Phone service

[cruisinlawn]

We'll be adding international to our ATT plan to allow for more favorable rates and we'll only use our devices for emergency. We won't be calling back to the states on a regular basis or any of such (perhaps a planned 2-3 calls throughout our 11 day holiday). My question is...will my I-phone 4 or 6s actually work on their system? We'll also have a Galaxy s3 along with us.

 

Our ports are Barcelona, Palermo, Naples, Rome, Livorna/Florence, Marseilles, and Mallorca. TIA:)

[hkto]

Phone will work. Also you can call States for free using Google Hangouts app (which I believe is also available on Apple) when there is free wi-fi available.

 

If one wants to save costs one of the best roaming cards SIM Mundo / Go Europe is sold by Orange Espana (1€ per day for 100mb data in any EU country and 1€ for 60 min talk but not to US). In Barcelona main Orange store is at Rambla de Catalunya, 72 (near Plaza Catalunya) but I think there is one in the airport.

[cruisinlawn]

Phone will work. Also you can call States for free using Google Hangouts app (which I believe is also available on Apple) when there is free wi-fi available.

 

If one wants to save costs one of the best roaming cards SIM Mundo / Go Europe is sold by Orange Espana (1€ per day for 100mb data in any EU country and 1€ for 60 min talk but not to US). In Barcelona main Orange store is at Rambla de Catalunya, 72 (near Plaza Catalunya) but I think there is one in the airport.

 

 

 

We'll likely call back to states 2-3 times during our stay, I realize the 'you never know' scenarios. We would be making a quick call at some ports to meet up with our tour op. Thanks for the info. :)

[-Lew-]

Your iPhone 6S is an AT&T phone. Therefore you can set it to use Wi-Fi calling.

 

I was able to make Wi-Fi calls from the Royal Princess to the US a few days ago using the ship's wireless internet.

 

[Amster12345]

Phone will work. Also you can call States for free using Google Hangouts app (which I believe is also available on Apple) when there is free wi-fi available.

 

If one wants to save costs one of the best roaming cards SIM Mundo / Go Europe is sold by Orange Espana (1€ per day for 100mb data in any EU country and 1€ for 60 min talk but not to US). In Barcelona main Orange store is at Rambla de Catalunya, 72 (near Plaza Catalunya) but I think there is one in the airport.

 

I will be in Barcelona the night before the cruise, staying at a hotel on the Plaza Catalunya. If I buy a SIM card there, will it work throughout Italy, where most of our cruise will actually take place? If so, it's definitely worth a quick stop.

[Keith1010]

You might want to sign up for one of the ATT plans that has a cost. They change from time to time but the current one starts at $30.00. You can select it for 30 days. Look at the cost of doing that versus the savings for the calls you plan to make. Would also provide you with the ability to check e mail and provides messaging too so you could send a text.

 

Worth looking at.

 

Keith

[hkto]

Any Spanish SIMs will roam in EU but not at a good rate. The one I mentioned (SIM Mundo/Go Europe http://novedades.orange.es/descubre/GoEurope/) has the best roaming rate as far as I know. If store doesn't charge for SIM or some other fee then deal is excellent. 1€ per day for 1 hr EU talk or 1€ for 100mb data in almost any European country.

 

Having data is very handy especially for Google Maps directions. Can enter some attraction and get directions from current location, no need to know exact addresses. Also for checking email which takes very little data. US providers charge a fortune for data roaming. And ship's wifi is not a bargain.

 

When I was in Spain last year I used Google Hangouts to call back to North America. Usage is about 1mb per 1 min of talk. To receive calls for free (so people don't need to call Spanish #) can use TextNow (will get free US#) and then call forward your # to it. This can be done just prior to leaving US and can be always disabled.

 

And of course the easiest option is buying some travel plan from local US operator for light usage on the trip. It all depends on intended usage.

Edited March 7, 2016 by hkto

[goncruzn]

If you truly aren't going to use the phone much, I would just get the international plan from AT&T. I have Verizon and got their international plan a couple of years ago and it worked perfectly!