Verizon service in Alaska

[dustfsu]

Im sure it is on here somewhere, but have not come across it.  I will be doing an Alaska cruise next year and have Verizon for cell service.  How well does it work up there?  And do you keep it on while on the ship or do you get roaming charges and only turn it on in port?

[BowTieBrigade]

If it’s anything like tmobile, don’t count on it at all. Best I could get was 3g. How did we live like that?!?

[twangster]

Alaska is very large and sparsely populated.   No cell towers away from the towns and villages.  In larger towns Ike Juneau the speeds are okay.  In smaller towns that are remote the speeds will be slower.  Go into airplane mode leaving port to avoid potential cellular roaming charges from the ship cell tower.  

[smokeybandit]

I found out about the USA dropping its return flight testing mandate when I got a good ping as we sailed past the tiny town of Kake. I lost signal shortly after that.

[Traveling Mike]

I just got back from Alaska.  You need to remember part of the time you are in Canada waters and you might be in international waters.  Keep your airplane mode on unless you like high cell phone bills.  I was able use TMobile in all of the cities but like @BowTieBrigade said it was 3g at the best.  Also do not purchase the internet thinking you are going to use it.  Above Juneau it does not work very well.  Below Juneau it seems to work fairly well as long as you remember the internet from the 90's.

[dustfsu]

Thank you everyone for the info. Might have to get the voom just to stay up with family back home.