Another Cruise With Public Mobile

[Munday]

For anyone that’s interested, here’s some more info on cruising with Public Mobile.

This was my second cruise using a PM US roaming add on. We were just on board the Emerald Princess 15 night Hawaiian Island cruise, round trip from Los Angeles. I purchased a 10 day US roaming add on, including talk/text/data for my Wife and I, as we were waiting for our flight from YYZ to LAX on Feb 1. The add on connected immediately at LAX and worked great in LA. On the 4 sea days from LA to Maui, we were able to text, and on this cruise, phone all our friends and relatives while connected to the ship’s network, Cellular At Sea. The call clarity was great considering we were phoning from the middle of the northern Pacific Ocean.

Our 10 day roaming package was set to expire on Feb 10 or 11. A day or so before that date, I tried to purchase the $15 talk/text package for my Wife for the 5 sea days back to LA, but that option wasn’t available. I could pick text for $8 or talk for $8, but not the package. I chose the text option for her, which still worked fine on board. Strange thing, I had no active US roaming add on after Feb 10 or 11. I couldn’t text from the ship any longer, but phone calls in and out on my phone worked perfectly right up until we docked in LA this past Sunday. Very weird. Phone service without paying for it. 

Still loving cruising with Public Mobile!

[Triguy]

You could switch to $10 plan for 2 months to keep your account and you can always change your plan later.

[AE_Collector]

I’m thinking it just isn’t a big enough issue for them to find a way to block it or bill for it.   I don’t know if Cellular at sea normally provides just voice or voice and text. I am fairly certain it doesn’t provide data as that would compete big time with the cruise line selling data packages and it wouldn’t be hard to undercut the cruise lines data package prices all the while using bandwidth on their satellite system.

[cavemantoronto]

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@AE_Collector wrote:

From whati know about Cellular at sea, it uses the ships satellite system to connect to land and only is available for use once you are something like 10 miles peat from land. Cruise lines are not directly involved in providing Cellular at Sea, you cell phone provider established what extra you will pay if you use it. Presumably the company providing the access on cruise ships is providing details and billing the particular cellular company and then sharing their proceeds with the cruise line. I would assume that Telus gets billed in bulk but PM has no way to recover costs on prepaid service. Terry

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We are lucky.  This is not really U.S. roaming but it works.  Good thing Public Mobile has no way to backcharge prepaid customers. Why wouldn't Public just disable it?

[AE_Collector]

From whati know about Cellular at sea, it uses the ships satellite system to connect to land and only is available for use once you are something like 10 miles peat from land. Cruise lines are not directly involved in providing Cellular at Sea, you cell phone provider established what extra you will pay if you use it. Presumably the company providing the access on cruise ships is providing details and billing the particular cellular company and then sharing their proceeds with the cruise line. I would assume that Telus gets billed in bulk but PM has no way to recover costs on prepaid service. Terry

[computergeek541]

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@Canadawide79 wrote:

You would def need a roaming package to accomodate your needs to go out to sea cause as soon as you hit land again in your place of destination outside of Canada, you will automatically start roaming.

 As there is (no towers on the Ocean), Unless you have a Sattelite phone. 
 When going out to sea, the best way to avoid overages would be to go into your settings and turn roaming off or to of course purchase an add on in turn i highly reccommend if you choose to use your cell while abroad from home.

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Sorry, but none of this applies.

Public Mobile does not have any roaming packages other than for the United States.  There is no such thing as cruise ship roaming packages.  From what I know, this is a glitch that is being allowed and some customers have been able to take advantage of it.

Customers do not need to disable roaming to avoid overage charges.  Public Mobile does not have overage charges.

[Canadawide79]

Good Morning,
 Unfortunately the moment you leave land and go out to sea, your roaming> so long as you do not leave the dock.
 I was a CX care Rep, Retention Specialist, and a trainer for a mobile service provider for quite many years, You would def need a roaming package to accomodate your needs to go out to sea cause as soon as you hit land again in your place of destination outside of Canada, you will automatically start roaming.
 If your on a cruise ship they normally have WiFi on the ship for a daily fee due to this.
 As there is (no towers on the Ocean), Unless you have a Sattelite phone. 
 When going out to sea, the best way to avoid overages would be to go into your settings and turn roaming off or to of course purchase an add on in turn i highly reccommend if you choose to use your cell while abroad from home.

[skylenth]

Thank you for the review! I wonder if Public Mobile works with US-based airlines that offer in-flight SMS.

[Anonymous]

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@Munday wrote:

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@mimmo wrote:

I have reported this same occurance a couple times.  When on cellular at sea network. No roaming package is needed as calls can be made and received without incurring the 4$/per min fee that is typically charged. Texts will not go through unless a USA texting addon is used.

I would be curious about the data if that worked with a USA data addon

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We had the US roaming data/text/talk add on on our way to Hawaii, but data didn’t work at sea for either of us 

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Maybe Cellular At Sea is saying "yeah ok you can roam here but nevermind the data!".

[Munday]

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@mimmo wrote:

I have reported this same occurance a couple times.  When on cellular at sea network. No roaming package is needed as calls can be made and received without incurring the 4$/per min fee that is typically charged. Texts will not go through unless a USA texting addon is used.

I would be curious about the data if that worked with a USA data addon

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We had the US roaming data/text/talk add on on our way to Hawaii, but data didn’t work at sea for either of us 

[Munday]

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@mimmo wrote:

I have reported this same occurance a couple times.  When on cellular at sea network. No roaming package is needed as calls can be made and received without incurring the 4$/per min fee that is typically charged. Texts will not go through unless a USA texting addon is used.

I would be curious about the data if that worked. 

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We had no luck making phone calls while at sea, just texting was possible, on our last cruise - Canada/New England this past October. Seems to be no rhyme or reason, but I’ll take it!

[mimmo]

I have reported this same occurance a couple times.  When on cellular at sea network. No roaming package is needed as calls can be made and received without incurring the 4$/per min fee that is typically charged. Texts will not go through unless a USA texting addon is used.

I would be curious about the data if that worked with a USA data addon

[Munday]

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@cavemantoronto wrote:

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@Munday wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

 @Munday

Nice report. I'd be curious to know if you need ANY roaming for the Cellular At Sea service. If they're backstopped by AT&T or T-Mobile ok maybe...but I wonder.

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Not sure. My Wife’s phone with just US roaming text add on, coming back from Hawaii, could also make and receive texts and phone calls. Tough decision to go on board with no add on, then use 15 internet min to sign in to your account and purchase one. $8 was a pretty good investment.

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I hope for your vacation's sake, public mobile doesn't decide to patch this

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We never really intended to use our phones on board, just at ports. The glitch was discovered by chance on our last cruise.

[Munday]

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@cavemantoronto wrote:

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@Munday wrote:

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@cavemantoronto wrote:

Thanks for sharing!  I woiuldn't think u.s. roaming package would work because cruise ships and airlines charge a lot.  Enjoy the rest of your trip!

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It’s a glitch with the Cellular at Sea system. Something to do with AT&T. I don’t get it, but it was a pleasant surprise, for the second time! Here’s my first experience:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Getting-Started/Cruising-with-Public-Mobile/m-p/28937...

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Public probably thinks it is the regular at&t network .  Consider yourself lucky!

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When we’re cruising, we always consider ourselves lucky!

[cavemantoronto]

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@Munday wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

 @Munday

Nice report. I'd be curious to know if you need ANY roaming for the Cellular At Sea service. If they're backstopped by AT&T or T-Mobile ok maybe...but I wonder.

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Not sure. My Wife’s phone with just US roaming text add on, coming back from Hawaii, could also make and receive texts and phone calls. Tough decision to go on board with no add on, then use 15 internet min to sign in to your account and purchase one. $8 was a pretty good investment.

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I hope for your vacation's sake, public mobile doesn't decide to patch this.

[Munday]

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@Anonymous wrote:

 @Munday

Nice report. I'd be curious to know if you need ANY roaming for the Cellular At Sea service. If they're backstopped by AT&T or T-Mobile ok maybe...but I wonder.

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Not sure. My Wife’s phone with just US roaming text add on, coming back from Hawaii, could also make and receive texts and phone calls. Tough decision to go on board with no add on, then use 15 internet min to sign in to your account and purchase one. $8 was a pretty good investment.

[cavemantoronto]

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@Munday wrote:

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@cavemantoronto wrote:

Thanks for sharing!  I woiuldn't think u.s. roaming package would work because cruise ships and airlines charge a lot.  Enjoy the rest of your trip!

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It’s a glitch with the Cellular at Sea system. Something to do with AT&T. I don’t get it, but it was a pleasant surprise, for the second time! Here’s my first experience:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Getting-Started/Cruising-with-Public-Mobile/m-p/28937...

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Public probably thinks it is the regular at&t network .  Consider yourself lucky!

[Munday]

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@cavemantoronto wrote:

Thanks for sharing!  I woiuldn't think u.s. roaming package would work because cruise ships and airlines charge a lot.  Enjoy the rest of your trip!

---

It’s a glitch with the Cellular at Sea system. Something to do with AT&T. I don’t get it, but it was a pleasant surprise, for the second time! Here’s my first experience:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Getting-Started/Cruising-with-Public-Mobile/m-p/28937...

[Anonymous]

 @Munday

Nice report. I'd be curious to know if you need ANY roaming for the Cellular At Sea service. If they're backstopped by AT&T or T-Mobile ok maybe...but I wonder.

[cavemantoronto]

Thanks for sharing!  I woiuldn't think u.s. roaming package would work because cruise ships and airlines charge a lot.  Enjoy the rest of your trip!