Walkie talkies while on board

[luddite]

I have traveled on 8 cruises with 3 kids. My attitude has always been that if you can't trust the kids while they are away from you and you have to check with them with walkie talkies, maybe the kids should not be left alone or maybe the parents are not yet prepared to leave the kids alone. Ditch the walkie talkies and spend some time with your kids. It will make the other cruisers a lot happier.

 

Oh, now!!!!

There ya go, bein' reasonable!!!

That just isn't fair.

:p

[ducklite]

Well hopefully you will not run into what you consider to be boorish behavior on your future cruises :rolleyes:. Just keep in mind that whenever you are with a large group of people you are bound to experience behavior that you may not agree with. Especially if you have an intolerant personality. The key is to not let it bother you.

 

Sometimes it's impossible to not let things bother you. LIke the idiot yelling into the walkie talkie behind us in the show. Do you really think that was acceptable behavior that shouldn't ahve bothered us?

[tracyanns]

Sometimes it's impossible to not let things bother you. LIke the idiot yelling into the walkie talkie behind us in the show. Do you really think that was acceptable behavior that shouldn't ahve bothered us?

 

Well, I didn't enjoy the drunk people behind me at our show yelling and jumping around and bumping into my seat, but as long as people drink on a cruise that can happen. I didn't enjoy the jerk sitting next to us in the dining room a few cruises ago that yelled across 5 or 6 tables to another couple they knew but what can you do...POINT is, there is usually something on EVERY vacation we take that we don't necessarily like, but we tolerate it as it isn't JUST our vacation, it is their vacation too. Not to mention, I think a lot of it has to do with the person on the other end...I have had PLENTY of people around me on walkie talkies and I found some of the conversations pretty amusing...did they get loud...sometimes, but who really cares, if I let something like that bother me I don't belong on a cruise ship...

 

The entire point and question was can she use them....

 

Can you...yes

 

Are you LEGALLY supposed to have a license to use them...in the US you are but once 3 miles out you are no longer in US waters...

 

Can you use them in a foreign country...most, no, so I wouldn't do that as they can do whatever their rules are to you but Interpol isn't going to come on the cruise ship and take your family off, nor do they employ someone from the FCC to monitor you...

 

Last time we used them they let our kids bring them into the kids club, just not use them...but if you have children that are old enough to sign themselves in and out then it is nice to be able to get a hold of them and while whiteboards and phones work, they don't do you any good if you arent' at the cabin or aren't near a phone or know where they are to call them....

 

OP, do whatever you feel comfortable with and just be considerate to those around you...

[scottbee]

Are you LEGALLY supposed to have a license to use them...in the US you are but once 3 miles out you are no longer in US waters...

 

Can you use them in a foreign country...most, no, so I wouldn't do that as they can do whatever their rules are to you but Interpol isn't going to come on the cruise ship and take your family off, nor do they employ someone from the FCC to monitor you...

 

 

"The term 'high seas' means all parts of the sea that are not included in the territorial sea or in the internal waters of a state." (Article 1 of the Geneva Convention of 1958)

 

Most countries including the USA claim [at least] 12 miles as 'territorial'

 

Then once you are beyond that point, you would come under the licensing of the registry of the ship (Panama/Malta/Netherlands/wherever your ship may be registered)

 

More info can be found here

http://www.arrl.org/maritime-mobile-operation-in-international-waters

 

 

so GMRS at 5 watts, requires a license in the USA, is Illegal in Canada, and comes under the laws of the flag of the ship (again likely illegal) when significantly out to sea.

[tracyanns]

"The term 'high seas' means all parts of the sea that are not included in the territorial sea or in the internal waters of a state." (Article 1 of the Geneva Convention of 1958)

 

Most countries including the USA claim [at least] 12 miles as 'territorial'

 

Then once you are beyond that point, you would come under the licensing of the registry of the ship (Panama/Malta/Netherlands/wherever your ship may be registered)

 

More info can be found here

http://www.arrl.org/maritime-mobile-operation-in-international-waters

 

 

so GMRS at 5 watts, requires a license in the USA, is Illegal in Canada, and comes under the laws of the flag of the ship (again likely illegal) when significantly out to sea.

 

Then pay the $85 and license them...Big Deal...you can still use them, they are not FORBIDDEN items on a cruise ship and that was the question, can you use them, YES, not your knowledge of the FCC rules and regulations...

[Finbar127]

Sometimes it's impossible to not let things bother you. LIke the idiot yelling into the walkie talkie behind us in the show. Do you really think that was acceptable behavior that shouldn't ahve bothered us?

 

Completely unacceptable. See my post above. Someone who behaves that way is ill-mannered and is beyond redemption. Since there is nothing you can do about it, why get upset? Again I must ask what makes you think the OP will behave that way?

[Finbar127]

so GMRS at 5 watts, requires a license in the USA, is Illegal in Canada, and comes under the laws of the flag of the ship (again likely illegal) when significantly out to sea.

 

US FRS frequencies are also illegal in many countries since they are used for other purposes. So the problem is not limited to GMRS.

 

However regardless of the range claims of these radios they will not reach more than a couple of miles. Even less if you are transmitting from an enclosed area. So once you are out at sea you will not interfere with anything.

 

I believe the rules state you need the permission of the master of the ship. In this case permission is granted by the master of the ship via the cruise line rules. If you read the rules most cruise lines allow radios up to 5 watts ERP.

[Finbar127]

 

OP, do whatever you feel comfortable with and just be considerate to those around you...

 

I agree with your entire post. Well said.

[ducklite]

Completely unacceptable. See my post above. Someone who behaves that way is ill-mannered and is beyond redemption. Since there is nothing you can do about it, why get upset? Again I must ask what makes you think the OP will behave that way?

 

What makes you think they won't?

 

(rhetorical)