Cell phones on board ???

[JanetMarie]

Ugh - seems like there's one in every bunch. I guess that's why there's 31 flavors of ice cream, and we don't necessarily like them all. ;)

[Jaxsonbrownie]

Hey hstrybuf, I see you now and then over on another message board, at least I think it's you! Anyway, hello and yes ,in New York it is illegal to drive and yak on those things but I rarely see it being inforced.At least 2 or 3 times every week-end that we are out enjoying our New Harley(post-cruise depression thing!)some idiot yakking away isn't paying attention to what they are supposed to be(DRIVING) and almost runs us off the road!I wish they would enforce it more!

[MaryPoppinz]

I have a sick child who isn't able to vacation with us, so before the days of being able to communicate with home, we would have stayed home (and did, for many many years.) In the early years, I didn't leave home during the day at all, in case a teacher or nurse might call. So, I appreciate the flexibility that being able to stay in touch has provided me over the last 8 or 9 years.

 

I'm pretty grateful to be able to take an occasional vacation now, and we can draw on grandparents who are very capable caregivers. But, occasionally, our input is needed in order to make good decisions for our child. Our family has a higher level of peace of mind when I'm able to stay in touch by email and when I'm able to make calls home.

 

For the most part, I do this in port, but I have, on occasion, been able to make a cell call from my cabin. I think the most private possible location is the appropriate place to make and receive cell calls no matter where you are. On a ship, that's your cabin. When I'm not traveling, I don't use my cell phone where others can listen (yikes!) or be disturbed, and it's on vibrate.

 

So, I wouldn't use a cell phone in a public area of a ship where you can't help but be aware that most people would rather *not* be reminded of what may await when they return to the ratrace. But, I would appreciate being able to use it, and I'm willing to tolerate quite a lot of expense for this peace of mind.

[sue d. miller]

Mary, total agreement!! You can't beat it for an emergency, or in the case of not wanting to wait for an email. The negative is in the rudeness. :)

[Jaxsonbrownie]

MaryPoppinz-My prayers for your child and your family.Having a child with health issues can make it hard to take that break that we seem to need now and then, but knowing that phone was in our room for ours and her peace of mind made it alot easier for all of us and keeping it in there protected the privacy of all the rest of our fellow passengers.

[Stevie17]

I, for one, think that this will be a total nightmare if the cruise lines don't handle it properly. If they insist upon doing this, then I sure hope that they designate cell phone "areas" within the ship and prevent people from using their phones wherever they see fit.

[MaryPoppinz]

MaryPoppinz-My prayers for your child and your family.

 

Thank you. The very best to your family, as well.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[NASH99]

Rumor has it that cell phone jammers are available. It's like having your own portable Quiet Zone. I'll get my techno-geek nephew to look into this and report back. :D

http://www.phonejammer.com/index..htm

PROVIDES ACOUSTIC ISOLATION - Phone Jammer provides the ultimate solution in any area where cellular communications frequently cause nuisance either by loud incoming call rings or loud telephone conversations. Phone Jammer is suitable in executive offices, board meetings, conferences, seminars, libraries, cinemas, religious places, public transport, concert halls, restaurants and CRUISE SHIPS. :eek:

You can only jam calls near you I think? :confused:

Steveo

Ps I would love this on the tollways around here,They can not talk and drive.

[shellbeachjim]

Generally speaking, I agree that cell phones have no business being taken on vacation. I put walkie talkies in the same category. I'm required to carry a pager and laptop computer for work, and the very last thing I want to see on vacation is some sort of communication device which reminds me of the tethers I'm forced to use for work. I am on vacation after all.

 

However, there's always an exception. On our cruise from Ft. Lauderdale a couple of years ago I called my father shortly after our departure from our balcony to wish him a happy birthday. He was very tickled to receive a call while I was somewhere out in the ocean. At the end of the call, the phone was turned off and put in the safe, never to be seen again until after we arrived back in Ft. Lauderdale at the end of the cruise.

[Froufie]

I don't want to hear phones ringing or general chatting while on deck trying to relax.....but I do agree that having a cellphone around for an emergency call is necessary.

 

I am leaving 3 children at home - 2 eldest with their dad (ex) but youngest staying w/caregiver and I would feel much better knowing that we could be contacted in case of a medical emergency (I have prepared a medical consent form w/all required information). We will probably try and call from some ports just to check up on him and say hi!

 

Otherwise don't bother us, we're busy enjoying our cruise! :D :D

[catmand]

...................Ken, if I may, you mentioned what we might be hearing as "guess where I am" while I think you are on the right track I believe the conversation would more likely start with "guess where I am AT"

[edYYZ]

I must add my two cents worth...

 

If I can, and want to use my cell phone on a cruise ship, and am not carrying on hours of conversations in public places (which I can't imagine are quiet enough to allow me to do so anyway), it should be my business, not that of my fellow passengers. And I should not have to explain why I feel the need to do so to anyone.

 

When you cruise with 2000+ other people, you must exhibit tolerance in a myriad of ways. I don't feel compelled to "correct" anyone else for their over-drinking, eating or smoking, or lack of manners in themselves or their children. As in anything else, there is a polite way and impolite way to use a cell phone, and if you see me using mine on a future cruise, I hope you won't feel compelled to comment to me on it either.

 

I agree with this. Everyone says that ringing cellphones and people on them would get in the way of relaxing on a cruise. Stressing out about every annoying thing people around you are doing is what really gets in the way. If you can just tolerate it and say to yourself "who cares", there would be a lot less stress already :D. And as far as commenting people using cell phones, I'm sure that would only be more detrimental to both parties as far as being able to relax on a cruise.

[dosi]

I really do not like cell phones. I have come to a conclusion that cell phones and answering machines and call waiting have all been invented by the phone company only to make extra money. The phone companies have brain washed the public into believing all these extras are necessities but they really aren't.

 

Years ago when I was a kid (okay years and years ago) if you phoned someone long distance and they weren't home that was the end of it. Now you get a machine and as soon as that machine picks up you are paying a long distance call charge. Calling your mom long distance and she has call waiting?....well if she is talking with someone else and knows you will be home she tells you to call back later.....now you have paid for that "mini call" and the next one you will be making later on.

 

No I don't believe cell phones are really necessary for anyone. We may like to think we are all so important that the world must be able to contact us 24/7 but we really aren't.....it is just our wallets that are important to the telecommunications industry.

 

Stepping off soap box.....NOW. :o

[edYYZ]

No I don't believe cell phones are really necessary for anyone. We may like to think we are all so important that the world must be able to contact us 24/7 but we really aren't.....it is just our wallets that are important to the telecommunications industry.

 

Well I guess you really have to look at the situation. If cell phones could be used on ships, we'd keep one on in our room all the time because we have very old seniors back at home. That way, if there was an emergency they'd be able to contact us. I would consider using a cell phone in a situation like that quite necessary. Just having one so that friends can call you, however, isn't.

[dosi]

Actually two of them, and when they were younger they had old seniors that they worried about. As a matter of fact, when my grandpa was around 85 and in not too great health my parents went to Europe for 6 weeks. They left an intinerary with the neighbor and that was it.

 

I just honestly believe that if it is a grave enough emergency and you have left the ship to shore number then that is all you need. You also have access to email and if need be you could check that every day too.

 

 

Suppose you were to receive a call with really bad news....if you are at sea there really is nothing you could do....possibly plan a return flight at the next port but most just sit on your hands and be worried and sad til you got into your next destination. No, for me, I would just as soon either not know or just be called ship to shore if something is very very wrong.

[edYYZ]

Actually two of them, and when they were younger they had old seniors that they worried about. As a matter of fact, when my grandpa was around 85 and in not too great health my parents went to Europe for 6 weeks. They left an intinerary with the neighbor and that was it.

 

I just honestly believe that if it is a grave enough emergency and you have left the ship to shore number then that is all you need. You also have access to email and if need be you could check that every day too.

 

 

Suppose you were to receive a call with really bad news....if you are at sea there really is nothing you could do....possibly plan a return flight at the next port but most just sit on your hands and be worried and sad til you got into your next destination. No, for me, I would just as soon either not know or just be called ship to shore if something is very very wrong.

Dosi, that's true that if you did receive bad news on the ship you probably wouldn't be able to do anything about it but worry, but I think it would make the seniors feel better knowing they had a way to get in touch if they needed to. The problem is, our very old seniors (90) can't speak any english - which would probably make the ship number difficult for them to use. They also have no idea how to use a computer or the internet, so keeping in touch by email isn't a choice. But I do agree with you in that the best way with seniors is to leave contact information with a close friend or relative - that's how we've been doing it all these years :).

[SueSea]

I gotta side with the tiny minority who say bring on the cell phones. Do I want to hear loud, obnoxious cell phone conversations? No, but then I don't want to hear loud, obnoxious conversations by two people who happen to be sitting by me. Plenty of people are disruptive without the aid of a cell phone. While there are plenty of people who talk on cell phones in a normal speaking voice, not all cell phone users are aware that the microphones on cell phones are powerful enough to pick up a someone speaking at normal volume. There aren't many who like to ask a stranger to speak a little lower or turn their ringer down, but there is something you can do. If you have a friend or family member who is a cell phone shouter, point it out to them. Ask them to perform a little test. Call them up on their cell phone. When they start talking to you, ask them to speak at their normal volume. When they do, tell them you heard them perfectly. (If you find it hard to hear them, check to see if their phone has a microphone volume setting.) By the way, I tried this with my sister who is now reformed.

 

As for ringing, most cell phones can be set to vibrate or a low ringer, so the loud ringing does not have to be a problem. Set up a sign at embarkation to turn your ringers down or off positioned just before the gangway and most people will be happy to comply.

 

If cell users are considerate, what's the problem? If they are not considerate, then they'll probably find a way to iritate you without their cell phone! And if they hold a loud, animated conversation with someone right next to you, then you have to hear both sides!

[edYYZ]

If they are not considerate, then they'll probably find a way to iritate you without their cell phone! And if they hold a loud, animated conversation with someone right next to you, then you have to hear both sides!

 

Haha this is so true! :D

[srphnx]

I bring one, use it when possible ON AN OPEN DECK away from others.

[bubr61971]

Let me add to the things that have to be dealt with on a cruise that is just as upsetting as a ringing cell phone. On any cruise you go on get in an elevator with 20 people talking ten different languages. Is that noise just as upsetting as a ringing cell phone. But do we have a bad cruise because we cannot understand every bodies language. Is it right for you to jam a cell phone around you when someone may need to receive a call that is life threatening. Come on you people...If you just do what you want and let everybody else do what they want to do. If you block out the language barrier then block out the cell phone.

[Cruise2End]

You know the saddest thing of all - cell phones have caused us to communicate more, but we are all truly communicating less! I see far too many people that can no longer communicate or have forgotten the simple courtesy for those they are with. You see people in a restaurant with others, but talking on a cell phone. You see a couple walking across a street, obviously together, but each talking to someone else on a cell phone. The other unfortunate thing is the darn things don't come with instructions ---- and I don't mean just how to turn on, off, program or use the voice mail. I'm referring to not using them on a regular basis in public (unless you move away from the crowd for privacy (restaurants, hotel lobbies, buses and trains and their terminals/stations). My mother would call me at work just because she had some free minutes to use... say what??? I think the cell phone can be a Godsend for those with very ill family members, those who must travel in remote areas alone, etc.but sad to say for every one person that uses a cell for those reasons, there are 999 that are using them because they think it's "cool"!

[RonnieS]

It's not just cell phones I want to get away from. I want to feel a little bit like Gilligan when off in the tropics. Like the popular title jingle to the series..."No phones, no lights, no motorcars, not a single luxury, like Robinson Crusoe it's primitive as can be". Well, as we all know a cruise is not so primitive. But ya know, for a few moments when I'm sitting on a secluded beach somewhere staring out at the beautiful ocean, nothing but me, palm trees, sand and water..... and I'm day dreaming about Maryann and Ginger I don't want to be interupted by somebody's cutsie ring tones!!! LOL

[Kallen]

During our sailaway party on the Grand last March, there was this twenty-something idiot standing beside us on deck 15 overlooking the pool, trying to talk on his cell! Needless to say, he had to yell his head off over top of the Macarena bellowing down below and the ship's horn, and his very loud phone conversation with one of his girlfriends really turned us off. Oh, how I would have loved to have taken the phone from his hand and turfed it over-board. Cell phones are fine in your cabin, especially for emergencies, but don't disturb others' enjoyment of the cruise.

[lynn1]

NO NO NO! I don't want to hear those ringing machines on my nice quiet cruise to get away from it all.

[WazAnOkie]

Interesting thoughts and opinions both ways on this.

 

I totally agree that I am going to get away from everyday happenings. Including pagers, ringing phones, and others talking loudly with a cell phone stuck to the side of their head......

 

I do however take my cell phone, mainly for pre- and post- cruise activities.

 

The first thing we do after finding our room is turn the cell phone off (to save the battery) and plant it in the safe so we dont have to worry about it. We have provided 'emergency' contact info to those that need it, in the event we need to be reached. Since we are on the move so much, and the ship is moving, I would not want to depend on a personal cell phone for emergencies.

Used properly and courteously, they are fine - but like a lot of other issues, there are always a few that cause the problem for many..........