Cruise Ship Roaming
 

I have a question about cruise ship roaming. This is not for me, I'd never pay the larcenous rates that it would cost.

Does anyone know of any prepaid that works with Celluar at Sea or Sea Phone? Most contract SIMs do, but not even Mobal or Roadpost SIMs appear to. I have a number of questions about this because Cingular is in a p--sing match with Sea Phone and people can't use their Cingular Phones on Holland America ships because of it.

Thanks.

Ekit sims claim to work with some cruise ships.

Coverage is only on the 1900 band.

On a cruise with Royal Caribbean in August last year, every sim I had with me worked. These are the old IOM 447624 from freeGlobalsim, UM, UM+, Virgin UK (Used this for data only) and of course my cingular sim.

Did you use any of the global sims? What were the rates for UM?

I only used the IOM for calls. Actually, my cingular sim was forwarded to IOM via voicestick. They charged whatever the rates listed for roaming in the US. The on ship service is provided by a company called Wireless Maritime service. Our cingular phones showed "Cellular At Sea" on the screen. All other sim showed the nwtwork code of 901-18 or so. It's actually a joint service with cingular (see below) so may be that's why they charge the rates for roaming in the US.

http://www.wirelessatsea.com/corpinfo.htm

I know the rates for ekit sim. I do not know those for UM.

Using +423 UM on Superfast Ferries (Patra-Ancona) I never pay anything :D

the rates are always like in the USA. those services are handeled by USA providers.

Not always. Some services are handled nby European providers (e.g. Iceland Simmin, or vodafone Malta)

or Jersey or Manx or Telenor or ...