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If you plan on using your phone at sea, some service providers have cruise-specific plans available for when you're at sea. These plans charge a premium for use through the ship's satellite connection. For instance, AT&T offers a $100 plan that gives you 200MB of data and unlimited talk and text on most cruise ships. You’ll want to get in touch with your provider for more details of their specific plan. However, when a cruise ship ventures into the open sea, it moves away from the reach of land-based cellular towers. As a result, traditional cellular networks become inaccessible, and alternative means of communication must be employed.
Onboard Communication
An international calling plan will often significantly lower the per-minute cost of any phone calls you make while traveling (but won't cover calling or use on sea days). Alternatively, turn off your cellular data and use your phone's Wi-Fi capability to send and receive text messages (such as iMessages on an iPhone). You can also use messaging apps like WhatsApp, which will also function over your ship's Wi-Fi network.
Using Your Phone in a Port of Call
But, just as with being on land, your actual success with getting service can vary as between the different carriers. You will need to decide before you leave on your cruise whether you want a cruise package. Data use onboard a cruise ship is ridiculously expensive, especially because it tends to add up quickly. Always remember to put your phone in airplane mode or turn off data roaming before you head out to sea and don't want to be smacked with a hefty bill upon returning home.
To Avoid All Charges, Do The Following:
He has become one of the foremost expert on a Royal Caribbean cruise. 40,000 people receive my best cruise tips, insights and guides every week. I took my first cruise when I was 11 and I’ve been hooked ever since. They have the peace of mind of knowing they won’t end up with a big phone bill after the cruise.
You can also place international calls through the app (to supported countries) for a flat rate of $0.79 per minute. You can also call staterooms and a variety of onship extensions. Nor is there any charge for sending or receiving individual messages. But, you will need access to the cruise ship’s wifi which typically requires some type of paid package.
Social (~$15 per day) — Offers access to social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, Snapchat and more. However, it doesn’t include access to most of the web, nor does it support in-app calling, streaming services (Netflix, Spotify, YouTube), or Skype. One big change that’s come to cruising in the past decade is the proliferation of wi-fi. What used to be a novelty on cruise ships is now a near necessity.
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And, more surprisingly, on several recent cruises we have also found that there are excursion operators who offer free wifi on tour buses. You can also use wifi calling over the cruise ship’s wifi provided you sign up for the right internet package. Specifically, you’ll want one that’s sufficient to support VoIP and streaming. But International Day Pass and/or Passport packages do not apply to cruise ships.
Cruise ships have Wi-Fi, but with the exception of luxury cruise lines and Virgin Voyages, Wi-Fi costs extra and can be costly and unreliable. Just like with Carnival and other major cruise lines, we think you’ll be best off connecting to the ship’s wi-fi in order to use your phone on a Royal Caribbean ship. As mentioned above, we recommend using the ship’s wi-fi to use your phone. This will allow you to make calls (you may have to use an app like WhatsApp to do so), send messages, email, and browse the web. One important point to highlight is that if you purchase a cruise line’s internet package, you won’t receive text messages.
Otherwise, you can also find chargeable Wi-Fi centres in different ports. Likewise, if you decide to access the internet using a wifi plan sponsored by your cruise ship, you’ll discover key limitations on data usage. Rather than distinguishing the method of how you’re connecting to the internet, most cruise plans seem to focus on the type of internet usage that you’re doing. So some plans may allow only activities that require low data consumption (thus no streaming). While other cruise lines may offer tiered packages that permit high data consumption at the upper tiers. Or, alternatively, they may offer packages that charge based on the total amount of data consumed regardless of the type of usage – surfing or streaming.
The good news is that cell phone companies seem to be adding service in Canada and Mexico to some plans for no extra charge. If not, keep in mind as well that cell providers have international plans that you can purchase for one month which will help bring your per-minute prices down. Alaskan cruises stop in ports like Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway. Since these are U.S. ports, your cell phone will work just as it would anywhere else in the United States — and have the same charges for data, texts, and calls. So if you’re going to bring your cell phone on the ship keep in mind that unless the ship is docked in a US port, you will be charged extra for data, text and voice.
Cellular providers in the U.S. offer different packages and services for cruisers. For example, Verizon and AT&T offer monthly plans that include set allowances for voice, text and data service to territories outside of the U.S. Sprint and T-Mobile deliver limited free roaming service in certain countries. Be sure to check with your wireless provider to verify the countries on your itinerary are included before committing to a roaming plan. Be aware that, as the ship leaves port, your reception switches from the host country's infrastructure to satellites that cover international waters.
I create cruise content across YouTube, this website and my social accounts, all with the aim of helping you to find, and take your perfect cruise. I have a monthly plan but have set my spent cap limit to £2 so I can’t be charged extra. When I took a cruise on Costa Smeralda I was able to message other members of my party to arrange meet-ups once onboard. You can do this by either clicking on the cruise line App that you have previously downloaded, or entering the web address provided by the cruise line once onboard. Traditionally cruising attracted an older passenger demographic. Cruiselines produced a paper daily schedule to keep passengers informed of the day’s information and activities.
Some cruise lines, like Costa, have a really useful feature on their Apps that allows you to message other people onboard for free. You might want to message friends and family via text, Whatsapp or Messenger whilst at sea. You can use your phone to make calls when you cruise, but it will be expensive to do so. You will be able to use your phone to connect to the ship’s App for free, should you want to.
There are plenty of international phone plans out there to cover yourself when you cruise, so explore your options. The question has been asked if using the cell phone on board will be billed to your sail and sign account? Your cell phone usage on the cruise ship is between WMS (wireless maritime services) and your cell phone provider.
That is to say you will be reliant on international cellular services. Some streaming services like Netflix let you download programming ahead of time to enjoy during your cruise. This can save you from having to purchase a more expensive package that allows for streaming videos. Most cruise lines offer guests messaging services while onboard, although some charge and some don’t. Norwegian Cruise Line, for instance, changes $9.95 per person for their "Phone and Messenger Package." Before purchasing any plan, make sure that you read the fine print, as some plans do allow you to use the package on multiple devices.
