What is a DECT Phone?

[ckp19]

Hi! just read on another thread about passengers using dect phones on the FOS. This will be our 1st RCI cruise , is this something different than the $6.95 or more/minute ship to shore phone we have used from our Cranival stateroom?

Just curious if there is a less expensive way to reach home other than by internet. we are taking the kids this time however i will be calling daily to check on my Dad.

 

Thanks

[cb at sea]

They are for calling on the ship--not for placing calls OFF the ship! (You can't call home with one---they're sort of like "walkie talkies" for shipboard use.)

 

E-mail IS the cheapest way to contact home. You could buy an international calling card at a port, and use the payphone to call home...that might be less expensive than using a cell phone. Whatever you do, do NOT use a payphone and charge it to your home or credit card!!!!!

[ziggypup]

Hi! just read on another thread about passengers using dect phones on the FOS. This will be our 1st RCI cruise , is this something different than the $6.95 or more/minute ship to shore phone we have used from our Cranival stateroom?

Just curious if there is a less expensive way to reach home other than by internet. we are taking the kids this time however i will be calling daily to check on my Dad.

 

Thanks

 

The Dect is just a cordless extension of your cabin phone. Just think of it as a cordless phone in your home. You can take it with you all over the ship.

[macd4]

You can use your cell phone on board the ship when you're not in port. Your cell phone bill will include an extra $2.50 per voice minute for international roaming. Text messages cost about $0.50 each, and data is about $0.02 per kbyte (which can add up to crazy-high fees if you have a data phone). Confirm details with your cell phone provider before you go.

[martinchem]

Be careful!

[ziggypup]

You can use your cell phone on board the ship when you're not in port. Your cell phone bill will include an extra $2.50 per voice minute for international roaming. Text messages cost about $0.50 each, and data is about $0.02 per kbyte (which can add up to crazy-high fees if you have a data phone). Confirm details with your cell phone provider before you go.

 

And depending on who provides your cell phone service, you might have to call them to have the international roaming feature activated. Some phones won't work oversea's. You might need to have a GSM phone.

[macd4]

Here are a couple links with phone numbers to confirm with your carrier.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/pdf/RCI_Connected.pdf

http://www.cellularatsea.com/roaming.htm

 

Both GSM and CDMA are compatible with the on-board cell service.

[ckp19]

Thanks for your information everyone

[djmutters]

I spoke with my mobile company today(T-mobile) and asked about international roaming features etc and they much they charge and this is what they advised me.

 

(1) Turn off your voicemail otherwise you get charged upto 3 times the ammount abroad.

 

(2) Was advised to turn off the internet access off because this costs loads.

 

(3) T-mobile offer some good calling plans(Bolt-On) for phoning from abroad and I decided to opt for 80-minutes for just under £20.00 this is plenty to phone home some days and check everything is ok and remind them to walk the dogs and water the plants.

 

Whilst you may not be with T-Mobile most good mobile companys nowdays do offer these bolt-ons:) or/and calling plans for calling from abroad.

[jannam]

I happened to just call my provider (Verizon) about this yesterday. They had to turn on International dialing on my phone and gave me a number to dial to update my international dialing protocols before leaving home. They said on the ship would be $2.49 per minute. They also gave me the rates for the ports I am visiting. San Juan is $.69 per minute. St. Thomas and Samana are $1.99 per minute. And my phone won't get land based service in Labadee.

 

All of this is subject to your specific plan, provider and phone. But that's what they said for me, to give you an idea.