Techie question

[Izziebella]

Okay, the phone question is too involved (for me). I'm looking for the easiest way to get my emails while on the ship. Should I bring the laptop and buy into their wifi? Think I read (somewhere on this board) the rate is $95 for a week. Can I use it in my cabin or do I have to be in a common area?

[satxdiver]

Okay, the phone question is too involved (for me). I'm looking for the easiest way to get my emails while on the ship. Should I bring the laptop and buy into their wifi? Think I read (somewhere on this board) the rate is $95 for a week. Can I use it in my cabin or do I have to be in a common area?

 

It depends on the ship. The newer ones have better WiFi coverage in the cabins. The ship will be using satellite and with 3000+ on the ship, there will be a lot of users to share a limited bandwidth. Therefore think about how it was in the old days of dial up service. I have found though that in the wee hours of the morning or even early morning service can be adequate.

 

For email best way is to logon to the ship's WiFi, download the email and then sign off reading the email at your leisure. If you want to reply, write the reply before logging on to the ship's WiFi and then send it. This will keep your WiFi time and cost low.

[V8cruiser]

So much misinformation on this thread. We travel internationally a lot. AT&T international texting is not free, even with the international plan. Texting is 50 cents a text, so make them long. Most Caribbean island are $1.95 a minute with the plan, about $4 a minute without. $30 for 3 minutes sounds like you used the ships phone and no cell service charges $10 a minute even without a plan. Turn off data roaming in settings and you are safe and will not incur roaming charges from the ship. I have never turned off my phone on a cruise or in any foreign country and never had any surprises.

 

it is only 50 cents a text if you have no texting plan....this isnt misinformation, this is MY experience and I have NEVER been charged for texting. As I also stated, we have no idea what plan she has, so we can only tell her what OUR plan covers. same with you...:rolleyes:

 

Izziebella, I hope you find the best solution for you and have a great cruise!!!

[Holders3]

Here are two items from a previous thread I made about "Tips For New Cruisers"... hope it helps with your question....

 

 

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Turn off your cell phone when you board the ship, and do not turn it back on until you get off the ship. You need to understand that once the ship pulls away from land, Carnival turns on their own cellular system. It is not owned by AT&T, nor Sprint, nor Verizon. It is operated by Carnival. It matters not what type of calling plan you have, how many minuets you get each month, if you have international roaming, nor anything else. None of that matters. You will be using Carnival's cellular system – operated by Carnival - and the contract you have with your regular carrier is moot. Carnival will charge you - and charge you a lot - for each and every minute used, for every byte of data used, and for every text message sent. You will be seriously shocked at the bill you receive

and

The ship’s internet is very slow. Not just slow, but *REALLY* slow. And it is expensive. Not just expensive, but *REALLY* expensive. Don’t promise your friends that while cruising you will chat with them on Facebook. And don’t tell your boss you’ll check your office e-mail while you’re gone. And don’t tell the kids that you will purchase them Internet time while on the ship. You are on vacation. Leave all that at home

 

 

 

Misinformation. Contact your carrier and learn your devices options. Verizon like other major carriers have agreements with Carnival and your billing will be from the carrier not the ships tower owner. And at your carriers rates.

[Ron_L]

From the AT&T web site...

 

http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/international/roaming/affordable-world-packages.jsp#messaging-outside-us

 

 

Without an international plan it s $.50 to send and $.20 to receive (or deducted from your home text plan if you have one)

 

With an international messaging plan sending texts costs from $.20 to $.10 depending on which plan you buy.

[Chigirlcruzin]

I'm in Germany right now. If you want to text, you can buy the What'sApp app for $.99. This allows you to text over the wifi signal; no cellular signal or texting plan required. The people you want to text also have to buy the app, but once I bought it, I was surprised how many people in my contacts already had the app. It's been a great, inexpensive way for me to keep in touch with people at home.