Cruise Talk: P&O introduce mobile phone service at sea

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»	Cruise Talk » Cruise Lines » P&O introduce mobile phone service at sea (Page 1)

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Author

Topic: P&O introduce mobile phone service at sea

Sutho
First Class Passenger
Member # 6234

posted 06-22-2006 03:19 AM

I noticed on P&O's website under press releases that on all their ships excluding Artemis that they will be introducing GSM mobile network at sea.

Sensibly the service will not operate in the Restaurants, but will operate in cabins and certain public rooms.

I am undecided in this issue as it enables me to keep in touch with home, yet on the other hand the enjoyment of a cruise is to forget the hassles of the outside world. I also find some people are very rude when it comes to mobile phones as they interupt you in places you dont want to hear them (cinema etc)

Mobiles are also not secure networks. The technology on modern warships like the one I served on we could intercept mobile telephone conversations. Therefore to me they are no good to make banking/business calls in the first place.

Posts: 1055 | From: Newcastle, Australia | Registered: Feb 2006 | IP: Logged

tazza
First Class Passenger
Member # 5450

posted 06-22-2006 08:05 AM

Excellent!! I'd absolutely love this feature. I'd love to have that freedom to contact anyone I wanted when I wanted. The fact that I sell phones is just testament to the other truth that I love having and using them!! As for security, well, if you have to conduct banking/financial matters, use a computer. I wonder how you would be charged by your local carrier?

Posts: 164 | From: Sydney, Australia | Registered: Feb 2005 | IP: Logged

Sutho
First Class Passenger
Member # 6234

posted 06-22-2006 08:52 AM

Enjoy the flexibility of using your mobile phone to chat to family and friends back home, even when you are miles out at sea enjoying an extraordinary P&O Cruises holiday.

You can lie back on your sun bed, cocktail of the day in hand and tell your nearest and dearest about all the things you have seen and done, as well as finding out what has been happening back home. You can even send pictures or media clips.

Our Mobiles@sea service is available on all ships with the exception of Artemis.

The network will be activated when the ship is at sea. When the service becomes available for use your mobile will show either MCP or 901 12 in the display. This will mean that you are using ‘International Maritime Roaming’. You can call home for as little as £1.40* per minute for calls and text for 50p.

*Please check with your mobile phone service provider for International Maritime Rates. As these may differ from Providers. To use this service, you must have International Call activated on your Phone.

Posts: 1055 | From: Newcastle, Australia | Registered: Feb 2006 | IP: Logged

Linerrich
First Class Passenger
Member # 4864

posted 06-22-2006 09:31 AM

From this week's Travel Weekly:

--Carnival Cruise Lines, in a joint venture with Wireless
Maritime Services, will outfit its fleet of 22 ships with technology
that will enable guests with any cellphone service to make or receive
calls as they normally do on land, no matter how far out to sea they
are. The Carnival Triumph already has the service installed, and
Carnival's remaining 21 vessels will be fitted with the technology by
the first quarter of 2007. The technology already is available fleet
wide on all of Norwegian Cruise Line, on most of the ships for both
Royal Caribbean Cruises brands, Royal Caribbean International and
Celebrity Cruises, and three of Regent Seven Seas' ships. (Travel
Weekly.com)

Remember when the beauty of a cruise was getting away from telephones?

Rich

Posts: 4210 | From: Miami, FL | Registered: Jul 2004 | IP: Logged

bulbousbow
First Class Passenger
Member # 4440

posted 06-22-2006 09:47 AM

I see this as another way to ruin a (peaceful) cruise.

******

Cheers

Posts: 6866 | From: Adelaide, Australia | Registered: Feb 2004 | IP: Logged

Frosty 4
First Class Passenger
Member # 5826

posted 06-22-2006 10:15 AM

AMEN to that!! Wait till the results are in that continued use of a cell phone at the frequencies they operate on cause some destruction of brain cells due to the close proximity of the phone to the head. HELLO!! It's microwave!!! You will see!
F4

Posts: 2531 | From: Illinois | Registered: Jul 2005 | IP: Logged

Patsy
First Class Passenger
Member # 5611

posted 06-22-2006 02:49 PM

Agreed. I doubt I'll use mine anyway. Cost a flipping fortune with just texts I sent and I received when I was in Australia. Put me right off International con rates.

Posts: 2023 | From: Hythe, Hants | Registered: Apr 2005 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 06-22-2006 04:32 PM

What joy it will be walking from public room to public room hearing the likes of; "You will never guess, I'm talking to you from a cruise ship"!

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Ernst
First Class Passenger
Member # 5369

posted 06-22-2006 04:47 PM

No Macolm, it will be more like this:
CAN YOU ME - ON AN SHIP - YES - WAIT I CAN NOT HEAR YOU RIGHT NOW - IS THAT BETTER - NO, ON A CRUISE SHIP ------ A CRUISE SHIP --- A BIG SHIP ON THE OCEAN ---- YES, WE ARE UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW - NO - WAIT I DID NOT GET THAT - NO, NO WE ARE NOT IN PORT ---- IN PORT - NO WE ARE NOT IN PORT WE ARE AT SEA - HELLO - NO, AT SEA -

Posts: 9746 | From: Eindhoven | Registered: Jan 2005 | IP: Logged

Frosty 4
First Class Passenger
Member # 5826

posted 06-22-2006 07:43 PM

Remember how the World was before cell phones? Now even Superman can't find a phone booth anymore.

Posts: 2531 | From: Illinois | Registered: Jul 2005 | IP: Logged

Sutho
First Class Passenger
Member # 6234

posted 06-22-2006 11:22 PM

Its obvious that it is more to do with revenue than anything else.

It will be handy for me doing the Oriana World Cruise next year as our mobiles dont work in the US region.

My only concern is that phones will start ringing in the theatre/cinema, restaurant etc. I think the system should only be available on deck. Having radio waves bounce around inside a metal ship is not something I am keen on. Why are people concerned about these transmitters being placed near homes???

Personally I have never cared about not contacting people when the ship is at sea. Who gives a stuff about family and friends when you are on holidays that you paid good money for!

I am just happy to phone in at each port just to let them know that all is well.

Posts: 1055 | From: Newcastle, Australia | Registered: Feb 2006 | IP: Logged

Colin
First Class Passenger
Member # 1676

posted 06-23-2006 03:21 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Sutho:
You can lie back on your sun bed, cocktail of the day in hand and tell your nearest and dearest about all the things you have seen and done, as well as finding out what has been happening back home.

Remind me not to lie on the next sunbed to you.

Posts: 283 | From: Inverness, Scotland | Registered: Nov 2000 | IP: Logged

tazza
First Class Passenger
Member # 5450

posted 06-23-2006 05:44 AM

Erm I think that was a quote from the P&O web site.

I don't get the big deal, with all the activities on a cruise ship, do you really think someone speaking on a phone will make that much of a difference? I doubt it's something you'll even notice unless you are in a place that is quiet and someone rudely uses their phone such as the cinema or showroom.

Posts: 164 | From: Sydney, Australia | Registered: Feb 2005 | IP: Logged

greybeard
First Class Passenger
Member # 5284

posted 06-23-2006 06:24 AM

This is a great innovation !

I'll be able to make telephone bids at the art auction.

Posts: 587 | From: London | Registered: Dec 2004 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 06-23-2006 06:39 AM

Sorry Greybeard, looks like you may have to appear in person.

The P&O press release states:- "The GSM network will operate in various public spaces on board each ship and in all cabins. It will not be activated in restaurants and some deck areas."

I would hope they add in there, cinema, theatres, libraries etc. If it purely worked in the cabins I am sure that would keep people happy. Yes there are times when one has to keep in touch with work/family for various reasons.. and people only yak on deck as most of the time a signal does not reach the cabin. With cabin signals, the deck and all the public areas can be blocked.. everyone happy?

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

Sutho
First Class Passenger
Member # 6234

posted 06-23-2006 08:55 AM

I am still confused about it. If you are radiating mobile signals in a ship how are they going to stop it being used on different decks and in different rooms?

I am keen to use it for sms and think it is a good idea to have.

What I dont know about these transmitters is how are they controlled to be used in cabins? will there be an individual transmitter in every cabin? What is the range of the transmitters?

Posts: 1055 | From: Newcastle, Australia | Registered: Feb 2006 | IP: Logged

Ernst
First Class Passenger
Member # 5369

posted 06-23-2006 08:57 AM

I guess the range in a ship - made of metal - is limited.

Posts: 9746 | From: Eindhoven | Registered: Jan 2005 | IP: Logged

Linerrich
First Class Passenger
Member # 4864

posted 06-23-2006 09:18 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Sutho:
I am still confused about it. If you are radiating mobile signals in a ship how are they going to stop it being used on different decks and in different rooms?
I am keen to use it for sms and think it is a good idea to have.
What I dont know about these transmitters is how are they controlled to be used in cabins? will there be an individual transmitter in every cabin? What is the range of the transmitters?

That's a good point--how do you limit the range of accessability? On the Regent ships, which have shipwide coverage, there are 30-40 antennae. More details in this article from today's Miami Herald:

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/14880751.htm

Rich

Posts: 4210 | From: Miami, FL | Registered: Jul 2004 | IP: Logged

timb
First Class Passenger
Member # 5901

posted 06-23-2006 09:58 AM

Also remember that it is possible to block transmission which may be the case in the theater or dining areas

Posts: 437 | From: S FL | Registered: Sep 2005 | IP: Logged

Frosty 4
First Class Passenger
Member # 5826

posted 06-23-2006 10:49 AM

A cell phone is a 2 way RADIO . They can operate from 800mhz to 2.4 GHZ. The microwave domain of the RF spectrum. It would be impossible to sheild every part of the ship. Your phone would transmit to a receiver on the ship and then uplink via a transmitter(on the ship to a satellite and back to you.) It would be better just to use the wired phone in your room. Probably cheaper too! I'm sure that with all the computer control functions on the bridge that cell usage may cause a problem with interference. Rember you have to turn off your cell phone on a plane for similar reasons.
Cell towers/monoples are not popular because of the way they look plus the radiation around the site. You may see as many as 5 carriers(platforms)(companies) on a tower or monopole as they are called in the industry. These sites(land based) have Receiver and Transmitter antennas on the triangular platforms then fed to a building below where the RX and TX equipment is located.
You would have some form of a similar arrangement on board.
GSM (a celluar format)is popular in Europe and Asia. Not so much in the US.
I speak from experience as I was a Project Manager for installation of this technonogy throughout the US.
Frosty 4

Posts: 2531 | From: Illinois | Registered: Jul 2005 | IP: Logged

Ernst
First Class Passenger
Member # 5369

posted 06-23-2006 10:58 AM

I doubt very much that the mobile phones would cause problems with the electronics aboard. There are actually also no problems in planes - this is more a precaution.

Posts: 9746 | From: Eindhoven | Registered: Jan 2005 | IP: Logged

greybeard
First Class Passenger
Member # 5284

posted 06-23-2006 11:25 AM

And never use a mobile phone while standing in the open air during a thunderstorm, according to today's newspapers.

Otherwise your brains will get fried even quicker.

[ 06-23-2006: Message edited by: greybeard ]

Posts: 587 | From: London | Registered: Dec 2004 | IP: Logged

Ernst
First Class Passenger
Member # 5369

posted 06-23-2006 11:35 AM

quote:
Originally posted by greybeard:
And never use a mobile phone while standing in the open air during a thunderstorm, according to today's newspapers.
Otherwise your brains will get fried even quicker.
[ 06-23-2006: Message edited by: greybeard ]

I did not read the article - but it sounds like nonsense to me - a (normal, small) mobile phone will hardly change the probability of being hit by lightning - and also the operation of the mobile phonie itself will hardly be change due to the thunderstorm. (maybe worse reception forces the phone to operate with higher power - but this happens in other situations too)

Posts: 9746 | From: Eindhoven | Registered: Jan 2005 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 06-23-2006 11:58 AM

They are not saying that using a mobile phone increases the chances of being struck, but that if you are using one, or even just carrying one in your pocket [or any other metal objects], and are unlucky enough to be hit, it acts as a conductor and allows more current to flow through the body internally causing far more serious injuries. The chances of this happening are so remote.. see the BBC report. Not sure why it makes newsheadlines as it's something one would have thought was as obvious as standing under the only tree in a field in a thunderstorm.

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

Ernst
First Class Passenger
Member # 5369

posted 06-23-2006 12:06 PM

I have to admit that this makes sense - the article can be sumarized with it's last line: "I would treat a mobile phone as yet another piece of metal that people tend to carry on their persons like coins and rings"

Posts: 9746 | From: Eindhoven | Registered: Jan 2005 | IP: Logged

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