Verizon Iphone at Sea

[vanilaise]

Anyone have any tips or tricks of what to do with your Iphone at Sea, will you be able to grab a satellitte signal so you dont get chrged the insane at sea charges for cell phone use?

[6rugrats]

Anyone have any tips or tricks of what to do with your Iphone at Sea, will you be able to grab a satellitte signal so you dont get chrged the insane at sea charges for cell phone use?

No, it's going to go through the ship.

 

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/tripplanner/tripplannercontroller

 

http://businessportals.verizonwireless.com/international/Cruise_Ships/index.html

 

Lots of threads about this already:

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1356653

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1491012

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1514924

[PreciousCruiser]

One suggestion is to text rather than call and try to use a phone at no charge at a store, etc. while in port (I did this in St. Kitts, thanks to a nice store owner-didn't know that would be an option until then). Also, I plan on texting my best friend and have her call someone I need to ck on while I'm gone (they don't text). If there is any free internet anywhere, that's what I'll use. Boy, will I have to be disciplined!!! :eek: Atleast I'll try!

 

6rugrats: thanks for posting those Verizon links.

[vanilaise]

thanks!

[ladybug1s]

I called Verizon, and if you have a phone with internet you can get a package deal like 30.00 will get you 50MB of internet. but text are 50 cents to send 5 cents received.

[MagnoliaFly]

I called Verizon, and if you have a phone with internet you can get a package deal like 30.00 will get you 50MB of internet. but text are 50 cents to send 5 cents received.

 

You still have to pay on board internet charges though by the minute. Some ports have free wi-fi if you want to risk that.

 

I turn my phone off and enjoy my week (and I'm an iPhone addict).

[greatam]

I called Verizon, and if you have a phone with internet you can get a package deal like 30.00 will get you 50MB of internet. but text are 50 cents to send 5 cents received.

 

I am going to guess that what you were quoted is on land and international. That is NOT the ship rate.

 

The rate on the ship $.02 per kb (that is a VERY small amount). 4 average size pictures over a smart phone on the ship can EASILY be $20.00. Every app that upgrades, every email that goes to your inbox is charged under the data rules. You could have a VERY healthy bill (like in the $1000's) by not putting your I phone in airplane mode or turning it off while on the ship.

[LadyShiva]

Verizon is different than other carriers in that they do cover cruise ships under their international plan. The Verizon link given was perfect for guidance with their plans and coverage.

[kitty9]

Verizon is different than other carriers in that they do cover cruise ships under their international plan. The Verizon link given was perfect for guidance with their plans and coverage.

 

You need to call because every cell provider, except for Sprint, will be totally stopping their unlimited data plans. This also covers their international plans. I'm not sure when these new things will be taking place, but it will be soon, so if you're cruise is a way off, there may no longer be unlimited plans.

 

Also, if you don't turn off data roaming on an iPhone, you will come home to huge phone charges. I've read about passengers coming home to iPhone bills of over $2000.

[greatam]

Verizon is different than other carriers in that they do cover cruise ships under their international plan. The Verizon link given was perfect for guidance with their plans and coverage.

 

You are correct up to a point. Verizon JUST negotiated FIXED data rates ON cruise ships. BUT it does not apply to ALL ships. MOST of the larger cruise lines and ships are included. But Azamara, Regent, a couple of the Celebrity ships, P & O, Seabourn, etc. etc. are NOT included in the negotiated fixed rates.

 

So before you go nuts using your smart phone to surf the internet while on the ship, MAKE SURE your ship is covered under the Verizon negotiated rates.

 

These fixed rates (XXX dollars for XXX mb) are ONLY good ON THE SHIP. International data roaming ON LAND will depend on what arrangement Verizon has with their ON LAND roaming partners. And the prices vary WIDELY.

 

We have over 70 Verizon phones on our corporate account. I had my admin call our account rep and that is info she was given. Applies to corporate accounts as well as personal accounts.

[ladybug1s]

I was under the impression if I choose to buy a data package on my cell to access the internet, I will only be charged through verizon and not the through the ships internet prices since it will be on my smartphone? If I did not have kids, I would not use the cell either. They are the only one I text in my life, on land or ship. lol

[ladybug1s]

Check out Google Voice, I am researching it now and it seems to be a good choice at calling only under 25 cents.

[MagnoliaFly]

I was under the impression if I choose to buy a data package on my cell to access the internet, I will only be charged through verizon and not the through the ships internet prices since it will be on my smartphone? If I did not have kids, I would not use the cell either. They are the only one I text in my life, on land or ship. lol

 

Verizon is a separate company than Cellular at Sea. Cellular at Sea is the "clearinghouse" carrier that cruise ships use to provide service. Cellular at Sea charges YOU to use their service ON TOP of what Verizon charges and it all gets consolidated into one cell phone bill from Verizon (or your cell carrier).

 

If you are using the internet you will have to pay to access it on the ship - it isn't free. They have to use a satellite to get internet service on the ship and that is expensive (and SLOOOOOW). They pass that cost on to you.

 

Be very careful using your cell phone on the ship. What your carrier tells you is the final charge isn't always true. Just read the thousands of threads on the forums of folks that come home with gigantic bills because they weren't told the right information and trusted their carrier rep.

[dread_pirate]

You need to call because every cell provider, except for Sprint, will be totally stopping their unlimited data plans. This also covers their international plans. I'm not sure when these new things will be taking place, but it will be soon, so if you're cruise is a way off, there may no longer be unlimited plans.

 

Also, if you don't turn off data roaming on an iPhone, you will come home to huge phone charges. I've read about passengers coming home to iPhone bills of over $2000.

How do you turn off data roaming on the iPhone 4?

 

Also, is Alaska considered part of a nationwide calling/data plan for Verizon (so we've already paid for it), or do those apply only to the lower 48?

[LadyShiva]

This link was included above, but I want to repost it for emphasis. The Verizon rate plan wizard for travel: http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/tripplanner/tripplannercontroller

[kitty9]

How do you turn off data roaming on the iPhone 4?

 

Also, is Alaska considered part of a nationwide calling/data plan for Verizon (so we've already paid for it), or do those apply only to the lower 48?

 

You go into settings and look for Data Roaming. You then slide it to off.

 

Here's the problem with traveling and calling in Alaska. Many times, your calls will be bounced off Canadian cell towers. If this happens, you're in for a very large bill. There was a recent newspaper article about a man who was traveling in Alaska and Canada and came home to a $2000 phone bill because of the Canadian towers.

[sjcruiser]

The phone goes on airplane mode once we leave the dock, and only goes on once where in port to make emergency calls back home. Our first two cruises our bills were insane, and the only thing that saved us and got it reduced was that we were in the Caribbean, and the bill had us being in the Congo/Africa, so you never know where the satellites will place your call as being from.

[BallFour4]

Smart phones, not-so-smart phones, etc are not capable of sending and receiving signals from satellites. Cell phones are essentially a two way device that transmits to a nearby cell tower and the signal is passed on from cell to cell. These overlap.

 

A smart phone (I have an ATT iPhone) needs a cell tower in close proximity. While you are out there bobbing around the ocean the closest tower is on the ship and owned by a company like Cellular At Sea. Simply put, they gotcha!

 

So... learn how to put your phone in Airplane mode and turn roaming off. If you do need to use the phone make it quick, and expect to pay somewhere between quite a bit and an extraordinary amount for using it.

 

Text messaging is a great option, albeit a bit quirky. We send and receive texts with some regularity on cruises and sometimes a delay of several hours exists. I cannot explain that.

 

Here's an option you might consider. Download the Skype app and spend the money for a telephone number. I think it's about $60 a year max, before discounts. This allows you to have a phone with dirt cheap rates, use it anywhere you have WiFi. I have had excellent results doing this.

 

In addition, a iPod touch using Skype with headphones that contain a speaker becomes an additional phone when you are home.

 

Bored yet?

 

.

[okgirl]

The phone goes on airplane mode once we leave the dock, and only goes on once where in port to make emergency calls back home. Our first two cruises our bills were insane, and the only thing that saved us and got it reduced was that we were in the Caribbean, and the bill had us being in the Congo/Africa, so you never know where the satellites will place your call as being from.

 

But if you don't turn off data roaming, everytime you turn it on (or it turns itself on to give you an alarm you've set) it will push any pending data to you.