Phone Home! Communicating Ship to Shore…

The Facts

Can you use your cell phone on the ship?

Yes.

Can you receive phone calls on board?

Friends and family may call you on board via Maritime Telecommunications Network (MTN) Shore-to-Ship telephone service.  The rate is about $9.50 per minute from the United States; additional long distance charges may apply from outside the United States.  The caller needs to know you are on the Spirit, they need to know your full name, and they need to know their credit card will be charged.  They can use MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover Card, Diner’s Club.   They call:  1-877 CCLSHIP (1-877-225-7447) from the U.S. 1-732-335-3284 from Canada and outside the U.S.

Can you mail postcards while on board?

Postcards can be mailed each day when the ship is in port.  Due to customs regulations, any type of mail other than postcards cannot be mailed from the ship.  Letters and packages can be mailed from a local post office in the ports-of-call.  The postal regulations of the various ports require that the postcards be stamped with a local stamp only (no U.S. postage if outside the U.S.).  The Purser’s Desk sells local stamps.  There is a mailbox located at the Purser’s Desk:  one side is for postcards with foreign stamps (these postcards will be mailed when the ship docks at the appropriate port-of-call). The other side is for postcards with U.S. stamps (these postcards will be mailed from a U.S. port only or when the ship returns to the U.S. embarkation city, whichever comes first).

Can you call home while on board?

The ship’s telecommunications network offers direct dialing via satellite from your stateroom’s telephone 24 hours a day regardless of the ship’s location.  This service is closed on the final day of the cruise at 4:00 am.  The rate is about $6.99 per minute for calls to the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, and about $9.99 per minute for all international calls.  All charges are billed to your account.  Since all communication is via satellite, you cant use calling cards, credit cards, dial 800 toll-free numbers or make collect calls.  Instructions and rates can be found in your stateroom’s directory.

Can you access the internet while on board?

Yes.  You have access to the internet in the Internet Cafés and wireless networks using the ship’s own satellite connection. The Internet Café is open 24-hours a day and features private terminals with the latest flat panel computer monitors.  You will have the ability to send and receive e-mail, chat online and access the full internet.  You can also access your own e-mail account through AOL, Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo, etc., and have the option to create your own temporary e-mail account with our “CruiseE-mail”™.

The complete “Bow2stern” wireless network is available on the Spirit which means you can enjoy internet access from literally anywhere on board, including all public areas, lounges, bars and pool decks, guest suites and cabins.  To take full advantage of this feature, bring your own laptop, as the number of laptops available for rent ($10 per day) onboard is limited.  In addition, this network provides supports the latest Wi-Fi enabled iPhones, PalmPilots and Blackberrys.   Internet pricing options are identical, whether an Internet Café terminal is utilized, or a laptop.

An initial one-time Activation Fee of about $3.95 applies to each user, and a basic time charge of about $0.75 per minute (“Pay-As-You-Go”) is available.  Minutes are rounded to the next full minute.  You can also purchase a Discounted Time Plan:  100 minutes for about $55 or 250 minutes for about $100.  Wireless network cards (to connect your laptop to the ship’s wireless signal) can be rented for about $10 per day.  All charges are billed directed to your account.