Cell Phone Usage - Bermuda & Bahamas - Verizon

[goldesq]

Anyone use your cell phone on the ship and on land in Bermuda and Bahamas? I am leaving on 5/27 on the Dawn out of NYC!

 

I have Verizon and called to ask what the charges were on land and at sea. They told me that on land in Bermuda would be 69c per minutes plus the satellite fees and surcharges, taxes and tolls. In the Bahamas the fees on land were 1.49 per minute plus satellite, taxes, surcharges and tolls. I asked what satellite fees could run and she said she wouldn't know...ask someone on the ship but they are based on the carrier that picks up the call (which cell tower picks it up). She said to dial *228 to have the phone find the cell towers also when I disembark in each country. While on ship, using a cell, she said I might have some problems making a call as the signals bounce off the water but if you did make a call, you would be using the ships satellite.

 

Has anyone used their cell and what were the charges? Unfortunately I must call work and home several times and cannot use the internet for these calls.

[garycarla]

Usually you can find good information on the carriers website, but it is sketchy on Verizon. They do give Bermuda rates. They talk about cruise ship, but the link goes in a circle.

 

http://mobileoptions.vzw.com/international/index.html

[alazieday]

I have T Mobile. I was told that the rates at sea would be $4.95 per minute. The rep checked to see if myphone would work and then told me that what alot of people do is buy a prepaid card (Iguess he means a chip) and to replace that with your regular chip.

 

It was all so confusing to me, so my brother is giving me his satelite phone, he has 800 prepaid minutes he has to use up by August, as that is when they expire.

 

With a satlelite phone, only thing is he said you may have to go out on deck to get a signal, as alot of times he could not get one from inside.

 

Maybe you can buy a satelite phone, and then just return it after...but my brother told me they are very expensive, he said his was $1500.00 so I better not lose it or I have to pay for it...but they minutes I use are free of charge! LOL

 

call verizon and ask them about purchasing a local card in bahamas....they might know if it works with their phones.

 

short of this, my only other advise, is to keep your phone turned off.. YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR VOICE MAILS YOU RECEIVE IF YOU PHONE IS TURNED ON.

[alazieday]

BYW: here os a link where you can rent a satelite phone by the week:

 

http://search.netscape.com/ns/redir?src=sponsored&requestId=af4b6a8b981a98f0&clickedItemRank=2&userQuery=SATELITE+PHONES&clickedItemURN=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Furl%3Fsa%3DL%26ai%3DBzwCRoft4RIf4OpzUaev2ke8BnZqNDJOV5NABodOoowHAzyQQAhgCIJ5OKAZIijlQk5jpuf3_____AZgB0o8GqgEKcHJvZHVjdGlvbsgBAZUCBUMaCg%26num%3D2%26q%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.satellitephonestore.com&invocationType=-&fromPage=NSCPTop&ampTest=1

[scubagirrl]

Don't know about on the ship, but Verizon doesn't work in the bahamas. They don't have an agreement in place with BATELCO.

T-mobile and Cingular GSM service works (intermittently) if you have a 1900 mhz frequency on your phone. You have to call and set up international service with your carrier. The cost is $2.29 per minute. And you'll be charged for incoming calls that go to voice mail. It's cheaper and easier to pick up a BATELCO Calling Card at the Information Center and use if from a payphone.. The are many scattered around downtown near the dock.

[Bermudalou]

Don't know about on the ship, but Verizon doesn't work in the bahamas. They don't have an agreement in place with BATELCO.

T-mobile and Cingular GSM service works (intermittently) if you have a 1900 mhz frequency on your phone. You have to call and set up international service with your carrier. The cost is $2.29 per minute. And you'll be charged for incoming calls that go to voice mail. It's cheaper and easier to pick up a BATELCO Calling Card at the Information Center and use if from a payphone.. The are many scattered around downtown near the dock.

Last summer,we did make 2 calls from Grand Bahama using Verizon. There was no problem. I don't recall the cost.

[scubagirrl]

Last summer,we did make 2 calls from Grand Bahama using Verizon. There was no problem. I don't recall the cost.

 

Nassau and Freeport have recently gone GSM.. so what worked last year, may not work today.

My verizon used to work.. now it doesn't. I now have Cingular .. works fine both in nassau and in the states.