[NoMo50]

Originally Posted by sdeikenberry

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.

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.

[NoMo50]

Originally Posted by Dilligas

Verizon is $10 per day per each country.

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.

[Two Bills]

Originally Posted by paulat585

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

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

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Two Bills

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

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

[dtennent]

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?

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

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

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by dtennent

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?

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

[Garywt]

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

[Pairadocs]

Originally Posted by billethkid

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.

______________________________________________

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.

[Pairadocs]

Originally Posted by paulat585

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?

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. !

[Sonjalarsen@aol.com]

Get the app that is totally free of WhatsApp. Have your friends and family also get this app
That way you can call, send messages with pics, and or leave vocal message
The calls go from someone using WhatsApp to another person who also use’s WhatsApp
You can use this app to anyone in the world and totally free for however long you wish to speak.
Just remember it’s WhatsApp to WhatsApp!!

[CoachKandSportsguy]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

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

true, and agree. . .

when my dad would go bare boat chartering in the caribbean, he would say "If the house burns down, don't call me, there is nothing i can do anyway!"