Using your cell phone on a cruise ship?

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krazy4kix

Hi,

My family just went on the Mexican Riviera cruise on a Carnival ship. We checked ahead of time and were told that the cruise lines all have their own cell tower onboard. While the service is available, it is VERY expensive. We had a few calls while on the ship and the cost was at least 3 or 4 times the cost of regular roaming minutes. We had an additional $30 total. Oh, and texting costs the same as calling. However, while in port, you are on the towers belonging to the port country/city. It will still be roaming, but not as expensive as the ship tower.

All in all, a phone is fine for emergencies, but shouldn't be used like you would on a everyday basis.

Have fun and enjoy your cruise!
k4k

tbugs

It may be tricky to get a signal all the time.

Your best bet is to contact your cell phone company and ask them directly about the pricing for aboard the ship and in the different ports. That way you get the right information the first time.

crocountry91

Just got off the Conquest on June 15th. Make sure you have some kind of international plan for texting and calling. There are huge fees for using your cell phone, since it doesn't connect to Verizon...it connects to a service called "Cellular at SEA". Make sure you know what kind of plan you have. Wait until the islands to call or text message, because if you don't get a plan and call on the islands...its still expensive...but not as expensive in Cozumel. Text messages at sea are also cheaper than phone calls. Call Verizon and check to see what plans are out there and i'm sure a verizon person will tell you when and where to call and text. I have AT&T so i'm not familiar with Verizon's plan. Good luck and have fun on that cruise...it's awesome! Oh, and don't think about calling from the ship...it's $7.99 per minute. Getting a calling card would be the best thing!

lilmuffin

I'm not sure of the exact cost, but I do know that it's a lot more expensive than the regular roaming charges. We did a cruise in Tahiti last year & it was something like $14 a minute.

ctelly22

The best thing for you to do would be to call your provider and see how much they charge to use your phone on the ship and at the different ports. Verizon phones don't normally work outside the US like other phones do, so its best to check with them. If you are able to use your phone I would recommend using it at the ports and not while the ship is at sea. I have AT&T and on my recent cruise in May it cost $2.49 per minute while at sea, and $1.69 per minute at the ports.

Karen B

We were on the Carnival Conquest in May. I did not personally use my cell phone because I didn't contact Verizon first to see what the charges would be from the ship or ports. I did however see many people using their cell phone on the ship. I will definitely contact my provider before my next cruise to see if it is worth taking the cellphone. BTW, carnival does rent walkie talkies so that you can stay in contact with your party aboard ship.

mdcaterer

I would imagine that it just costs you minutes from your plan. The hardest part is finding a signal. Last cruise we were able to use a cell phone on was a ship docked outside St. Thomas BVI and we were up on deck and got great reception. Rest of the time it was no signal.
Don't worry about calling or texting while on a cruise. Just go and enjoy the trip!!

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