Texting on ship without buying package?

[WeLuv2Cruz13]

We are cruising in June with our 13 year old. I don't want to watch him every second and want him to enjoy the cruise and feel he has freedom to do things, but I also want to keep in touch with him while on board because I know I will worry. We have Verizon and iphones - anyone know what the texting charge is or a better way to keep in contact?

 

Thanks!

[CruisersTimesThree]

We are cruising in June with our 13 year old. I don't want to watch him every second and want him to enjoy the cruise and feel he has freedom to do things, but I also want to keep in touch with him while on board because I know I will worry. We have Verizon and iphones - anyone know what the texting charge is or a better way to keep in contact?

 

Thanks!

 

If you had both phones connected to wi-fi your I-phones would use I-message and there would be no charges.

Without wi-fi you will be charged per text.

The last time I checked with Verizon the charge was 50 cents to send, 25 cents to receive, or its visa versa.

Verizon could tell you the exact amount.

[sanger727]

The problem with using wifi for this purpose is that you will only receive texts when connected... so you would basically have to both have the unlimited internet plan unless you prearranged check in times. It may be cheaper to text and just get the extra charges unless the internet is worth the cost of the plan to you. We usually keep in contact via the ship's phone. Can call the room on why ship phone; believe you can leave messages too if the other person isn't in the room; can also leave post it's on your door if that's easier

 

 

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[bEwAbG]

Another consideration: if you leave your phone on to be able to text each other, you'll also continue receiving texts from everyone in your day-to-day life. This could add up if either of you gets a lot of texts and you're paying a charge per text. Many cell carriers have special plans you can purchase for cruising, though I don't know what Verizon offers.

[dabear]

Try using old fashion walkee-talkees. We used them for many years (before smart phones) when dw and I separated on shore or elsewhere.

[jasm8449]

Highly doubt a 13 year old would want to be carrying around a walkie talkie so his parents can reach him. Getting a loud beep and a parent asking 'where are you?' In front of other teens he might be hanging out with would be soooo embarrassing! :)

 

 

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[Iamthesea]

When we cruised with our children (before cell phones,) we kept in touch by setting times to meet up. If the children did not show up within a few minutes of the pre-arranged time, there were consequences.

 

We would also leave notes for each other in the stateroom or use the ships phones to call the stateroom when needed. We communicated just fine.;) The bottom line was that when they were not in the kids program, they were with us, within site, with other parents, or in the stateroom.

 

We will all be sailing again together in May. The "kids" are now in their 30's. And guess what... We still plan to communicate the same way around the ship.

[happy 2 b cruising]

Try using old fashion walkee-talkees. We used them for many years (before smart phones) when dw and I separated on shore or elsewhere.

 

I know the mention of the walkees makes your fellow cruisers unhappy with the noise it generates but this is still the best way of keeping in touch on the ship :) Totally agree with the above reply.

[MEcruzr]

When my sons were young and cruising with us we used a few rules... if you leave the cabin, you leave a note where you're going and when you will be back. Adults, too, in case the kids needed to find US. I brought sticky notes and we left them on the mirror for each other. My other rule... if your plans changed while out, call the cabin and leave a message. Also, NO going into any cabin but your own and NO guests/friends in our cabin when we aren't there. Depending on your son, you may want to have a conversation about not being alone with a girl... you don't want any opportunity for a "he said/she said" problem. Oh... and we also had an understanding about what could/could not be charged to their card. Better to have that up front than after he graciously buys 10 kids cokes and gelato.

[WeLuv2Cruz13]

Thanks for all the responses. Had to laugh at a few of them! My son is the cautious type so not concerned about alot of things. I think I'm much more nervous than he is. I think the best thing to do is just have him take the cell and pay as we go if we get separated. He won't be away from us most of the time but in case he did want to hang out I didn't want to stop him. I'm the nervous nellie! He knows where to find me - in the sun :cool: and his father - in the gym! lol

 

I think I will call Verizon though and see if there is some kind of plan we can use.

 

I did not buy the internet or take it as a "perk" on purpose - if it was there he would use it and I don't want him on the phone or games the whole trip. I thought last trip we face timed and that didn't cost extra but I could be wrong.

 

Again thanks for all your comments!

[texasgirl29]

Disney has an app that works on the ship without WiFi. You can message others in your stateroom, or if your teen meets others he/she want to communicate with, enter their code into the app. Also has the activities, menus, etc. Celebrity, are you listening?

[sanger727]

Disney has an app that works on the ship without WiFi. You can message others in your stateroom, or if your teen meets others he/she want to communicate with, enter their code into the app. Also has the activities, menus, etc. Celebrity, are you listening?

 

 

Norwegian does to. Used it on the last cruise and it was handy

 

 

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[bphman]

I believe it is 5 cents to receive a text and 50 cents to send. It can mount up if you are a habitual texter. Very handy. I am sure it will get better as more ships upgrade their technology.

[TCBFlash]

Check with Verizon. It seems to me that they have an international package that you can buy by the day or your trip. It will use your plan texting, which is usually unlimited. Tell them you are going on a cruise and where you are going and they should be able to quote you a rate. The only problem that I had when I used it on our last cruise was that sometimes, depending on the signal, texting can be unreliable.

[eandj]

Disney has an app that works on the ship without WiFi. You can message others in your stateroom, or if your teen meets others he/she want to communicate with, enter their code into the app. Also has the activities, menus, etc. Celebrity, are you listening?

 

 

As does PRINCESS.

[Iamthesea]

Check with Verizon. It seems to me that they have an international package that you can buy by the day or your trip. It will use your plan texting, which is usually unlimited. Tell them you are going on a cruise and where you are going and they should be able to quote you a rate. The only problem that I had when I used it on our last cruise was that sometimes, depending on the signal, texting can be unreliable.

 

This Verizon plan works great in port, but not at sea. You will need the WiFi at sea. And it's $2 a day (24 hour period) in Canada and Mexico. And $10 a day in Europe. You don't get charged unless you use it on a single day.

[WeLuv2Cruz13]

We will be in the Caribbean so I will have to call and find out. When I do I will post it.

[CathySun]

"Norwegian does to. Used it on the last cruise and it was handy"

 

Princess does as well, we used it last year and it was a little glitchy but got the job done.

[CruisersTimesThree]

I believe it is 5 cents to receive a text and 50 cents to send. It can mount up if you are a habitual texter. Very handy. I am sure it will get better as more ships upgrade their technology.

I stand corrected. It is 50 cents one way and 5 cents the other.

I guess because we have had wi-fi on our last 2 cruises and used our I-phones for I-message and wi-fi calls, I forgot the cost of Verizon texting.

Thanks for the correction!

[sanger727]

Just make sure you have data roaming turned off!!! A small amount of texting is reasonable but if data roaming is on your phones will be using background data and if someone forgets and starts browsing the web it adds up very fast. Think data is priced around $2 a mb (i.e. $2,000 a gig)

 

 

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[ELA]

We used walkie talkies last year with our girls - both 12 then and they were fine with it. But if he doesn't want to use it you can leave it in a cabin and you carry the other so he can always reach you when he wants to by going to the cabin. We are going on Equinox in July and the girls (then 13.5yo) will be expected to use them somehow.

 

 

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[Talex831]

I personally am scared to death to have my phone on during a cruise! If texts, emails, calls all start coming through, the next bill could send me into cardiac arrest! I definitely wouldn't let a teen carry a phone around!

 

 

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[Talex831]

Check with Verizon. It seems to me that they have an international package that you can buy by the day or your trip. It will use your plan texting, which is usually unlimited. Tell them you are going on a cruise and where you are going and they should be able to quote you a rate. The only problem that I had when I used it on our last cruise was that sometimes, depending on the signal, texting can be unreliable.

 

 

 

AT&T has this too, but only for usage in ports, not at sea.

 

 

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