Queensland Coast - Mobile Coverage, Duty free

[linanles]

Can anyone that has cruised the Queensland Coast tell me what the mobile phone coverage is like. Do you get cover at sea or only in ports?

Secondly, can you buy Duty Free on board when cruising the coast?

[rkmw]

Can anyone that has cruised the Queensland Coast tell me what the mobile phone coverage is like. Do you get cover at sea or only in ports?

Secondly, can you buy Duty Free on board when cruising the coast?

 

if you are cruising close to shore you should get phone coverage

 

if you are cruising to Willis Island you will be able to get duty free smokes and alcohol but you may not get it until the last day

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Whats the story on duty free smokes these days. I have not followed it all since I gave up, but wouldn't duty free cigs would be a thing of the past now?

I believe you can only bring 50 into Australia , and from Nov 1 it wil be the same in NZ.

 

 

[MMDown Under]

Guess it depends what cruiseline you are cruising on, but when I last cruised on Ocean Princess from Singapore to Australia, the prices were so poor, I didn't buy anything (alcohol nor perfume) for the first time ever on a cruise. My local liquor barn was cheaper!

[rkmw]

Whats the story on duty free smokes these days. I have not followed it all since I gave up, but wouldn't duty free cigs would be a thing of the past now?

I believe you can only bring 50 into Australia , and from Nov 1 it wil be the same in NZ.

 

 

 

 

 

if you buy duty free smokes from overseas whilst cruising you can bring them onboard and smoke them but only allowed 50 cigs into the country

[goodycruising]

We sailed to Airlie Beach (so not all the way up the coast) and it was quite patchy. Basically if there is population then you can get signal out at sea, but where it is sparse in land, then nothing, except the ship's of course.

 

We were getting Telstra NextG(3G) and 4G at times, but often there was disappointed teenagers that were looking at their Optus/Vodaphone with sad faces. Sometimes the opposite would probably have been the case, as the towers vary in location by supplier.

 

We didn't go to Willis Island, so no duty free. The shops were open out at sea, but not the alcohol and cigs from what I remember. Once we were out a certain distance, the casino would open.

[Cruise_me_Crazy]

We sailed to Airlie Beach (so not all the way up the coast) and it was quite patchy. Basically if there is population then you can get signal out at sea, but where it is sparse in land, then nothing, except the ship's of course.

 

We were getting Telstra NextG(3G) and 4G at times, but often there was disappointed teenagers that were looking at their Optus/Vodaphone with sad faces. Sometimes the opposite would probably have been the case, as the towers vary in location by supplier.

 

We didn't go to Willis Island, so no duty free. The shops were open out at sea, but not the alcohol and cigs from what I remember. Once we were out a certain distance, the casino would open.

 

Traditionally telstra has been the only network to provide decent coverage North of sunny coast, good to hear the others are yet to catch up!!! :D

[linanles]

Traditionally telstra has been the only network to provide decent coverage North of sunny coast, good to hear the others are yet to catch up!!! :D

 

Being a Queenslander and have traveled up the coast as far as Cairns many times I know this is not true on land. I use an Optus reseller for my mobile phone and have had excellent coverage along the coast. I'm just wondering what the coverage is like at sea and I think that has been answered.

 

Thanks to all those that responded.

[Wastegirl]

A couple of years ago we took a GBR tour out to Michaelmas Cay which is a good couple of hours sailing from Cairns. There I was, just having left the Cay with the sails up enjoying the sunshine on my holiday and my mobile phone rings :eek: It was work wanting to know something, it goes to show you cannot escape these days. BTW I am with Telstra.

[GUT2407]

Phone reception depends on how close in you are, I went to Cooktown and most days it was OK for part of the day.

 

Duty free if you go out to Willis Island.

[linanles]

Duty free if you go out to Willis Island.

 

Is Willis Island in international waters?

 

Do they open the on board duty free shop only when they are at Willis Island or is it open all the way if they are going to Willis Island?

 

Can I buy duty free in Cairns if I can show that I am traveling to Willis Island?

[GUT2407]

Is Willis Island in international waters?

 

 

Apparently.

 

 

Do they open the on board duty free shop only when they are at Willis Island or is it open all the way if they are going to Willis Island?

 

The cruise I was on it was open all the way.

 

Can I buy duty free in Cairns if I can show that I am traveling to Willis Island?

 

I bought In Newcastle so I can't see why not, the big problem may be staff that have no idea what they are doing.

[GUT2407]

I forgot to add that the captain didn't want to go to Willis Is on our cruise because of a cyclone but had to as people had bought duty free before departure.

[Stargatefreak]

Just came back from Barrier Reef Discovery. I am from the Sunshine Coast. I was shocked that I received a sms from Optus saying "Warning.you have activated your mobile device overseas. Significant higher charges may apply. There may be delays in receiving usage data and alerts. Get in touch while overseas free call +61280825678. I was shocked as we never left Aussie waters! Overseas?... Anyway I received another msm saying.. Mobile roaming rates for Aerospace and Maritime= $4.00 per min to make and receive sms = $1.00 per sms to send and receive data = $15.50 per mb.

If you are with Optus...be very careful. I came back from cruise on 11/10/14. Fur will fly if my next bill charges me "overseas".

I turned my phone off until I went to land. Hope this helps you.

 

Sent from my SM-T800 using Forums mobile app

[rkmw]

Is Willis Island in international waters?

 

Do they open the on board duty free shop only when they are at Willis Island or is it open all the way if they are going to Willis Island?

 

Can I buy duty free in Cairns if I can show that I am traveling to Willis Island?

 

they do open the duty free shop all the time but if you are wanting to buy smokes or alcohol you wont get them until the last day

 

Willis Island is in international waters thats why they can sell duty free smokes and alcohol

[GUT2407]

Just came back from Barrier Reef Discovery. I am from the Sunshine Coast. I was shocked that I received a sms from Optus saying "Warning.you have activated your mobile device overseas. Significant higher charges may apply. There may be delays in receiving usage data and alerts. Get in touch while overseas free call +61280825678. I was shocked as we never left Aussie waters! Overseas?... Anyway I received another msm saying.. Mobile roaming rates for Aerospace and Maritime= $4.00 per min to make and receive sms = $1.00 per sms to send and receive data = $15.50 per mb.

If you are with Optus...be very careful. I came back from cruise on 11/10/14. Fur will fly if my next bill charges me "overseas".

I turned my phone off until I went to land. Hope this helps you.

 

Sent from my SM-T800 using Forums mobile app

 

 

Once you loose contact with land based system, you are transferred to the ships system and that is international.

[linanles]

I was shocked that I received a sms from Optus saying "Warning.you have activated your mobile device overseas. Significant higher charges may apply.

 

This happened because you did not turn off roaming on your phone. Therefore, it connected to the ships mobile service which is an Optus international roaming partner.