Using cell phones on a cruise

[ghost1000]

This week's Passporter newsletter has a question from someone planning their first Disney Cruise. They asked how their (adult) children could contact them during their cruise dates. The response was (emphasis added):

"While you're at sea your costs are high to contact home, but it can be done (and has been available all along). You can telephone from your stateroom phone, at $6.95 per minute (they can phone you for the same price using 888-DC-AT-SEA). Cell service may be available on the Wonder by the time you travel - it was added to the Magic first. You won't need international roaming for that. There will probably be some sort of charge for text messaging, as a third-party company handles the cell service on board. Whether you can use international roaming in your ports of call depends on which ports, and which phone services you use. Internet access (for a fee) is also available on board using the ship's Internet Cafe or with wireless access using your own WiFi-equipped computer."

Does anyone have more information about this? Are there any additional charges? Has anyone done it??

I'd love to learn more about this, since we're scheduled for a Disney Cruise next year.

[carolina_yankee]

I believe it's tightly confined to your stateroom so phones don't go ringing all over the ship. How they do that, I'm not sure. I'm also not 100% there are no roaming fees - I think that depends on what carrier you have, but it should be domestic roaming (if at all) rather than international.

Dirk

[Colorado Belle]

On my last cruise (non Disney) I was surprised that NOTHING on the phone worked once we left port...I was counting on using the clock and alarm, but , alas, a big ZIPPO.
I think this would be a great bonus..to be able to use your cell phone while cruising. Iwonder how it works...is there a satellite dish on the ship itself????

Is Disney the first cruiseline to offer this? Enquiring minds want to know!:tongue:

[Daddio]

Another alternative, if there is an Internet connection (I'm cruise challanged) and you have a laptop, you can use Skype. It works really well and you can call anywhere in North America without charge. ($30.00 yearly subscription). I think they have some per minute plans too (2 or 3 cents per minute, no subscription required).

[ghost1000]

I found a website for the folks who provide marine cell phone service. No, Disney is not the first to offer it. WMS is contracted with a number of cell phone companies. My carrier is included, and there's a per minute charge of $2.49 (cheaper than $6.95 a minute). I would only use my cell phone on a cruise in case of emergency.

Wireless Maritime Services (http://www.cellularatsea.com/endusers.htm)

[mkhurley]

I carried my cell phone on our first Disney cruise more as a watch since I didn't have one (bought one in St Maarten though). As we were passing Puerto Rico it rang...my boss was tryna leave me a message but ended up getting me....not sure what the charges looked like since it was a company phone I never saw the bill.

[carolina_yankee]

On my last cruise (non Disney) I was surprised that NOTHING on the phone worked once we left port...I was counting on using the clock and alarm, but , alas, a big ZIPPO.
I think this would be a great bonus..to be able to use your cell phone while cruising. Iwonder how it works...is there a satellite dish on the ship itself????

Is Disney the first cruiseline to offer this? Enquiring minds want to know!:tongue:
The newer phones should have the ability to shut off the cell function while still using the other features. I don't know how that affects the clock, though, since the clock is set through the tower. I wouldn't have thought of that, and I use my phone as my travel alarm, too. Yikes!

Dirk

[mkhurley]

On my last cruise (non Disney) I was surprised that NOTHING on the phone worked once we left port...I was counting on using the clock and alarm, but , alas, a big ZIPPO.
I think this would be a great bonus..to be able to use your cell phone while cruising. Iwonder how it works...is there a satellite dish on the ship itself????

Is Disney the first cruiseline to offer this? Enquiring minds want to know!:tongue:

Thats strange really, the clock/alarm should work regardless of cell coverage. Yeah the phone gets time updates from the network, but it will stay correct (or close as a watch anyways) for a long time (months/years) without that update, as long as the battery is kept up. I've used mine as a clock/alarm on our cruises without an issue, and the same when I go to the mountains and have no cell coverage.

Now what will really confuse you with the time updates....go to Cedar Point Park in Sandusky Ohio, on one side of the park it's central time (?) and the other is Eastern time, now that'll throw ya for a loop, specially when ya start thinking about lunch and by the time ya get to the other side of the park it's not lunchtime anymore.....

[Colorado Belle]

the cell phone in question was 3 years old in 2005...and it didn't work at all until we came back into port of Houston. Weird.

Vonnage also lets you use your laptop wireless with a little keychain 'phone' and it makes calls from anywhere in the world (where you can get hi speed internet) as if you were calling from home. I haven't bought the little phone yet, but I will soon!!