mobiles

[clarets]

On our 1st cruise in less than a mth and would like to know that if our children text us will it cost them a fortune as i am sure i have read only to use your mobiles in port due to the high cost on ship,thanks in advance for any answers.

[Little Nell]

On our 1st cruise in less than a mth and would like to know that if our children text us will it cost them a fortune as i am sure i have read only to use your mobiles in port due to the high cost on ship,thanks in advance for any answers.

 

I always switch mine off when we sail and leave it in the safe until we go ashore.

[Essexlass2]

I always switch mine off when we sail and leave it in the safe until we go ashore.

 

Yes me too, but I think if its left on it would cost the owner and not the caller anyway.

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Not 100% sure but I think only the sender pays for texts. Usually about 40p and anyway when you are at sea you often don't have a signal and sometimes not even in port (Barbados and Mexico for example) I don't know where you are going, but I do know Egypt is very expensive for any phone calls and texts cost about £1:eek:

[Little Nell]

Yes me too, but I think if its left on it would cost the owner and not the caller anyway.

 

My understanding is that if you call a mobile from abroad that both pay for part of the call. There is no charge for the other party by calling their landline. I find using my mobile cheaper than using call boxes due to my service provider.

[mtt]

if someone is on a deal with free texts per month, texting should just come off their allowance, thats what r family said what happened when they text us on a cruise, on your phone you should get a roaming message from each country stating yours costs for calls n texts

[Jim The Scot]

mtt..i have a deal with free txts per month but it does not apply when txting from abroad to back home .Txts cost 10p/12p depending on your provider.Txting from home to someone abroad is free however.

[kruzseeka]

mtt..i have a deal with free txts per month but it does not apply when txting from abroad to back home .Txts cost 10p/12p depending on your provider.Txting from home to someone abroad is free however.

 

This is the same with our provider Jim. It's also worth checking their website for charges in different countries - they aren't all necessarily the same - at least that's what we found in the Caribbean.

 

Not sure how much if any variation there is in Europe but we usually make a note of any differences when we go away and if there is no urgency about getting in touch we usually wait until we get to the cheaper countries to phone/text. Bit cheapskate I know and a drop in the ocean(!) compared with what you are spending on your holdiay - but it's the principle which bugs me.

[mtt]

This is the same with our provider Jim. It's also worth checking their website for charges in different countries - they aren't all necessarily the same - at least that's what we found in the Caribbean.

 

Not sure how much if any variation there is in Europe but we usually make a note of any differences when we go away and if there is no urgency about getting in touch we usually wait until we get to the cheaper countries to phone/text. Bit cheapskate I know and a drop in the ocean(!) compared with what you are spending on your holdiay - but it's the principle which bugs me.

 

I mean't the people texting from the uk to europe, we still pay for the texts calls we make

[NorthWalesCouple]

Yes not to bad cost wise if in Europe but Caribbean is horrendous. Texts are about 30/40p. But please make sure your data ie:internet and background data is turned off if you have an iphone or similar as you could come home to a very hefty bill. If you have a iphone or galaxy 2s you can get an app which will turn off your data and turn it on again when required.

[davecttr]

For peace of mind keep it simple and leave your mobile switched off when the ship is not docked. Tell everyone at home not to text you when the ship is not docked, just in case :eek:

 

When docked switch on your phone and it should connect to the local service provider associated with your one at home.

[NorthWalesCouple]

Try the app mydatamanager to stop any unwanted surprises. Also if you want a phone company that are cheaper try GiffGaff as they tend to be cheaper than most for roaming. http://giffgaff.com/index/pricing

[NorthWalesCouple]

http://support.giffgaff.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/656#3 also how to turn off data on Iphones and Android phones. hope this helps, Have a great cruise.

[Little Nell]

I have a Blackberry and have activated the feature which switches off my e mails when I leave the country, that way I don't get any nasty surprises. We got caught out in Paris once when we didn't notice the network had changed prior to making a call and got a hefty bill when we got home for one phonecall.

 

I will not be using my mobile in certain countries because I know they don't have a reciprocal arrangement with my network and the charges will be expensive.

[Jakanne1]

For peace of mind keep it simple and leave your mobile switched off when the ship is not docked. Tell everyone at home not to text you when the ship is not docked, just in case :eek:

 

When docked switch on your phone and it should connect to the local service provider associated with your one at home.

 

I just have a pay as you go phone. Good idea to just switch it on when on land or docked. Last year in Corfu can you believe it but text messages from UK to Corfu and Corfu to UK were 1p cheaper (10p). I checked the balance when I made my first call.

 

My husband made two phone calls from our BT house phone to my mobile and I cut him short thinking it would be expensive but when I checked the bill later it was not much at all, about 12p from memory. I did not make any calls from Corfu to UK.

 

However, in Mexico it is a different story and vodaphone sent me 3 advertising texts which must have cost me at least 60p each! I know it is a big capital cost but I bought an ipad and sent e-mails, photos, checked the weather and the progress of a hurricane heading our way:eek:, by using the FREE wi-fi in the hotel.

 

I will be taking it on the cruise and finding somewhere with free wi-fi on shore and will be locating free places before we travel. For example the bar across the road from the hotel where we are staying the 2nd week has free wi-fi if you buy a drink and there are a few places in Piraeus port area.

[Jim The Scot]

Another thing to remember is, if someone calls you from home it comes off your credit/balance also or it used to

[Jakanne1]

Another thing to remember is, if someone calls you from home it comes off your credit/balance also or it used to

 

Don't think it came off mine (vodaphone) payg

[Jim The Scot]

Jakanne

 

A number of years ago when my son called me my balance got obliterated and thats why I said it used to.Not sure if thats the case now as theres been many changes since to mobile charges

 

edited to say

 

just checked my tariff and its 14p per minute to receive a call in western europe and 99p per minute outside western europe

[davecttr]

I just have a pay as you go phone. Good idea to just switch it on when on land or docked. Last year in Corfu can you believe it but text messages from UK to Corfu and Corfu to UK were 1p cheaper (10p). I checked the balance when I made my first call.

 

My husband made two phone calls from our BT house phone to my mobile and I cut him short thinking it would be expensive but when I checked the bill later it was not much at all, about 12p from memory. I did not make any calls from Corfu to UK.

 

However, in Mexico it is a different story and vodaphone sent me 3 advertising texts which must have cost me at least 60p each! I know it is a big capital cost but I bought an ipad and sent e-mails, photos, checked the weather and the progress of a hurricane heading our way:eek:, by using the FREE wi-fi in the hotel.

 

I will be taking it on the cruise and finding somewhere with free wi-fi on shore and will be locating free places before we travel. For example the bar across the road from the hotel where we are staying the 2nd week has free wi-fi if you buy a drink and there are a few places in Piraeus port area.

PAYG for me too, it only cost £16 and works fine in europe. I even had the bright idea of not telling anyone my mobile number :D

 

I only use it to make calls for taxis etc etc and if anyone wants to contact me urgently they have the ships number.

[Jakanne1]

Jakanne

 

A number of years ago when my son called me my balance got obliterated and thats why I said it used to.Not sure if thats the case now as theres been many changes since to mobile charges

 

edited to say

 

just checked my tariff and its 14p per minute to receive a call in western europe and 99p per minute outside western europe

 

I stand corrected. Just checked mine on voda passport and you are right. There is a connection of 75p to receive and send!!!! I didn't realise that. Texts to UK are just 11p (in UK they are 12p)