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But you'll also want to take advantage of some of the mistakes we've made and others have made over the years. So here are some additional tips about how not to use your smartphone on a cruise. Follow the tips below to make sure you make the most of your time at sea without racking up high bills on your smartphone.
Don't forget to put your phone in airplane mode
If you forget, you won't be charged for incoming calls you don't accept, but some service providers will charge for unread text messages that arrive while your phone is roaming. There are valuable ways to use your cell phone on board that don’t cost extra thanks to Princess MedallionClass™ – the newest technology at sea. When you sail on a MedallionClass ship, you get a complimentary Medallion®. Each quarter-sized device has built-in geo-location technology. When paired with your mobile device, have drinks – or pizza and extra sunscreen – delivered straight to your pool chair. Take part in PlayOcean™ games, set out on location-based scavenger hunts on board or participate in Games Under the Stars.
Speak to a travel consultant
Whenever you are accessing wifi through relatively public facilities, be cautious about transmitting any personal information. Even though your cruise may last less than 30 days, no proration is available. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Matt started Royal Caribbean Blog in 2010 as a place to share his passion for all things Royal Caribbean with readers. He oversees all the writers at Royal Caribbean Blog, and writes a great deal of content on a daily basis.
Can I access cruise-specific phone plans and costs?
You must have service with one of the nearly 400 carriers worldwide that have a roaming agreement with WMS. Some prepaid phone plans by some carriers are not currently supported. Please check with your mobile telephone service provider for details. All Disney Cruise ships offer internet access through Connect@Sea.
Best international phone plans in 2024 — what travelers need to know - Tom's Guide
Best international phone plans in 2024 — what travelers need to know.
Posted: Mon, 01 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
The other option is to use Wi-Fi to make calls and send messages while you're on board. You can still use Wi-Fi and Bluetooth while your cell is in airplane mode, so make sure they're switched on. Wi-Fi packages are available on cruise ships, but they tend to be expensive. The cheapest Wi-Fi package from Carnival Cruises costs $12.75 per person per day, which can add up. Unfortunately, on top of being expensive, Wi-Fi on cruise ships tends to be unreliable and slow.
Internet Options
Every major cruise line and ship will offer wi-fi service, usually costing about $15-25 per day. Since you are traveling within the United States, that means your cell phone plan likely offers some service while in port. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as using your phone as you would at home.
Cruises
Now they are our social lives, our entertainment devices, our cameras, and more. Cruise ships have made great strides in their proprietary mobile apps, and they have become an integral part of the cruising experience. Depending on the cruise line, it can be cheaper to bundle Wi-Fi with a drink package or purchase multiple plans at once, like if you are sailing onboard MSC Cruises. Once a cruise is booked, internet/wi-fi plans will become available for purchase.
WMS has no involvement at all with retail charges applied to your monthly bill by your cell phone provider. While the app will require access to cruise wifi, usually you are not charged for wifi for using the cruise line app. Meaning if all of you are using cruise wifi for is to access the cruise line app, you do not need a package to do so. However, some of these proprietary messaging services have a charge. Also, the official cruise line app and/or the messaging service itself may only be available on certain ships.
It's up to you to make sure your phone settings are adjusted to keep you from roaming at sea. You may experience lag time on calls or slow connection speeds. Depending on where your ship is in the world and whether anything (like a mountain range) is blocking the connection to the satellite, your phone may not work temporarily for calls or Wi-Fi access. For that reason, we suggest turning your phone into airplane mode while you are aboard the ship (wi-fi will still work when the phone is in airplane mode).
Wi-Fi Service to Use Your Phone in PortWant to save some money? Then you may be able to skip dealing with international plans altogether and just connect to wi-fi hotspots in port. While most of your time is spent on the ship, there will be large chunks of the day spent in port. You might wondering about using your phone during this portion of your cruise. This includes doing things like making calls from within communication apps like WhatsApp, iMessage, texting, and surfing the web.
International SIM cards offer the benefit of choice and variety, with an open market of plans that fit your budget and usage needs. You'll be using a different phone number with that new SIM card, but you'll still be able to access your web-based apps, email, and internet messaging like WhatsApp and Apple's iMessage. Once you're in port, double-check whether your phone is connecting via the ship or the local land-based cell tower. Depending on the port, there might not be land-based reception. Cruise versus land-based roaming charges differ, with land-based reception often the less-expensive option.
Service in CanadaIn addition, pretty much every cruise from Seattle to Alaska makes at least one stop in Canada. If you are in a Canadian port such as Vancouver or Victoria, then you will be connecting to Canadian cell towers and should have plenty of coverage as these are major cities. Given that you will be traveling through international waters, rugged territory, and out of range of land-based towers, when and what service you have will be constantly changing. When it comes to roaming services, you can use your phone with your home operator with all the regular services included. Remember that the final bill depends mostly on your operator and their rates. You do not need to do anything special to connect to the service.
But when compared to how things were in the past, improvements are marked and stunning. Now, on cruises, you should be able to access wifi anywhere on the cruise ship, including your cabin. You no longer have to seek out the computer lab and fight other passengers for access.
Royal Caribbean offers a WiFi internet access on its ships, known as Voom, which allows you to browse the internet. Airplane mode disables the phone's ability to communicate with cell phone towers and will ensure you can use your phone without incurring charges. Nothing is worse than traveling with your smartphone device and realizing that you don’t have all your accessories. So, make sure you pack all necessary power cords, extra battery/power back-up and charging stations.
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