Internet access dangers

[Seestor1]

I have a son with epilepsy and need constant contact with him in Seattle. Everyone talks about using Airplane Mode to avoid excess charges. If I purchase Internet Package with 100 minutes, what should I look for to avoid surprise charges? My phone needs to be on 24/7.

 

Thanking you kindly

 

 

Sorry. Ruby Princess, 7 day, Juneau, skagway, ketchikan. August 11.

Edited August 5, 2018 by Seestor1
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[voljeep]

how many minutes are you going to buy for the 2nd day?...;p

 

how about posting which ship and itinerary ...

[Clampram]

Did you want phone contact ability or email/text ability or both.

Assume you already know about "WhatsApp"

[Seestor1]

Sorry. Ruby Princess, 7 day, Juneau, skagway, ketchikan. August 11.

[Clampram]

<https://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/onboard/in_touch.jsp>

[Seestor1]

Did you want phone contact ability or email/text ability or both.

Assume you already know about "WhatsApp"

 

Shoot we just use unlimited Verizon data at home. We just need to TEXT. Don't know WhatsApp.

[moki'smommy]

It may depend on what you mean by "constant contact." Every cruise line I've ever used had an emergency number which someone on land could use to contact guest services/passenger services at the cruise line. Yes, this is expensive (ship to shore rates of about $7 per minute), but that phone call should take maybe 2 minutes. The party on land calls the ship using a credit card, gives them the message that grandma died suddenly, please call, and the ship's personnel locate you and give you the message. Not cheap, but it works if you need to be notified in an emergency.

 

You can also have the people at home e-mail you...which works when you check your e-mail. Same for text messages (which are usually a lot cheaper, but that depends on your carrier.)

 

If you need to be in touch so he can report that he is having a pre-seizure aura or feeling, you're going to need a HUGE internet package which may actually cost more than the cruise!

 

The good thing is that you'll be able to phone/text/e-mail or whatever at no charge when the ship is in US ports. Just look at the phone and be sure the little "roaming" icon is not showing. At some ports, it is possible to pick up a Canadian tower, and then international rates would apply.

[Kathie859]

Depending on your itinerary, you may want to check with your phone carrier re: services available by location. Also, by “constant contact” do you mean a call a day or will an email suffice? I’ve not cruised with Princess, but all cruises I’ve taken (RCI, HAL, NCL) have provided an emergency contact number for the ship.

 

I hope you find an affordable solution.

[Seestor1]

It may depend on what you mean by "constant contact." Every cruise line I've ever used had an emergency number which someone on land could use to contact guest services/passenger services at the cruise line. Yes' date=' this is expensive (ship to shore rates of about $7 per minute), but that phone call should take maybe 2 minutes. The party on land calls the ship using a credit card, gives them the message that grandma died suddenly, please call, and the ship's personnel locate you and give you the message. Not cheap, but it works if you need to be notified in an emergency.

 

You can also have the people at home e-mail you...which works when you check your e-mail. Same for text messages (which are usually a lot cheaper, but that depends on your carrier.)

 

If you need to be in touch so he can report that he is having a pre-seizure aura or feeling, you're going to need a HUGE internet package which may actually cost more than the cruise!

 

The good thing is that you'll be able to phone/text/e-mail or whatever at no charge when the ship is in US ports. Just look at the phone and be sure the little "roaming" icon is not showing. At some ports, it is possible to pick up a Canadian tower, and then international rates would apply.[/quote']

 

Wow..that's a lot to absorb. Can I jump off Airplane Mode a couple times a day and text message him, and get a text back... would that use up much of my internet package?

[moki'smommy]

You can e-mail him while you are in airplane mode. I don't know if you can text from it.

 

Any time you hop off airplane mode, you risk starting an automatic download or app that might cost you money...we put our devices on airplane mode when we board the ship and leave them there. But, as you are visiting 3 US ports, you can use your phone in port on those days just as if you are at home. Just check first to be sure you don't have that little "roaming" icon.

 

On the days you are not in a US port, you can agree in advance that you'll e-mail each other once in the morning, afternoon, and evening. It should only take you a couple minutes to log on, read his e-mail, and reply.

[Seestor1]

Depending on your itinerary, you may want to check with your phone carrier re: services available by location. Also, by “constant contact” do you mean a call a day or will an email suffice? I’ve not cruised with Princess, but all cruises I’ve taken (RCI, HAL, NCL) have provided an emergency contact number for the ship.

 

I hope you find an affordable solution.

 

Do you know if I can jump off Airplane Mode a couple times a day and text message him, and get a text back... would that use up much of my internet package?

[franktown]

100 minutes = 100 minutes connected to the ships internet. If you needed to be connected 24 hrs a day so you do not miss a call or text you would need 1440 minutes each day. What passengers do is to log on make the call or check tests and then log off. You can also just rely on cellular at sea. Its around 3 dollars a minute when in use plus any charges your carrier might add. If you go that route make sure you turn off data so that your cell phone doesn't update apps etc. That could get very expensive.

[Seestor1]

You can e-mail him while you are in airplane mode. I don't know if you can text from it.

 

Any time you hop off airplane mode' date=' you risk starting an automatic download or app that might cost you money...we put our devices on airplane mode when we board the ship and leave them there. But, as you are visiting 3 US ports, you can use your phone in port on those days just as if you are at home. Just check first to be sure you don't have that little "roaming" icon.

 

On the days you are not in a US port, you can agree in advance that you'll e-mail each other once in the morning, afternoon, and evening. It should only take you a couple minutes to log on, read his e-mail, and reply.[/quote']

 

Oh I get it .. so many of my apps are "auto update" and that would use minutes! If I log on to read an email won't that start automatic downloads and other emails to come thru costing minutes?

[Seestor1]

100 minutes = 100 minutes connected to the ships internet. If you needed to be connected 24 hrs a day so you do not miss a call or text you would need 1440 minutes each day. What passengers do is to log on make the call or check tests and then log off. You can also just rely on cellular at sea. Its around 3 dollars a minute when in use plus any charges your carrier might add. If you go that route make sure you turn off data so that your cell phone doesn't update apps etc. That could get very expensive.

 

Thank you very much. That sounds better than buying internet package. I'll check with Verizon about added charges.

[Coral]

You will be fine in your port days.

 

Remember that internet is very slow at times, almost modem like. There may even be times when internet may not work.

[fishywood]

Do you know if I can jump off Airplane Mode a couple times a day and text message him, and get a text back... would that use up much of my internet package?

 

Texting is not an online function, it is a cellular service function.

 

Honestly for your piece of mind I think the best solution is to turn off just data roaming on your phone, then bite the bullet and pay your carrier's roaming charges for voice and text thru Cellular at Sea. Won't be the cheapest option, but as three of the seven days you will able to use your phone in port with no roaming charges it may not be worth it to confound yourself over how to use the ship's equally expensive and slow to boot internet service the remaining days for WiFI calling.

[moki'smommy]

Oh I get it .. so many of my apps are "auto update" and that would use minutes! If I log on to read an email won't that start automatic downloads and other emails to come thru costing minutes?

Correct--you can log on to read e-mail while in airplane mode. You will only be billed for the minutes you are logged in; just be sure to log out afterwards. If you are skittish about it, you can go to the internet cafe and use one of their computers to log on. Then nothing is going on with your phone at all. Just stick to airplane mode and nothing bad will happen.

[Seestor1]

You will be fine in your port days.

 

Remember that internet is very slow at times, almost modem like. There may even be times when internet may not work.

 

Unfortunately Verizon has the worst coverage in Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan :( Anybody use Verizon in those ports?

[Seestor1]

Depending on your itinerary, you may want to check with your phone carrier re: services available by location. Also, by “constant contact” do you mean a call a day or will an email suffice? I’ve not cruised with Princess, but all cruises I’ve taken (RCI, HAL, NCL) have provided an emergency contact number for the ship.

 

I hope you find an affordable solution.

 

Thanks... i'll find that emergency number and give it to him and his friends!

[fishywood]

Unfortunately Verizon has the worst coverage in Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan :( Anybody use Verizon in those ports?

 

I did this past May. No problem at all in Ketchikan. In Skagway (and Haines where my excursion went) I believe Verizon does not have their own towers but has an agreement with a local carrier. In Juneau I was texting and e-mailing easily.

 

Just be careful you do not catch a signal from Canada on the first and last evening in and out of Seattle. Which is why even if you are not in airplane mode you absolutely need to turn off data roaming.

[Crzn-Life]

I have Verizon which supports WiFi calling which means I can send and receive texts with it. I leave the phone in airplane mode the whole time I am on the ship. I sign on the internet every hour or so just to check messages and emails. Takes about 3-5 minutes each time. I can stay in touch without paying a fortune.

[Coral]

Unfortunately Verizon has the worst coverage in Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan :( Anybody use Verizon in those ports?

 

I only had problems in Whittier.

[Seestor1]

Texting is not an online function, it is a cellular service function.

 

Honestly for your piece of mind I think the best solution is to turn off just data roaming on your phone, then bite the bullet and pay your carrier's roaming charges for voice and text thru Cellular at Sea. Won't be the cheapest option, but as three of the seven days you will able to use your phone in port with no roaming charges it may not be worth it to confound yourself over how to use the ship's equally expensive and slow to boot internet service the remaining days for WiFI calling.

 

I think you are correct.. even at the cost, just knowing we can keep in touch puts my mind at ease!

[Seestor1]

I have Verizon which supports WiFi calling which means I can send and receive texts with it. I leave the phone in airplane mode the whole time I am on the ship. I sign on the internet every hour or so just to check messages and emails. Takes about 3-5 minutes each time. I can stay in touch without paying a fortune.

 

So keep in Airplane mode, sign into ships wifi (which does not use data, but separate charges apply), correct?

[broberts]

I have a son with epilepsy and need constant contact with him in Seattle. Everyone talks about using Airplane Mode to avoid excess charges. If I purchase Internet Package with 100 minutes, what should I look for to avoid surprise charges? My phone needs to be on 24/7.

 

Thanking you kindly

 

 

Sorry. Ruby Princess, 7 day, Juneau, skagway, ketchikan. August 11.

 

Airplane mode turns off all antenna in a cell phone. This means the phone cannot communicate at all.

 

After turning on Airplane mode, one can enable WiFi. This turns on the WiFi antenna and allows connections with the ship WiFi network. However, one must log into and out of the network to use it. The time between the two events counts as minutes. So 100 minutes would last an hour and forty minutes. Ship based internet is much slower than what most experience at home.

 

If you need to be able to receive cell calls and text messages, you should be able to simply turn off roaming data with no need to purchase an internet package. Check with your carrier for costs associated with minutes and texts.

 

Internet minutes would only be needed if you have to periodically check for email.