cell phones

Please tell about the cell phone charges while on a cruise. How do the rates work? We were thinking we wouldn't bring our phones because they wouldn't work or they would be outrageously charged.
I've got butterflies in my stomach now, we leave tomorrow for Galveston for our FIRST cruise on Sunday.

[Lizzy]

Cell phone don't work in the ocean. No towers out there. It might work in a port. Verizon doesn't work in most places except maybe the Bahamas.

Have fun.

[Tweety]

I've used my Verizon phone in St Maarten, but had to make a connection thru the local Caribbean cellular company. Think it was Eastern Caribbean Cellular. They charged me a daily fee, plus a per minute fee, plus I think a hook up fee. It's probably cheaper to buy a phone card and use a pay phone in town. Couldn't get the phone to work on the ship. And Sprint didn't work at all except in San Juan.

[Valentina1209]

ATT only worked in San Juan and St Thomas, and I was charged 40 cents a minute roaming fees.

[dalech]

I will start this out by saying that I'm an AT&T Wireless employee. So I am biased, but I would use AT&T Wireless because the network between us and Cingular is hooked up now due to our pending acquistion by them. You should get pretty good coverage as long as you are close to the major islands. As far as the cost, it depends on your calling plan. If you call Customer Care with the company you are with they may be able to tell you, or find a plan that covers that area of the world.

[Dorothy]

I called Cingular before I left for the Bahamas and they advised me to buy a phone card at the ports! Roaming fees AND fees you pay the local provider are outrageous. You get zero coverage in the middle of the ocean, for obvious reasons.

I used my phone from the deck of the ship to say one final goodbye to my dh and then packed it away.

dorothy

[MikesMom]

I was just in the Bahamas with Verizon no service at all

Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now?

I have decided to use the calling card at a port, but will the ones from WalMart work, or should I purchase one at the port? We are going to Grand Cayman, Monteigo Bay, and Cozumel.

[Cassie]

My experience in Belize, panama, and costa rica was that you had to buy the card there. The AT& T ones we bought from costco didn't work.

~Cassie

[Georgie]

I have Cingular and can get service with no roaming in San Juan and St. Thomas, but nothing in the Bahamas. I was told by someone though that you can get international service before you leave home, but I'm not sure about that.

Does anyone know anything about international service in the ports...I know there's nothing at sea unless you have a satellite phone. Dalech?? any info???

My Verizon phone doesn't get a lot of places in the US. I swear if I see the "Do you hear me now" person I'm going to do him serious bodily harm for being annoying and lack of coverage.


sls

Destiny 12/2004
Sensation 5/2004
Holiday 1/2004
Conquest 11/2003