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Calling Home - Southern Caribbean


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Question isn't whether they are tech savvy, are you? Also do you intend on getting an Internet package?what mobile service do you have and which phone/device?

 

For example I have a galaxy s6 which has wifi calling capabilities without third party apps, so as long as I have wifi I can make calls at no charge to any phone anywhere.

 

In the past I have also purchased Verizon's international plan for about $50, which gave me the ability to call from the ship (WHILE NOT IN PORT) for a rate of about $2.50/min which is less than the $8 per minute the ship would charge you to use their phone which is always an option.

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Agreed with FloatMe.  Here are some ways you can do this for very little:

 

Assuming you purchase VOOM, set your phone to airplane mode, then turn on WiFi:

-Using WiFi calling (newer iPhones, many Android devices, all major carriers at this point.  Just a regular phone call w/ this feature enabled and while connected to ship's WiFi.

-Download and install the Skype app on your phone, purchase a small amount of credits and call their phone via your Skype app on the ship's WiFi. Only $.02/min if they're in the US.

While the above options aren't too complex to me, if you're not comfortable with them, ask for help before your trip.  I'm sure a friend or carrier associate will help you, just don't be confused if they talk about shipboard calling rates - you'll want to use WiFi calling.

 

Other possibility:

-Find a friendly cruiser.  A good portion of your fellow cruisers will have one of the 4 major carriers, and a good chunk of those will have a compatible phone.  You'll inevitably chat up someone on board, so when you do, ask if they'd mind if you made a call.  I frequently lend out my phone in Walt Disney World when I see someone from outside the US trying to use a calling card to call home.  I can make those calls for pennies, seems easier.  On the ship, it wouldn't even be costing them anything.

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Monorailmedic,

 

Ok I am tech stupid. I have questions. Every time I take a cruise everyone says buy the international package from your provider. My first cruise when I got home I had a $450 cell bill. Didn't make but 6 calls home and to check on my fur baby. The next time I purchased the package, set the phone on airplane mode, went to a bar that had free wifi and still had a $400 bill. Next cruises I refused to use my phone, it was now my music player and alarm clock.

 

Obviously I am doing something wrong. I purchase the VOOM package, the cheapest one, do what you say, airplane mode, WiFi, will there still be huge charges from AT&T?

 

Also, are you a paramedic, being nosey but I worked for my city's fire department and we ran our own ambulance service, over 100 paramedics.

 

Thanks for any help.

 

Candie

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Hey Candie,

  

I used to be a firefighter and paramedic.  Worked races at Homestead Miami Speedway, was a logistics supervisor for a large ambulance company, taught EMS protocol classes, and more.  Now I do web localization/am a nerd.  A logical transition.

 

In my opinion, the international packages from most carriers are a waste.  They cover very small amounts of data use, and the second your turn your phone on it's updating applications, pulling news, etc, so that data allotment probably gets used up before you even intentionally use any data/apps.  Phone calls and text are also limited and very quickly go into the very high dollar amounts.  The exception here is that most T-Mobile plans include international roaming to most countries for free, but I'm guessing you're using Verizon or ATT.

 

On the trip you say you only used your phone on WiFi at the bar, there was clearly a time (the whole time, part of the time?) that you were not in airplane mode.  You're simply not going to accrue carrier charges in airplane mode.  Before your next trip you may want to go over with a friend or tech support person how to keep your phone in airplane mode while leaving WiFi on.  You can, by the way, turn data roaming off on your device, the problem with doing that (instead of just using airplane mode) is that if you go to make a call but for some reason, lose WiFi/WiFi calling, the call will still go through at that awesomely high rate.

 

By putting your phone in airplane mode, then connecting to the ship's WiFi, you're not using any of the data services from your carrier.  In fact, if not for the existence of WiFi calling, you'd be completely disassociated from them.  

 

What WiFi calling does is simply allow you to make and receive calls and texts/SMS over WiFi with your regular phone number, and without the crazy costs.  There are numerous ways to make calls and SMS over WiFi, but again, with WiFi calling, it's using the number (and interfaces) you're used to.

 

If for some reason you can't use WiFi calling (incompatible phone for example), then Skype is a great alternative.  It's easy to download and create an account, then you just buy a few dollars worth of credits and you can call the US while on WiFi (again, make sure you're in airplane mode so you don't use your carrier's data!) for pennies, you'll just be calling from a different number and cannot, without additional setup, get any incoming phone calls.

 

I hope I clarified some things.  I'll be glad to explain more, let me know.

 

BH

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Thank you both. I have a S6 as well with a Canadian phone company. I do not plan on getting an internet package.

 

If are definitely not getting an Internet package, your best bet is to explore what options your Canadian service provider offers. This options comes with some potential peril! Most international plans include the cellular service provided by the ship. This cell service is good for calls and text only and will still probably cost you a couple of dollars per minute. Just be very aware of what ports and islands your plan covers. Also understand that as soon as the ship enters the port, the ship is required to turn it's cell service off and your phone will connect to the local service if you have not turned it to airplane mode.

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Monorailmedic,

 

Ok I am tech stupid. I have questions. Every time I take a cruise everyone says buy the international package from your provider. My first cruise when I got home I had a $450 cell bill. Didn't make but 6 calls home and to check on my fur baby. The next time I purchased the package, set the phone on airplane mode, went to a bar that had free wifi and still had a $400 bill. Next cruises I refused to use my phone, it was now my music player and alarm clock.

 

Obviously I am doing something wrong. I purchase the VOOM package, the cheapest one, do what you say, airplane mode, WiFi, will there still be huge charges from AT&T?

 

Also, are you a paramedic, being nosey but I worked for my city's fire department and we ran our own ambulance service, over 100 paramedics.

 

Thanks for any help.

 

Candie

I also learned the hard way, but on my last trip on Adventure 5 of our 6 ports were covered by Verizons plan and I was aware enough (this time) to turn my phone to airplane mode the night before we pulled into port of the one island not covered by the plan. No extra charges at the end of the trip!

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Monorailmedic and Floatme,

 

It was so much easier with just a landline and a lot less confusing. I have an IPhone 6s Plus and am on AT&T. I am sure that the bills were OPERATOR ERROR and not AT&T. The first time I did it AT&T removed it, the second time, since the cruise was only 2 months after the cruise I had the overage on, I had to pay the whole $400. I always put my phone on Airplane Mode from the minute I hit the airport but possibly I might have changed the setting. I love to play my slot machine game on my phone. :angry:

 

Like I said earlier my IPhone becomes a very expensive alarm clock.

 

Thanks for the info. I wrote it all down and will try to follow through. I even asked a tech savvy person on the ship for help and he looked at my phone and said the setting were right.

 

Anything computerized, I am in trouble.

 

Congrats on being a paramedic and firefighter. I have worked with them for over 30 years, the guys are just a bunch of kids in a firefighting uniform. I love them all.

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