May I use a 2-way radio to discreetly check on my handicapped husband?

Hello. I have read some other threads here regarding the general distain of on board "walkie-talkies", and the various debates regarding whether they will actually work on a cruise ship. In spite of this, I am thinking of purchasing a relatively powerful pair for our upcoming cruise. My husband has ALS, and he will frequently stay in our balcony stateroom to rest. I, on the other hand, would like to be out around the pool & in the sun whenever I can. We have cruised twice in the past year, and I often could not find a courtesy phone near the pool area, and it was not exactly relaxing to get up and walk around trying to find one, or to run down to the room all the time. I don't want to pay for the expensive on-board wi-fi fee.

I would remove myself from others and try to go to an area with less people (fore/aft) to make a quick call. I do not intend to be some jerk who has to have a long conversation on the talkie; I would be discreet. I just want to be able to contact my husband frequently just to ask "are you o.k."?

I am aware that many people say the talkies do not work well on a cruise ship. I have done some research and am prepared to purchase one that has extra power & range, as I could use it when tending our very large yard as well. I have also posted some questions about a few models on Amazon as well.

TY.

Thank you for being so considerate. I don't think anyone would object. No different than people talking on cell phones.

That being said, I think reception would depend on your cabin's location and how far from where you are.

Consensus seems to be, from several experts on these boards, that two-way radios do not work well on cruise ships. I don't pretend to know much about usage, just what I have often read here.

You might find cell phone costs not so bad, versus purchase of radios, just a consideration to compare the two.

It would probably be more effective to just call the room phone from a "house" phone. There are phones all over the ship you can use to call your room. That way you would be guaranteed the best reception possible.

It would probably be more effective to just call the room phone from a "house" phone. There are phones all over the ship you can use to call your room. That way you would be guaranteed the best reception possible.

Agreed. There are numerous house phones all around the ship - most notably in every stairwell / elevator lobby. If he is in the room the best way to communicate would be in this manner.

Thanks for your replies. Our last two cruises were on Celebrity Reflection. I found phones near the buffet dining room, but I didn't have much luck in seeing/finding many others. I'm sure they must be there, and maybe I just need to look more thoroughly. I really don't recall seeing any around the pool / upper decks........ that would be more convenient. I wonder if there is a guide which would show where courtesy phones are located; I will have to ask that, or at least ask where is the closest to the pool area.

Another issue is that my husband is somewhat hard of hearing, and he does not always hear if he is asleep. The talkie that I have been looking at are less than $50 a pair and rated well with good power, and they come with an earphone (which I thought I could get my husband to use!!)

Our stateroom is on level 8 on a 12 deck ship, and it is an outside stateroom with balcony, so I was hoping that the reception would not be too bad.

I probably wouldn't even consider the purchase of the talkies if it weren't for the fact that I can use them at home when I am outside a 1/4 down the hill from our house!

As mentioned the phones are in the stairwells / elevator lobbies on each deck as well as in other areas such as the spa, etc. Walkie talkies have very limited transmission success due to the multiple metal walls. The choice is yours and I appreciate your understanding of discretion around other passengers with their use should you decide to use walkie talkies as they are very distracting and annoying to others.

If you purchase the walkie talkies, make sure you keep your receipt, because if they don't work on the ship (because of all the steel, many don't work), you'll want to return them.

Thanks for your replies. Our last two cruises were on Celebrity Reflection. I found phones near the buffet dining room, but I didn't have much luck in seeing/finding many others. I'm sure they must be there, and maybe I just need to look more thoroughly. I really don't recall seeing any around the pool / upper decks........ that would be more convenient. I wonder if there is a guide which would show where courtesy phones are located; I will have to ask that, or at least ask where is the closest to the pool area.

 

Another issue is that my husband is somewhat hard of hearing, and he does not always hear if he is asleep. The talkie that I have been looking at are less than $50 a pair and rated well with good power, and they come with an earphone (which I thought I could get my husband to use!!)

 

Our stateroom is on level 8 on a 12 deck ship, and it is an outside stateroom with balcony, so I was hoping that the reception would not be too bad.

 

I probably wouldn't even consider the purchase of the talkies if it weren't for the fact that I can use them at home when I am outside a 1/4 down the hill from our house!

2-way radios that cost less than $50 will be almost useless on a ship that is constructed almost entirely of metal. The ones the crews use are in the $500 dollar range and must be registered to use legally. Plus, they depend on repeaters built into the ship at multiple locations. Being 4 decks apart will severely limit the range two consumer grade radios can be apart and still be useful.

Bottom line - be prepared to end up wasting your time and money if you decide to purchase them for use on the ship.

We used a 2-way radio before to check our grand son. We were able to use it but only in very limited instances. Since you will use them to check for any emergencies, it may not serve its purpose.

Agreed. There are numerous house phones all around the ship - most notably in every stairwell / elevator lobby. If he is in the room the best way to communicate would be in this manner.

Also at every bar, hostess station and the buffet.

Thanks for your replies. Our last two cruises were on Celebrity Reflection. I found phones near the buffet dining room, but I didn't have much luck in seeing/finding many others. I'm sure they must be there, and maybe I just need to look more thoroughly. I really don't recall seeing any around the pool / upper decks........ that would be more convenient. I wonder if there is a guide which would show where courtesy phones are located; I will have to ask that, or at least ask where is the closest to the pool area.

 

Another issue is that my husband is somewhat hard of hearing, and he does not always hear if he is asleep. The talkie that I have been looking at are less than $50 a pair and rated well with good power, and they come with an earphone (which I thought I could get my husband to use!!)

 

Our stateroom is on level 8 on a 12 deck ship, and it is an outside stateroom with balcony, so I was hoping that the reception would not be too bad.

 

I probably wouldn't even consider the purchase of the talkies if it weren't for the fact that I can use them at home when I am outside a 1/4 down the hill from our house!

If you buy the walkie-talkies for use at home, might as well leave them there when you go on your cruise, because they'll be pretty much useless on the ship. Once you get more than a few feet away from your cabin, chances are slim to none that you'll be able to communicate with your husband. All of the steel in the ship will interfere with the reception.

Thank you all for your replies. It sounds like the consensus of opinion is that the w/talkies would be a waste of money & effort. I did wonder about functionality when surrounded by all that steel and electrical interference, etc.I will make a more concerted effort to find the courtesy phones (near stairwells & elevators) & ask if I can use one at the pool bar. I never saw a courtesy phone at the pool bar, but maybe if I ask they will let me use their's. I may try to purchase a limited (60 min) wifi pkg., as I believe iPhone to iPhone texting is possible via iMessage using wifi.

Which cruise line are you on? Some, Norwegian specifically, but others may too, offer a phone to phone texting option on the ship for a much lower price than the internet package. That may be worth looking into.

Keep in mind that if you purchase internet for this purpose it's generally 1 plan per phone; so would have to either buy 2 plans or be constantly logging out and logging back on. And really any by the minute plan will require that. Unless you have unlimited, it logs the minutes you are logged in; not just when actively using it.

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Don't cruise lines have a chat plan you can buy into on the ship? I did that on my last NCL cruise. Seems like it was $10 per smart phone for the entire cruise. Myself, the DW and SIL each had the plan and communicated easily on the ship.

The key word was "discretely" - of course, walkie talkies generally do not work well on ships - but you have received a number of workable alternative suggestions.

Don't cruise lines have a chat plan you can buy into on the ship? I did that on my last NCL cruise. Seems like it was $10 per smart phone for the entire cruise. Myself, the DW and SIL each had the plan and communicated easily on the ship.

Carnival has a chat feature on it's Hubb app that costs $5 per device for the length of the cruise. Need to download the app before the cruise.

I've got 86 cruises and will say have seen many yelling into their talkies and the connection is always terrible. As long as he dosen't need to call you --- house phones as with any phone is never where you need thewm when you need them. When you do your ship tour the firs today Iwould check there locations. There are many you just need to know where to look.

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Texting works great on ships, that would be the best way to go.

I think the best route to go would be for you both to get the Hub app and chat with each other through that. It would be $10 total for both of you to use the chat feature on the app for the duration of your cruise. $10 is much cheaper than any wifi plan or any walkey talkies that you'd have to lug around everywhere. Plus it wouldn't bother anyone and you wouldn't have to hold it to your head listening for a response.

Again, thank you all for your replies. I have never heard of Chat plan on Celebrity - but I will ask. We are not people who have sailed extensively, but of those we have done, 4 have been on Celebrity and one on NCL. We really only started to sail more when my husband became disabled; before this we were avid hikers and pursued very active vacations. So, since we are provided with a butler in our mini-suite, he may be one of the best people to ask regarding location of phones near the pool / upper decks, and if he doesn't know - I'm sure he can tell me who to ask.

rmf11699 -"Don't cruise lines have a chat plan you can buy into on the ship? I did that on my last NCL cruise. Seems like it was $10 per smart phone for the entire cruise. Myself, the DW and SIL each had the plan and communicated easily on the ship".

sanger727

"Which cruise line are you on? Some, Norwegian specifically, but others may too, offer a phone to phone texting option on the ship for a much lower price than the internet package. That may be worth looking into".

I will look into this, but on our last 2 cruises with Celebrity (most recent in March/'17) they did not freely advertise an option ilke you both mention. If they do, they keep in on the low down.

teknoge3k _ I will look into the Hub app. Does it funcion like WhatsApp?

Again, I will check and see if I can purchase a 60 min. wifi pkg. once on-board. Celebrity does not seem to offer this limited pkg. before the sail, as I do not see it on their web-site. I know that once on board it is offered (as it has been our last two sails). I have read that if I disable SMS on our iPhones we can text iPhone to iPhone via iMessage on wifi", or snapchat.

Again, thank you all for your replies. I have never heard of Chat plan on Celebrity - but I will ask. We are not people who have sailed extensively, but of those we have done, 4 have been on Celebrity and one on NCL. We really only started to sail more when my husband became disabled; before this we were avid hikers and pursued very active vacations. So, since we are provided with a butler in our mini-suite, he may be one of the best people to ask regarding location of phones near the pool / upper decks, and if he doesn't know - I'm sure he can tell me who to ask.

 

rmf11699 -"Don't cruise lines have a chat plan you can buy into on the ship? I did that on my last NCL cruise. Seems like it was $10 per smart phone for the entire cruise. Myself, the DW and SIL each had the plan and communicated easily on the ship".

 

sanger727

"Which cruise line are you on? Some, Norwegian specifically, but others may too, offer a phone to phone texting option on the ship for a much lower price than the internet package. That may be worth looking into".

 

I will look into this, but on our last 2 cruises with Celebrity (most recent in March/'17) they did not freely advertise an option ilke you both mention. If they do, they keep in on the low down.

 

 

teknoge3k _ I will look into the Hub app. Does it funcion like WhatsApp?

 

Again, I will check and see if I can purchase a 60 min. wifi pkg. once on-board. Celebrity does not seem to offer this limited pkg. before the sail, as I do not see it on their web-site. I know that once on board it is offered (as it has been our last two sails). I have read that if I disable SMS on our iPhones we can text iPhone to iPhone via iMessage on wifi", or snapchat.

I haven't been on Celebrity in a couple of years, and they did not have anything like text to text app available them. But they might now.

We recently sailed on Princess and they do have such an app. However, it is less than ideal in functionality. While my wife and I were able to text each other, there was no notification that a text message had just arrived. No tone, no vibration, nothing. The only way to know a text had been received was to open up the app every few minutes to check if there had been one. In most cases, we would finally find the text hours after it was sent. That didn't help at all with the "I'm at xxxx, want to meet for lunch" type of messages.