Walked talkies

[Guest]

Hello.

Wondering whether we can use our walk-in talkies when cruising to France and Spain next year on the Sirena.

Thank you.

[Guest]

Oops I meant Walkie Talkies.

[pinotlover]

Can’t really answer. Europe has tight controls on the use of most bandwidth. If you started over riding other authorized frequency users, trouble would brew! I remember while in the military over there, we were highly regulated as far as frequencies we could use, and I understand it’s gotten far worse. There was an old story about someone keying the mic of his Wallis talkie on an unauthorized channel and flipping the directional switch on the street car tracks! 
 

As far as aboard ship. I’d talk to the CD upon boarding. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

26 minutes ago, Guest said:

Hello.

Wondering whether we can use our walk-in talkies when cruising to France and Spain next year on the Sirena.

Thank you.

What exactly do you mean by "walkie talkie?"

 

The fairly expensive commercial marine devices used by the crew will work around the ship. The recreational devices you're probably considering will not work well due to the ship's metal infrastructure.

 

Beyond that, I trust that you'll find far less tolerance from your fellow passengers on an Oceania ship, particularly a small one like Sirena, for the obnoxious squawking they produce. You'll quickly stand out from the crowd and the crowd won't be smiling. Absolutely no one wants to hear you shouting "can you hear me now?"

 

Just use post-it notes and/or snap pix of the daily schedule in Currents and agree to meeting times/places.

[ORV]

Texting works pretty well for on ship communication if you have wifi. But truly, it's hard to get too far separated on ships this size. 

[LHT28]

I would check if those Countries would allow them  & what the distance  they cover

 

 How many are you going on the cruise?

You should be able to tell whoever you are with where you will be  & the ships is small enough your find the other person  quickly

 

Nothing worse than "can you hear me now"   "ok Can you hear me now"   when relaxing  by the pool or in the public spaces

 

JMO

[Guest]

Yes I can hear you!

Thank you all so much! This is the smallest ship we have been on.

Sounds like it’s unnecessary.

Appreciate your comments!

[Charles4515]

Hello.
Wondering whether we can use our walk-in talkies when cruising to France and Spain next year on the Sirena.
Thank you.

If you are asking about using walkie talkies sold in US stores in Europe those are US licensed FRS / GMRS radios that are not legal to use on land in Europe. Frequencies are licensed by region and those frequencies could be in use by emergency or commercial services. If you are asking about using on the ship in international waters that is a question for the Captain if Oceania does not have a written policy.

As someone else posted you would probably get a lot more dirty looks using them on Oceania than on mass market lines.


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[Charles4515]

Yes I can hear you!
Thank you all so much! This is the smallest ship we have been on.
Sounds like it’s unnecessary.
Appreciate your comments!

WiFi is included. You can just text. Or call each other using WiFi calling.


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[Flatbush Flyer]

5 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 

WiFi is included. You can just text. Or call each other using WiFi calling.


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Only one free wifi account for most cabins. Can switch channels users but not share at the same time. 

And, last time I checked, if you've got AT&T, wifi calling requires that cellular be turned on and no cellular signal available. Thus, the handoff to wifi calling depends on no cellular service. But, O has AT&T "cellular at sea" and it will connect whether you like it or not.

[Flatbush Flyer]

17 minutes ago, Guest said:

Yes I can hear you!

Thank you all so much! This is the smallest ship we have been on.

Sounds like it’s unnecessary.

Appreciate your comments!

Since you're agreeable, here's another O difference worth noting: you can bring as much personal wine and spirits aboard at embarkation or at ports. Just remember that it's for personal consumption in your cabin (no "travelers") except that you may take wine to dining venues for $25 corkage.

[ORV]

5 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 

WiFi is included. You can just text. Or call each other using WiFi calling.


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Unless they are in the same room and it's not a Vista or Owner's Suite. There is only 1 free acct per room. They would have to purchase a second wifi acct. If it's someone in another room then it's no issue as long as they have a modern phone and are willing to carry it with them. Personally I put my phone in the safe on embarkation day and unless I'm going to be in the US leave it there until the day before disembarkation, depending on where that might be. 

 

On the other hand we've gone with a group of 8 or 10 on Celebrity and find texting a great help. 

[Paulchili]

4 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Only one free wifi account for most cabins.

It would work if trying to reach friends/family who have a separate cabin and thus their own wifi account.

PS Cross posting with ORV

Edited June 14, 2020 by Paulchili

[ORV]

We all seem to be saying about the same thing. 🤩

[Charles4515]

Only one free wifi account for most cabins. Can switch channels users but not share at the same time. 

And, last time I checked, if you've got AT&T, wifi calling requires that cellular be turned on and no cellular signal available. Thus, the handoff to wifi calling depends on no cellular service. But, O has AT&T "cellular at sea" and it will connect whether you like it or not.

 

That’s true one free account per cabin. We had two cabins. Cellular does not have to be on with AT&T or any other cell carrier. Cellular should be off and the phones should be in Airplane mode with WiFi turned on. Then it won’t connect with Cellular at Sea.

 

 

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[Flatbush Flyer]

12 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 

That’s true one free account per cabin. We had two cabins. Cellular does not have to be on with AT&T or any other cell carrier. Cellular should be off and the phones should be in Airplane mode with WiFi turned on. Then it won’t connect with Cellular at Sea.

 

 

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Used to be that way with AT&T. You could enable wifi calling and then turn off cellular service. 

Now (last couple of years), you can only turn wifi calling on when AT&T cellular is on. If airplane mode is on, the choice for wifi calling is grayed out. Thus, It only works if AT&T cellular (or a partner) service is active. You can then select wifi calling and it will switch automatically when there are no towers (or if the ship has AT&T cellular at sea). 

[ToxM]

The ship is small, this could be the chance to learn semaphore once and for all. 

[Charles4515]

Used to be that way with AT&T. You could enable wifi calling and then turn off cellular service. 
Now (last couple of years), you can only turn wifi calling on when AT&T cellular is on. If airplane mode is on, the choice for wifi calling is grayed out. Thus, It only works if AT&T cellular (or a partner) service is active. You can then select wifi calling and it will switch automatically when there are no towers (or if the ship has AT&T cellular at sea). 

That is not true. I have AT&T and I used WiFi calling on Insignia with Cellular off and in Airplane mode last August. I also used it in December on Celebrity and RC this past January. I have used it a dozen times the last couple of years.


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[Flatbush Flyer]

39 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 

That is not true. I have AT&T and I used WiFi calling on Insignia with Cellular off and in Airplane mode last August. I also used it in December on Celebrity and RC this past January. I have used it a dozen times the last couple of years.


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Okay - just checked with AT&T and you are correct MOSTLY.

As it turns out, one can activate the wifi calling feature initially (when airplane mode is off and cellular is on) at home or elsewhere where there is cellular service connected. (The bottom line  is that you can't get to the wifi calling setting unless airplane mode is off and cellular service is active).

Once you've activated the wifi calling feature, you can then turn airplane mode on at home or away and use wifi calling (if connected to a wifi network that does not block it). This should also work on the ship as long as the wifi feature was already turned on when you boarded and then you turn on airplane mode (and have a wifi account). 

 

Our problem is that, at home with mediocre cell connectivity, we use an AT&T Microcell (we prefer the sound quality to wifi) and you can't have both active.

So, once abroad we should be able to activate wifi calling but it would require unregistering the Microcell, connecting to cellular service and then turning wifi on. Of course, the reverse process would need to happen to get the Microcell back working at home.

So, for us, a lot of work for an occasional cruise call that could be done on land using AT&T daily passport or an international plan.

Edited June 14, 2020 by Flatbush Flyer

[Paulchili]

Our land line, internet and cable are with Comcast.

I have no problem making any phone call with my iPad from the ship as long as I am connected to wifi - including domestic 800 numbers from abroad. It acts as if I were calling from my home phone.

[Flatbush Flyer]

22 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

Our land line, internet and cable are with Comcast.

I have no problem making any phone call with my iPad from the ship as long as I am connected to wifi - including domestic 800 numbers from abroad. It acts as if I were calling from my home phone.

Forgot about that. I actually have made domestic US calls (incl 800 numbers) from abroad using Comcast voice-to-go. Have yet to do it on the ship (probably because I keep forgetting that I have it).

The biggest problem with Comcast when traveling is that they don't appear to have an international non-800 number to call if you're having problems.

[Charles4515]

Before WiFi calling became available we used WhatsApp over WiFi for voice calls. All that required was both phones having the app. I have also used FaceTime over WiFi. For texting iMessage works over WiFi. No cell connection required.

[Nachosdelux]

please don't. 

 

they are very disturbing to your fellow guests.

 

 

[mozfoz]

Do they still make walkie-talkies? Compared with todays technology, it would almost be like talking through two tin cans connected by a string. Would be comically annoying to other passengers.

[Flatbush Flyer]

51 minutes ago, mozfoz said:

Do they still make walkie-talkies? Compared with todays technology, it would almost be like talking through two tin cans connected by a string. Would be comically annoying to other passengers.

Yes they still make them.

FWIW: as yacht sailors, we have ICOM marine band VHF handhelds (and the FCC licenses). But, we would NEVER bring them onto a cruise ship. Just SO unnecessary.