Texting from the ship

[Disney's Fan]

Is there a way to have my phone set to only receive texts/calls while on the ship (using the Cellular at Sea, I assume) and then switch it back to data once at port? I have international roaming for the port days, but since we're traveling without the kids, I want to be able to receive texts from them especially on our at sea day. It's a verizon iphone. Thanks for your help!

 

[over50visits]

Is there a way to have my phone set to only receive texts/calls while on the ship (using the Cellular at Sea, I assume) and then switch it back to data once at port? I have international roaming for the port days, but since we're traveling without the kids, I want to be able to receive texts from them especially on our at sea day. It's a verizon iphone. Thanks for your help!

I know it's not the answer your seek, but since you have an iPhone you can text to other iphones without any cellular service. You do need wifi, so you could rent some minutes onboard, connect to wifi, then text away

 

[Disney's Fan]

Thanks for the reply! Makes me wish my kids had iPhones! Unfortunately, they don't, so if anybody else has information on texting please chime in! thanks again for taking the time to reply!

 

[Juney]

You do not need wifi minutes to send and receive texts. The only charges are from Verizon. .05 to receive and .50 to send.

 

[eculmone]

We r from Canada and I have extra phones. We had read that if you unlock them for aprox $10 each then buy in the states at any Target, Best Buy a disposable SIM card - for aprox $10 for 30 day period we can talk and text each other while on vacation... but you can't text each other on the ship?

 

[TwingleMomFl]

Why not use the wave phones for texting and communicating on the ship?

 

[eculmone]

Why not use the wave phones for texting and communicating on the ship?

Friend of mine just returned from trip and she said they were difficult to understand and when they finally figured them out her daughter would never reply....

Also heading to Universal Studios so thought if we only had to learn one techy tool we'd be good.

 

[Dream_2011]

Is there a way to have my phone set to only receive texts/calls while on the ship (using the Cellular at Sea, I assume) and then switch it back to data once at port? I have international roaming for the port days, but since we're traveling without the kids, I want to be able to receive texts from them especially on our at sea day. It's a verizon iphone. Thanks for your help!

I work as a customer service on one of the bigger carrier, and my personal opinion is crazy ridiculous de pice for texting before you leave call you carrier can you cold add 50 international texting for 10.00 sometime the carrier have difference price. If you have a smart phone turn the airplane mode and no data, message or calling will. So you don't have to pay xtra money , believe me I learn the hard way, my first time that I went I a cruise I leave my cel off and all the call that came tru my voicemail my carrier charge for 5 call almost 80.00 because it went to difference tower.

 

[gumbypee]

Wave phones were awesome! Not difficult to use at all! But I think OP kids are not in ship so wave phones won't help her

 

[Disney's Fan]

Thanks for the replies! Is there a phone setting that allows texts and calls only? From my research on this board it looked like cellular at sea is the only option when not in port, and those charges are different/separate from my international data plan. Maybe I'm misunderstanding how it works at sea? I just don't want to get all my emails when I'm not in port and have to pay extra for those since none will be from my kids, and that's all I'm really wanting to get! thanks!

 

[mae5731]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but couldn't you just change your email setting under settings/email to fetch new data = off? That's how I have my iPhone set up and emails don't come in unless I touch the email button.

 

[Juney]

Thanks for the replies! Is there a phone setting that allows texts and calls only?

Yes. It is in your settings. On my DROID it is Settings-data usage-turn "mobile data" to off. The iPhone is similar. This turns off any auto updates (like weather apps), downloads, email, etc.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[NCConch]

my first time that I went I a cruise I leave my cel off and all the call that came tru my voicemail my carrier charge for 5 call almost 80.00 because it went to difference tower.

Huh? You got charged with your phone off? I am looking forward to unplugging for a few days.

 

[Nikisha421]

Yes cell at sea charges everytimemyou turn the phone back on even if you don't answer the call or respond to the text bc it is on a different countries tower...I too learned the hard way

 

[Disney's Fan]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but couldn't you just change your email setting under settings/email to fetch new data = off? That's how I have my iPhone set up and emails don't come in unless I touch the email button.

Thanks! That's helpful information!

 

[Disney's Fan]

Yes. It is in your settings. On my DROID it is Settings-data usage-turn "mobile data" to off. The iPhone is similar. This turns off any auto updates (like weather apps), downloads, email, etc.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Awesome! Thanks so much. I think this is exactly what I need to do, I just didn't know how!

 

[Ptwolfman]

Will this allow me to send & get texts? Last cruise had no signal the whole trip. Also, I would need the international dialing code?

 

[Disney Dreams]

Yes cell at sea charges everytimemyou turn the phone back on even if you don't answer the call or respond to the text bc it is on a different countries tower...I too learned the hard way

If you turn off data roaming this will not happen (at least with AT&T).

- Dreams

 

[Namsupak]

You can call and text just turn the data setting to off. You won't have visual voicemail, email, nor the ability to send mms (multimedia messaging service, picture texts). We have ATT and have done this on at least 5 dcl cruises, trips to Europe and Asia, no weird charges beyond the texts and calls we made/received.

Also buying an international package for some voice or texting is okay but keep in mind that with cellular at Sea that is a different animal than the texting or voice on land. Since you are using the ship based towers the texts or calls you make are not using up your international plan. For example you can buy a small package of 50 texts for a set price from ATT but Cellular at Sea texting is still an extra charge. The same with voice, whether or not you have the international service add on the Cellular at Sea service is $2.49.

As to using wifi for texting, its kind of a waste of money, especially if your goal is to text to other iphones on the ship. You would be using the minutes twice as fast, and wifi minutes may be more expensive than the actual texting charges. Sometimes wifi signal is spotty and sometimes it won't connect so just more wasted time. Unfortunately cellular signal is spotty at times too, depending on where you are on the ship remember you are traveling on a 100,000 ton steel cage. Texting on wave phones is just like texting before having the full alpha numeric keyboard at your finger tips.

No international dialing code for texting, there may be an option in the settings for automatic help with international dialing and I pretty sure I have this on so this step may be transparent because of it.

 

[disneypoor]

I just want to make sure I'm understanding what has been posted also as I had asked a similar question on another thread since DH and I will be sailing without our kids in the fall. If I take my Ipad and my kids have Iphones, will I be able to Imessage them as long as I pay for internet while onboard the ship? Initially, I thought I'd see about calling and texting from my phone, but I'm wondering if using my Ipad might be safer to avoid any additional charges on my phone. Thanks!

Susan