Have any of you heard from someone on the Gem?

[crazycruzer68]

Just wanting to check on family members who aren't very good at checking in with us at home!!!

[renata102]

If they are at sea they probably won't be contacting anyone. Even if they have an Internet Package, its satellite and very spotty. Also depending when they finally arrive at islands of their cell phone coverage will work ( mine did I have sprint world).

 

No news is good news. Because of it were bad news it's $5 a minute for them to call you from the ship.

[Highlander1]

If they are at sea they probably won't be contacting anyone. Even if they have an Internet Package, its satellite and very spotty. Also depending when they finally arrive at islands of their cell phone coverage will work ( mine did I have sprint world).

 

No news is good news. Because of it were bad news it's $5 a minute for them to call you from the ship.

 

 

Last year we had a family emergency sat home, our children called 3 times directly to the ship because the cell phones weren't working. Cost us $261 for 3 phone calls, thievery.

 

And, folks on cruises aren't thinking about contacting home, they are poolside having a good time. Unless, its important why bother them. Texting is best and cheapest way. .50 for each message in or out, you just never know when it will be received, sometimes minutes, sometimes many hours later.

[mking8288]

Ship is still at sea today, ("on live webcam") already in range of land radar tracking on a heading for land - weather is good & sea conditions are calm in the region - nothing to worry about - relax and they will be docking tomorrow morning at 8 AM @ Old San Juan, PR - which is home rate for all 4 US providers. Call them tomorrow and/or they will most likely be checking in - if they wish to, while ashore.

 

Whether it's traveling by land-air or by sea, families should have a communications plan in place - before leaving hometown, especially for unexpected emergencies and for those "must" get in contact NOW situation - that, hopefully never needed (excluding situations for work-related or the self-employed) Text messaging or SMS is the cheapest & almost free, among all 4 US cellular carriers - and, worked onboard the ships, most of the time (subject to usual limitations & disclaimers, etc. etc.)

 

Calling from land to ship, it's $8.50 per minute, billed to credit card and they do have a 10 minutes limit per call (that's $85 USD for the call x 3 = yes, $261 sounded spot-on, with taxes/surcharges/fees added) Satellite calls aren't cheap.

 

When in-laws were in frail health; and, mom was in similar situation last year - costs of bona fide emergency calls to/from anywhere were priceless, with and without any cellular and/or WiFi packages, satellite or otherwise. To this date, we maintain cellular services on 3 major systems: AT&T, T-Mobile & Fi Network (MNVO for Sprint & T-Mobile) covering 150 countries, including roaming & free data coverage abroad - partly for work-related reasons & we do take advantage of WiFi calls when available.

 

Otherwise, they are on vacation, devices are possibly turned off & put away in the mini-safe - enjoying the cruise, let it be.

[sjbdtz]

Cost us $261 for 3 phone calls, thievery.

 

 

Yes, thievery. How dare they try to recoup the $26 million investment in a satellite, to make it even POSSIBLE....

 

.

[renata102]

I travel with and without my kids (on land and on water). This time I had my kids and my MIL, her husband was ill and she was on the fence about coming on the cruise. So we had a plan set in place God forbid there is an emergency they had the NCL number and ship name. Them calling is was $8 a min and is calling them was $5 a min. If we didn't get a call that means all was well with my FIL at home. We also planned on facetiming and calling each other in Puerto Rico ST thomas and ST Martin (french side). Then we would have radio silence until we got back.

 

So one day at sea my message light was lit up in cabin phone and my heart sank. It ended up being the guest service department regarding the major issue in my room.

 

So again no news is good news. Satellite internet can be very spotty (I never get it it's horrible at sea and I used it for a while in rural Poland and its soooooo slow).

 

Just sit tight. They r probably pool side

[Letsgo 2]

Last year we had a family emergency sat home, our children called 3 times directly to the ship because the cell phones weren't working. Cost us $261 for 3 phone calls, thievery.

 

And, folks on cruises aren't thinking about contacting home, they are poolside having a good time. Unless, its important why bother them. Texting is best and cheapest way. .50 for each message in or out, you just never know when it will be received, sometimes minutes, sometimes many hours later.

 

How it that thievery? out in the middle of nowhere,Satellite communications cost money, there is no cell tower close by!

[fshagan]

Last year we had a family emergency sat home, our children called 3 times directly to the ship because the cell phones weren't working. Cost us $261 for 3 phone calls, thievery.

 

You can rent a satellite phone for $10 a day and $1.99 a minute, usually plus shipping, taxes and a few other fees, minimum 7 day rental. So for about $100 to $120 on each of your cruises you could avoid that high fee for ship-to-shore calling.

[DrNora]

You can rent a satellite phone for $10 a day and $1.99 a minute, usually plus shipping, taxes and a few other fees, minimum 7 day rental. So for about $100 to $120 on each of your cruises you could avoid that high fee for ship-to-shore calling.

 

This is amazing-I did not know that this service was even available. Did a search and lots of info. Thank you. You have lifted a weight off of my shoulders!

[purplecow15]

post deleted

Edited April 16, 2016 by purplecow15
wrong link