Using Cell Phones on Ship

[later]

This is a little off the subject, but does any one remember when you use to leave your telephone with the host/hostess in a restaurant. They would answer the phone and come and get you so you could complete your conversation away from the dining area. I have a rule with my family. All phones turned off in a restaurant or at least on vibrate. And no phone conversations at the table.

 

Cruise On

[wrp96]

I used my Cingular cell phone on my Eastern Caribbean cruise in January. I was in roam in Nassau so didn't use it there (but could have). Once we got closer to Puerto Rico, I was back into regular Cingular service. I also had service in St. Thomas (still in regular Cingular service). I made calls while off the boat in San Juan (it was my birthday and wanted to rub it in everyone's face where I was and they weren't) and I did not get any roaming charges for the phone calls. I had to keep my phone with me at all times (I used it as my watch, long story about why) and I know that there was only a couple of hours on the whole trip that I didn't not have coverage.

 

My tablemates had Nextel and, if they ever had service, it was very rare. They tried to call from both Nassau and San Juan and could never connect. They ended up having to buy a phone card to be able to call home and check on their child.

 

I took my cell phone with me just in case I had problems with my flight, getting onto the cruise ship, etc., because there were major problems with my booking. I had Royal Caribbean's day of cruise number programmed in. I highly recommend doing the same, especially if you are flying in the day of the cruise. Also, on my previous cruise I got hurt and had to pay the extremely high cost of making phone calls home from the ship (over $100 for 2 short phone calls).

 

BTW, I kept my phone on silent the entire week just in case someone tried to call me because I didn't want to disturb anyone else.

[bbrad8]

gail-s: We have had Nextel for several years. We have not had any success with our phones working anywhere in Caribbean (Eastern or Western)! They do work well in Hawaii and Canada.

 

Bruce

[RC Dog]

I heard Freedom of the Seas will be Wi-Fi equipped and with that - cell phones will work onboard even when you're in the middle of the ocean far from any port. Can't you just see it now ? What a zoo !

 

I must say, last week on Explorer I noticed several RCCL employees cells ringing in the dining room and other locations....why don't they use vibrate ?

[suzw]

We are also leaving a two year old at home and would like to be able to checking from the Navigator Western Itinerary.

My question is do you need to call Cingular prior to the trip to have international calling added to your phone service? I dont think I have that right now so I am unsure.

and I agree with what others said, stick to the question, dont lecture us to take our kids with or stay home etc.

Suzanne

[wrp96]

I didn't call Cingular prior to have it added and had no problems. Just remember that you won't always have service and you are likely to get roaming fees (which can take a couple of months to appear on your bill).

[cdollaz]

... and leave that phone at home. If you're that upset about leaving your children, then stay home and take care of them. Besides, NOBODY wants to listen to your conversations in the dining room or when trying to relax in the Solarium or while enjoying a show in the theatre. People survived without cell phones for several decades...another week wouldn't kill you. If there were a dire emergency where your babysitter needed to contact you on the ship, I'm sure there must be a way for her (or him) to do so. So... that said, go on vacation and enjoy yourselves. :)

 

I would much rather hear someone on a phone than a bunch of kids running around, drunk and obnoxious adults, or having to smell someone's smoke.

 

Most people know how to use their phone without annoying other people. I'm sure I could find a behaviour of yours that annoys me.

[dh01498]

This is very helpful info and thanks to everyone for posting. I am with the group of you who would feel much more at ease having my cell phone working. Obviously the person who said to stay home and take care of your children does not have any.

 

I do not plan to disrupt dinner with it, that's what the vibrate is for.Nor do I plan to have extensive "guess what I just saw!!" conversations all over the ship. But my DH's mother is also elderly and in a nursing home. He is the only one who can make decisions about her care and will also feel much more at ease knowing that should an emergency arise he can be contacted without having to go through the ship phone that needs a credit card for the caller to use ( could pose a problem if the doctor or nursing home has to call him)

I agree that it would be a perfect world if we all could just forget our responsibilities and families back home and not worry about them.. but it isn't a perfect world and we do have family and loved ones that we need to keep in touch with. Yes people did live without cell phones but I'm sure many things happend that would not have if only someone could have been contacted. Cell phones are to make our lives easier.

I agree too that those who use those damned Nextel walkie takies in restaurants are boors and rude. And no we cannot stop them. But that is what we have to deal with.

Anyway I was on the navigator last year and have Verizon and needless to say it did not work. I may switch to Cingular if I can or possibly borrow someone's phone in the family or friend for the cruise if they have Cingular service.

Thanks again for the info.:)

[ald3114]

Has anyone with T-Mobile had their cell phone work in Western Car. cruise?

[boatbunny]

Just back from Explorer Western (Belize, Costa Maya, Cozumel and GC) and everyone was complaining because they had no cell service. We have Sprint and 2 years ago we had no issue when we were on AOS in Southern Caribbean. While on an excursion in Barbados, we were surprised to receive a call from a family member who expected to leave a message on voice mail and not actually reach us.

 

But, on this Western itinerary, we were with people who had Cingular, Verizon, and a few others and nobody was getting any service, regardless of how close we were to the shore line.

 

We finally starting getting a signal Sat night when the ships position was closer to the FL Keys.

 

So, if you are doing Western and have a significant need to communicate with someone (such as the medical issue another poster mentioned) I would suggest that you arrange a time to call when you are in port. I was also told that emails sent from the ship while at sea took a few hours to reach the intended party.

[mom2kids]

I must be missing something...we just got back from our cruise, and we were talking about how nice it was not to hear ringing and onesided conversations. Even the comedian on the last night mentioned it.

 

I DO have kids, hence the screenname. On our fist cruise without kids, we left our itinery with my mother. She knew where/when the ship was going, our flights, and cabin number. I also gave her RCCL's C.S. number if she NEEDED to get in touch with me. She was watching our DD and DS, who were 4 1/2 and 2. I had my cell phone on until the ship left the port. Then I turned it on when we disembarked on the last day. My feeling was there wasn't anything that I would have been able to fix 4,000 miles away. The only way I would have cut my vacation short was if there were a death. We did manage to make it a week. I DID miss my kids terribly, but I know we needed that time alone w/o kids.

[TerriDHair]

I must be missing something...we just got back from our cruise, and we were talking about how nice it was not to hear ringing and onesided conversations. Even the comedian on the last night mentioned it.

 

I DO have kids, hence the screenname. On our fist cruise without kids, we left our itinery with my mother. She knew where/when the ship was going, our flights, and cabin number. I also gave her RCCL's C.S. number if she NEEDED to get in touch with me. She was watching our DD and DS, who were 4 1/2 and 2. I had my cell phone on until the ship left the port. Then I turned it on when we disembarked on the last day. My feeling was there wasn't anything that I would have been able to fix 4,000 miles away. The only way I would have cut my vacation short was if there were a death. We did manage to make it a week. I DID miss my kids terribly, but I know we needed that time alone w/o kids.

 

I don't think I could've possibly said it better myself, mom2kids! I was incensed when the above poster stated that the person who advised leaving the kids at home obviously didn't have any. I am a parent who used vacation time as "couple time" away from our daughter, which I feel was extremely important. (I say "was" because daughter is now 18 and out of the house). We have also always believed that there is no need in "checking in" to hear about any "tragedies", whether personal or work-related, that we can't do anything about from so far away. And we don't care to be reminded of everyone else's problems by having to listen to them on their crutches, I mean cell phones, while we're finally taking well-deserved vacations which we prefer to use to get away from all that.

[TrentS]

I heard Freedom of the Seas will be Wi-Fi equipped and with that - cell phones will work onboard even when you're in the middle of the ocean far from any port. Can't you just see it now ? What a zoo !

Navigator has this NOW, and it's NOT a "zoo".

[1corona4u]

Most people know how to use their phone without annoying other people. I'm sure I could find a behaviour of yours that annoys me.

 

Uhh, no, they don't.:rolleyes:

[Pradagal]

I also bring my cell with me where ever I go. Yes even a cruise! I don't yell on the phone and I don't talk while dining or at a show. So if I want to bring my phone in case of a emergency at home or at my business I have the right to do so.:p

 

I do have cingular as well and my last cruise to Baja it worked great. I was not charged any extras but I don't pay for roaming ( I do check my bill).

[kg4pit]

There is nothing wrong with taking a cell phone on your cruise. What's wrong with wanting to check on your kids even if they are in good hands with Grandma. It's better to have your cell phone to call than using the ship phone when you miss your kids and just want to talk to them a minute. DH and I have cruised before without our son. I called from my cell phone to talk to him. Yes, couples do need vacation time together, that doesn't mean forgetting you have kids for a week. Most people have common sense about using their cell phones.:)

[mom2kids]

If you have a hard time leaving, and your kids are freaking out because you are leaving, I would think calling home would just stir up the dust again. And again Grandma ould have to calm them down.

 

My daughter, now 9, goes to camp for a week in the summer. We are not allowed to call her or stop in for a visit. This bothered me at first, but when I realized the reprocussions I understood. If I were able to stop by and say "Hi", there maybe another child there homesick and wondering why their mother can't say "Hi". It's pretty contagious, next thing you know you have an entire camp homesick!

 

If you keep yourself busy enough, you don't have time to miss anyone. The only time I felt I needed to get home on our first cruise was the final night, and at the airport waiting for our flight. My mother is the kind of person who wanted us to have the "time of our lives" and not worry about anything at home.

[cdollaz]

Uhh, no, they don't.:rolleyes:

 

Uhh, yes, they do!!!

[Barb C]

Nextel barely works in the States! Let alone at sea or in the islands..ha ha......

 

You know, we should just face it....we are addicted to our cell phone. Whether we have important jobs, sick relatives, little kids....what did we do without cell phones? I'd love to find out....I just can't find a 12 step programs for this kind of addiction.

[GLB]

I think the most important thing to remember is that we all have the freedom to like or dislike cell phones and to bring or not bring them on a cruise. I for one live in America (a free country) I appreciate and respect the freedom I have and will not tell others what they can, can not, should or should not do as long as it is not illegal. Everyone has the right to own a cell phone and take a cruise or do neither if you so choose. Just my opinion.

[Jjohnb]

Life isn't that simple for some of us, we MUST keep in touch, but MY advise is ONLY USE IT IN YOUR CABIN.

 

I agree, cell phones should be used only in your cabin. For most, we make arragements so that life is that simple when we are on vacation and others using cell phones tend to be intrusive. If I have arranged to not be interrupted by my own business concerns please don't interupt me with yours! Just common curtousy.

[FlyingPhotog]

My opinion, leave it at home. You're on vacation, check in with whoever you need to check in with just before you board, turn it off and don't turn it on til after you disembark (or if there is an emergency). Relax and enjoy.

 

Amen to that, my cell stays in the suitcase, turned off, the whole cruise. :cool:

[dh01498]

Has anyone sailed from NY/Bayonne and had their phone work on the ship while sailing TO the Carribean? I'm wondering since we would be off the coast of the US part of the time if there is any cell service that would work while at sea? I know it's hit and miss once you reach the Carribean and the islands.

[Jjohnb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1corona4u

Uhh, no, they don't.:rolleyes:

 

 

Uhh, yes, they do!!!

 

WOW!!!! You must have bought one of those new sign language cell phones!!!!!

[Jjohnb]

... and leave that phone at home. If you're that upset about leaving your children, then stay home and take care of them. Besides, NOBODY wants to listen to your conversations in the dining room or when trying to relax in the Solarium or while enjoying a show in the theatre. People survived without cell phones for several decades...another week wouldn't kill you. If there were a dire emergency where your babysitter needed to contact you on the ship, I'm sure there must be a way for her (or him) to do so. So... that said, go on vacation and enjoy yourselves. :)

 

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is an emergency number they can call to place a satelite call to the ship to speak to you or leave a message. The number is in your cruise documents.