Cell service on the ships?

[misslizzy1973]

I was planning on using my phone for taking pictures ( I will have a regular camera as well). If I turn to airplane mode that turns off texts and calls correct? And I can still use my phone for pics? Also, my daughter is bringing her ipad for games (not internet). How do I make sure it never connects to the internet?

 

[DillWaters]

I was planning on using my phone for taking pictures ( I will have a regular camera as well). If I turn to airplane mode that turns off texts and calls correct? And I can still use my phone for pics?

Yes. And you can even leave it in Airplane Mode and re-enable just the WiFi if you find an Internet cafe somewhere.

Also, my daughter is bringing her ipad for games (not internet). How do I make sure it never connects to the internet?

If you have just the WiFi iPad (not cellular), then you shouldn't have anything to worry about. Your daughter won't be able to get on the ship's Internet connection without logging in. You can also put it into Airplane Mode too if you want to be doubly sure.

 

[misslizzy1973]

Yes. And you can even leave it in Airplane Mode and re-enable just the WiFi if you find an Internet cafe somewhere.



If you have just the WiFi iPad (not cellular), then you shouldn't have anything to worry about. Your daughter won't be able to get on the ship's Internet connection without logging in. You can also put it into Airplane Mode too if you want to be doubly sure.

Thanks for your help!!! I have been worried about this.

 

[TJDisneymama]

I'm confused about the airplane mode on phones....what's the difference between that vs. just shutting it off? I get if you wanted to use wi-fi on it but not get calls, but what if you don't need to go online with it?

 

[DillWaters]

I'm confused about the airplane mode on phones....what's the difference between that vs. just shutting it off? I get if you wanted to use wi-fi on it but not get calls, but what if you don't need to go online with it?

Shutting it off would work too. As I mentioned previously, if you get a lot of texts, you should put it in airplane mode before you turn it off. That way if something bumps your phone and accidentally turns it back on while you are outside your home cell area, you won't get charged for all the queued up incoming texts.

ETA: As to why else would you want it on? Camera. Clock.

 

[NurseDave]

ETA: As to why else would you want it on? Camera. Clock.

Music, contacts, games, videos, currency converter, kindle app, etc...

 

[atwood]

How much is it if someone needed to call the ship for an emergency?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

How much is it if someone needed to call the ship for an emergency?

I think it's something like $7.95 per minute. Very pricey. That's why I tell those I leave the number with, unless it's really an emergency THAT I CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT, don't call.

 

[nunzia]

It was super easy for me to send and receive texts..I didn't do voice. I put in a code (for Verizon it is 228*, option 2) before we sailed and it worked fine nearly everywhere except around Castaway Cay. Charges were .50 for each text I sent and .05 for received. It was easy to at least touch base at a pretty economical rate. I don't know how this would work with a smart phone. I guess you can turn off the data part? Anyway, for a regular phone it worked great.

 

[cmesq61]

OP--not sure who your carrier is, but Verizon has a monthly plan that covers all the ports we are visiting so that at least I can check in when we're in port. It is more expensive than my regular rate but cheaper than ship to shore. You may want to look into it.

 

[Bluestars]

I put my phone on airplane mode so that I could use it as a camera. When we were in port, I used the free wireless that was available on one of our excursions. There are also businesses in the ports that may have free wireless. I was able to check my email and make some facebook posts.

 

[ky71]

Ouch!

We are sailing the 12 night Magic in the Med next month and are finding it difficult to find an international sim that will allow data/calls/texts at a decent rate. Yes, we would like to go without and be gadget free but running businesses at home we cannot be out of touch for more than a day or two.

Any suggestions? We are looking for just a sim for my DH's phone and my DD and I will keep our regular plan with roaming for emergencies only. DH will need access to Australia.

 

[allison0523]

We put our smartphones in airplane mode for the week and I don't miss checking my email or calling family or surfing the internet. The TV's in the staterooms have enough channels that we stay informed of major news stories and sports scores. It doesn't bother me that family can't call us while we are on vacation. It wasn't very long ago that family vacations were taken with out cell phones. We leave the DCL number with family in case of an emergency.

DH's grandfather was disappointed that he couldn't track us as we sailed, we use Find Friends on our iPhones, because we had our phones off. Neither of us wanted to pay the huge cell phone bill when we got home.

On seascanner.com you can track cruise ships. I am using it right now to track my cousin on the Carnival Sunshine in the Mediterranean right now. Pretty cool!

 

[disneyfan888]

what do they charge international rates? I don't want to pay an arm and a leg because people are texting me...

Recommendation to all in order to avoid this--TURN CELL PHONES OFF while sailing. If you need to make a phone call at a port, you will be charged International rates as opposed to satellite rates. These vary depending on the carrier, but if you leave your phone ON and you are sailing, any call that tries to come in whether your able to get or not, every text will be charged and insanely expensive!!! Beware!

 

[Ptwolfman]

It was super easy for me to send and receive texts..I didn't do voice. I put in a code (for Verizon it is 228*, option 2) before we sailed and it worked fine nearly everywhere except around Castaway Cay. Charges were .50 for each text I sent and .05 for received. It was easy to at least touch base at a pretty economical rate. I don't know how this would work with a smart phone. I guess you can turn off the data part? Anyway, for a regular phone it worked great.

Just wondering if you had international roaming or data added before the cruise. I am with Verizon. When we cruised last November, I could never get a signal. I got no incoming texts, nor was I able to send texts.

 

[nunzia]

Just wondering if you had international roaming or data added before the cruise. I am with Verizon. When we cruised last November, I could never get a signal. I got no incoming texts, nor was I able to send texts.

I called them before we sailed and since it was for texts and not data didn't need to really set up anything with them. The code entering set up the phone for international...*228. Since my phone doesnt have data I didn't have to worry about it. The Verizon site has a area where you can set up for data while on a cruise ship that is not as outrageous as you'd think if you use it carefully. While in US ports it just instantly picked up the signal..before we left port I re-entered the code and texted fine over all 8 days. I was very glad to at least touch base with home and a nickel per incoming text and .50 for outgoing was I thought very reasonable.

 

[PLANNER88]

I called them before we sailed and since it was for texts and not data didn't need to really set up anything with them. The code entering set up the phone for international...*228. Since my phone doesnt have data I didn't have to worry about it. The Verizon site has a area where you can set up for data while on a cruise ship that is not as outrageous as you'd think if you use it carefully. While in US ports it just instantly picked up the signal..before we left port I re-entered the code and texted fine over all 8 days. I was very glad to at least touch base with home and a nickel per incoming text and .50 for outgoing was I thought very reasonable.

Were you able to use this at sea or only while in ports?

 

[tlcoke]

If you are visiting a US port near international ports, like St Thomas & St John which are near British Virgin Islands, you can disable international roaming, so that you don't accidentally connect to a international tower.

 

[nunzia]

Were you able to use this at sea or only while in ports?

At sea. Only time I had trouble was around Castaway Cay and I think once for a hour or two outside the Keys. When my phone did that weird searching for signal thing I just turned it off for awhile.

 

[wcw57]

unless u r in some sort of emergency or need-to-know situation, turn off the dam* cell phone and relax!!

just my nsho!