Mobile phones are not always reliable on cruises. Unlike the land, where the user is not (in most cases) too far from a cell tower at any given time, at sea the user may or may not be able to receive a signal through their carrier.
Often, signals come through an ‘at-sea’ provider, which will be counted as a roaming charge, and, as a result, can be very expensive indeed. When the user makes port, further roaming charges will probably apply, driving prices even higher.
Although some phone companies do offer ‘cruise plans’, many cruise-goers opt to purchase a set of walkie-talkies for use on the cruise. The question, however, is do walkie talkies work on cruise ships? Are they a viable alternative to smartphones?
The short answer to this question is ‘yes’. Walkie talkies can (and do) work on cruise ships.
The slightly longer answer is that they may not work perfectly, and, even if they do, there are a number of issues to consider before buying a set and bringing them along. This is one instance where research will really pay off.
Many walkie talkies struggle to send and receive signals through dense materials such as metal and concrete. Accordingly, they may not always be reliable on cruise ships.
So, while license-free radios (such as FRS and PMR446) can work adequately enough on a cruise ship, an UHF (Ultra High Frequency) two-way radio would probably be a better option for those looking for reliability.
Even then, it may be difficult to send and receive signals while in cabins or below decks. Short-range walkie talkies probably wouldn’t be worth using, either.
Additionally, although most cruise companies will allow walkie talkies and two-way radios, it never hurts to check the cruise line’s list of banned items, just to be sure.
In addition, conversations conducted via walkie talkie may not be especially secure, even with the use of privacy codes. It is a good idea to move beyond the early channels, just to gain a little extra privacy and security.
Another potential problem comes from the use of two-way radios and walkie talkies after the ship makes port. Different countries have different rules regarding the use of certain channels and frequencies.
So, if the radio is using a legal frequency (according to the cruise ship’s country of origin), while at sea, this frequency or channel may be illegal to use in another country. For example, the license-free radio frequency in the US is used by the emergency services in the UK.
The user will need to be certain of this information if they wish to avoid getting into trouble with local authorities. This can be difficult to research from the ship itself (and cruise staff may not know), so it pays to learn everything possible before ordering the radio (and certainly before leaving for the trip).
To avoid using phones (and thus accruing massive data/roaming charges), cruise-goers will often employ tactics such as arranging to meet friends and family at specific times, slipping handwritten notes beneath cabin doors, and using cabin phones. A walkie talkie or two-way radio can be a good option that allows instantaneous communication as and when it is needed. However, before making a purchase, cruise-goers should research walkie talkies thoroughly to avoid being disappointed or wasting money.