What do I turn off on my phone on a cruise?

Data use onboard a cruise ship is ridiculously expensive, especially because it tends to add up quickly. Always remember to put your phone in airplane mode or turn off data roaming before you head out to sea and don't want to be smacked with a hefty bill upon returning home.



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Using your cell on the ship For most people, the best piece of advice is to put your phone on airplane mode before your ship sets sail out of port. This prevents your cell from trying to stay connected, thereby eliminating roaming charges.

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As you sail into international waters, these expenses can add up, so we recommend that guests turn off their cellular data and connect to the ship's Wi-Fi instead.

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Make sure to put your phone on airplane mode to avoid expensive roaming charges. Cellular rates at sea can sneak up on you, and you can easily rack up a $500 roaming bill. Even if you're not actively on your phone, most are still using data, so make sure to set yours on airplane mode to avoid roaming charges.

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How to prevent roaming charges while at sea
  1. Turn off your phone. The easiest, but by no means the nicest, is to turn off your phone. ...
  2. Use airplane mode. Many of us can't go more than a few hours without our phones, so it's more likely you will opt for these other options such as using airplane mode. ...
  3. Use the ship's wifi.


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Can You Still Text for Free in the Cruise Line's App if you Bring Your own HotSpot? Yes, of course! As long as you have the app downloaded on your phone and you're on their free wifi, you can use the app to text on a cruise ship for free.

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Stay Connected While At Sea On Your Cruise! Service for voice calls, texting (SMS) and data is available onboard while the ship is at sea. Once the WMS network is switched on, while roaming on our cruise ships, you will see a distinct display on your handset that differs from your home carrier.

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Using your cell on the ship For most people, the best piece of advice is to put your phone on airplane mode before your ship sets sail out of port. This prevents your cell from trying to stay connected, thereby eliminating roaming charges.

MORE DETAILS

To use your cell phone on your cruise, you have two options — either connect to the ship's cellular service or connect to the ship's wi-fi. Both will cost you extra. For traditional cell service, today's modern cruise ships use providers such as “Cellular at Sea” or “Wireless Maritime Services”.

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Since cruise lines don't want you to be bored any more than you do, they fill up days at sea with a variety of activities from trivia sessions and lectures to arts and crafts and dance lessons. The more you participate, the faster your days pass. But don't forget to mix it up a bit.

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Passengers must pass through an airport-style detector and they will have a digital photo taken. Most cruise lines employ former police or military personnel to process boarding checks, and scent dogs may be present to check for drugs, which are among many items prohibited on board.

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You will typically be asked to vacate your cabin by 9 a.m. (or even 8 a.m.) on disembarkation day so that the crew can prepare for the next passengers. If you leave any items behind, it's difficult to recover them once you're off the ship.

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Using your cell on the ship For most people, the best piece of advice is to put your phone on airplane mode before your ship sets sail out of port. This prevents your cell from trying to stay connected, thereby eliminating roaming charges.

MORE DETAILS