Cell service on Alaska inside passage: can I pick up signal from the shore?

[maxVA]

I'm wondering if a regular US cell phone would work on board without subscription to the ship's internet/call phone service? Would it be bale to pick up service from the shore at least occasionally as it goes through fairly narrow straights?

[cruiseryyc]

Nope it will pick up the ships signal and that will cost you lots of $$$$.

[Flatbush Flyer]

I'm wondering if a regular US cell phone would work on board without subscription to the ship's internet/call phone service? Would it be bale to pick up service from the shore at least occasionally as it goes through fairly narrow straights?

 

 

Since you mention US cell phone, you may want to remember that much of the Inside Passage is Canada. That said, it's not as narrow as it may seem in a brochure map - at least not narrow enough for an uninterrupted cell signal -especially one from a US carrier.

If your phone's network search is set to "automatic," you will find it more often than not wanting to connect with whatever the ship has available. If you have an iphone (don't know about others), you can set the network search to manual and have a list if your carrier's Canadian partners handy to select when they're available (or connect to your own carrier in Alaska or from Washington southward.

In Alaska, AT&T is pretty reliable in coastal cities. They also have a Canada/Mexico plan that's not too bad.

But, whatever you do, avoid the ship's cellular.

[Ashland]

Anytime you see on your phone "Cellular At Sea" and you will usually when not actually docked on an Alaska itinerary....avoid using your phone or $$$$.

[BananaNana]

We are taking the seven day Alaska cruise next month. We are hoping for free wifi in either Ketchikan, Skagway or Juneau in order to send a few emails and pictures. We will use our iPad to avoid charges as we are Canadians. Does anyone know of places with free wifi in those ports?

[Keith1010]

BananaNana come of to the Alaska Ports Of Call board to post your question.

 

Also you can do google searches.

 

Keith

[paul929207]

We are taking the seven day Alaska cruise next month. We are hoping for free wifi in either Ketchikan, Skagway or Juneau in order to send a few emails and pictures. We will use our iPad to avoid charges as we are Canadians. Does anyone know of places with free wifi in those ports?

Just ask or follow the crew. They know all the good free/cheap wifi spots in each port

[xlxo]

Since you mention US cell phone, you may want to remember that much of the Inside Passage is Canada. That said, it's not as narrow as it may seem in a brochure map - at least not narrow enough for an uninterrupted cell signal -especially one from a US carrier.

If your phone's network search is set to "automatic," you will find it more often than not wanting to connect with whatever the ship has available. If you have an iphone (don't know about others), you can set the network search to manual and have a list if your carrier's Canadian partners handy to select when they're available (or connect to your own carrier in Alaska or from Washington southward.

In Alaska, AT&T is pretty reliable in coastal cities. They also have a Canada/Mexico plan that's not too bad.

But, whatever you do, avoid the ship's cellular.

Just want to add...

• ATT service is great in Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan. They are the preferred service to have.
  
• you can get Canadian roaming coverage on the East side of Vancouver Island and Prince Rupert. Signals work best on the outside cabins on outside on the top deck.
  
• I have an ATT prepard phone... as it does not allow for roaming, it only worked when I was near Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan.
  
• one handy app I found was Maps.Me. It allows me to see where I am with the downloaded maps. No cellular data required.
  
• don't expect coverage in Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm
  

[rvsullivan]

When the ship has it's Cellular at Sea turned on (most of the time at sea) it will overpower any other signal. When in port they are required to turn it off and you will then be able to connect to whatever is available. While cruising, don't expect to use any shore service.

[maxVA]

Thank you all. I have prepaid phones, so I don't really care about roaming charges. I think I should have enough opportunities to talk during the port stops.

 

As far as wi-fi goes, I think starbuck's are everywhere.... besides most of the towns are small enough, so anyone would tell you where you can get a free service.

[Crew News]

We are taking the seven day Alaska cruise next month. We are hoping for free wifi in either Ketchikan, Skagway or Juneau in order to send a few emails and pictures. We will use our iPad to avoid charges as we are Canadians. Does anyone know of places with free wifi in those ports?

 

This should be helpful finding free wifi in Alaska:

 

http://www.wififreespot.com/alk.php

Edited August 11, 2015 by Crew News

[sail7seas]

You won't have trouble finding wifi in your named Alaska ports.

[sherryf]

As far as wi-fi goes, I think starbuck's are everywhere....

 

LOL! You haven't been to Alaska yet, have you?! :D

[xlxo]

When the ship has it's Cellular at Sea turned on (most of the time at sea) it will overpower any other signal. When in port they are required to turn it off and you will then be able to connect to whatever is available. While cruising, don't expect to use any shore service.

 

I had no problems ignoring the ships signal when I was a mile or so from land. Just make sure I'm in manual carrier selection.... not automatic.

[vetcruiser7]

We are taking the seven day Alaska cruise next month. We are hoping for free wifi in either Ketchikan, Skagway or Juneau in order to send a few emails and pictures. We will use our iPad to avoid charges as we are Canadians. Does anyone know of places with free wifi in those ports?

 

I did not get 3g service in those ports, but people with 4g did get service. I don't know of any Wi-Fi spots in those ports.

Edited August 12, 2015 by vetcruiser7

[Underwatr]

I had no problems ignoring the ships signal when I was a mile or so from land. Just make sure I'm in manual carrier selection.... not automatic.

I agree. And with T - Mobile's new North American service area it should be beneficial to do so. I took advantage of their free roaming data in the Caribbean last Christmas and I could get a shore - based signal miles out at sea.

[sapper1]

I have my data roaming turned off on my iPad so I don't pick up an American signal. I have been to Alaska twice and have found that I can get a Canadian data signal periodically as the ship travels north between Vancouver Island and the Mainland.

 

As for cellular service, we have made the trip up the coast from San Diego to Victoria and Vancouver several times and I can get a Canadian shore based signal a few hours out of Victoria. We are always met by friends there and I phone them as soon as I can get the shore signal. We do not have to wait until docking for the shore signal to work.

[zqvol]

I'm wondering if a regular US cell phone would work on board without subscription to the ship's internet/call phone service? Would it be bale to pick up service from the shore at least occasionally as it goes through fairly narrow straights?

 

On a true inside passage cruise, you are often close enough to shore to pick up land based cell signals, however the southern portion of that cruise is through Canadian waters and the signals are Canadian and you may be paying foreign roaming rates.

 

Near the ports of call you often get US signals for hours before and after arrival.

[BananaNana]

Thanks for your responses. I just want to email some pics home during the trip. I don't need wifi otherwise. I don't want the expense of ship wifi for sure.

[Yagabond]

Check with your cell server. Verizon does cover areas in Alaska but when on shore, check that you are far enough away from ship as otherwise you would be using their service.

[BananaNana]

I am from Canada so anything out of the country gives me roaming charges. My iPad is not connected to any phone number and relies totally on wifi. I like using it because I know I am never getting charged.

[sapper1]

If you did have data available on your iPad the thing to do is to turn off data roaming and then you would never be charged for unintended use. I live near the U.S. Border and when I am using the iPad in the car (as a passenger, of course) the Internet service cuts out the minute we cross the border. It is amazingly accurate in that respect.

[Nitemare]

And although you may be close to US Land on some of your trip, it is not populated US Land, so it won't have any cell towers

[Keith1010]

You wil have to wait until you are docked to use your cell phone providers service.

 

Keith

[xxoocruiser]

Thank you all. I have prepaid phones, so I don't really care about roaming charges. I think I should have enough opportunities to talk during the port stops.

 

As far as wi-fi goes, I think starbuck's are everywhere.... besides most of the towns are small enough, so anyone would tell you where you can get a free service.

 

Also have a prepaid phone . Though you don't get roaming charges as per contract plans you do get charge lots more minutes to cover the cost of roaming charges when not connecting through you're regular provided.