gladgirl Posted April 17, 2013 #1 Share Posted April 17, 2013 Help - I am tech challenged! :) We have iPhones with AT&T and I've been told by AT&T that we will be able to call/text home from the US ports as part of our regular plan. Does this actually work out in reality? We'll be needing to touch base with our little boy while we are gone. I guess I'm wondering if we really just need to plan on paying for the cellular/Internet service on the ship? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Keith1010 Posted April 17, 2013 #2 Share Posted April 17, 2013 Yes, we have iPhones with ATT and we could use them from each of the ports of call and they worked perfectly. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freehike Posted April 17, 2013 #3 Share Posted April 17, 2013 Yes, we have iPhones with ATT and we could use them from each of the ports of call and they worked perfectly. Keith Agreed. I have AT&T cell phone and iPad and both worked flawlessly in port. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richfrommo Posted April 17, 2013 #4 Share Posted April 17, 2013 How about service with U S Cellular anybody have any experience with them in the ports ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amishcountry Posted April 18, 2013 #5 Share Posted April 18, 2013 My ipad uses ATT but my cellphone is still on Verizon. How is Verizon reception in Alaskan ports? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shmoo here Posted April 18, 2013 #6 Share Posted April 18, 2013 My ipad uses ATT but my cellphone is still on Verizon. How is Verizon reception in Alaskan ports? Thanks! We have Verizon and I've called home from Ketchikan, Juneau, and Anchorage with no problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gladgirl Posted April 18, 2013 Author #7 Share Posted April 18, 2013 Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amishcountry Posted April 18, 2013 #8 Share Posted April 18, 2013 Great! Glad to hear it! thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Coral Posted April 19, 2013 #9 Share Posted April 19, 2013 My ipad uses ATT but my cellphone is still on Verizon. How is Verizon reception in Alaskan ports? Thanks! The only problem I encountered in Alaska was with my data plan in Whittier, AK. I could make calls but using the internet wasn't great in Whittier. AT&T seemed to work better in Whittier. Everywhere else I was at, it worked great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruisingLover Posted April 19, 2013 #10 Share Posted April 19, 2013 Anyone out there a Sprint user? Has their service been good in Alaska? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAYEF Posted April 19, 2013 #11 Share Posted April 19, 2013 Just be SURE you are away from the ship so you aren't using their service; it's VERY expensive. Some say the ships turn off their service when in port............:confused: I have called from "everywhere" when in AK...........no problems. But, I don't try when I'm north of Skagway, for instance. IN towns/cities there's no problen.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WisconsinFan Posted April 19, 2013 #12 Share Posted April 19, 2013 US Cellular customer here. No problems in port for us, we used them to stay in contact with each other in port as we had an extended family of 10. Others had Verizon, they were fine too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Coral Posted April 19, 2013 #13 Share Posted April 19, 2013 Anyone out there a Sprint user? Has their service been good in Alaska? I used Sprint years ago with out any problem. Sorry, not recent experience but I doubt it would have gotten worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowmc Posted April 20, 2013 #14 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Your Iphones will work just fine when in port. Be sure to put them on "airplane" mode while onboard, or you will connect through the ship's cell tower and get a hefty surcharge on your next bill. Also, be sure to not use them in Canada...there will be a roaming charge. We have experienced the "connecting through the ship" while in port, but Verizon removed those charges once we explained where we were. Apparently, this is a fairly common occurrence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gladgirl Posted April 20, 2013 Author #15 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Great info! Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lookingforfacts Posted April 22, 2013 #16 Share Posted April 22, 2013 Most, maybe all, Sprint coverage in Alaska is roaming on another carriers network. That shouldn't be an issue with people who have Sprint Service s since most (all?) plans offer free roaming. It does mean people who have service through Boost, Virgin Mobile etc are likely to have limited or no coverage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ammo2250 Posted April 22, 2013 #17 Share Posted April 22, 2013 if my phone ( a drioid razor ) has moblie hotspot can i use it on the ship without getting charged by the ships internet? that is for my laptop to get a few things done for work on board while my husband sleeps . thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirasha Posted April 22, 2013 #18 Share Posted April 22, 2013 if my phone ( a drioid razor ) has moblie hotspot can i use it on the ship without getting charged by the ships internet? There's no getting around the ship's internet when you're at sea. When docked, the ship will turn off their cell phone tower and any cellular coverage available in town takes precedence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lookingforfacts Posted April 23, 2013 #19 Share Posted April 23, 2013 if my phone ( a drioid razor ) has moblie hotspot can i use it on the ship without getting charged by the ships internet? that is for my laptop to get a few things done for work on board while my husband sleeps . thanks When you're docked, actually when you're within a few miles of port, the ships cell service is off. You'll be getting cell service, including data, from land. US ports your regular plan should apply. Go to your carriers coverage map. I don't think you'll have 4G, maybe not even 3G data. Without good data you won't be able to create a decent hot spot. While you're at sea you'll be using the ships cell coverage. You'll be paying $$$ the equivalent of international roaming rates, maybe higher, without any plan discounts. You'll be paying something like 2.50 $3.00 /minute and an equivalently high charge for data. You don't want to use your phone to create a hot spot using the ships cell service. People have run up bills of hundreds of dollars by forgetting to turn off the automatic email sync option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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