If you are going on a cruise and are leaving several important things back home, for example, running a business, work phone calls, or checking up on your children at home, you will most likely be concerned with how you can make phone calls on a cruise.
Today’s cruise ships are so modern they are packed with communication options for its guests. Oceanview staterooms and accommodations of higher levels usually have their own telephone service, which includes IDD. If that doesn’t work, check if your ship has roaming capabilities provided by mobile phone companies. Chances are there is always a phone call option that would work for you while on a cruise. A last resort you can turn to is wi-fi capabilities. If you bring a laptop you can avail of the wireless, high-speed internet facilities of cruise ships and make phone calls through your laptop. Of course, this is also a cheaper option for making phone calls on a cruise.
Should you be traveling on a budget and you are booking an interior stateroom with no phon, simply ask the friendly staff on your ship for a payphone service you can use. You can pay through your credit card for phone calls made back home.
SeaMobile Enterprises is a company that provides satellite communication capabilities for cruise lines. This includes television, mobile phones, internet cafés, and PDA’s. The service they provide lets cruise guests have access to a variety of communication and internet options through their satellite network. You might want to consider a trip that has SeaMobile capabilities before booking. Some of SeaMobile’s clients include Carnival Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Cunard Lines, Crystal Cruises, Holland America, Island Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, Princess Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean Cruises, and Silversea, among others. To be sure, inquire about SeaMobile services prior to booking your cruise.
Wireless Maritime Services is another company that provides cellular voice and data services for ships. It is the result of a partnership between two communications companies, Cingular Wireless and Maritime Telecommunications Network. Currently, SeaMobile owns the company and has a 49% stake in Wireless Maritime Services. Together, the company services a number of cruise lines providing guests communication capabilities while at sea. Some of Wireless Maritime Services’ clients, apart from those under SeaMobile, include Disney Cruise Lines, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Yachts of Seabourn, Royal Caribbean International, Scholar Ship, and Windstar Cruises.
Because of these companies’ innovative technologies, communication in the open sea is a possibility and a luxury enjoyed by cruise travelers around the world. They have made life so much easier at sea, so that even while you’re away for two weeks on a cruise, you still have ways of calling home to check up, as well as a means for communicating during emergencies. So go ahead and book a trip with your favorite cruise line, you’ll have nothing to worry about onboard.