Stupid cruise question

[Mama_Rana]

Ok, we're going on a cruise in December, DH, the 2 boys, and I. DH & DS2 wake up early, but DS1 & I are later sleepers. Typically when we go on vacation, DH takes DS2 out on a walk or something while DS1 & I sleep in a bit, then I call him when we're awake. But on the cruise, the roaming charges would be astronomical. How do groups keep in touch on a ship?? Does it just require advanced planning and stuff, or is there any way to communicate? Walkie-talkies?

 

Thanks!

[K&Rs Mom]

When we went (Royal Caribbean) there were phones in the rooms and in the elevator hallways, so we could dial the room number, like a hotel. If one of you is likely to be in the room, that would work. We also used sticky-notes on doors, because we had a large group in a bunch of rooms, but again that only works if one party is in or likely to check the room.

 

Lots of people bring those little walkie-talkies, but I've heard they often work on the same channels so you might get other people's conversations on yours.

[jenn-]

Just be forewarned that those walkie talkies are illegal in some countries. You could try them on the ship, but leave them there if you get off the boat.

[mytwomonkeys]

yes, i'd definitely take walkie talkies. we just got back from a carnival cruise in sept. and our phones did not work at all. zero service. to obtain service would have been a lot of money! even the internet was very expensive!

[ConnieB]

You could also have a prearranged signal to let DH know that you're awake. Before you leave make up one of those door hangers similiar to a Do Not Disturb sign at a hotel. You can make them out of paper or Michael/Joanns type craft stores sell foam ones ready to decorate. When you awake and are ready for them to come inside, you put the hanger on the door. Part of DH's walk can be to come past the room every once in a while to see if you're awake.

 

Or..after the first morning DH is likely to find a good place to go with DS to keep him occupied and happy until you wake up after the initial stroll around the deck. Each cruise has a kids room so let him tell you where he's going to be and you can wake, get dressed and go meet them before heading to breakfast. Gives Dad and DS more time to play...and DS less time to be underfoot while you're getting ready in those tiny rooms, lol.

[Krista in LA]

Do you by chance have a cabin with a balcony? I wake up before the rest of the family, so I go get some coffee, pastry, whatever and then sit on the balcony to have it and read until everyone else is up. It's a nice way to start the day.

[Gwenhwyfar]

what if you text each other instead of calling? [i've never really traveled with my phone, so i don't know how this 'roaming' stuff works, but i would think texting would be diff?]

 

eta: of course if there's zero service, that won't work!

[Mama_Rana]

Thanks for all the ideas!

 

what if you text each other instead of calling? [i've never really traveled with my phone, so i don't know how this 'roaming' stuff works, but i would think texting would be diff?]

 

eta: of course if there's zero service, that won't work!

Texting would still cost an arm & a leg due to roaming charges, but yeah, if there's no service it's a moot point anyway

 

Do you by chance have a cabin with a balcony? I wake up before the rest of the family, so I go get some coffee, pastry, whatever and then sit on the balcony to have it and read until everyone else is up. It's a nice way to start the day.

We do, though both of us are petrified that one of the kids will manage to get through the bars or over the railing. Eeeep. DS2 is particularly a monkey. We're reserved for a non-specified balcony room, so we could get one with a dinghy hanging there, and truthfully, that would make me feel less afraid, I think. Or we might end up with an upgrade. Toss of the coin, we were told. We'll see. We would have been happy with an interior room.

 

You could also have a prearranged signal to let DH know that you're awake. Before you leave make up one of those door hangers similiar to a Do Not Disturb sign at a hotel. You can make them out of paper or Michael/Joanns type craft stores sell foam ones ready to decorate. When you awake and are ready for them to come inside, you put the hanger on the door. Part of DH's walk can be to come past the room every once in a while to see if you're awake.

 

Or..after the first morning DH is likely to find a good place to go with DS to keep him occupied and happy until you wake up after the initial stroll around the deck. Each cruise has a kids room so let him tell you where he's going to be and you can wake, get dressed and go meet them before heading to breakfast. Gives Dad and DS more time to play...and DS less time to be underfoot while you're getting ready in those tiny rooms, lol.

The sign is a good idea. I also like to hear that there will be a good place to take him. DS2 will only be about 19 months at the time of sailing, so he's too young for the Camp Carnival, or whatever they call it.

 

yes, i'd definitely take walkie talkies. we just got back from a carnival cruise in sept. and our phones did not work at all. zero service. to obtain service would have been a lot of money! even the internet was very expensive!

 

Good to know about the walkie-talkies, and their legality issues as well. We've already determined we're not going to try to get internet: TOO EXPENSIVE. It'll be weird to be off-line for a whole week!!! The set we have has multiple channels and frequencies, so maybe we'll luck out.

[sleepymommy]

We went on a cruise with another family and kept in touch with each other via walkie talkies. It worked out great!

[dirty ethel rackham]

Can you prepay roaming charges? On my plan with US Cellular, you can buy roaming minutes much cheaper than the "accidental" minutes. My plan comes with some minutes, but we knew we needed more on vacation so we could pre-buy them cheaper.

[Mom in High Heels]

Carnival doesn't have a place for younger kids???? That's crazy! The Disney cruise we were on had Flounder's Reef Nursery for kids 3 months-3 years, a place for kids 4-6, one for kids 7-12, and one for kids 13-15, and a teen club for kids 16 and up. It was wonderful!

 

There should still be plenty to keep your little one occupied on board though. There's always stuff to do and see.

 

Maybe you could just pre-arrange a time and place to meet? Is there a particular approximate time you get up? Could you maybe tell your dh that you'll meet him...in the main lobby, or wherever you're having breakfast at say 9 am, and then you call meet?

 

Where are you cruising? We LOVE cruising.

[amey311]

They may be able to go get breakfast (if DH is willing to negotiate breakfast with a toddler). When we went on a cruise YEARS ago, our assigned time for breakfast was before 9am. Since we were on our honeymoon, we had no interest in getting up and out in time for breakfast and instead had room service every morning (RS was included for free - we also used that to have snacks brought to our room while we stayed in and were cozy - nothing like ordering "3 orders of chips and 2 lemonades" or whatever since we had no idea how much one order of chips was :) ).

 

Also - on our cruise iced tea and lemonade were free, but there was a fee for anything carbonated and liquor. Being cheapskates, we stuck with the free stuff.

 

And at dinner service we sometimes ordered more than one of something because you could (the meals were all inclusive). Dessert one night was cheesecake or poached pears. Since I'd never had a poached pear and also loved cheesecake, I ordered both :) Great way to try something new without feeling guilty about the cost if it turns out you don't like it. Double check your terms and conditions, etc, but it's good to know.

[Mama_Rana]

Yeah, Carnival isn't Disney, but I've been told it's better than others.

 

We're going to the Bahamas, 7 days from B'more.

 

I'm not sure about the prepaying. I think--big "think" there--that the issue is that the roaming, not the texting. I have an unlimited texting plan on the phone as long as I'm in the continental US [not sure about Hawaii & Alaska...], but once I cross a border, international roaming kicks in..... I should prbably call AT&T and hash this all out with them, and stop by the Apple store to make sure I know how to turn it off enough so that I don't get any accidental charges.....

[AlmiraGulch]

Yeah, Carnival isn't Disney, but I've been told it's better than others.

 

We're going to the Bahamas, 7 days from B'more.

 

I'm not sure about the prepaying. I think--big "think" there--that the issue is that the roaming, not the texting. I have an unlimited texting plan on the phone as long as I'm in the continental US [not sure about Hawaii & Alaska...], but once I cross a border, international roaming kicks in..... I should prbably call AT&T and hash this all out with them, and stop by the Apple store to make sure I know how to turn it off enough so that I don't get any accidental charges.....

 

I cruise fairly frequently and I have AT&T. Texting is not very expensive at all, actually. Something like .50 for each outgoing and free incoming (or vice versa...I called AT&T and they had an answer for me in about 3 seconds). That's how my teenage daughter and I kept track of each other on our last two cruises (the last one being last month) and it was fine. We did have service the majority of the time, although we had contingency plans in case we didn't. We weren't on Carnival, but if their ships have cell towers I don't know that it would be any different. This will obviously vary by ship, and I know another poster said she had no service on the ship at all so I'd check with Carnival on that if I were you.

 

If you have an iPhone or other smart phone, just make sure you turn off data pushes in your settings or that WILL cost you an arm and a leg.