

bonnie&bob

[early 30's couple]

Sprint now has cell service on most RCCL ships. You can get a list from the sprint webpage. The fee is $2.50 a minute for calls using the ships service.