If you’re looking for a way to just escape the mundanities of everyday life, then a cruise vacation might be for you. Offering world class amenities aboard a luxury ship, cruise vacations can bring you to some of the most exotic destinations you can imagine.
And while the sights and sounds might take your mind off of things, there’s always going to be that worry at the back of your head - what if something goes wrong at home while you’re away? Don’t worry - here’s how to contact someone on a cruise ship in an emergency.
How Can You Contact Someone on a Cruise Ship?
So maybe you’re worried the kids might get into some trouble while you’re enjoying yourself on a cruise. There are a few ways they can get in touch with you even when you’re out at sea.
If you’re looking to find a way that’s relatively cheap or even free-of-charge, you can try Dial-a-Ship. This service connects the caller with any cruise liner around the globe, as long as they have the right information. To place a call with Dial-a-Ship, you need to provide the following information:
Providing more information in more detail should make it easier for the service to locate the boat and the right person to call. They will usually connect you directly with the cabin, but services can change depending on the liner you’re hoping to contact.
For cruise ships that aren’t travelling too far from land, like 3-day cruises that just traverse the waters near the coast, you might not lose signal on board. In that case, your family should be able to contact your mobile phone as they usually would.
But what if there’s no signal, and the Dial-a-Ship service just isn’t working for you? Well, the cruise liner itself should have a contact hotline that your family members on dry land can reach. It’s important to make sure you find out the cruise ship’s number and leave it with your family before you set sail.
How Can You Call Another Cabin?
If you’re on the cruise with your family and you want to contact them in case of an emergency, you can reach them via their room phone. Use of the telephones in the staterooms is complimentary if you’re calling another cabin on the cruise. So you won’t have to worry about extra fees by placing that call.
Can You Call a Mobile Phone on a Cruise Ship?
That depends. We did mention that if the phone has reception out on the water, then you should still be able to contact it as you normally would. But for long distance cruises, there might be a need to put in a little extra effort to maintain that connectivity.
Here are some options for cruise guests who want to keep their phone accessible via call for people back at home:
Cruise Ship WiFi
Now, it’s not going to be cheap. But cruise ships always have WiFi that you can connect to for an added fee. They give you the option to just pay for a day, for a few weeks, or for your entire stay on the cruise.
International Services
Ask your mobile carrier if they offer international service that lets you maintain your reception even when you’re a ways from home. Again, it’s not going to be cheap, but if you regulate your usage and keep your phone on airplane mode when you don’t need it, it can be cheaper than cruise ship WiFi.
Travel WiFi
There are services that rent out or sell devices that let you connect to WiFi internationally. Their pocket WiFi modems can work in a number of locations, and charge far less than the WiFi you’ll find on your cruise ship.
How Much Does Cruise WiFi Cost?
If you’re looking to connect to the cruise ship WiFi, you have the option to pay for it along with your booking, or to avail of the service once you’re on board. Do not though as the rates can be crazy expensive.
Cruise ship WiFi fees change from cruise liner to cruise liner. But on average, you can expect to pay around $14.99 per day just to stay connected. Keep in mind that more expensive luxury liners can easily charge double that price.
Another thing to remember is that this fee typically doesn’t include access to everything on the internet. Their basic package will only let you check your emails and your messaging services. If you want to access social media applications, sports, news, video streaming and more, you might be looking at daily fees of over $24.99 a day.
A Call Away
Don’t forget to tell your family and friends how to contact someone on a cruise ship in an emergency. But more than that, see to is that you do what you can to keep your phone accessible. Although it might cost a pretty penny, being just a call away can help you stay on top of any emergencies back home.
