Alaskan cruise - US Cell Roaming?

[lesters]

We are taking our first Alaskan cruise this June out of Seattle and I was comparing the cost of buying the premium wifi online (DD may have an online class) compared with our providers US roaming and it might be better to just add on the US package (we are SaskTel).  I am  planning on having a chat with them directly as well but in the meantime… Curious if the Alaskan cruise is all US roaming or if you are « international » and then flip into that type of expensive rate.  
 

As always thanks for any insight!

[CDNPolar]

I don't know for certain, but I am not sure that you would always be connected to a network when you are at sea - Canada or USA.

 

I think that you need to understand the cruise route and what network you would be connecting to?

 

We often find that we are too far out to sea to be connected to a network, so even when we have roaming, we still rely on the Wifi to connect us when we are not able to connect to a land network.

[mom says]

I don't think you will always be close enough to shore to guarantee a shore side cellular connection, Canadian OR US. You do NOT want to end up paying the Cellular at Sea rates!

[mrgabriel]

We've done a couple of Alaska cruises including one last June through the Inside Passage. I could get one bar of Shaw (Canadian) coverage when we were close to the Canadian shoreline. Same thing when on International Roaming and close to U.S. land. (I had a Roaming package.)

 

Cellular coverage diminishes once the ship sails away from the shore. If you're wanting to catch up on cellular when the ship is sailing away after a port, you'll have a bit of time post sailaway (sometimes I had maybe an hour with a bar or two) before cellular coverage disappears. Being able to see land doesn't mean you'll have cellular coverage. 

 

 

[*Miss G*]

20 hours ago, lesters said:

Curious if the Alaskan cruise is all US roaming or if you are « international » and then flip into that type of expensive rate.  
 

 

It will be US and Canada as long as your phone can connect to onshore services.  Once you reach about 12 nautical miles out (+/-) you will lose onshore services and Cellular at Sea kicks in.  

 

If you can see 4G/5G/LTE with airplane mode disabled (3G in Alaska) you are connected to land-based services and don’t need to worry about international charges.  If it still says Cellular at Sea (or something other than the above) turn airplane mode back on until Cellular at Sea disconnects.

 

We did an Alaskan itinerary last September.  I kept my phone in airplane mode and only disabled it whilst in port.  Alaskan cruises aren’t known for great connectivity so I wouldn’t waste money to purchase, nor rely on it for online classes.  If your daughter can wait until she reaches port to log into classes then she’s good to go.

 

Edited March 8, 2023 by *Miss G*

[mousehole]

Because you are leaving from Seattle you will be travelling on the outside of the islands you will not have any cell coverage when at sea.  When doing the inside passage you occasionally get some service in certain areas, but is very spotty at might only be for 15 minutes or less.  I myself would not try to rely on cell on a  Alaska cruise, as you can only be certain to get service when in port.   I would suggest adding a ship's wifi package to meet your needs.  

 

[dawnvip]

Agree with other postings above. DH and I did Alaska inside passage trip last summer and as we are from BC, expected to be able to use our cellphones until outside of BC waters. Nope! 

I think we had cell coverage for the first 4 hours and then nada. Fine once were were in port with a US add-on roaming (with Telus) but otherwise we had to rely on ship's wifi.