Where did you use your Cell on the Cruise?

[happybooker1]

I have Sprint w/no roaming charges. I could call home from Cozumel @ standard rates.

 

Where did you find you could call from & what carrier do you have?

[fpslim]

Locked mine in the safe....

Sorry, I guess that's not the answer you were looking for...

[chasinraynbowz]

Double check with Sprint. I have Sprint and no roaming charges either, but was told I needed an International Plan, which they don't have. I don't know if the girl was uninformed or what, so I didn't take the chance.

 

My DH has Verizon and we called home while in Cozumel from our balcony. He had to rub it in to his sister that we were on our balcony in Cozumel... lol.

[Vitamin_Sea]

Why would anyone need there phone on a cruise? I bring mine but its only to call my driver when I get back to New York.

[penetangjudy]

I have Sprint w/no roaming charges. I could call home from Cozumel @ standard rates.

 

Where did you find you could call from & what carrier do you have?

 

I am Canadian so probably not relevant but I have Bell Mobility.....I could use my phone from our cabin and I called dd from the beach in St. Thomas, had to tell her how beautiful it was :)

 

Limoguy1, some us lowlies have children or loved ones at home who 'might' need to get hold of us in case of emergency :rolleyes:

[Swimware27]

Double check with Sprint. I have Sprint and no roaming charges either, but was told I needed an International Plan, which they don't have. I don't know if the girl was uninformed or what, so I didn't take the chance.

 

My DH has Verizon and we called home while in Cozumel from our balcony. He had to rub it in to his sister that we were on our balcony in Cozumel... lol.

 

Only for certain phones (Blackberry 8830, Intl Edition)

[happy cruzin]

Why would anyone need there phone on a cruise? I bring mine but its only to call my driver when I get back to New York.

 

 

I can think of lots of reasons!!

 

I totally understand why you lock yours away....but even when on vacation some people have families or other responsibilities that they must check on.

 

OP....We do take and use ours - when necessary. Basically I use the AT&T site to find rates for our ports. The ports are always cheaper that the rate on the ship. But with AT&T you need international capability on your phone and account.

 

Cellular at Sea is the company that provides service on the ship. You can also check cellularatsea.com to get info on your carrier and the system on the ship. Basically it is 2.49/min + anything added by Sprint. With AT&T I have never been charged more than the 2.49/minute.

As other have stated...call Sprint and ask for the International Department. They should be able to answer your specific questions.

[terri910]

I use my cell phone as an alarm clock on our cruises. (I use it as a clock every day, actually)

 

 

However....I have had that backfire on me two times...people that didn't realize/remember I was on vacation called me. Both times in the middle of the night. Once when we were in the Mediterranean, and once between Vancouver and Hawaii.

 

I forgot to add, we used our cell phones in ports in the Mediterranean, just to say hello and check in with our sons. Also, we used it in Vancouver to get in touch with relatives that we were meeting up with who were going on the same cruise, and in Hawaii -- very helpful to call rental car places, etc.

[paulekrause]

From Bermuda $1.29 per minute.

 

Once I got the Verizon network off NC heading to NYC. Worked as local calls which were part of my plan.

[Tmrlovesjr]

We have sprint it cost $2.49 a minute on the ship. In port it varies from .99 ti 3.99 was the most we have paid. Had a lot of problems with dropped calls on the ship. This time our son will be with us so no need to call home. We all (dh, my parents, and myself) carry our phones in port in case of emergency like we get sepperated or kidnapped (it happens) or something. Never have needed them, but if we do they will be there.

[bakechef]

I have Sprint w/no roaming charges. I could call home from Cozumel @ standard rates.

 

Where did you find you could call from & what carrier do you have?

 

Are you sure that you will not be charged for roaming from Cozumel? No roaming plans usually mean only within the US, sometimes including the USVI.

 

The sprint website says that Mexico roaming is priced at $1.69 per minute.

[bakechef]

From Bermuda $1.29 per minute.

 

Once I got the Verizon network off NC heading to NYC. Worked as local calls which were part of my plan.

 

As long as you know how to read the roaming indicator this can work!

[nycruiser1975]

Cell phone? What cell phone? We left ours home and it felt GREAAATTT!. I did not realize how much I would not miss any communication with home. I did not bring any music either. It felt amazing

[happybooker1]

I checked w/Sprint before I left. I knew I had no roaming charges. They guy told me that as long as I didn't get some message saying extra charges apply to this call (NOT just roaming) or it was an international call -- I was good to go.

 

I did try the cell in Jamaica and got the 'this will cost you more per minute' message on the island. So I DID know what that message looked like.

 

IN Coz @ the pier I tried and only got the standard 'roaming' message, which is OK since I don't PAY for roaming. It's not on my bill either.

 

 

Are you sure that you will not be charged for roaming from Cozumel? No roaming plans usually mean only within the US, sometimes including the USVI.

 

The sprint website says that Mexico roaming is priced at $1.69 per minute.

[MikeM711]

Locked ours in the safe too.

[chasinraynbowz]

Why would anyone need there phone on a cruise? I bring mine but its only to call my driver when I get back to New York.

 

 

We have elderly parents, 3 children (one who is handicapped) and a grandchild. Even though our phones are turned off during most of the cruise, my DH does check in once to make sure everything is ok.

 

Ooohhh.. and he likes to rub it in too... lol.

[ehfl]

If I need to make a call, I usually wait until we're in port, so that I don't use the ship's expensive satellite link. Making calls from your cell phone in port is much cheaper, than using the ship's cell-site.

 

Of course, if you can find a free wi-fi hotspot in port, you can make free phone calls from your PC.

[sappygirl]

We have AT&T and have to purchase the international plan. We were able to use it throughout the ship without any problems.

[irishgirl]

I have Sprint. When I was in San Juan, it was a free call. But, when I called while at sea, it was $2.49/minute.

 

Judy

[Traveler353]

Phone goes in the safe as soon as I can get to the cabin. Anyone that will need to get in touch with me has the Carnival number and knows to call it if an emergency and only an emergency comes up. NO phone or computer use allowed on board, my rule for me.

[9happycruisers]

Anybody know how texting works on the cruise? I don't text but DD16 has unlimited texting and I'm sure if her phone was on to use as a clock texts would come through. Would she get charged even if she didn't read them until we returned to the Miami?

 

Also, what if you have your phone on and it rings but you don't answer it? Do you get charged for that?

[jimw]

We have AT$T--we use them as we sail away from the homeport to let people know we are NOW having fun--and in US territories such as St Thomas and Puerto Rico for the usual charges. They are mostly off and in the safe while on the ship. There is usually only 1 ac outlet in the cabin, so take an adapter or strip to expand that for 2 phones, computer, etc.....

[gazingm42]

Used it before I got on the ship in Florida. Then it was locked in the safe for the next 7 days.... I AM ON VACATION!

[denisey]

I called my Dad, on his birthday, from the middle of the Meditteranean Sea! He got such a kick out of that!

 

And I always call my best friend from the Lido deck on sail away!

 

One time my DH had to call his bank to get his credit/debit card straightened out. He called before we left, but they shut it off anyway! grrrr!

 

Other than that, it is off and there for my convenience.

[Senoj84]

I have Tmobile and the International roaming charges are $4.99 a min. Needless to say I didnt use it & it didn't work anyway. No signal, after the first day. Only when we got to USVI it had service. I always buy a trac phone (prepaid) when I cruise & have them to put International service on it. My 1st cruise the tracphone worked this past cruise it didnt work at all.