Gps

[perrycruiser]

Any body else take there GPS when they cruise? I just finished up a 10 sea of cortez cruise on the Ryndam, and found it to be entertaining to have it along.

 

PC

[pms4104]

Indeed, we take our handheld Garmins and do some geocaching on the islands ... it's a hobby and, if you aren't familiar, check out www.geocaching.com. Also, we use the GPS to mark waypoints while onshore ... like the pier, so we can make our way back to the ship in case we get turned around. Very handy in many respects.

[hawgwildterry]

I use Microsoft Streets & Trips w/GPS every time we are cruising. Just helps pass the time and gives general information where we are and how fast we are moving.

 

[NoNoNanette]

I've got a question for you guys....

 

We've been playing around with the idea of a portable GPS, but......

 

All of our cruises, thus far, have been Caribbean.

 

Do the popular GPS products (Garmin, etc.) come loaded with CARIBBEAN info? I thought that it was just continental US.

 

(I think it would be great fun to GPS my way through a cruise) :)

[pms4104]

NoNo ... our handhelds came with basic U.S. maps loaded and we purchased more detailed U. S. mapping software as well. My husband also has a talking Garmin for the car, and that one also came with U.S. maps. You may be able to buy additional mapping software thru Garmin for other parts of the world and/or hemisphere, but we never found the need to do so. Other GPS manufacturers may offer other options.

[CRUISNDIVA]

Talk about weird timing....I just got my GPS stolen out of my friggin' truck last night :eek: :eek:

 

Guess where I'll be going this weekend......the electronics store. :(

 

Is there a way to "lock" the GPS system so if it gets stolen it can't be used :confused:

[Bill S]

I always take my Garming eTrex Vista C handheld GPS receiver with us on cruises. It comes with software for North America highways and sreets. While at sea, it will show very little detail, but does show outlines of countries, continents and the names of large islands and capital cities, but no road details (unless you purchase additional mapping software for the part of the world where you are cruising/going).

I use it to create waypoints along the route we are sailing and also the ports we are at. If we are going ashore on our own at a large city, I will take the unit ashore after "marking" our ship location so if we get lost, at least we can find our way back to the ship.

I haven't been geocaching in a long while, but our grandson has been introduced to it and he loves finding the "treasure", so we will likely resume the activity soon! :D

[cruznon]

My husband always takes his GPS along. He has a Garmin and brought a "Blue Chart" for it and it gives ocean details--Alaska to South America and Caribbean. (You can buy for different areas of the world)

It's great in Alaska--all the names of islands and small towns. It also gives ocean depths, tides, underwater obstacles, etc.

He loves it!

[SEPyle]

I'm so glad to hear Garmin works in Alaska! Someone mentioned it works for the contental US with the basic. Are you saying Alaska is included? We're doing 10 nights land on our own; plus Southbound on the Volendam.

 

I'm really looking forward to using it on the inside passage! With that said, I just thought of another question: Will it work for the inside passage that is in Canada?

[kenish]

Bill S- Noticed you're in Las Vegas. FYI www.gpscity.com is located in LV, I've been very happy with their prices and customer service. It might save you shipping cost and delay, or having to return something you bought sight unseen.

 

For those not in LV, there are several other good e-tailers out there so shop around!!

[cruznon]

SEPyle,

DH used GPS throughout Inside Passage. (You can bring up Blue Chart on GPS screen at home now and it will show you the area it covers.)

I'm not really a "gadget" person, but it's a really amazing one! You can zoom in and out to follow ship's course. Then, when in port, it has all streets/roads and points of interest.

[NoNoNanette]

What a great thread. Very informative. My thanks to you all. :)

[Bill S]

Kenish: yes, GPS City is about 2 miles from our house and I have been there to pick up a RAM mount--great store! I ordered it on their website and picked it up 30 minutes later. Thanks!

[AAL]

I'm so glad to hear Garmin works in Alaska! Someone mentioned it works for the contental US with the basic. Are you saying Alaska is included?

 

Some Garmin products do not come preloaded with maps for Alaska and Canada (the nuvi 200 and 200w). I think all the other nuvis include the Alaska maps -- I know my nuvi 350 came with Alaska maps.

[SEPyle]

Thanks so much AAL, actually I asked my husband after I posted and he said we have North America on ours. You can tell who the technical one is in our family. I love our GPS, and we enjoy our Matilda on trips. We call her Matilda because we have ours set for the Australian voice. She just seems to have a bit of attitude, especially when she says: RECACULATING. She just doesn't quite understand getting off the road for those necessary stops! We fired her once, but missed her attitude!

[Taxguy7]

I really envy you. I was in Ireland 50 years ago and found the people to be extra friendly. Be sure and look out the airplane window as you aproach your landing to see why they call it "The Emerald Island"/

[vbmom87]

My husband always takes his GPS along. He has a Garmin and brought a "Blue Chart" for it and it gives ocean details--Alaska to South America and Caribbean. (You can buy for different areas of the world)

It's great in Alaska--all the names of islands and small towns. It also gives ocean depths, tides, underwater obstacles, etc.

He loves it!

 

Could you tell me which Garmin model you have that you can purchase the Blue Chart for?

[cruznon]

vbmom,

Husband says it's a Garmin QUE 3200 and he then bought the Blue Chart and downloaded. He says there are newer models now(his is 2 years old)

He used 4 x4 books.com to locate blue charts info and purchased.

Hope this is helpful.

[cruznon]

kenish,

That gpscity site is great. I passed it on to DH--he'll love it.

[vbmom87]

vbmom,

Husband says it's a Garmin QUE 3200 and he then bought the Blue Chart and downloaded. He says there are newer models now(his is 2 years old)

He used 4 x4 books.com to locate blue charts info and purchased.

Hope this is helpful.

 

Thank you. I did email garmin to ask if you could use blue chart with the nuvi garmin models. That was what we considered buying. They did say it is compatible, however, not recommended since the nuvis are not waterproof. I don't plan on dropping it in the ocean and if I did it would be long gone. I guess one would just have to make sure not to use it in the rain. We will think about this one. It sure sounds great. We have Joe Upton's Alaska Cruise Handbook and the two together would probably be great tools to know where we were and what everything was.

[perrycruiser]

:D WOW!!! when I started this thread didn't think it would get so many replies. Glad to see there are others who like to play with them. I actually bought my GPS to use fishing in Alaska. We go on one of the self guided trips and we're provided maps with GPS coordinates for various fishing locations, so it is a very valuable tool. Not to mention if you find a great fishing spot anywhere you can mark it and return to that same location.

 

Thanks for all the great replies.

 

PC