According to T-Mobile (my carrier), the ships (currently) equipped for Mobile service are: CCL - Conquest, Destiny, Triumph; Celebrity - Century, Constellation, Galaxy, Infinity, Mercury, Millenium, Summit, Zenith; Crystal - Serenity; HAL - Volendam; NCL - Crown, Dawn, Dream, Jewel, Majesty, Marco Polo, Spirit, Star, Sun, Wind; Oceania - Nautica; Regent - Mariner, Navigator, Voyager; RCI - Adventurer, Brilliance, Empress, Enchantment, Explorer, Freedom, Grandeur, Jewel, Legend, Majesty, Mariner, Monarch, Navigator, Radiance, Rapsody, Serenade, Vision, Voyager; and some other, international carriers. T-Mobile charges $4.99 per minute for international roaming on the ships (t-mobile uses Cingular's network). You will need a dual or tri-mode telephone with GSM that has been activated for international usage. Hope this helps. Personally, I've had very good luck/reception in every country I've visited. Remember, you can always rent an international phone before you leave the country. Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Mexico are $1.49/min.
We were on the Rhapsody Cruise out of Galveston, April 2005 --- Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Key West... Of Course my Cingular phone worked fine in Key West, In Cozumel it did not work at all, In Grand Caymen it worked, I made a 7 minute phone call and when i got home had a nice $30.00 addition to my phone bill... I would definitely take the time to research before you leave home. And figure out what you can add or do with your phone when in International waters. I am leaving mine off when we go in November through the Bahamas...They can make it a few days without me...
I just talked with Cingular. They say if you don't activate International roaming on your plan (it's free anyway), then the providers can charge anything they want. Perhaps how you got your $30 7 minute call. If you activate it first, then its $.99 in Mexico, $1.99 in Jamaica and Cayman Islands / minute. Not too bad. Supposedly, they also work in the RCL ships for $2.50/min, but they said they didn't show Rhapsody listed as setup. Above does list it, so who knows. Personally, I would only bring the phone for an emergency, but try telling that to my wife
I just got back from a Western Carib. cruise, and one of the members of our group had his phone in all ports. It worked in Gr Cayman, Belize and Costa Maya. It didn't work on Isla Roatan. It also worked on the ship after Wednesday. He has Cincinnati Bell Wireless.
A previous poster provided the Cingular link, which lists ALL cruise ships equipped with cell service as of 8/31/2006. In case you missed it, here it is again.
Paste this link into your browser and it will take you to the list of all cruise ships currently equipped with cell systems.
Some folks will continue to comment that "My phone didn't work, so there must not be any cell service." What they don't realize is that your phone must be one of the current generation digital GSM capable phones. No GSM - no service on board.
Cingular and a few collaborators installed these cell systems. You may pay extra roaming charges if you are not a Cingular user.
Finally, remember that the onboard cell systems are turned of when in port. When docked, you will be using whatever service is offered in that port, including applicable roaming fees or international surcharges.
LL
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Previous cruises:
Rhapsody - W. Caribbean - 2004; Rhapsody - W. Caribbean - 2005; Sovereign - Bahamas - 2005; Enchantment - Canada/NE - 2005; Rhapsody - W. Caribbean - 2006: Vision - Alaska - 2006
Future cruises:
Navigator - E. Caribbean - 11/2006
Vision - West Coast Repo - 4/2007
Grandeur - Canada/N.E. - 9/2007
Voyager of the Seas -"R"W. Caribbean - 1/2008
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