Cell Phone Use Port vs Boat

[TNtravelers]

I've read lots of posts about not using cell phones on the boat due to NCL connection charge. When you are in port, just off the boat, how do you know that you have gotten a regular cell phone connection vs connection through the ship? How far away from the ship do you have to get?

 

I have two teenagers that have already been warned to not use the phone on the ship, but the minute we get off, I'm sure they will be dialing. I don't want any surprises when I get home.

 

Thanks in advance for any information.

[hawaiilvr]

We used our cell phones on the ship in port and it said T-Mobile on the phone. I talked to my daughter at home from my balcony sailing out of Honolulu for at least a half hour, and had T-Mobile service the whole time. We never had any shipboard phone charges.

[beachchick]

If you're on PoAm, you will only have a signal when you're picking up a signal from land. The NCLA ships don't have shipboard cell service (and the $2.49/minute charges), so no worries. We even had good service all the way around the Na Pali coast of Kauai.

 

beachchick

[mattmommy]

Great question. We're doing FairWind on Kona day and they say to call their office to reconfirm as soon as we're docked.

[CC Help Michell]

Another cell phone tip for NCLA -- once you are back on the ship turn your phones off! We spent three days trying to figure out why both our batteries had suddenly stopped holding a charge. Finally SO noticed that once we were out of range of the land-based towers our phones started searching for a signal.... all night! :eek:

[CC Help Michell]

DDP... sorry.