Cruise Tip #9 - Managing Your Mobile Device at Sea
To ensure a financially smooth voyage and uninterrupted experience, we strongly recommend placing your mobile phone in Airplane Mode immediately upon boarding.
While at sea, your mobile device enters a non-standard service environment. Cellular networks are terrestrial (land-based), meaning they are generally unavailable once the ship moves a few miles offshore.
📵 The Risk of Roaming Charges
When standard cell phone service is unavailable, your device will automatically search for and connect to specialized maritime cellular networks provided via satellite, often referred to as "Cellular At Sea" services.
High-Cost Roaming: Using these satellite-linked networks—even simply for background data usage, checking voicemail, or receiving texts—triggers extremely high international roaming charges. These charges are often significantly more expensive than standard international roaming rates and are not covered by domestic service plans or even most international add-ons.
Unforeseen Expenses: Because your phone is constantly searching for signal and updating applications in the background, charges can accrue rapidly and unexpectedly, leading to substantial and shocking bills upon returning home. This is especially critical as our journeys take us outside the boundaries of the United States and its typical service areas.
The Solution: Airplane Mode
Activating Airplane Mode is the only guaranteed method to prevent your phone from automatically connecting to these expensive satellite networks.
Financial Protection: Airplane Mode disables all cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth radios, thereby protecting your wallet from excessive roaming charges.
Battery Life: It also conserves battery life, as your phone stops the intensive process of searching for non-existent cell towers.
Maintaining Functionality: Once in Airplane Mode, you can still manually enable Wi-Fi (when available via the ship's Wi-Fi packages) and Bluetooth for connecting accessories.
Recommendation: Switch your phone to Airplane Mode and leave it in this setting for the duration of the cruise. If you choose to purchase the ship's Wi-Fi package, you can toggle Wi-Fi on while keeping the cellular radio disabled by remaining in Airplane Mode.
By taking this simple step, you ensure financial stability and allow yourself to be fully present for your conference or event, enjoying the unique experience of a group retreat at sea without the distraction of unnecessary connectivity issues or fees.
