gimme your best/favorite travel apps

[tropicqueen]

My son has a ATT I phone but wanted one that worked in Italy for a vacation. Att sent him one to use and he chose a special data & text plan

that was much less than it would have been without this deal.

Have fun!

[prairie_cheeks]

On our Iphones we have-

 

--tripadvisor has a set of city guides that are downloadable and can be accessed without wifi.......

 

Thank you for this set of suggestions. We have added them to our iPads. While all are very good, the city guides will be especially useful on our next cruise.

 

Cheers,

Margaret

[EithneMay]

Great thread!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[cherylxx]

The kindle app is ok in the I pad/pod but be warned u can't read it in sunlight so I still take my kindle

[sjcruiser]

Tripdeck, Flighttracker Pro, Kayak, Convert, Jibbigo, RoadAhead, WeatherChannel, Expedia and Priceline

[colincoach]

Contrary to a previous comment, I find the Tripadvisor City Guides app is brilliant, and it is free.

[Mary Ellen]

OP, have you checked to see if your iPhone will work in Europe? I'm pretty sure that Verizon's iPhone will not.

This is a fairly recent change. They do now work internationally.

 

Anyone interested in international use should check with Verizon though. When signing up for the international calling plan we learned that when in Singapore it would be less $ for us to use the ship's cell tower (@ $2.49/min) before we arrived there, rather than wait until we arrived in port. :eek:

[suekay]

The kindle app is ok in the I pad/pod but be warned u can't read it in sunlight so I still take my kindle

 

Thank you for posting this info. I was on the point of buying an ipad to back up my Kindle in case it malfunctions while on holiday (I leant on the screen of my first Kindle and broke it on the final afternoon of my last cruise) I've now changed my mind and will save a fortune by buying only a cheap second Kindle

[johnb0529]

This is a fairly recent change. They do now work internationally.

 

Anyone interested in international use should check with Verizon though. When signing up for the international calling plan we learned that when in Singapore it would be less $ for us to use the ship's cell tower (@ $2.49/min) before we arrived there, rather than wait until we arrived in port. :eek:

 

The Verizon 4S works internationally (GSM), IF you get a SIM card for it. If you didn't get one when you purchased your 4S, you can pick one up at any Verizon store. Then just call Verizon and have them activate your international plan. The newest one is $25/100MB for data. I believe phone rates are different by country.

[cherylxx]

Ha ha so pleased I saved you money..... Bit I love my I pad too!!

[hubofhockey]

Contrary to a previous comment, I find the Tripadvisor City Guides app is brilliant, and it is free.

 

I like both the City Guides App and the regular TA App. Before a trip, I use the SAVE function and have all of the places saved that I plan to see. I also use Tripit, Google Places (may be actually called Google Local), Currency App, and The Weather Channel. I also have the Eurostar App and of course, Tapa Talk to get Cruise Critic. :rolleyes:

[Bowie MeMe]

Shak - from what I understand you do have to be very careful about data roaming while overseas, but I'm hoping to be able to track down free wi-fi hotspots occasionally while in port. My hotel in Barcelona offers free wi-fi, and I'll likely purchase a small internet minutes package for use on the ship. So hopefully I'll be covered without spending a ton of money to stay connected.

 

Thanks for the suggestions, keep em coming!

 

Pretty much the ship internet is so slow as to be glacial. The closer to the equator you are the nearer and better connection to the satellite orbiting. Some of the slowest places (or none) were at the tip of SA and so this was the explanation given. Best to get off ship and use wi fi. I have noticed in the last year that internet cafes and cheap connection places are getting very limited. Every person on earth finally has a phone!:p Trains in Europe you have to be in a wifi car and then pay a HUGE amount to use your phone/data (36 Euro last year is what I remember). Many top flight hotels also charge you for wifi or make you use the business center or lobby. Funny in America/Canada the cheaper chains don't charge (Marriott and Renaissance charge Residence inn does not) sometimes with a whole bunch of hotels together can use their wifi signal for no fee instead of your fee based one. Search around for unprotected wifi or a kind person who will share their hotspot. At JW Marriott in Rio the restaurant next door on the sidewalk would work in my room above them!! Take that $16/day wifi fee. McDonalds, Starbucks and local attractions of the same type are good places. I don't activate my Android for vocal calls -- husband carries small flip for vocal and we have it activated just for the month we are gone. Don't forget to deactivate for they do not remind you.

 

Get yourself to Platinum on Princess -- the best perk is free minutes. I grab hubby's on the sly too:o Do that treasure hunt on the first day of the cruise. I actually won the free mins! Once I won wine which I don't drink and traded. Get to be good friends with somebody who has minutes because of loyalty or other perks --share pretty please. Harass the internet cafe person if the system is really slow they can (and sometimes do give back minutes-- being mean to the attendant just puts him in a bad mood for all so Don't Do It:( (and I see this every cruise).

Open a new account for email that does not have all the facebook notes, everything you ever bought etc. Only give out that address to people you need to know from. Cuts down on what has to download on SLOW.