Son gets one call in Basic Training and I will be on a cruise! HELP

Hi,

I have searched the boards and the Internet about using cell phones on cruise ships and in the Caribbean. Much of the advice is about making calls. Many suggestions include email, texts, etc. However, my son can call me during week 4 of Air Force basic training. I really want to receive this call, and cost does NOT matter.

I am on a pay as you go At&T plan. I have also purchased an International SIM card from Mobal--it has a UK number and it says it will work in 190 countries.

Can someone please explain how cell phone service works on the ship? AT&T will not give me a ship package for my pay as you go plan. Would the international SIM card work? Will my son be able to simply use the UK phone number and call me while I am on the ship?

Thanks for any advice. Bad timing, but cruise was planned before we knew his ship date!

On the ship is very expensive either way. Your Mobal sim won't change that. Ashore can be pretty cheap, depending on the plan.

Is the time he gets to call pre-scheduled, or is it just whenever his "drill sergeant" says so? Simply being able to take that call while you are ashore somewhere in the Caribbean may save you a lot of money.

Having a positive scheduled call time, and the AT&T International Day Pass will cost you $10 for 24 hours, and whatever calling and data your plan offers. If your son has to pay for a long distance call to a UK number, you are paying at both ends. If he calls a US number, the whole process is much cheaper.

Since there are no cell towers out in the ocean, the cell phone signals go to a satellite. The cost per minute is quite a bit more than your standard service at home. Why not ask AT&T what the per minute rate is when using your cell phone at sea? I'm not sure if there would be any benefit to having a SIM card. Maybe someone who's used one would know. There ought to be someone at AT&T that can answer your questions.

It is not clear to me exactly where in the world you will be on the day you expect his call. In the Caribbean? In the UK? Elsewhere?

Anyway it may not really matter. All ships have their own towers for one of the cellular at sea services. And as you have found out no carrier includes that service in their international roaming plans. But--and I hope someone will correct me if I am wrong--your USA cell number should work through the ship's towers wherever in the world they happen to be at the moment. Now if you are not sure whether you will be on the ship or in a port city at the moment his call comes through--then you need to make sure your phone is set to the right service as you go on and off the ship.

I would contact AT&T and give them the name of the ship; they should know which at-sea service that ship's towers works through and whether your phone is compatible as-is (meaning you may need to leave it on USA settings without the UK chip). And of course what the roaming charges will be should you answer while at sea.

(and welcome to Cruise Critic by the way. Rest assured additional info more helpful that mine is also forthcoming)

He gets 1 call?

I love my mom but if I only get 1 call, it’s to my wife or girlfriend.

Sorry Mom. :*

I’ll see you in a few weeks.

He gets 1 call?

 

I love my mom but if I only get 1 call, it’s to my wife or girlfriend.

Sorry Mom. :*

I’ll see you in a few weeks.

Ouch!

Hi,

 

 

 

I have searched the boards and the Internet about using cell phones on cruise ships and in the Caribbean. Much of the advice is about making calls. Many suggestions include email, texts, etc. However, my son can call me during week 4 of Air Force basic training. I really want to receive this call, and cost does NOT matter.

 

 

 

I am on a pay as you go At&T plan. I have also purchased an International SIM card from Mobal--it has a UK number and it says it will work in 190 countries.

 

 

 

Can someone please explain how cell phone service works on the ship? AT&T will not give me a ship package for my pay as you go plan. Would the international SIM card work? Will my son be able to simply use the UK phone number and call me while I am on the ship?

 

 

 

Thanks for any advice. Bad timing, but cruise was planned before we knew his ship date!

Firstly, if you purchased your phone from AT&T direct or via an electronics store like Best Buy (e.g., an iPhone) it is "locked" to AT&T. That foreign SIM card you purchased will probably not work anywhere with that phone. A "sim free" iPhone (from iPhone 7 on), which can be purchased only from Apple, or an otherwise "unlocked" phone, can handle different SIM cards. For the most part, the foreign sim would also be useless for satellite connected voice services on the ship - it's meant primarily for land based cellular towers. And, at sea, it would need to be a company with which the ship has partnered (e.g., AT&T Connect at Sea) with a provider whom provides the ship a satellite connection proxying a land tower.

Secondly, if your phone is newer and is capable of "wifi calling," you can receive calls at sea as long as your phone is connected to the ship's wifi (for which you will have either paid or been given access as a perk) and as long as they are not selectively blocking data streaming like FaceTime or Skype (or wifi calling). With wifi calling, there is no use of your cellular data plan from home. But, you will need to be connected to the internet when your son calls. Unless the wifi calling stream is blocked by the ship, this will probably be your best alternative at sea. On land, you just need to be connected to some free public or business wifi (beware of hackers) when he calls OR you need to be connected to an AT&T cellular service partner's "voice" and/or "data" for which you will pay discounted roaming or get for free depending on their agreement to honor your "pay as to go" plan (e.g., Vodaphone, Claro, et al. - list is on AT&T international web pages). In this case, make sure your phone settings are for "manual" selection of cellular networks rather than "auto" which grabs the strongest signal and may mean that provider's full rate. Bottom line is: if you don't recognize the name of the provider from AT&T or its list of partners, you may want to opt for the wifi calling rather than the traditional cellular voice service.

Thirdly, if your ship supports AT&T "Connect at Sea," you can purchase voice time and have a satellite phone connection while at sea. This would be in addition to any land plan you got from AT&T.

Call AT&T and ask specifically for the "international desk" even if the first rep says s/he can help you.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Stay home and take the call. You are agonziing so much. You will be very unhappy on your curise if you do not get his call...... JMO..

Firstly, if you purchased your phone from AT&T direct or via an electronics store like Best Buy (e.g., an iPhone) it is "locked" to AT&T. That foreign SIM card you purchased will probably not work anywhere with that phone. A "sim free" iPhone (from iPhone 7 on), which can be purchased only from Apple, or an otherwise "unlocked" phone, can handle different SIM cards. For the most part, the foreign sim would also be useless for satellite connected voice services on the ship - it's meant primarily for land based cellular towers. And, at sea, it would need to be a company with which the ship has partnered (e.g., AT&T Connect at Sea) with a provider whom provides the ship a satellite connection proxying a land tower.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

This isn't true. If you purchased your phone outright, and it is not tied to a contract, your phone is unlocked, and you could put the sim in. I wouldn't recommend it in this case. Our phone (with AT&T service, but purchased outright at a big box store), is unlocked, and was from the day it was activated. Our phones are Samsung S6s.

This isn't true. If you purchased your phone outright, and it is not tied to a contract, your phone is unlocked, and you could put the sim in. I wouldn't recommend it in this case. Our phone (with AT&T service, but purchased outright at a big box store), is unlocked, and was from the day it was activated. Our phones are Samsung S6s.

Your phones are Samsung.

My example was Apple.

Again, if it is an iPhone, it certainly is "locked" unless you purchase the newer "sim free" version from Apple. The ones purchased with or without a contract from an electronics store still have proprietary software installed, which limits which network mechanisms are inside. As a test, try to change an AT&T iPhone bought outright at Best Buy into a Verizon cellular account. You're in for a big surprise.

And that is why Apple now sells "sim free" versions and won't let anyone else do it.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

It's easy to go online to your AT&T account and sign up for their International Day Plan ($10.00 for 24 hrs) love this option on land and it's worked well for us. I also purchase their cruise text/phone package ($60.00)...

I may overdo it and I'm sure other's will say I am...but to me personally it's worth it to not have to worry about any contact I may need to have with my family or them with me when traveling on land or at sea.

considering that phone call may not come at all( yes, they are denied, or just plain run out of time at BMT) nor do you know what day or time it might happen, you will need to have access the entire cruise regardless of where you are.

FTR, neither my husband nor my stepson were granted any additional phone calls other than the first one saying they arrived.. and the stepson was in during Thanksgiving and Christmas.

oh, yeah and he will NOT be able to dial an international phone number from the phones available (unless he is VERY lucky and they let them use their own phones.. but that will cost him even more money unless he already has an unlimited international plan) so that SIM card will probably be useless.

In other words, you have to prepare for the possibility that you will not connect at all

He gets 1 call?

 

I love my mom but if I only get 1 call, it’s to my wife or girlfriend.

Sorry Mom. :*

I’ll see you in a few weeks.

and maybe he doesn't have a wife or GF/BF. but regardless, that phone call must be earned and may not happen anyway.

However, my son can call me during week 4 of Air Force basic training. I really want to receive this call, and cost does NOT matter.

In my experience, if you don't switch to airplane mode the phone simply connects to the ship's satellite system and you can receive calls. It's the same roaming as if you'd be in another country, but this time via satellite which makes it a bit more costly.

https://www.mobal.com/blog/how-to-guides/international-cell-phone-service/can-i-make-calls-on-a-cruise-ship-with-my-cell-phone/

Do switch off internet on your phone, those costs may reach a point where it will matter.

Our daughter went through BMT three years ago. I would say keep your phone on and with you. Look for a Texas area code or his cell number on the call and answer. He knows you will be on the cruise. Worse case he can leave you a message. Some plans allow you to receive text messages for free no matter where you are. Our daughter got time at the pay phone a couple of times, thus look for Texas area code. On another note, look for the website for Air Force Wing Moms for lots of great information.

In my experience, if you don't switch to airplane mode the phone simply connects to the ship's satellite system and you can receive calls.......

........Do switch off internet on your phone, those costs may reach a point where it will matter.

More specifically, you would want to turn off "data roaming."

IMO, as long as the ship doesn't restrict it, wifi calling on a newer phone with that capability is the best way to go.

And still, as regards using the foreign SIM card: your phone needs to be unlocked from your regular provider (at least, that's the case with any iPhone that is not "sim free," which can only be purchased from Apple directly.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Call the cruise line and explain the situation, maybe they can assist with this even provide a phone number on the ship if you know an approximate day/time he would call.

Most cruise lines are accommodating and know this is a special situation.

On the ship is very expensive either way. Your Mobal sim won't change that. Ashore can be pretty cheap, depending on the plan.

 

Is the time he gets to call pre-scheduled, or is it just whenever his "drill sergeant" says so? Simply being able to take that call while you are ashore somewhere in the Caribbean may save you a lot of money.

 

Having a positive scheduled call time, and the AT&T International Day Pass will cost you $10 for 24 hours, and whatever calling and data your plan offers. If your son has to pay for a long distance call to a UK number, you are paying at both ends. If he calls a US number, the whole process is much cheaper.

Thanks for replying. I am basically hosed. I try to be frugal and have a Pay as You Go plan. It saves me hundreds of dollars a year, but I can't get Wifi calling, nor an International Pass from AT&T. And the call is whenever--they say to just keep your phone close by. Too bad...

He gets 1 call?

 

I love my mom but if I only get 1 call, it’s to my wife or girlfriend.

Sorry Mom. :*

I’ll see you in a few weeks.

Ha! He's only 21--no wife, and right now, no girlfriend, so mom wins! : )

No--phone is unlocked. SIM card works, but it will only be useful when I am in Haiti and Jamaica. I save a ton of money by using AT&T's pay as you go plan. I use Wifi while at home and work for internet browsing, so have not missed having a contract. However, in this case, AT&T is not coming through. No option for wifi calling, and no option for purchasing a ship plan. Really stinks. I don't think I will buy a two-year contract to receive this one phone call. To bad. Thanks for your reply!

Firstly, if you purchased your phone from AT&T direct or via an electronics store like Best Buy (e.g., an iPhone) it is "locked" to AT&T. That foreign SIM card you purchased will probably not work anywhere with that phone. A "sim free" iPhone (from iPhone 7 on), which can be purchased only from Apple, or an otherwise "unlocked" phone, can handle different SIM cards. For the most part, the foreign sim would also be useless for satellite connected voice services on the ship - it's meant primarily for land based cellular towers. And, at sea, it would need to be a company with which the ship has partnered (e.g., AT&T Connect at Sea) with a provider whom provides the ship a satellite connection proxying a land tower.

 

Secondly, if your phone is newer and is capable of "wifi calling," you can receive calls at sea as long as your phone is connected to the ship's wifi (for which you will have either paid or been given access as a perk) and as long as they are not selectively blocking data streaming like FaceTime or Skype (or wifi calling). With wifi calling, there is no use of your cellular data plan from home. But, you will need to be connected to the internet when your son calls. Unless the wifi calling stream is blocked by the ship, this will probably be your best alternative at sea. On land, you just need to be connected to some free public or business wifi (beware of hackers) when he calls OR you need to be connected to an AT&T cellular service partner's "voice" and/or "data" for which you will pay discounted roaming or get for free depending on their agreement to honor your "pay as to go" plan (e.g., Vodaphone, Claro, et al. - list is on AT&T international web pages). In this case, make sure your phone settings are for "manual" selection of cellular networks rather than "auto" which grabs the strongest signal and may mean that provider's full rate. Bottom line is: if you don't recognize the name of the provider from AT&T or its list of partners, you may want to opt for the wifi calling rather than the traditional cellular voice service.

 

Thirdly, if your ship supports AT&T "Connect at Sea," you can purchase voice time and have a satellite phone connection while at sea. This would be in addition to any land plan you got from AT&T.

 

Call AT&T and ask specifically for the "international desk" even if the first rep says s/he can help you.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

When I was in boot camp back in the '80s, I got to make that call home so I did. This is before voicemail and cell phones. What I got was a busy signal, over and over and over again. I was nearly crying knowing when my mom got on the phone she tended to stay there. On I think my third try the call went through and I got to hear her voice. Talking with her for that 3 or 4 minutes I had left was all I needed to carry me through the next few weeks.

 

I hope you figure out a way.

Thanks! Oh, man, I remember busy signals! Ha. Thank you for your service--I have written lots of letters, and he knows I will be gone. Hopefully, it will work out with timing. It does stink, but he will understand.

It's easy to go online to your AT&T account and sign up for their International Day Plan ($10.00 for 24 hrs) love this option on land and it's worked well for us. I also purchase their cruise text/phone package ($60.00)...

 

I may overdo it and I'm sure other's will say I am...but to me personally it's worth it to not have to worry about any contact I may need to have with my family or them with me when traveling on land or at sea.

I guess I didn't make it clear in my original post: on Pay as you go plans, you can't sign up for their International Day Plan. Otherwise, I would have done this. Sucks. And I know I am weird that I don't have a contract, but with Wifi literally everywhere these days, I don't miss not having a data plan. I literally pay $100 a year for texts and phone calls, and use wifi everywhere else! More money for travel!:D

I guess I didn't make it clear in my original post: on Pay as you go plans, you can't sign up for their International Day Plan. Otherwise, I would have done this. Sucks. And I know I am weird that I don't have a contract, but with Wifi literally everywhere these days, I don't miss not having a data plan. I literally pay $100 a year for texts and phone calls, and use wifi everywhere else! More money for travel!:D

So what you are saying is you have the cheapest possible plan through AT&T, and are upset it doesn't come with all the options?

So what you are saying is you have the cheapest possible plan through AT&T, and are upset it doesn't come with all the options?

You might try looking into satellite phone rentals. We have an Iridium phone at work which has a 1-800 number that can be used instead of direct dialing the international number. I don’t know if that option is available for rental phones as well, and I have no idea if there would be any reception below decks, but the rental place may have some idea.

Sent from my iPad using Forums