how to communicate with party during cruise

[Anonymous]

I'm planning a cruise later this year with extended family, including a grandparent with health issues. What is the best way to communicate with others in our cruising party while on the cruise when we are not in our rooms? Sounds like we can sign up for wifi but its pretty expensive. I'm guessing we won't have cell service- its a cruise to the Bahamas. Does the walkie-talkie feature of apple watches work without cell service, does it require wifi? Would apple air tags work or does that need cell service?

[Anonymous]

Why not just have regular check-ins through the day?

[Anonymous]

Some cruise lines have apps you can download which you can use to text others on board (ie. Disney)

[Anonymous]

The cruise we went on had an app you can download (free), that you can then use to communicate. At least it was this way on our royal princess cruise to Alaska

[Anonymous]

If it’s that critical you pay for the wifi.

[Anonymous]

thanks! is the app any different than any other texting app? does it not require all to purchase the daily wifi package?

[Anonymous]

Put a dry erase board on your door

[Anonymous]

Not a cruiser...are there phones in the rooms like a hotel?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not just have regular check-ins through the day?

That’s what we do. We just tell people we’ll be at certain locations at certain times if anyone needs us

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The cruise we went on had an app you can download (free), that you can then use to communicate. At least it was this way on our royal princess cruise to Alaska

this was a daily charge pp when we went last year. one more way for the cruise line to rip you off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:thanks! is the app any different than any other texting app? does it not require all to purchase the daily wifi package?

On Disney, the app is not an extra charge.

[Anonymous]

Walkie-talkies

[Anonymous]

who wants to haul around a walkie talkie all day? And why do you need to know everyone's whereabouts? No one is going anywhere and if you're in port (sounds like there's just one), the walkies won't work if everyone is out on excursions on land that day anyway. And if you're just going to the bahamas, it can't be that long of a cruise any way.

[Anonymous]

Most wireless will let you get an international plan for $10 a day (less for additional lines) which is generally more efficient and costs similar to the cruise line communication app. The last disney cruse we did, their communication app was not working well. I also like the magnetized dry erase board for the door so you can leave notes like “will be at sun deck on 7 until 4 pm, then trivia in the Tritan room”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:who wants to haul around a walkie talkie all day? And why do you need to know everyone's whereabouts? No one is going anywhere and if you're in port (sounds like there's just one), the walkies won't work if everyone is out on excursions on land that day anyway. And if you're just going to the bahamas, it can't be that long of a cruise any way.

[phone]. No way am I carrying around a walkie talkie on vacation just so Aunt Karen can track my every move.