Cingular International Plan

[MSEm]

Does the Cingular International Plan allow you to receive and make calls to the USA while you are on the ship. If you are in a port can you still use the Cingular International Plan if you are on the ship? I know when I went to Europe (land trip) I had to go to the Worldwide Plan so that I could make calls back to the USA. Thanks for the help.

[Grumpy1]

The best thing would be to go to the Cingular website and look for the link to International Roaming. You can enter your phone make and model and find out which countries are compatible with your phone, what the rates are in each country, any special dialing instructions, etc. With International roaming enabled, you should be able to call the USA and receive calls from the USA and also make calls within the country you are in. Calls to other countries might require a different plan.

[littledylansmom]

we were told on 2/17 sailing that cingular was the only carrier that didn't sign on with holland america. so we could not make any calls while at sea. phone worked in st thomas and san juan had to dial international code on other islands.

[noblepa]

It is my understanding that the onboard cell phone equipment, that allows you to use a cell phone at sea, must be turned off when the ship is in port. This applies to all ships, not just HAL. This is because the cruise lines are not licensed as cell phone carriers in the various countries that they visit.

 

So, when you're in port, even if you're aboard ship, your cell phone will connect to a land-based tower, assuming that there is one close enough to the pier, rather than the onboard relay.

 

I have Cingular as my cell phone carrier. When we went on the Oosterdam last April to the Mexican Riviera, I called Cingular. They had to enable roaming in Mexico, but I did not have to sign up for an International plan or any other plan that added to my per-month charges. There was a $0.99 per minute calling charge and my monthly allowance of airtime didn't apply, but I only paid for the calls that I made.

 

I have checked Cingular's website, and it appears (I could be wrong, I'm going to call them to make sure) that my normal national plan applies in St. Thomas and San Juan, two of the stops on our next cruise, on the Zuiderdam in April. (three and a half weeks. I can hardly wait).

[Herrbeir]

I checked with Cingular and the cost on board through HAL is $2.49/minute.

 

St Thomas and San Juan are part of the nationwide plan. I called to St Thomas from my cell phone and was not charged for the call.

 

I only intend on using my phone in the dining room and the theater.

[regina07]

I am going to the Mexican Rivera on this Sunday, on the RCCL. I called Cingular today and they stated that the cost would be $2.49 min to call the USA. That would be out at sea, but in port it would be 99 cent a min. I found out that it is cheaper to text message then call. To text it would be 50 cent a message to go out and to receive one it would be 15 cent.

I hope this helps, it sure did help me to call and save money and to have a peace of mind.:D

[mushroom]

Herrbeir....cute!

[island lady]

I was wondering that too, as I am on the "O' to Alaska.

 

I know that calling in and to Canada can be quite costly, but I am assuming that once we cruise into Alaska that it will be a local call again.

 

It was local to and from Hawaii, and also to the US Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

 

Can anyone else verify the local calls into and out of Alaska?

 

Cheers? :)

[Grumpy1]

I was wondering that too, as I am on the "O' to Alaska.

 

I know that calling in and to Canada can be quite costly, but I am assuming that once we cruise into Alaska that it will be a local call again.

 

It was local to and from Hawaii, and also to the US Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

 

Can anyone else verify the local calls into and out of Alaska?

 

Cheers? :)

Yes Alaska is still part of the Good Ol USA and it's a local call on your national cell plan.

[island lady]

Yes Alaska is still part of the Good Ol USA and it's a local call on your national cell plan.

 

Thanks Grumpy, for the confirmation. :)

 

I was assuming it was the same, but noticed on the Cingular web page that it is a "partner" affliate.

Looks like I get to "IL..phone home!"

 

Cheers! :)

[AWED23]

I checked with Cingular and the cost on board through HAL is $2.49/minute.

 

St Thomas and San Juan are part of the nationwide plan. I called to St Thomas from my cell phone and was not charged for the call.

 

I only intend on using my phone in the dining room and the theater.

Please do not forget the Black Jack table after dinner.....:D

[cle1]

We are leaving for Europe in April, so I checked with Cingular, about calling the states from Europe, and was told....without a plan, it was $1.25 pr. minute, and all you do is dial 1+AC+number

[twoatsea]

When planning for a trip to Italy last fall, I was told the same thing by Cingular about per minute costs - $1.29 w/o international plan & $.99 w/plan.

 

However, during previous trips I have found roaming costs to be much more than per minute costs. So I asked & was told - with the international plan, Cingular would not charge me any roaming.

 

However, I was suspect about the way the answer was stated ("Cingular will not charge you roaming.") & since getting stuck with very high non-Cingular roaming charges before, I ask - "Will another provider charge me roaming?" The answer was, "Probably. We can't guarantee that you will not connect with a stronger signal from a local provider."

 

So, I didn't chance it. Has anyone used Cingular in Europe? If so, were you charged roaming by another provider? Where & how much?

 

Thanks.

[MSEm]

If you are going to Europe you will need to get Cingular Wordwide to make and receive calls from your QUAD band cell phone. If your phone is not QUAD band it will not work in many areas of Europe. I had to go in to local office to finally get my phone on WORLDWIDE (Not international). Local store reps did not know that Wordwide and International was not the same plan. Also there is a special way to call a USA number. If you are in Europe your cell phone will connect to the local network. You must key in the county code for the USA.

[MSEm]

I have used Cingular while in Germany for 5 weeks. I got Cingular WORLDWIDE (Not International). I was charged the stated rates in the plan. It was much cheaper using my Cingular WORLDWIDE plan with my phone than to use the phone in the hotel room to make local calls. European hotels phone calls and internet connections are expensive. If you are traveling to several countries, get a list of the country codes. Good luck

[twoatsea]

Thanks, that is good info. So it appears the US country code will prevent the local companies from charging me a roaming charge & I need Worldwide plan, not International. Great. Thanks again. I'll give it a try!

 

What about incoming calls? Does the local company grab your signal & then charge roaming?

[MSEm]

The code to reach the USA from Europe is 00 + 1 + area code + phone number. On my cell phone there was one key I could push for the 00 + 1. You will tie into the local network in Europe. If you have your Cingular cell phone on the Worldwide plan anyone in the USA will call you as they normally key in your cell number. When I was in Germany for 5 weeks my husband had surgery. It was great for family to call and reach me anywhere I had cell service. We actually had my husband's cell phone unlocked and purchased a sims card in Germany. This gave him a German cell phone. All incoming calls to his phone were no charge. Local hotels charge you for all outgoing and incoming calls.

Also check your Credit Card for Foreign Exchange fees (1-2%) and Transaction cost (another 2-4%). All cards have the exchange fee, but many cards are making lots of money on the transaction cost (2-4%). I called my credit card companies and used only those cards with NO TRANSACTIONS Fees.