Cell Phone Suggestion

[MSPCUBS]

This may be a no brainer to most of you, but it was something I wasn't aware of and wish I had known sooner. If you are using a cell phone on your cruise, be sure to turn it off and turn it back on when you reach a new port. That is the only way it will search for service. I kept thinking my phone didn't have service until someone told me about this.

[ab0si]

Most phones have other ways to search for and/or change networks but, what the heck, your method will work on most phones, also.

[nparmelee]

And unless you like being woken up in the middle of the night, you may want to turn off your cell anyway at night. We had a 1:00 am wake up call from a shoe store at home telling my hubby the his shoes he was having resoled were ready to be picked up...... There's always somebody who didn't get the message you'd be out of town and please don't call. Our cells don't need to be turned off/on to find the local service but some do.

[Globaliser]

Most phones shouldn't need to be turned off and then on again. All the phones that I use (and everyone else I know uses) are set to search for another available network whenever they lose the network that they've been logged on to.

 

But even my phone sometimes plays up. And if it does, then switching it off and then on again will kick-start the process, because it forces the phone to search for a network as it boots up.

[Fblack]

Most experienced travelers now know to turn off their Blackberry's and Iphones to prevent excess extra charges when their are on a cruise ship and in Europe. These phones are generally setup to automatically search for new e-mails and voice messages. This can add up fast. I have a freind who had a $400 Blackberry bill while on a ship.

[lauderdalebob]

When I was due for a "new every two" phone I got this time a Motorola GSM World Phone so I can use it over in Italy and next year in the Baltic States. I got the SIM card from them (I know, higher rates) but I was concerned about being charged for calls coming in and going right to voicemail and not being answered. They told me as long as I don't answer them or check the voicemail I won't be charged. I will make sure people ONLY call me in an emergency since I don't want a sky high bill and will be able to tell who's calling from Caller ID. Sort of a hassle I suppose, but I do want to stay in touch with home in case something does come up within the 3 weeks I'll be gone.

[Fblack]

Last year I bought a Passport SIM card for my unlocked GSM phone to use in Europe. It worked pretty well. So I was checking the Telestial web site where I bought it and saw a pretty good deal on a basic dual band Siemens phone and their Passport Lite SIM.

 

The rates are not as good as my Passport SIM, the whole package is only $39. A dual band phone will not work in the U.S., Canada or parts of The Caribbean. Calls are about .99 cents and you get free incoming calls in France, UK, Italy and Spain.

 

http://www.telestial.com/promo/packlite.php