verizon and tex messaging

[pugaddict]

I was wondering if you could tex message each other on the boat. My son 18 and his friend will want to do things on their own, but i'd still like to check up on them and was wondering if we could tex each other on the boat without charge. Does anyone know? :)

[garycarla]

Though it might appear that you are texting "locally", you are actually texting from the ship back to the states and then back to the ship. This will cost you a text message on each device.

 

Phone calls in this case would be $2.50 a minute outgoing, and $2.50 incoming or $5.00 a minute. I think texting is $.10 and $.50 (sending vs receiving). Double check with Verizon on this.

 

Be careful, as kids can send hundreds of text messages in a day if you let them. Walkie Talkies might be cheaper.

[Cosmopolitan]

I agree with Garycarla, you must be careful of the charges.

 

You can have the kids check in with you (MANY phones available in all areas on the ship) but they would have to call your cabin to check in or vice/versa.

[alaskafan2]

I have Verizon, and checked - on a ship it's 50 cents to send a TXT msg; 5 cents to receive one. This is even if you have unlimited txt msgs. But it's cheaper than the $2.50/min for calling. I'll just make sure my kids know they're getting charged for each msg., so not to overuse it.

[CruisnGram]

We used text messaging to keep in touch with our group of 13 while on board the Sun. It worked out great and the extra charges were minimal as others have posted.

 

However, the teens have to be warned that their friends back home will be charged also if they send or receive a text to the teens on board. Even if they have unlimited texting. And with the way teens text in todays world, those charges could really add up and there could be some pretty upset parents that weren't even on a cruise when that bill comes in! :D

[grangermom]

We just got back from the Pearl, sailing with two teens. They were forbidden to do any texting while on board because, as others have said, those "conversations" can get very lengthy and very expensive. We just set up a system in our cabin with a notepad and a pen (call me old-fashioned.) When someone went somewhere, they wrote down their name, destination and time. It worked well because we had a decent location on Deck 8. Besides, the extra walking didn't hurt after eating so much all day :-)