Grand Princess internet

[Lisas mom]

We just returned from a 15 day cruise to Hawaii.  I purchased the most expensive wifi internet package for $199.99, which included everything.  Today I get my bill from AT&T wireless and there are roaming charges of $277.00 for the time we were on the cruise   for my husband's phone which is the phone we bought the wifi internet package for.  What could have gone wrong?

[fishywood]

Were the charges for voice or data roaming?

 

You would have avoided either charge by putting the phone in airplane mode (and then turning only WiFi back on) while at sea.

 

If you wanted to still receive regular voice calls and text messages (from people at home who don't/won't use WiFi calling or apps such as WhatsApp to contact you) it is essential to turn off data roaming if not putting the phone in airplane mode.

 

But if leaving voice/text enabled to see who is trying to contact you--don't answer or respond! Return contact by e-mail/chat/WiFi calling only. Roaming charges should have only been pennies per use if you follow the above.

 

[Lisas mom]

Thank you so much, but the phone was always in airplane mode.

[fishywood]

Then you should request AT&T give you the specific dates, times and networks your phone supposedly was being used on. If you were in airplane mode there should be no voice roaming charges at all. AT&T could be claiming your phone latched onto the "wrong" network while on land in Hawaii, or that the ship had its cell towers on before sailaway and you incurred those charges between boarding and when you first logged onto the ship's WiFi network.

[masterty]

27 minutes ago, Lisas mom said:

Thank you so much, but the phone was always in airplane mode.

 

I do not understand how it is possible one could get cellular voice or data charges from a phone in airplane mode. The cellular transmitter and receiver within the phone are disabled and do not communicate with cellular network equipment. .  

Possibilities. 
1) phone is broken

2) you are mistaken as to the condition to the phones airplane mode while within range of the ships cellular system. 

 

The only way to data roam on a cruise ship in the middle of the pacific is to connect to the ships cellular network. The system used for cellular on the ship is an entirely separate system than the princess@sea local area network system. Sounds like your internet access came through the ships cellular system (cellular) vs the ships local area network (wifi). 

 

[Lisas mom]

Thank you so much for your assistance.  I appreciate it.  My husband could be wrong but he insists the phone was in airplane mode.