Walkie talkies?

[nighttrain66]

My wife and I along with another couple are gonna be cruising in June and was wandering if anyone has any suggestions about what walkie talkies might work for communicating on the boat.

 

Any specific ratings I should look for?

 

If you guys have used a certain type that worked well, (or more importantly DID NOT work well) please post up,

 

thanks.

[USU_Aggie]

30 dollars from Walmart worked for us.

 

 

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[Colorado Kat]

I would skip the walkie-talkies. A pain to carry around. You can leave messages on each other's cabin phones.

[LetsSail]

I suggest you leave the radio at home. We went on a cruise with the radio and I got chewed out once for talking on one while in a line waiting for food. Anyway, after that I never used one on board again, and never really needed it. Who wants your better half wanting to know where your at, yada, yada, yada. Just leave it at home and enjoy the cruise.

[golfadj]

Did one with our kids some years ago and bought a set.

 

Sometimes they worked sometimes they didnt and lots of annoyed looks from others.

 

By the third day they stayed in the cabin and when we got home they were returned.

 

Easier to make up times in the morning and leave notes and messages for each other.

[gospelle]

we had $800/each top of the line units and they only worked half the time. All the metal on the ship messes with reception. That said, we felt they were useful at times tracking down kids, but later on we found equal effectiveness using a notepad in the cabin and/or calling the cabin from the public phones that are everywhere.

[cruisinpips]

My wife and I along with another couple are gonna be cruising in June and was wandering if anyone has any suggestions about what walkie talkies might work for communicating on the boat.

 

Any specific ratings I should look for?

 

If you guys have used a certain type that worked well, (or more importantly DID NOT work well) please post up,

 

thanks.

 

We have 4 Midland GXT1000's which I bought on Amazon, and they work great. We have used them on several cruises, good range, and hold charge well. They also have a vibrate setting, so you can feel them and not have to hear them. Especially good when on the pool deck, ect...

I can say not one person has ever commented to me about using them, and they dang well better not!!!

We like them because our daughter can stay in the room in the mornings when we go to the pool deck, and just call us when she heads our way, also if she wants to go to arcade ect.. She can stay in touch. Hope this helps.

By the way, to the person who said they were chewed out for using one, I would say that unless they are "outlawed" on cruises, noone hasany right to say anything to you about them. if they have a vibrate setting, no one can hear them, and its no different than loud mouthed people who stand in lines and won't shut up!!!:D:D

[wranglerguy]

we had $800/each top of the line units and they only worked half the time. All the metal on the ship messes with reception. That said, we felt they were useful at times tracking down kids, but later on we found equal effectiveness using a notepad in the cabin and/or calling the cabin from the public phones that are everywhere.

 

Wow 800?

 

 

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OIIIO

[wranglerguy]

We have. I welcome someone saying something to me about me talking on the hand set.

We have a set of Motorola 35 mile range. Worked all over the ship. No issue at all.

 

 

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[Fighterone]

Wouldn't sail without them! They were purchased at least 5 years ago; hey have several channels (Motorola) and they work great as long as we follow the rule never to turn them off.

 

It's just for my husand and me but it has helped us locate each other even on land. I keep the volume low so it doesn't bother others.

[SB2788]

Cobra Walkie-Talkie microTalk CXR925 worked really well for my group. Some people were on Deck 2 while others were on Deck 8 and the signal was strong. I liked this model because it had several channels ans subchannels which reduced the likelihood of picking up someone else's conversation..

 

A nice feature is that you can set it to vibrate so there is no obnoxiously loud ringer. It also supports tiny headsets so you're not annoying anyone with your conversations.

 

Turn it on; set it to vibrate, when a call comes in, plug in the headset and talk. When done, remove headset and go back to doing whatever until the radio vibrates again.

[Ryancoke]

If at all possible try to use it with discretion when bystanders are present. Just like a cell phone, they are annoying in an elevator, line, theatre, dinner table......One of the things I want to get away from on vacation.

 

I guess about the only event on dry land where I've seen interruptions by a mobile device that wouldn't apply on a ship is a funeral.

 

So Far.:(

[Bigtex1622]

I plan on getting the unlimited WiFi plan on Magic.

Then we can use Skype on our phones.

If it is too slow for Video, at least we can use Audio.

 

:rolleyes:

[okwriter]

A few newbie cruisers went with my sister and I in December on the Magic. The new cruisers wondered how we'd ever find each other if we got separated on board. It's easier than you think. :) Really. The ship is big but not *that* big. Some people also take Post It notes to leave for each other, although we've never found that necessary.

[kerovick]

I used to bring a set, they never got used now they stay home.

[thshhh]

You can buy a set from Walmart.com that have a texting feature. Very handy. They are brand name trisquare I think.

[serene56]

I plan on getting the unlimited WiFi plan on Magic.

Then we can use Skype on our phones.

If it is too slow for Video, at least we can use Audio.

 

:rolleyes:

 

 

will the WI-Fi work on your phone-- or will you be incurring ship charges?

 

I'd hate to come home to a whopping bill.

 

do you all have to puchase the Wi- fi in order to use it?

 

we sit with the activity pages--- this is where I will be at what time. this is where you will be at the same time.. you will not get lost

[luddite]

They don't work well. They do annoy well.

The ship isn't all that big, so wandering around wondering where someone is won't take too much time.

[Rottweiler Puppy]

... and its no different than loud mouthed people who stand in lines and won't shut up!!!:D:D

 

 

 

I dont care about the walkies or loud mouths personally. Just mentioning how you basically said using them (while defending the use of) is the same as being a loud mouth in line who wont shut up. lol

 

Not trying to be mean but I thought it a little funny that you equated the two in defense of them.

[gospelle]

Wow 800?

 

 

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yeah, you can buy them for $400 these days.

 

They are water proof, have gps, all that jazz.

 

some lines rent phones for use on the ships. that's a handy thing that will catch on I think.

[sandy toes]

Don't think the rentals are a big deal anymore. They used to be on several lines but now with the cells everywhere and packages you can purchase prior to cruising from your provider plus deals for when on ship, along with a cheap international plan (for 1month) to service all the land based calls...well talkies are really a thing of the past.

[Bigtex1622]

will the WI-Fi work on your phone-- or will you be incurring ship charges?

 

I'd hate to come home to a whopping bill.

 

do you all have to purchase the Wi- fi in order to use it?

 

we sit with the activity pages--- this is where I will be at what time. this is where you will be at the same time.. you will not get lost

 

I hear that the $39 plan is for one device, and slower.

The $99 plan is for all devices, and faster.

There are 4 of us, but only 3 will use our phones.

If you place your phone in " Airplane mode " and Data services are on.

You will just be using the WiFi, but you cannot make or take calls.

I think you can Text, and send E-mails, and will let you know what Skype is like.

 

 

:rolleyes:

[WhoDat2009]

I'd love for someone to tell me a walkie talkie was annoying them.

 

Give me a break.

[DaCruiserFromtheATX]

I as well...I would politely tell u to mind your own damn buisness!!!!!!! All the loud azz people and someone asking me where i am at on a radio is annoying to you. HA

[Tbay-eh]

nothing more annoying than someone on walkie talkie YELLING - can you hear me - ya, we all can. I was beside kids on the LIDO being little jerks telling their parents that they were in the arcade - I yelled where they were and parents were there in a heart beat. I remained to tell them exactly what their little darlings had been up to - needless to say I got hate stares from the kids every time they saw me. Being the juvenile that I am (60)- I stuck my tongue out at them and smiled.