Newbie question on Ship to shore phone calls

[Janet-]

I'll soon be on my first Regent cruise. Can someone tell me please, how I will know when I've used my free calls.

[1982CruzStart]

Hopefully someone with more recent experience and a better memory than me will chime in but to the best of my recollection when you go to use the phone it tells you how much time you have available.

If i am mis-remembering i hope someone will come forward.

Enjoy your Regent cruise. I think you will love it.

[Pamela1]

Hi Janet,

 

I also don't recall being given any warning as to when my call time was running out.

There is a pad and paper by the phone and i used to time them to write the minutes down when i finished a call, i don't think i got near to being over but just used it as a guideline.

Enjoy your cruise!

I'm sure there is an easier way.

 

Pam.

[Travelcat2]

Hopefully someone with more recent experience and a better memory than me will chime in but to the best of my recollection when you go to use the phone it tells you how much time you have available.

If i am mis-remembering i hope someone will come forward.

Enjoy your Regent cruise. I think you will love it.

 

That is my recollection as well. If there any questions, simply call Reception!:)

Edited December 21, 2017 by Travelcat2

[Portolan]

Additional advice:

 

After an experience when, according to the front office, we used over an hour of free time for a 2 minute phone call, always check the receiver after you hand up for a dial tone. Apparently even when the other end breaks the connection, if your receiver isn't seated exactly right, the system will keep eating your minutes.

[Quack21]

You have to call or ask someone at the front desk to find out your remaining time.

 

It would be very convenient if the remaining minutes were posted on the TV for viewing -- just like your other guest charges & credits. But alas they are not.

[garyb(uk)]

is there a restriction as to where you can call? as an example can I call from on board in NY to London FOC?

[liptastic]

is there a restriction as to where you can call? as an example can I call from on board in NY to London FOC?

 

Gary no restrictions. We have phoned home to Scotland and also phoned relatives in Canada. Took a while to get connected though with area codes. Jean.

[Janet-]

Thank you all for taking the time to answer.

Best wishes for a merry Christmas and a peaceful new year

Janet

[garyb(uk)]

Thank you all for taking the time to answer.

Best wishes for a merry Christmas and a peaceful new year

Janet

I would like to say the same.

Merry Christmas everybody. :bottle-pop::champagne-toast:

 

keep on :ship:

[BettyDol]

Hi, A little off the thread but just wanted to mention an alternative to free Ship to Shore calling time. As long as you have wifi, you can face time calls all you want. We have face timed to our family from all over the world. Works fine.:D

[Travelcat2]

Hi, A little off the thread but just wanted to mention an alternative to free Ship to Shore calling time. As long as you have wifi, you can face time calls all you want. We have face timed to our family from all over the world. Works fine.:D

 

Great idea but FaceTime rarely works on Regent ships due to hundreds of people being online at the same time (that is what happens when you offer included internet). If you try it very early in the morning or late at night, it works. IMO, it is better to either not use the phone or use email. After all, you are on vacation:halo:

[Portolan]

Skype voice works just fine. Very low bandwidth needed or used. Have used this everywhere except (mostly) on Regent due to having 3 hours of ship-to-shore time.

 

Again, Skype VOICE not video (which would be like face-time).

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

We use FaceTime onboard, all the time. It's great, especially on holidays. We have lots of kids and grandkids and spoke to most of them this Thanksgiving. My sister called me when I was sitting at the pool, this crossing.. She was on last year's cruise. John Barron was passing by and she was able to say hello to him.

Some people like to be disconnected from the outside world when they are cruising, some people like me, love to talk to family.

Sometimes, during high peak, it either slows or disconnects. So---We just call again!

Sheila

[Travelcat2]

Sheila - keep in mind that Regent does not like people using FaceTime (and other similar applications) as they have enough issues with people simply wanting to use the internet which is often too slow. While I do not know if FaceTime is a bandwidth hog, it is likely slowing things down for others.

 

I do "get" that some people need/like to keep in touch with the outside world but, IMO, this can be done by telephone or email - especially IF these applications are the bandwidth hogs that I think that they are.

 

IMO, the only way for the current internet to work for all of us is to avoid all applications that may cause issues for others.

 

Note: I noticed on our last cruise that around 9:30 p.m. (when many people are in the theater), the internet sometimes goes so slowly that it is worse than dial-up. I suspect (but do not know) that the officers use this time to contact their families via Skype or FaceTime. I keep checking the internet and suddenly it becomes faster than normal (which to me means that the officers are off and the passenger are busy).