Walkie-Talkies on Board

[bogeydi]

Has anyone ever used walkie-talkies while on board a ship? My DH and I and another couple are thinking about using them to communicate on board and/or in ports. Will it interfere with ship communication? Does it even work? Thanks for any info.

[taszmom]

It is spotty. Works if you are out on deck. didn't work so well in interior areas like the dining rooms.

[CaribbeanLVR]

Has anyone ever used walkie-talkies while on board a ship? My DH and I and another couple are thinking about using them to communicate on board and/or in ports. Will it interfere with ship communication? Does it even work? Thanks for any info.

 

VERY hit & miss with these.

 

We took some last year ( set of three) one in each room. It worked for a day or two, ie-...... ready for breakfast and stuff. But to be honest it was easier to just pick up the phone and call them.

[satxdiver]

The walkie talkie is actually a FRS or a FRS/GMRS handheld two way radio. The ship is made of metal which acts as a good shield if enough is used. The walls in the staterooms are metal. All of this makes it hard for a signal to get through which points out they work best in the outside areas and not in the bowels of the ship.

 

The FRS radios are authorized 14 channels by the FCC and operate at 500 MW (1/2 watt). The GMRS radios which require a license are authorized an additional 8 channels for a total of 22. FRS radios are legal for use in Mexico but not GMRS. Frequently FRS/GMRS radios are sold which will do both services and are not legal in Mexico.

 

There are 3000+ pax on board and there are 22 channels available. If more than 22 groups use the radios, there will be interference. No matter what the nice salesman or the manufacturer tells you, there are only 22 channels available. So count on some interference.

 

The OP I believe is going to use them in the Caribbean. In Europe they are illegal and can interfere with emergency crews such as fire or ambulance. They can be confiscated and the user fined.

[Schplinky]

You see lots of people squaking into these, screaming "WHAT???" a lot so they don't seem to work too well. i'm also not sure why folks think everyone needs to hear their conversations so loudly, since they keep them turned WAY up. Sorry, it's a pet peeve.

[WNT]

My family of four used our walkie-talkies throughout our 9 day cruise last year aboard the CB, and rarely was there a time that there was interference due to the ship's shielding. In fact, I was amazed how reliable they were, and helpful. Also, at no time did our frequency choice conflict with another user. I would strongly advise using them, as we will in two weeks on our return to the CB

 

Enjoy!

[-Lew-]

You see lots of people squaking into these, screaming "WHAT???" a lot so they don't seem to work too well. i'm also not sure why folks think everyone needs to hear their conversations so loudly, since they keep them turned WAY up. Sorry, it's a pet peeve.

I understand your point of view. However, having used older Motorola two-ways on previous cruises with marginal reception at best, I was pleasantly surprised at the performance of the motorola T9500XLRs we now use onboard ship. There was nowhere on the ship we could not make contact.

 

I understand the concern of those who don’t want to hear people yelling into their two-way radios, but it’s just not necessary with the newer models. There’s no reason to speak any louder than you would in normal conversation.

 

Lew

[Carolyn R]

I will add that you need to leave them on all the time in order for communication to be effective and the static they produce is VERY annoying to anyone in hearing range.

[LarryL]

Keeping in constant contact with your friends can be more work than it's worth and actually diminish your cruising experience. Our first cruise was with friends and we tried to stay together and do things as much as possible. In retrospect, it would have been much better to spend our days doing what we pleased which may not have been with them. Time was wasted trying to accommodate each other. Do yourselves a favor and leave the walkie-talkies home. You will have plenty of time for communicating and discussing the day when you dine, have evening drinks, go to shows, or other activities.

[kooljamming]

You see lots of people squaking into these, screaming "WHAT???" a lot so they don't seem to work too well. i'm also not sure why folks think everyone needs to hear their conversations so loudly, since they keep them turned WAY up. Sorry, it's a pet peeve.

 

If that's your only one then you are doing great. Mine is watching kids go unsupervised for hours and parents acting as if perverts don't go cruising. I am not talking about only sailing. This is followed by Indy 500 grandpa in the scooter, then you have .....................! You are doing well with one.

 

We have had good luck with them for simply reminders with my son. He has a bit more freedom, so I like to have some kind of contact throughout the day. At home this is done using cell phone. I promise to keep the volume down or as always choose a location that is not crowded. I learned some people take it seriously when you tell your child that you take then in the world you can take them out, if they are not behaving:D

[-Lew-]

 

I will add that you need to leave them on all the time in order for communication to be effective and the static they produce is VERY annoying to anyone in hearing range.

That's why the new ones have a vibrate mode so others will not be disturbed. Considerate people will use it.

 

 

Keeping in constant contact with your friends can be more work than it's worth and actually diminish your cruising experience. Our first cruise was with friends and we tried to stay together and do things as much as possible. In retrospect, it would have been much better to spend our days doing what we pleased which may not have been with them. Time was wasted trying to accommodate each other.

Some of us cruise with friends and relatives we actually enjoy being with. :rolleyes:

 

If you have walkie-talkies there's no need to keep in constant contact or make prior plans on where to meet. Using walkie-talkies responsibly can actually add to the cruise experience when cruising with a group.

 

Lew

[LarryL]

 

Some of us cruise with friends and relatives we actually enjoy being with. :rolleyes:

 

 

Lew

 

I'm not sure the point you are trying to make. I would not cruise or spend time with anyone I didn't enjoy being with. That said, I have never been needy enough to feel I had to be joined at the hip with anyone to have a good time or to validate a relationship. What I was saying is that I value hearing what my traveling companions have done that day, face to face, so some eye contact is made. We live in a society of people constantly bleating into some electronic device to the point of infriging on other people or current conversations, be it in a store, restaurant, airplane, even theaters. Part of my love for cruising is that I don't have to put up with it while on board. At least, for the most part.

[Shifra]

I'm not sure the point you are trying to make. I would not cruise or spend time with anyone I didn't enjoy being with. That said, I have never been needy enough to feel I had to be joined at the hip with anyone to have a good time or to validate a relationship. What I was saying is that I value hearing what my traveling companions have done that day, face to face, so some eye contact is made. We live in a society of people constantly bleating into some electronic device to the point of infriging on other people or current conversations, be it in a store, restaurant, airplane, even theaters. Part of my love for cruising is that I don't have to put up with it while on board. At least, for the most part.

 

I totally agree with this. I cruise to leave all this behind. Dh and I cruised with another couple one time and they showed up grinning carrying 4 radios (one for each of us):eek: After the first day I kept conveniently leaving my radio in the cabin, blaming it on a senior moment;). Finally they got the idea and they stopped using it.

 

I can understand that some want to use them for various reasons and thats fine as long as I don't have to hear it. Just remember the ship is big but not so big that you can't find someone. Unless someone doesn't want to be found. :cool:

[MCC retired]

They do work onboard most ships. They also annoy most fellow passengers . There is no need for soooooo much instant communication .

Relax & enjoy the solitude of a cruise vacation.

[kooljamming]

That's why the new ones have a vibrate mode so others will not be disturbed. Considerate people will use it.

 

Some of us cruise with friends and relatives we actually enjoy being with. :rolleyes:

 

If you have walkie-talkies there's no need to keep in constant contact or make prior plans on where to meet. Using walkie-talkies responsibly can actually add to the cruise experience when cruising with a group.

 

Lew

 

I agree 100 percent, the same goes for a drinking or gambling.

If some old grouch, who might even be annoyed at the sound of the wave, and the movement of the ship doesn't want to hear it then he/she can stick a plug in it. If they don't have one then my middle finger is available. They don't have to thank me, I am kind that way:D The ship is big enough to find a spot to do this responsibly/privately. If people are that easily bothered, then this might be the first time I ever say this.......STAY HOME! They might have to listen to people laughing and having fun for minutes, not the second the walkie-talkie message will take. Pffffffff, life seems to bother some people so it's this or something else.

[TomCruises]

The walkie talkie is actually a FRS or a FRS/GMRS handheld two way radio. The ship is made of metal which acts as a good shield if enough is used. The walls in the staterooms are metal. All of this makes it hard for a signal to get through which points out they work best in the outside areas and not in the bowels of the ship.

 

The FRS radios are authorized 14 channels by the FCC and operate at 500 MW (1/2 watt). The GMRS radios which require a license are authorized an additional 8 channels for a total of 22. FRS radios are legal for use in Mexico but not GMRS. Frequently FRS/GMRS radios are sold which will do both services and are not legal in Mexico.

 

There are 3000+ pax on board and there are 22 channels available. If more than 22 groups use the radios, there will be interference. No matter what the nice salesman or the manufacturer tells you, there are only 22 channels available. So count on some interference.

 

The OP I believe is going to use them in the Caribbean. In Europe they are illegal and can interfere with emergency crews such as fire or ambulance. They can be confiscated and the user fined.

 

I have a pair of Midland Two-Way radios which have 36 channels/30 mile range and 121 privacy codes. Picked these up for around $50 and they work great on/off the ship!

[-Lew-]

 

They also annoy most fellow passengers

It's the people using them without regard to their fellow cruisers who are annoying...not the walkie-talkies themselves.

 

We're not sailing in a library. In fact, most areas on a cruise ship are quite noisy: pool areas, Horizon Court and other areas are not quiet at all. Many Princess personnel carry and use two-way radios.

 

Also, the chance that you will be within earshot of someone using a two-way radio is quite small. Very few cruisers use them.

 

Treat anyone using a two-way in a disturbing manner as you would anyone else. Inform them they are annoying others around them.

 

IMHO there are so many other annoying things people do onboard, two-way radios pale in comparison. How about pool chair hogs; loud people in the halls at 3:00am; people touching all the food with their fingers in the buffet line; people saving seats in Princess Theater; t-shirts and jeans in full service restaurants on formal night; and many, many more....

 

Relax & enjoy the solitude of a cruise vacation.

Solitude...the only places I can find solitude on a cruise are in my cabin, on my balcony, or in the steam room... ;)

 

Lew

[rcacace]

I have a pair of Midland Two-Way radios which have 36 channels/30 mile range and 121 privacy codes. Picked these up for around $50 and they work great on/off the ship!

 

Wow, with a range of 30 miles, :rolleyes: it sounds like they'll work everywhere on the ship. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[Schplinky]

Interesting thread. Being told to stay home if I don't want the noise of a walkie-talkie user on my cruise is a lot like the woman who objected when we shushed her at the movie. She turned to her friend and said "can you believe that? If they wanted a quiet movie experience, they should have stayed at home."

 

As with most things, what occurs to some as common courtesy will not even occur to others. For us, it's the people who yell into them, with the incoming volume turned way up, who are annoying, not those who claim here to be using theirs responsibly.

[LarryL]

I agree with Schplinky, this is an interesting thread. The poor OP must think they opened up a real can of worms. I think, regardless of my personal opinions, there are probably many options to buy two way communications that will work on a ship and if people want to use them I really don't care. It just isn't for me.

 

I just have visions of my last cruise how valuable they could have been for spotting whales. Position themselves midships, one starboard and one port with a radio. That may keep the third person pretty busy. Throw a walker or two into the mix and the CD may have a new activity.

 

May you all enjoy cruising your own way.

[Shifra]

Stay home? Old grouch? :eek: Wow that is kind of extreme. I will say again I do not have a problem with people using walkie talkies on cruises. Just be considerate of others.

 

I do have a problem with folks who use them while walking through the ship distracted by the devices and bumping into people as they go. It is the same as cell phones and driving. If you are going to use the radios please find a spot away from others and try to stay in one place as you talk.

[lumpkin8]

We had 4 good quality walkie talkies and found them nearly useless on the ship! I believe the amount of metal on the ship was the reason they did not do the job. Setting up a meeting point on the ship mid-morn or mid-aft, or giving people your general plans for the day based on the daily patters, or leaving a note/phone message in the stateroom worked much better.

[Schplinky]

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[wowsmom]

So if we don't take walkie talkies, how do we keep track of our kids??? They are 15 and 11...so I'm sure they won't want to stick by our side the whole time...but how do we know where they are/what they are doing if we don't have a way to communicate? At home, if we were separated (say, at Disneyland), we'd just use our cell phones.

[Schplinky]

So if we don't take walkie talkies, how do we keep track of our kids??? They are 15 and 11...so I'm sure they won't want to stick by our side the whole time...but how do we know where they are/what they are doing if we don't have a way to communicate? At home, if we were separated (say, at Disneyland), we'd just use our cell phones.

 

Some people leave a whiteboard or message centre in the room and ask the kids to check in every couple of hours. You could also just ask them to stop by your deck chairs every once in a while. There are house phones all over the ship so you could have them call in once in a while to make sure they're ok. I've read some people say that they like the walkie-talkies because then they know where the kids are but in reality, what they know is where the kids are saying they are.