Communicating with Friends on the ship?

[jessegirl88]

Hi All,

 

I will be going out of NY on the Caribbean Princess and will have 2 teenagers with me and I have told them that the cell phone stays OFF!! Well, it was like I told them that they would have to go to school year round!!! I told them that they would not even be able to turn the phones on to retrieve there texts...How can I give them communication with there friends? Should I by a international calling card in Rite aid or somewhere else before we leave for the cruise so atleast they can talk? I know I can buy minutes for the internet so that they can email, but can anyone suggest any other form of communication while on ship that is not going to break my budget? Skype? Idk.... help...this may be miserable for the kids if they have no contact with there friends. Sorry if this sounds stupid to you, but if you have a teenagers that text all the time, then you will understand. Thanks a bunch!

[geoherb]

The best option may be to go with one of packages for Internet minutes on the ship. They're not cheap. It's $100 for 250 minutes.

 

Also check with your cell phone company about whether the phones will be able to be used without roaming charges in any of the ports you're going to. I have a very limited cell phone (through Virgin Mobile). I can make and receive calls in San Juan and St. Thomas at regular rates.

[luv2sweat]

I would suggest getting an internet package. If possible bring a laptop with you - works a bit faster if everything is cached on your computer. Skype has been blocked on our last few cruises. It uses a lot of bandwidth and slows the already slow system down even more. Stick to IM it will work better. If you'll be using the ship's computers use meebo.com. It lets you access many of the instant messenger services: yahoo, aim, etc.

 

As for the cell phones, make sure they are completely off. My daughter told me she has to take the battery out of her blackberry or it will continue to receive e-mail. Do not turn it on to retrieve messages (except in San Juan). You will be charges international rates for each message delivered to the phone whether you read it or not. I confiscate the phones and put them in the safe. Ask me how I know this?:eek:

 

Also, my kids had the same concerns on their first Princess cruise four years ago. Nine days cut off from all civilization. Well, after the first night in the teen center civilization was the last thing on their minds. They were busy and communicating with their new friends.

 

Wendy

[Toto2Kansas]

Hi All,

 

I will be going out of NY on the Caribbean Princess and will have 2 teenagers with me and I have told them that the cell phone stays OFF!! Well, it was like I told them that they would have to go to school year round!!! I told them that they would not even be able to turn the phones on to retrieve there texts...How can I give them communication with there friends? Should I by a international calling card in Rite aid or somewhere else before we leave for the cruise so atleast they can talk? I know I can buy minutes for the internet so that they can email, but can anyone suggest any other form of communication while on ship that is not going to break my budget? Skype? Idk.... help...this may be miserable for the kids if they have no contact with there friends. Sorry if this sounds stupid to you, but if you have a teenagers that text all the time, then you will understand. Thanks a bunch!

 

I wouldn't just tell them to keep the cell phones off, I would lock the cell phones in the safe and remove the batteries. You will have a bill that makes your eyes pop out if these teens use their phones while on the cruise.

[luv2sweat]

Jessegirl88 - which sailing are you on? We'll be on the July 2nd sailing.

[jessegirl88]

I would suggest getting an internet package. If possible bring a laptop with you - works a bit faster if everything is cached on your computer. Skype has been blocked on our last few cruises. It uses a lot of bandwidth and slows the already slow system down even more. Stick to IM it will work better. If you'll be using the ship's computers use meebo.com. It lets you access many of the instant messenger services: yahoo, aim, etc.

 

As for the cell phones, make sure they are completely off. My daughter told me she has to take the battery out of her blackberry or it will continue to receive e-mail. Do not turn it on to retrieve messages (except in San Juan). You will be charges international rates for each message delivered to the phone whether you read it or not. I confiscate the phones and put them in the safe. Ask me how I know this?:eek:

 

Also, my kids had the same concerns on their first Princess cruise four years ago. Nine days cut off from all civilization. Well, after the first night in the teen center civilization was the last thing on their minds. They were busy and communicating with their new friends.

 

Wendy

 

I have to ask how do you know this???

[jessegirl88]

Also thanks to all that answered. I WILL be taking the phone and putting them in the safe with the batteries out of it.

 

I did call Verizon. They gave me rates for texting and phone calls. Wasn't real high BUT these kids dont just text a few messages...Its alot..So i think I may bring my laptop onboard. Now, if i bring my own computer, do they have wireless access on Caribbean Princess and will I have to but the minutes? or will my wireless service just work?

[Keryel]

We're on the July 2 Caribbean Princess cruise! There are 16 of us from my extended family. Can't wait... :)

[Denny01]

Depends on Phone setups. We put our iPhones into Airplane Mode (no calls receive/send) and this should turn off Wi Fi (so it doesn't use the ship internet - you usually have to logon anyway, but...), and then turn off Data Roaming (this blocks recieving/sending email, web browsing, and many of those GPS locator services). Can then still use the other capabilites such as the calendar (I do add things I want to do on the ship) and other functions such as camera.

 

Many people forget about Data Roaming - for iPhone it is in the Settings App (Airplane Mode is there too), then go to 'General' then 'Network' and you'll find Data Roaming. If you don't, you could end up getting a lot of unplanned charges when you turn on some App that uses GPS locating and so on.

 

Now texting is not really expensive - depending on your system, it can cost $0.50 to send and $0.30 to receive (AT&T example). But of course, if your Teen decides to multi-text many times, that can add up. But we use it to let family we haven't decided to just pay to stay on board and Never come home!

 

You can control texting by turning the Airplane Mode on/off and data roaming on/off.

 

Denny

[donna5]

I wouldn't just tell them to keep the cell phones off, I would lock the cell phones in the safe and remove the batteries. You will have a bill that makes your eyes pop out if these teens use their phones while on the cruise.

 

That's what I was going to reccomend.

 

Also Unless you are in a full suite with unlimited internet access I would just tell the kids "No internet". It is not cheap and is very slow. Even if you buy a plan, after the plan is used up they will start charging you by the minute "for your convenience:rolleyes:"

 

If the kids can't be away from cell phones and the internet for 1 week then there is a problem. See if there is a way to have their accounts blocked from internet access if you choose not to pay for it, so they can't sign on.

[angyl]

Make sure your iphone is O-F-F! Not just turned off data roaming and airplane mode. Turn it off and lock it in the safe. Some applictions and games use push notification and I know people who got massive bills and had their phones set correctly. I just cruised the Golden and when in US ports, turned it on for a few minutes. I left it off the rest of the time. I actually lived an entire week of my life without facebook, without myspace, without texting, without twitter, and without emails. It can be done!

[Krausssj]

Hi All,

 

I will be going out of NY on the Caribbean Princess and will have 2 teenagers with me and I have told them that the cell phone stays OFF!! Well, it was like I told them that they would have to go to school year round!!! I told them that they would not even be able to turn the phones on to retrieve there texts...How can I give them communication with there friends? Should I by a international calling card in Rite aid or somewhere else before we leave for the cruise so atleast they can talk? I know I can buy minutes for the internet so that they can email, but can anyone suggest any other form of communication while on ship that is not going to break my budget? Skype? Idk.... help...this may be miserable for the kids if they have no contact with there friends. Sorry if this sounds stupid to you, but if you have a teenagers that text all the time, then you will understand. Thanks a bunch!

 

Tell them its time to make some new Friends and join in with the other kids their age. This way they can have fun all cruise long and then stay in contact after the cruise is over!!

[donna5]

Hi All,

 

I will be going out of NY on the Caribbean Princess and will have 2 teenagers with me and I have told them that the cell phone stays OFF!! Well, it was like I told them that they would have to go to school year round!!! I told them that they would not even be able to turn the phones on to retrieve there texts...How can I give them communication with there friends? Should I by a international calling card in Rite aid or somewhere else before we leave for the cruise so atleast they can talk? I know I can buy minutes for the internet so that they can email, but can anyone suggest any other form of communication while on ship that is not going to break my budget? Skype? Idk.... help...this may be miserable for the kids if they have no contact with there friends. Sorry if this sounds stupid to you, but if you have a teenagers that text all the time, then you will understand. Thanks a bunch!

 

You could also find out if any of the islands you are going to are in your plan, if so, you tell the kids, that only then will you let them have their phone and they could use it there, but I don't know if any of the ports are included in your plan.

[Toto2Kansas]

I didn't mean to sound huffy earlier. :o But if your kids are anything like my kids and grandkids, their phones ring every two minutes or they are calling or texting someone every two minutes.................it is to the point when I go somewhere with them I ask them to PLEASE turn off the cell phone, at least for a little while. :p They all LIVE on the phone now, or are reading text messages.

 

And I agree with the others, watch that internet. Although there are packages you can purchase to bring down the per minute rate a bit, if they do into the minute rate, it is 75 cents per minute.

Last month on the Emerald we had unlimited because we were in a full suite. I clocked it once (as it was the slowest internet we have found on any ship). It took three minutes just to get to my email, just to log into it. And then 3-5 minutes just to send it (and I composed it offline). keep in mind, unless you use your own laptop, each moment they are on the ships computers, even when writing an email, that per minute charge is still there. On your own laptop they can compose off line and then connect to send. If they are on facebook or another online communication center, they can still have a chat feature there, which can go on for a very long time with teens.

 

All this depends on just how much you are willing to pay so the kids can communicate with their friends while onboard. But with two teens, if even given the internet option whenever they want, I would guess that bill will be upwards of $500 by the time the cruise ends. Did I scare ya there? lol

It's just that kids are so used to unlimited this or that anymore, where they aren't charged, some just don't seem to understand what this can total out to just to keep in touch with their friends. Good luck, and I hope you can get that point accross to them how important this is money wise. ;)

[hailmary25]

This problem is the best part of crusing I know I text alot and chat with friends in every module but I find it relaxing to be completl shut off from the world for that week. Tell them it is freedom not a punishment. If you use your old friends as cruches you will never make new ones.

[snrlnd]

Now, if i bring my own computer, do they have wireless access on Caribbean Princess and will I have to but the minutes? or will my wireless service just work?

 

You will have to buy an internet package. However I found that the wireless works pretty good. It seems faster on my laptop than in the internet cafe.

[lax19]

Bringing your teenagers friends with you on the cruise may be a cheaper option than the cell phone bill they could rack up. On our last cruise with the teenagers, their phones were locked in the trunk of the car at the port. (No need to figure out how to turn this option off, etc.).

 

The other option is to leave them at home and upgrade to a nicer cabin.

 

They'll survive and might even make new friends that they can text after the cruise.

[SandG]

Texting only might be a fine option if they have enough self control.

 

My 18 year old daughter was miserable not being in touch with her boyfriend, so I let her have a texting allowance because I felt it was cheaper than the internet in the long run. The internet can run up really quickly. We did this during last years cruise and it worked out okay so we repeated that policy last week.

 

Verizon is 50 cents for outgoing texts so I allowed her up to 10 outgoing texts a day. She learned to use each text effectively. Incoming texts were .05 each and she didn't get enough of them for it to add up to much. Texting (and calling) was free in Puerto Rico and I believe also it was free texting (not calling) in St. Thomas. So this ended up costing me a little over $35 to have a happy teenager. OK, I'm a bit of a softie, but it was a good compromise.

 

I'll say "never mind" if your teens hope to keep in touch with a pile of friends, and then I completely agree that the phone should get turned off except in Puerto Rico where we were able to call home for free.

[Pam in CA]

I agree with the others, i.e., put the phone(s) in the safe and take out the batteries. It's so easy to lose track of time or be unaware of the data downloads (every time you open an email, receive a text, etc., you download data) which can be VERY expensive. Your phone bill could literally climb into the $000's very easily.

 

The Internet on ships (doesn't matter which ship or cruiseline) is via satellite and connection speed is dependent on where the ship is within the cone of satellite coverage, the weather, etc., and there are usually times when the Internet is unavailable. Kids don't remember the "good old days" of dial-up modems but that's about the connection speed you can expect. :(

 

My niece is sending her son to summer camp and she's thrilled he's going to be unable to text, call or have any means of communication other than in an emergency for 3 1/2 weeks. A teacher and guidance counselor, she feels it's important for him to strengthen other communication skills.

[Denny01]

Make sure your iphone is O-F-F! Not just turned off data roaming and airplane mode. Turn it off and lock it in the safe. Some applictions and games use push notification and I know people who got massive bills and had their phones set correctly. I just cruised the Golden and when in US ports, turned it on for a few minutes. I left it off the rest of the time. I actually lived an entire week of my life without facebook, without myspace, without texting, without twitter, and without emails. It can be done!

If you have the iPhone no data roaming and in airplane mode, it can not transmit or recieve. the Airplane mode turns off the cell phone and the Wi-Fi, the data roaming shuts off the data line. If they got 'massive bills' they didn't have their iPhone set correctly. So lets not turn this into a 'dismantle the phone'. There are internal-only Applications some of us use, and although we are all on vacation, there are reasons - requirements to communicate beyond the ship.

 

Agree on cruise, I don't use or need all the 'toys' I have at home/work, I don't even read the Daily News the ships put out most of the time, But there are other functions some of our phones provide that are handy - its for each of us to decide, and there are ways of not running up costs without pulling batteries and putting the thing in the safe.

 

Denny

[dforeigner]

I would suggest getting an internet package. If possible bring a laptop with you - works a bit faster if everything is cached on your computer. Skype has been blocked on our last few cruises. It uses a lot of bandwidth and slows the already slow system down even more. Stick to IM it will work better. If you'll be using the ship's computers use meebo.com. It lets you access many of the instant messenger services: yahoo, aim, etc.

 

As for the cell phones, make sure they are completely off. My daughter told me she has to take the battery out of her blackberry or it will continue to receive e-mail. Do not turn it on to retrieve messages (except in San Juan). You will be charges international rates for each message delivered to the phone whether you read it or not. I confiscate the phones and put them in the safe. Ask me how I know this?:eek:

 

Also, my kids had the same concerns on their first Princess cruise four years ago. Nine days cut off from all civilization. Well, after the first night in the teen center civilization was the last thing on their minds. They were busy and communicating with their new friends.

 

Wendy

 

To disable the messages and downloading of emails, go to Options, Mobile Network, Data Services, switch it from on to off.

[dforeigner]

http://www.blackberry.com/btsc/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=KB15151

[DeltaOne]

Make sure your iphone is O-F-F! Not just turned off data roaming and airplane mode. Turn it off and lock it in the safe. Some applictions and games use push notification and I know people who got massive bills and had their phones set correctly.

 

Denny's right, your friends did not have their iPhones set correctly for international travel.

 

Put an iPhone in Airplane Mode. And turn Data Roaming OFF (which is the default anyway). There's no way the iPhone can send or receive any data. No way for one to be hit with large, unexpected charges.

 

And, once in Airplane Mode, you can turn WiFi back on. And use low-cost or free WiFi. Again, no large, unexpected bills -- since the WiFi is free or you'll have paid for access before connecting.

 

Airplane Mode seems to confuse a lot of people. Airplane Mode turns off all five radios in the iPhone (EDGE, 3G, Bluetooth, WiFi and GPS). There's no way for the phone to send or receive _any_ data.

[caribill]

And, once in Airplane Mode, you can turn WiFi back on. And use low-cost or free WiFi. Again, no large, unexpected bills -- since the WiFi is free or you'll have paid for access before connecting.

 

 

Definitely not free WiFi on the ship unelss you are in a suite.

[DeltaOne]

Definitely not free WiFi on the ship unelss you are in a suite.

 

Right, I was talking about maybe getting free WiFi in port.