Cell phone service on Summit

[letsgomets]

Can anyone confirm the latest info regarding cell phones on Summit? My understanding is that phones like Verizon's won't work but t-mobile and AT&T will work and you pay a special (high) roaming rate on board the ship. Is that correct?

 

Also, I see from an earlier posting that laptops with wireless can be used in the internet cafe and some public hot spots, but not rooms. Can anyone comment on how slow the network is? When I was on Noordam two years ago, it was agonizingly slow.

 

thanks.

[Lsimon]

The cost of cell phone service on the ships is dependant on your carrier. The only way to find out for sure is to contact your cell provider - most have an "international roaming" page which lists the rates for cruise ships as well as other countries. For example:

AT&T rate page - click here

Verizon rate page - click here

 

In the past they have not had any rate information on-board the ship. So if you are interested find out ahead of time.

 

We've found coverage and reception on the cruise ship to be spotty at best. Sometimes we can get a signal in our room and sometimes not.

 

One other tip - before you leave call your cell phone provider's customer service and make sure you have "international roaming" enabled. If you don't then it will not work and it is not automatic that you'll have this. There is no charge for this unless you use it. They do offer a discount package for a small monthly fee but this will not get you a discount on the rates from the ship - only on land based international rates.

 

The internet speed on the ships, from your wireless laptop or the internet cafe on board is very slow. There have been times it has taken me 10 minutes just to check my email and read one or 2 messages and sometimes I've given up after 5 minutes. The speed is dependant on both the quality of the ship's satellite reception, which is inconsistent, and net work traffic. Network traffic is slower during popular times like late afternoon. It is fastest very late at night or very early in the morning. But even in these times service could be slow due to the quality of the ship's satellite connection. At best you'll find the connection on par with a fast dial up connection and usually much slower. Forget anything like a home broadband connection.

[jayred1]

My Verizon phone was able to connect while at sea two weeks ago. When the ship was in port it appeared that they turned their tower off so that you connect via whatever systems are available on the island (this minimizes interference with any local resident calls possibly connecting via the ship rather than their "home" networks).

 

A suggestion to minimize the cost is to txt message. On Verizon the cost was $0.50 per text, so I was able to send some brief info to family members for less than a voice call (and having the $$ rack up while answering everyone's questions about how the cruise was going!).

[letsgomets]

Thanks. I'll probably mostly use my T-Mobile blackberry, which I presume from the prior posts should work. Anyone believe otherwise?

[Lsimon]

Thanks. I'll probably mostly use my T-Mobile blackberry, which I presume from the prior posts should work. Anyone believe otherwise?

 

The data rates at sea or internationally will not be unlimited and could rack up very fast.

[ccletzgo]

My Verizon phone was able to connect while at sea two weeks ago. When the ship was in port it appeared that they turned their tower off so that you connect via whatever systems are available on the island (this minimizes interference with any local resident calls possibly connecting via the ship rather than their "home" networks).

 

A suggestion to minimize the cost is to txt message. On Verizon the cost was $0.50 per text, so I was able to send some brief info to family members for less than a voice call (and having the $$ rack up while answering everyone's questions about how the cruise was going!).

 

 

I agree about the texting. I had some rather lengthy, but to the point conversations with my daughter back home by text and for a 11 day cruise my cell phone bill was an extra $20.00... VERY reasonable..(verizon)

[nmtraveler]

We were on Mercury in December and the Prepaid ALLTEL phone worked like a charm. AND the price was $0.15 cents per minute. Don't know why but the cell phone gods must have been watching over us!!!

[Terre]

I was wondering about the prepaid phones. I have an AT&T Go Phone. Anyone have experience with that?

[Texed]

I have a feeling my phone won't work when I get on Summit next week, because I 'm not turning the stupid thing on. :D

[letsgomets]

I wish I had the ability to do the same thing when I join you next week (particularly my blackberry)! But don't worry, I'll keep it hidden away in the room.

[cvaty]

Can anyone confirm the latest info regarding cell phones on Summit? My understanding is that phones like Verizon's won't work but t-mobile and AT&T will work and you pay a special (high) roaming

T-mobile will work for you on shore but not while on you are on sea in Europe,if you question refers to Europe.

[Terre]

I have a feeling my phone won't work when I get on Summit next week, because I 'm not turning the stupid thing on. :D

LOL!!! That's one way not to have to use it!

[schnoobie]

On the verizon website it lists onboard call rates with the roaming rate shown below:

Roaming Rate: $2.49

At the bottom these text rates are shown:

Text Messaging Rates:

$0.50/address sent

$0.05/message received

 

I don't get it...How is roaming charged? as you send the text?

I just want to text the others we will be onboard with and we are already on a family plan with unlimited text messaging.........

Have emailed verizon but haven't gotten a response.

[ccletzgo]

On the verizon website it lists onboard call rates with the roaming rate shown below:

Roaming Rate: $2.49

At the bottom these text rates are shown:

Text Messaging Rates:

$0.50/address sent

$0.05/message received

 

I don't get it...How is roaming charged? as you send the text?

I just want to text the others we will be onboard with and we are already on a family plan with unlimited text messaging.........

Have emailed verizon but haven't gotten a response.

 

Your family plan wont matter while on the ship. You will be using the ships system. You will be charged as you stated above from verizon's web site and it will be on your next verizon bill. I wouldn't suggest using text messaging as a way to communicate with others on the ship. Could get expensive..