Walkie Talkies

[SouthLyonCruiser]

I just finished a review that had as one item the fact that the boarding groups walkie talkies were confiscated at the pier. On a previous NCL cruise we had them and had no problem. Is this possibly the fault of an uniformed employee or is this NCL policy?

[KarlChilders]

It could be the type of radio (frequency). The FRS type should be allowed, although I wouldn't recommend them (not very functional on a giant metal ship and annoying), but any type that would transmit beyond the ship (short wave etc.) would be banned.

[ColeThornton]

Here is the list of prohibited items per NCL.com:

 

https://www.ncl.com/prohibited-items

[don't-use-real-name]

3 minutes ago, KarlChilders said:

It could be the type of radio (frequency). The FRS type should be allowed, although I wouldn't recommend them (not very functional on a giant metal ship and annoying), but any type that would transmit beyond the ship (short wave etc.) would be banned.

And then foreign government regulations about using the WT in their country.

 

Best bet would be using cell phones either in voice or text mode.

[yearsofcruising]

Having been on NCL 10+ cruises as well as other lines , I have always had walkies. Never were confiscated at the pier or on-board. Range was always dependant upon ships. Once used from ship to pvte island.

Family cruise yrs ago had dual channel capacity cause grandkids had their own.

Never leave home without it...

[PTC DAWG]

Ah...nothing says relaxation like someone squawking on a walkie talkie.  Can you hear me now?  Where are you?  WGAS?  

[Greenpea2]

11 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

Ah...nothing says relaxation like someone squawking on a walkie talkie.  Can you hear me now?  Where are you?  WGAS?  

I have to say, I do agree with this. Fortunately I've only had the experience once. I do understand how handy they can be, but boy are they annoying, lol.

 

[yearsofcruising]

Earphones & just 3beep call notification ..hardly be heard over the pool noise..lol

[Birdie And Sue]

Walkie Talkies on a cruise - JUST SAY NO.  Don't be THAT guy!

[SouthLyonCruiser]

22 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

Ah...nothing says relaxation like someone squawking on a walkie talkie.  Can you hear me now?  Where are you?  WGAS?  

We took them when we wanted to find our daughter and her family. We did not use them, as some do, as an attachment to our bodies as many smart phone users do. I always try to be considerate of other cruisers.

[SouthLyonCruiser]

23 hours ago, ColeThornton said:

Here is the list of prohibited items per NCL.com:

 

https://www.ncl.com/prohibited-items

Thanks, I checked the list and it seems that I will be ok.

I believe I read this before our last cruise and, being old and forgetful, it slipped my mind.

[rhblake]

On 6/10/2019 at 11:48 AM, yearsofcruising said:

Earphones & just 3beep call notification ..hardly be heard over the pool noise..lol

 

But we all get to hear at least on side of the conversation unless you use a throat mike.

[yearsofcruising]

true but I usually walk to somewhere quiet anyways , so I can hear & talk without bothering anyone. And its just a quick " where are you ! " kind of conversation or where to meet..

[Greenpea2]

17 minutes ago, yearsofcruising said:

true but I usually walk to somewhere quiet anyways , so I can hear & talk without bothering anyone. And its just a quick " where are you ! " kind of conversation or where to meet..

I don’t see anything wrong with how you do it. So what if we hear your side of a quick conversation? If you were there talking to someone in person we would hear two sides of a conversation, lol. I think what people don’t love is the squawking and people feeling they have to yell into the thing. You clearly don’t do that. 

[All-ready2cruise]

My side: my late DH was a Ham radio enthusiast and was tech support for Amateur radio enthusiast (HAM radio users).  He always took his hand-held radio with him, whether on a cruise or a road trip, and always got permission from the cruise line or the country/state, to bring his radio equipment, prior to bringing it onboard/abroad.  On our 1st cruise on NCL we were privvy to the conversation between NCL Star and USCG off the Florida coast regarding a sinking sail boat with 5 crew. It turned out to be a successful rescue thanks to radio communication. 

 

My last cruise was on the Jade and the first morning, there were multiple annoucements asking for those using 2-way radios to STOP using them on the specific frequency. Why, because they were broadcasting on Channel 16 and were interferring with the ships ability to monitor the channel for distress calls. I spotted 1 of the users and pointed them out to security... the announcements stopped shortly after. 

 

My reason for posting: If you're going to use Walkie talkies, ensure that you know how to use them without interferring with the important monitoring of the ship and rescue crew. 

 

I don't think walkie talkies work that well on cruise ships anyway, the person I heard on the radio was yelling... "can you hear me now", "where are you, I can't hear you", numerous times.  It did make it easy to find them anyway. 

 

Just my thoughts. 

Enjoy your cruise. 

[don't-use-real-name]

Back to my Post #4 - if you are packing your cell phone laptop tablet along for the cruise use its features to communicate.

Walkie Talkies something else with batteries to charge.

Also note about any restrictions using them in foreign countries - spies are us - Get Smart*** to the Man from Uncle over !

*** Get Smart remember the WT communicator was in the heel of his shoe !

Very close to put foot in mouth !  LOL !

 

 

[chengkp75]

12 hours ago, All-ready2cruise said:

My side: my late DH was a Ham radio enthusiast and was tech support for Amateur radio enthusiast (HAM radio users).  He always took his hand-held radio with him, whether on a cruise or a road trip, and always got permission from the cruise line or the country/state, to bring his radio equipment, prior to bringing it onboard/abroad.  On our 1st cruise on NCL we were privvy to the conversation between NCL Star and USCG off the Florida coast regarding a sinking sail boat with 5 crew. It turned out to be a successful rescue thanks to radio communication. 

 

My last cruise was on the Jade and the first morning, there were multiple annoucements asking for those using 2-way radios to STOP using them on the specific frequency. Why, because they were broadcasting on Channel 16 and were interferring with the ships ability to monitor the channel for distress calls. I spotted 1 of the users and pointed them out to security... the announcements stopped shortly after. 

 

My reason for posting: If you're going to use Walkie talkies, ensure that you know how to use them without interferring with the important monitoring of the ship and rescue crew. 

 

I don't think walkie talkies work that well on cruise ships anyway, the person I heard on the radio was yelling... "can you hear me now", "where are you, I can't hear you", numerous times.  It did make it easy to find them anyway. 

 

Just my thoughts. 

Enjoy your cruise. 

And if they were broadcasting on channel 16, that is a VHF frequency, and not in the FRS bandwidth, and is the international distress and identification frequency, and the USCG for one will levy fines for continual chatter on that frequency.  FRS channels are in the 480Mhz range, while VHF 16 is 156Mhz, and anyone using a radio on these frequencies needs to inform the Captain about them, as they must be covered by the ship's international radio telegraphy/telephony certificate.

[El Comandante]

Norwegian is in the process of making it's onboard app act as a cellphone relay via their wireless network and a bridge to their phone system on the ship. It allows calls to other onboard people that have it activated on their phones as well as to the cabin phones. I tested it out a couple of months back. Needs (a LOT) of work, but they're on the right track. It DOES NOT require a ship wireless or cell plan. It's a part of the onboard NCL app which functions outside of those precious wifi minutes! Does voice and messaging.

[All-ready2cruise]

Oh I hope not.  My late husband trained his clients how to use his system, 2-way radios but could not make them understand that they just didn't work well on ships.  Maybe the new tech. will be more successful int their expertise in their efforts. 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, El Comandante said:

Norwegian is in the process of making it's onboard app act as a cellphone relay via their wireless network and a bridge to their phone system on the ship. It allows calls to other onboard people that have it activated on their phones as well as to the cabin phones. I tested it out a couple of months back. Needs (a LOT) of work, but they're on the right track. It DOES NOT require a ship wireless or cell plan. It's a part of the onboard NCL app which functions outside of those precious wifi minutes! Does voice and messaging.

The clunky app comms has been around for years (I.e. older than this 4 year old thread you replied to) and has never worked very well. 

Edited March 28, 2023 by BirdTravels

[evanskl4]

For those of you recommending NOT to use walkies, do you have suggestions how I can stay in contact with my almost 12 year old twins on the ship? They (thankfully) do NOT have cell phones yet, but they are old enough to have the freedom to roam, to some degree. I still want to be able to comunicate with them though.

[MoCruiseFan]

On 6/10/2019 at 9:16 AM, SouthLyonCruiser said:

I just finished a review that had as one item the fact that the boarding groups walkie talkies were confiscated at the pier. On a previous NCL cruise we had them and had no problem. Is this possibly the fault of an uniformed employee or is this NCL policy?

They should be banned.  They are annoying as hell to other passengers.

[sansroof]

5 hours ago, evanskl4 said:

For those of you recommending NOT to use walkies, do you have suggestions how I can stay in contact with my almost 12 year old twins on the ship? They (thankfully) do NOT have cell phones yet, but they are old enough to have the freedom to roam, to some degree. I still want to be able to comunicate with them though.

You could do what my parents did in the 80s when no one had phones - we had set rendezvous times/places where we would check in with them periodically.  

[PATRLR]

5 hours ago, evanskl4 said:

For those of you recommending NOT to use walkies, do you have suggestions how I can stay in contact with my almost 12 year old twins on the ship? They (thankfully) do NOT have cell phones yet, but they are old enough to have the freedom to roam, to some degree. I still want to be able to comunicate with them though.

I wouldn't use walkies because of their limitations in use on a big ship.  Heck, back in the 80s on a small ship they didn't work well.  So I would envision a lot of frustration when either side can't get ahold of the other.

I suggest as the previous poster did - agreed-upon rendezvous/check-in points.

[evanskl4]

14 hours ago, sansroof said:

You could do what my parents did in the 80s when no one had phones - we had set rendezvous times/places where we would check in with them periodically.  

 Yep, this is basically what I am planning to do. And have a white board on our door to leave notes for each other. If my kids had walkie talkies, they would definitely lose them anyway 😂