Cell phones and cruising q?

[RMDPhoenix]

Looking for others experiences as we haven’t cruised for about 9 yrs.  Taking my bell cell on our cruise from Boston to Quebec and wondering if it is going to work while not in port and with the roam like home are the charges going to be more then the usual daily rate?  Trying to debate if I get an internet plan or not for the texting.

[Fouremco]

If you are happy texting only while in port, get the $12/day Bell roaming for Boston and Bar Harbor and your regular plan's coverage for the rest of the cruise in Canada. If you want/need to be able to send or receive texts while sailing, you will need to get a ship's wi-fi package.

[lx200gps]

6 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

If you are happy texting only while in port, get the $12/day Bell roaming for Boston and Bar Harbor and your regular plan's coverage for the rest of the cruise in Canada. If you want/need to be able to send or receive texts while sailing, you will need to get a ship's wi-fi package.

Agreed, we used Bell's Roaming recently while in the US and in Bermuda and it worked just fine, though there are cheaper Sim Card options. The OP mentioned "...wondering if it is going to work while not in port and with the roam like home are the charges going to be more then the usual daily rate"  If they have their Bell phone turned on while on the ship and not in port, with roaming still on and so are not in Airplane Mode, i.e. using the ship's cell system, the charges could be astronomical.

[Fouremco]

4 minutes ago, lx200gps said:

Agreed, we used Bell's Roaming recently while in the US and in Bermuda and it worked just fine, though there are cheaper Sim Card options. The OP mentioned "...wondering if it is going to work while not in port and with the roam like home are the charges going to be more then the usual daily rate"  If they have their Bell phone turned on while on the ship and not in port, with roaming still on and so are not in Airplane Mode, i.e. using the ship's cell system, the charges could be astronomical.

Yes, I should have mentioned that. It's one of those thing that is so ingrained that I forget that some passengers may not be aware.

[lx200gps]

12 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Yes, I should have mentioned that. It's one of those thing that is so ingrained that I forget that some passengers may not be aware.

I was just reminded of it when I read a post by someone whose teens decided to download and watch movies while on board.  Their cell bill came to thousands  ;o(

[Fouremco]

5 minutes ago, lx200gps said:

I was just reminded of it when I read a post by someone whose teens decided to download and watch movies while on board.  Their cell bill came to thousands  ;o(

Yikes!!! 🤯

[RMDPhoenix]

Ok good to know.  Will look into some wifi plans I guess or just tell everyone they can get us during the day while we are in port!  Not a bad thing to be disconnected 🙂

[bebe08]

 If they have their Bell phone turned on while on the ship and not in port, with roaming still on and so are not in Airplane Mode, i.e. using the ship's cell system, the charges could be astronomical.

 

This happened to us on a New England cruise a few years back.  We are Canadian with Virgin cell phone plans that cover Canada wide calling.  We used our cell to make a call while not in port but while we were sailing within Canada on the St. Lawrence River...and got a bill of around $100 .  I did try to argue it as their plan clearly says "Canada wide calling" and we were in Canada.  There was no caveat about being on a ship.  They cut the bill in half  as a result but it still stung.    

[daisy-mae]

19 hours ago, bebe08 said:

   We used our cell to make a call while not in port but while we were sailing within Canada on the St. Lawrence River...and got a bill of around $100 .  

Your signal was likely picked up by a US cell tower - this happens quite frequently along the border. If you get a "welcome to AT&T (or some other US provider) message" then cancel the call immediately.

 

We sailed from Montreal to Boston a few years back and were delighted to be able to use access our data for a good part of the trip.

[mexico8]

We will be on the Rotterdam for 3 weeks in the Caribbean ports.   We will need to call home regularly and wonder what is the best way to do that.   Can we get some kind of plan with our Bell cell phones?   

 

We  have about 250 minutes of internet on the ship included.   Any suggestions?

Edited August 31, 2022 by mexico8
corrections

[Fouremco]

12 minutes ago, mexico8 said:

We will be on the Rotterdam for 3 weeks in the Caribbean ports.   We will need to call home regularly and wonder what is the best way to do that.   Can we get some kind of plan with our Bell cell phones?   

 

We  have about 250 minutes of internet on the ship included.   Any suggestions?

Bell offers a $15/day roaming package:

 

 

That's quite expensive, though, and you would be better off if you were purchase one of the many SIM cards available for use in the Caribbean. As you have internet minutes that you can use on the ship for texts and other data, focus on SIM cards that have the best phone offerings. Just make sure that you understand the phone requirements before purchasing. For example, you must have an unlocked phone, but if your phone is locked, Bell will unlock it with no charge.

[LHT28]

Would "Whats app " work ? 

Maybe when ashore  find  a free internet place

many restaurants  will have free access if you buy something  there

[broberts]

 

2 hours ago, Fouremco said:

Bell offers a $15/day roaming package:

 

 

That's quite expensive, though, and you would be better off if you were purchase one of the many SIM cards available for use in the Caribbean. As you have internet minutes that you can use on the ship for texts and other data, focus on SIM cards that have the best phone offerings. Just make sure that you understand the phone requirements before purchasing. For example, you must have an unlocked phone, but if your phone is locked, Bell will unlock it with no charge.

 

Roam Better isn't available on cruise ships

 

Cell charges on cruises can add up.

[Fouremco]

22 minutes ago, broberts said:

 

 

Roam Better isn't available on cruise ships

 

Cell charges on cruises can add up.

I wasn't suggesting the Bell roaming package for calls from the ship, but instead at the various ports visited over the course of 15 days. The same applies to the SIM cards. I guess I should have been more explicit.

[em-sk]

On 8/7/2022 at 9:09 AM, RMDPhoenix said:

Ok good to know.  Will look into some wifi plans I guess or just tell everyone they can get us during the day while we are in port!  Not a bad thing to be disconnected 🙂

 

If you concern is getting a hold of you in an emergency.  They can also call you on the phone in your cabin. Each cruise line has a 1-800 number for access the ship operator.  The operator asks for a credit card number.  If you call out it gets added to your on board charges.

 

It is expensive to use ship to shore phone service.  NCL charges around 79 cents US a minute.   

 

[WESTEAST]

Bell also offers a Travel Pass for travel between USA and Canada for use when on land but NOT while cruising.  May be cheaper depending upon your needs: $60.00 for 30 days, 200 anytime minutes (incoming/outgoing) and unlimited send/received text messages 1 GB of data.  Another option for use while cruising or on land is using the WhatsApp application on your phone which is free for messaging providing you have access to free WiFi. WhatsApp uses the same internet connection as web browsing and email on your phone. Many cruise lines offer free Wi-Fi or a Wi-Fi package or once in port, cafes often offer.

[deepcman]

Sine the OP appears to only be concerned about service while not in port they should get the internet plan and then use 'wifi calling & texting' on their phone. Only cost would be the internet pkg.

[WESTEAST]

49 minutes ago, deepcman said:

Sine the OP appears to only be concerned about service while not in port they should get the internet plan and then use 'wifi calling & texting' on their phone. Only cost would be the internet pkg.

Agree we found it to be the best solution and WhatsApp is free too (keep phone on Airplane Mode).

[*Miss G*]

One thing I would caution — just in case the OP’s plan is like mine — when my phone uses WiFi calling it starts with an automated message saying “This WiFi call will be billed according to your cellular plan.”  In other words, not all calls which go through WiFi are free if your plan doesn’t cover it.  Google your provider and “WiFi calling” to find out what’s covered.

[DirtyDawg]

On 8/31/2022 at 9:53 PM, Fouremco said:

I wasn't suggesting the Bell roaming package for calls from the ship, but instead at the various ports visited over the course of 15 days. The same applies to the SIM cards. I guess I should have been more explicit.

My world travelling son just told me about the new thing (to me anyways) -  esims. Digital Sim cards, not physical. He uses MoGo for U.S., European and Asian travels. Much cheaper than my Telus or Bell's roaming plans. Of course, he didn't tell me about them until after I got back from my recent golfing trip down to the States. Telus charged me $60 for 5 days. A esim plan would have cost me 7 bucks!

 

Edited September 2, 2022 by DirtyDawg

[ALD18]

Have to be cautious with esim cards.  Convenient, but not all phones will/can use them.  Check out the esim card provider and it will likely show you how to check to see if your phone is esim compatible.  I have a relatively new Android phone and it is not. 

[Fouremco]

4 hours ago, DirtyDawg said:

My world travelling son just told me about the new thing (to me anyways) -  esims. Digital Sim cards, not physical. He uses MoGo for U.S., European and Asian travels. Much cheaper than my Telus or Bell's roaming plans. Of course, he didn't tell me about them until after I got back from my recent golfing trip down to the States. Telus charged me $60 for 5 days. A esim plan would have cost me 7 bucks!

 

Until I can get my hands on an iPhone 14 Pro later this month, I'm limited to physical SIM cards on my iPhone 7 Plus. 

 

1 hour ago, ALD18 said:

Have to be cautious with esim cards.  Convenient, but not all phones will/can use them.  Check out the esim card provider and it will likely show you how to check to see if your phone is esim compatible.  I have a relatively new Android phone and it is not. 

There are a number of websites like this that publish a list of compatible phones: https://esim.holafly.com/how-to/esim-phones/

[DirtyDawg]

55 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Until I can get my hands on an iPhone 14 Pro later this month, I'm limited to physical SIM cards on my iPhone 7 Plus. 

 

There are a number of websites like this that publish a list of compatible phones: https://esim.holafly.com/how-to/esim-phones/

That's why having two kids in IT really helps. I just ask one of them.🙂

[RMDPhoenix]

Thanks everyone.  Great info.  I’m A-ok not having my phone on while at sea.  It will be good to disconnect!may get a small wifi plan for our sea day but still on the fence about that 🙂

[lx200gps]

Question: Exactly when does a phone "transfer" from a ship's cell system (the $$$ one) to a shore cell system? We're on a trip starting this weekend Canada/new England out of New York, and I'll be trying a US travel Sim Card (T-Mobile) instead of Bell's Roaming (half the cost and much greater data allowance)

 

When we cruise, on the ship the phone is in airplane mode and we use wifi. When the ship docks and we disembark, at what point would it be OK to turn off airplane mode to ensure we connect to the shore-based T-Mobile network and not to the ship's network. I'd obviously like to ensure I never accidentally connect to the ship's cell system