How to stay in touch while in the Carribean?
 

Hi, Going on a cruise to Panama Canal. I have a prepaid cell phone plan that doesn't offer roaming. Don't want to pay the $50 a day the cruise line is charging for wi-fi. Are there other ways of staying in touch using my phone that won't cost an arm and a leg?

If all you need is roaming, why not just sign up for another cell phone service, and cancel it when you return? Almost all cell services are sold on a month-to-month basis. The only contracts now are for the installment purchase of a phone.

I think charging $50 per day for wifi is beyond outrageous. That is why I would never go on a cruise.

Verizon charges $5 a day when in the Caribbean.

Best bet is Verizon.

Thanks!

While in the Caribbean, if someone can’t hear me through my snorkel than it can wait.

here is an idea , just keep it off , like in the olden days when people actually could go a whole week without the phone and life went on without them

You are suggesting that there might be more interesting things to do while on a cruise, than texting or talking on the phone.

That's crazy talk right there.

:agree::agree::agree:

We use Google Fi. Works within 5 miles of every port and in port and ashore too. Nothing at sea.

It used to be nice to go on a cruise and see no cell phones.
Now some cruise lines, like Princess, require everything on or about your cruise is done via their app, hence everybody has their face in their phone 24/7....

Convenience certainly could not be the goal as the app is slow and not the most user friendly and totally ridiculous that ALL transactions go through their app.

We will choose cruise lines that still do without the phone......if there are any left.

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:censored:

Ok on short but at sea will go thru cellular thru sea for an arm and a leg.

T mobile allows us to get email and texts at ports at no extra charge.

Highest cruise line for internet was only $30 a day which is way too high.

Did Celebrity two weeks ago. Tampa to Eastern Carib. Beautiful. Didn't do a thing in advance on phone. Simply showed passport at terminal and they swipped the c/c. Done. Paper menus at dinner, printed schedules. Some were fine with app, but not mandatory. Just be bold and push the limits. If you sail with young uns, you are forced into apps. Our sailing was 50+. Only 8 people on ship under 50, except the staff !

When you arrive at your first port of call you may find a local provider, such as Digicel, that covers all of the places you will be visiting so can buy a SIM from them.

I use Google Fi and that has proved cheap and reliable.

Guys, guys. I love all your jokes, but I only need a phone in case of an emergency. I guess if the emergency is bad enough someone else will notify my family. LOL

You can call via the ships phone system.

I just called Verizon this week inquiring about an international plan…quoted $10 per day per device

Verizon is $10 per day per each country.

Sounds good! Haven’t cruised in awhile, but surprised there were so few people under 50. Was that just luck?

There will be WiFi available at most ports, sometimes free and other times in nearby restaurants or bars (where you would need to make a nominal purchase).

If you have wi fi on board, turn on your wifi calling. It's free, phone companies don't like you to know about this feature.


Rollie

When your in port at different locations, you can find free service at the stores folks shop at. Starbucks is a good example. That's what we've done and it works. If an emergency comes up, your family can call the cruise line and they can get a message to you.

Just came back from 8 Day Eastern Caribbean RCCl. I paid $127. 92 for internet, 1 device, for 8 days. WIFI is not secure on a ship, so I just use it quickly and disconnect.
It's hard to believe a cruise line would charge $50 a day unless you want it for more than 1 device or streaming movies.

Turn off your phone and enjoy the trip!!

How many arms and legs does that cost?

The Wi-Fi charge for the cruise is $99 for the entire trip. It is for one device only such as computer or cell phone.

we just returned from So Carib cruise. we purchased one device internet at $13 a day in advance. Put our phones in airplane mode, as soon as we left Ft. Lauderdale. when we wanted to call our grands or kids we used messesenger to video chat. We had no issues with the internet. We saw people all over the ship doing the same. Texting worked fine also.

If the cruise offers wifi, how about wifi calling? They may have an "Internet" café" type thing.

You can text over wifi and not turn on the cellular data (keep it in airplane mode). The ship's wifi will most likely cost but when in port you can probably find a hot spot to send a quick text with your status. And yes, in an emergency others will be calling on your behalf.

Use What’s Up app. All you need is Wi-Fi then

If you want free WiFi when going ashore, just follow a few of the ship's crew. Those folks know where all of the free WiFi hotspots are located. You see the all the time, clustered in areas usually not far from the ship.

Not exactly, but close. Verizon charges $10 per 24 hour period, per device, regardless of country. Example: You could turn your phone on at 2:00pm in Italy, travel overnight to Croatia, and use it until 2:00pm that day for one $10 charge.

Phones don't work under water anyway, even in emergency mode!

Thought phone was water proof. Excuse me while I test this out.

Thirty years ago, I had a boss who insisted on my calling into meetings when I was on vacation. Since I am a work hard, play hard type of person, we took up cruising. At that time, ship to shore calls were $10/minute. When I asked him for his credit card so that I could charge him for the call, he decided that they could live without me for 1-2 weeks. Now when I see everyone calling from the ship, I think what could be so important that it couldn't wait for a week? Okay, a death in the family, etc. I understand. But are there that many deaths affecting the passengers on the ship?

When my father died , my nephew was on a cruise , we didn’t call him when his beloved grandfather past away ,we just held off the services for a few days and let him enjoy his cruise , I can’t see any reason to inform somebody while there on a cruise about a death , what are they going to do call a helicopter to take them off the boat

My family member won't suddenly be any less dead if they waited til I got home to tell me about it.

I want to know what cruise line charges $50 a day for wifi?

Fondly remember those days ! ! Started in the 60's with parents while still in school. NO cell phones, NO plated meals, ordered preferred veggies, preferred potato, etc. HUGE shrimp cocktail and caviar with all the condiments with every meal, ice carvings (on RCL/RCCL Santa, full size sleigh, and SIX full sized reindeer in the middle of the dining room on Christmas day !), and what did we do without internet ??? Incredible on board lecturers who held interactive lectures on art, philosophy, music/composers/genre, great literature, etc. and port lectures (culture, history, economics, etc. NOT SHOPPING talks and "special" coupons !) before every port ! And of course.... midnight buffets ! Actually, is USED to be wonderful to go to a golf tournament with no cell phones, to a movie without people talking, texting, and shining the bright light from a screen in your direction, even meals in a "nice" (meaning sit down) restaurant without trying to listen to the soft music in the back ground while the family of 4, or 6, at the next table ALL talk into their cell phones and try to eat with one hand... ? Too old to really get the point I guess, we so enjoy a meal AWAY from our cell phones, and also a day at the beach with the cell phones left in the glove box of the car ! Every try to read a book at a pool in the villages ? ? And, might as well add, WHY do people feel it necessary to literally scream into their cell phones when the pool lounges are so close together ? Guess this will just be read as "old folks complaining", but gee it was nice "once upon a time" to go to a nice steak house with NO cells.... ! Friend told me about a country club in their community (out of Florida) where NO cell phones are permitted in the dining room. Medical doctors, with proper ID may keep them if they are on vibrate, all others must check them or leave at home, in automobiles, or in golf carts. The are permitted in the snack bar "restaurant" of the country club.

We've used the snap-chat app. on our Xfinity mobile phones on cruises in the Caribbean and as far off as Africa, Morocco, Turkey and Germany, using the public wifi in Starbucks, cruise terminals, stores, restaurants, etc. etc. Probably have saved thousands using that free app. !