My tips
Best cruise lines by category
29 cruise lines - descriptions
Top 10 destinations
Cabin selection
Cruise costs
Booking advice
Shore excursions
Cruise pros & cons
Cruise dining insights
Family cruising
Cruise etiquette
Ship communications
Cruise industry - facts
More cruise tips/insights
Read my
destination-specific
cruise tip guides
Alaska
Antarctica
Arctic
Baltic
Bermuda
Canada New England
Caribbean
Fjords of Norway
Galapagos
Hawaiian
Honeymoon
Luxury
Mediterranean
Mexican Riviera
Nile
Persian Gulf
Romantic
River cruises
South American
TransAtlantic
World
Yangtze
What it's like
on luxury cruise ships
Paul Gauguin
Silver Shadow
Silver Spirit
Silver Whisper
SeaDream II
Regent Voyager
Azamara Quest
Celebrity Xpedition
Also read
Family
Luxury
Cruise history in brief
World wonders
Top 100
Top 1000
More
Site map
About me and my credentials
About my website
Reader testimonials
Email me your opinion
Cruise communication
tips you can trust
How to stay in touch
with the outside world
during your cruise
Phone Calls
Be aware of factors such as cost:
Ship-to-shore service
You can place calls onboard, but charges are quite expensive for most budgets. The standard ship-to-shore charge is about $6 per minute That's $120 for a 20-minute call.
A far less costly alternative
Place your calls in the ports you visit, using a calling card.
Use your cell phone
It will work on the high seas only under certain conditions. Your phone must be programmed to work with the right satellite service. Or, your ship must be equipped with modern satellite or Wi-Fi technology that allows your cell phone to access the system (few ships currently have it).
Near shore, your phone will work, but only if the land transmitter accommodates your cell phone service.
Someone is calling you
Emergencies back home could occur. If your cell phone won't work onboard, provide your family, friends and associates with the satellite communications phone number of the ship. Remind them to use that number (supplied by the cruise line) only in a true emergency. It could be a costly addition to their telephone bill.
Internet
Most modern cruise ships provide passengers with internet access using satellite transmission, but bear in mind:
Rates
Onboard internet access time rates on some ships can shock many budgets. Ditto for fax, Telex and radiogram services.
Best time of the day
Demand for available computers on a ship can be high, so it's best to do your onboard emailing and surfing in the early morning or late evening. During peak periods, both waiting lines and internet access can be painfully slow. The worst time is usually just before dinner.
Lower rates onshore
Drop by an internet cafe in the port you are visiting. Its rates should be considerably lower than those onboard.
Temporary web-based email
Before you leave, set up a temporary web-based email account that can be accessed on the internet, such as the ones provided free by Google, MSN, Yahoo! and other organizations. You gain two major advantages:
Ease of access
Your regular email accounts might not be accessible on the internet without doing a lot of fiddling with the computer you're using - and even that effort may not work.
Security
It is often risky to access your regular email account on a public computer. Wrong-doers secretly install programs on them that steal passwords for malicious purposes.
Forwarding
To read your regular email onboard, instruct your regular email account to forward messages to your temporary email address.
BCC it
To keep a record of the messages you send using your temporary email account, send a BCC to your regular email box.
News
Keep abreast of the latest news while sailing the high seas:
Daily Summary
Your cruise ship downloads and distributes a free daily, small-sized newssheet summarizing major stories.
More detailed news
Some cruise ships download and sell special full-sized 6-to-8-page versions of major newspapers such as USA Today. For late-breaking news, there's onboard television and the internet.
Best cruise lines by category
29 cruise lines - descriptions
Top 10 destinations
Cabin selection
Cruise costs
Booking advice
Shore excursions
Cruise pros & cons
Cruise dining insights
Family cruising tips
Cruise etiquette
Ship communications
Cruise industry - facts
More cruise tips/insights
World Wonders - Top 100 rankings
World Wonders - Top 1000 list
My credentials
About my website and criteria
Reader testimonials
Site map
Cruise Lines International Association
sponsored ad
Learn
my candid
worldwide
tips & rankings
Click blue links
Top
wonders of
Top
wonders of
Cruise line ratings
Cruise
destinations tips
Special interest cruising
Safari guides
Special topics
World wonder rankings
Other tips & advice
More
Copyright 2013 HQP - Hillman Quality Publications / hillmanwonders.com
