NCL Epic - Reliability of at-sea cell service URGENT

[sms2435]

I am on a cruise next week and now need to make an important 1 hour conference call back to Canada while at sea and am wondering on the quality and reliability of the at-sea cell service. Anyone out there have experience using this service for a long period of time?

 

Also cost of the call will be around $300 and I am wondering if there are other options out there? Does NCL Epic offer some sort of landline service while in port? It has to be semi-private.

 

Need help urgently if anyone can offer guidance on this!!!

[RuthlessBoss]

What is urgent? You've got a week for answers. We are not that slow with answers.

[Baseball fan]

I've used Cellular at sea on other cruise lines. If you are at sea and not in any port, the only other options would be either the ship phone (they used to be approx. $8 a minute) or VoIP (if you computer allows but then you are using data).

 

If you must be on this call, I would use Cellular at Sea at approx. $2.50 a minute (I have AT&T) but make plans for someone else to cover in case you cannot get connection.

 

I have been on cruises where on occasion, there is no cellular service.

[Buford T Justiice]

Personal satellite phone?

[darkprayer]

What is urgent? You've got a week for answers. We are not that slow with answers.

 

 

We might not be slow to reply but we also just give answers that don't help the OP at all.

 

I've had no luck on reliable cell phones in that area. Best bet is probably dishing out the cash to use the ships phone to call out! Best of luck!

Edited December 10, 2014 by darkprayer

[valleyvillage]

I read an old post that said room phone prices had dropped to 1.95 per minute. But can't find confirmation. Perhaps someone knows? :)

[time2cruise1]

I read an old post that said room phone prices had dropped to 1.95 per minute. But can't find confirmation. Perhaps someone knows? :)

 

They did for a short time but 1.95 is gone

Edited December 10, 2014 by time2cruise1

[herdingdogmom]

I read an old post that said room phone prices had dropped to 1.95 per minute. But can't find confirmation. Perhaps someone knows? :)

 

Last I heard, the ship room phone prices were $4.99/minute.

[time2cruise1]

If you can plan the call while in port cell service will be more reliable. Check with your carrier for rates on an international plan. I pay $.99 with AT&T better them $2.50 onboard

[kjquilts]

Download the Iconcierge App before you go on your cruise.

One of the benefits of the app was making lower cost phone calls to home.

 

An old link said $ .79 per minute - - I don't see the rate listed on the current downloadable info sheet but maybe someone recently on the Epic can confirm it for you or lol you could call NCL and ask.

 

Here is link to info sheet from Norwegian website

 

http://www.ncl.com/sites/default/files/iCONCIERGE_062714.pdf

 

 

[RuthlessBoss]

I just read OP's post #2. He will be in Ocho Rios Jamaica when he needs to make the call. Does anyone have information on calls from there?

[hpecorari]

I am on a cruise next week and now need to make an important 1 hour conference call back to Canada while at sea and am wondering on the quality and reliability of the at-sea cell service. Anyone out there have experience using this service for a long period of time?

 

Also cost of the call will be around $300 and I am wondering if there are other options out there? Does NCL Epic offer some sort of landline service while in port? It has to be semi-private.

 

Need help urgently if anyone can offer guidance on this!!!

 

Okay, I'm confused. You say 'while at sea' then you say 'while in port'? Will you be out at sea or in port when you need to make this call?

 

Harriet

[mommy2libras]

If you're going to be in port at the time of the call, you might check with your cell provider and see what you can set up. I'm looking at AT&T right now and in some countries, you can get different services but it looks like you can get an international plan for a one time fee that lasts for 30 days. They can tell you if they have decent service in the country you'll be in.

[rochelle_s]

I am on a cruise next week and now need to make an important 1 hour conference call back to Canada while at sea and am wondering on the quality and reliability of the at-sea cell service. Anyone out there have experience using this service for a long period of time?

 

Also cost of the call will be around $300 and I am wondering if there are other options out there? Does NCL Epic offer some sort of landline service while in port? It has to be semi-private.

 

Need help urgently if anyone can offer guidance on this!!!

 

Who is your Canadian cell phone provider? I use Fido and always put an international travel plan on my cell phone. This is not for use 'at sea' but works very well in port and I have never had an issue. If the ship is docked you can have all the privacy you need from the comfort of your cabin. An international plan with an hour talk time would cost me under $100 and I would have data and text availability as well. I would imagine other Canadian cell phone providers would offer similar products.

 

A second option, more economical if you are at sea is if you have an iPhone then you can purchase a data plan from the ship and make your conference call via Face Time. I have also made calls this way and had no difficulties whatsoever, other than a second or two delay.

 

Worst case scenario you can always use the phone in your cabin, again I have never had connection issues. Seeing as you know you will be making a long call perhaps you could check with guest services to see if there might be a discounted rate.

 

Best of luck and have a great cruise.

 

 

Rochelle

[trish1c]

I had to make a work conference call from a cruise two years ago. It only came up while I was away but was able to schedule it while in port. Can you move the call to a day / time when you are sure to connect to a tower rather than solely a satellite?

[garycarla]

This is the first time I have seen any issues with quality of call while at sea on a cell phone. Like everywhere, there may be some areas of the ship with marginal signal.

 

We have made calls at sea on every cruise. Works fine.

 

While in port, you pay the local rate - depends on the country you are in.

[SuiteCruiser]

I would try to find a port option, just because I have a good friend who works on the Epic and we're in touch regularly and the wifi seems to be out for a few days at a time, so I wouldn't want to count on their service.

 

Good luck and today we were chatting when he was at Sandcastle Beach resort, but did not try Viber today. His connection was pretty good for a long time.

[scrappinannie]

Last I heard, the ship room phone prices were $4.99/minute.

 

 

Yep, 4.99 minute. Just got off Epic on Sunday. But I imagine the 4.99 is still cheaper and more reliable than a cell phone with international charges for calling and/or roaming and data charges.

[garycarla]

Yep, 4.99 minute. Just got off Epic on Sunday. But I imagine the 4.99 is still cheaper and more reliable than a cell phone with international charges for calling and/or roaming and data charges.

 

The cell phone is $2.49 a minute on the ship.

[sjbdtz]

I am on a cruise next week and now need to make an important 1 hour conference call back to Canada while at sea and am wondering on the quality and reliability of the at-sea cell service. Anyone out there have experience using this service for a long period of time?

 

Also cost of the call will be around $300 and I am wondering if there are other options out there? Does NCL Epic offer some sort of landline service while in port? It has to be semi-private.

 

Need help urgently if anyone can offer guidance on this!!!

 

I have previously had a call AT SEA, using Skype and my Skype headset. The internet minutes used were cheaper than a per-minute phone call would have been, and the connection was good enough to support Skyping.

 

This was also on the EPIC in 2011.

 

 

Stephen

 

.

[cocoabeachcruiser]

Yep, 4.99 minute. Just got off Epic on Sunday. But I imagine the 4.99 is still cheaper and more reliable than a cell phone with international charges for calling and/or roaming and data charges.

 

2nd that. I too just got off on Sunday.

[Trevor Fountain]

I am on a cruise next week and now need to make an important 1 hour conference call back to Canada while at sea and am wondering on the quality and reliability of the at-sea cell service. Anyone out there have experience using this service for a long period of time?

 

Also cost of the call will be around $300 and I am wondering if there are other options out there? Does NCL Epic offer some sort of landline service while in port? It has to be semi-private.

 

Need help urgently if anyone can offer guidance on this!!!

 

You have my deepest sympathies. You have a week to go before you are "on vacation" yet the only question you have is about a 1 hour conference call.

Your job may pay well, but if you have to take your work away, (assuming this is a work related conference call), I should look for another job. There is no chance in hell that I would make a conference call while on holiday.

[moingerson]

Pretty pompous response there Trevor. I believe the person was asking a question about cell coverage and not career advice from somebody so small minded Perhaps if it IS business related this could be the only way he/could have a vacation because they maybe own the business or this is a deal of a lifetime for them. Who are you to make snide comments and judgements regarding someone's needs!?!? A

Regarding another snide response. A weeks time could be "urgent" if the poster has to find or connect to a different service or plan in order to make that call. Get off your high horses and help this person if you know how to. Wow

 

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[Trevor Fountain]

Pretty pompous response there Trevor. I believe the person was asking a question about cell coverage and not career advice from somebody so small minded Perhaps if it IS business related this could be the only way he/could have a vacation because they maybe own the business or this is a deal of a lifetime for them. Who are you to make snide comments and judgements regarding someone's needs!?!? A

Regarding another snide response. A weeks time could be "urgent" if the poster has to find or connect to a different service or plan in order to make that call. Get off your high horses and help this person if you know how to. Wow

 

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Forums mobile app

 

I wasn't talking to you. I'm sure the OP can speak for themselves.

[RuthlessBoss]

I wasn't talking to you. I'm sure the OP can speak for themselves.

 

Except the OP has disappeared anyway. Posted on the 10th and hasn't been back since morning of the 11th:mad: