MIAMI-Guests on Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises ships can soon use their personal cell phones to stay in touch while at sea.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has teamed with Wireless Maritime Services, a joint venture of Cingular Wireless L.L.C. and Maritime Telecommunications Network, to allow guests to make and receive calls on their own cell phones at their personal numbers while in international waters.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. said it pioneered the use of this service on Island Cruises’ Island Escape and has now begun to offer the service to guests sailing on its Royal Caribbean and Celebrity brands. The new capability is available on Majesty of the Seas and is slated to launch in the coming weeks on Navigator of the Seas and the Celebrity ship Summit. The company plans to extend the service to its 29-ship Royal Caribbean and Celebrity fleet within the next year.
Most cruise guests with GSM phones will be able to take advantage of the new service, making and receiving both voice calls and text messages. Guests with data-capable GSM/GPRS devices may also be able to access data services, such as e-mail and picture messaging. In addition, the companies intend to expand the offering to CDMA carrier customers.
Guests will be billed by their own wireless phone carriers at the roaming rates set by their carriers. The new shipboard service will activate when the ship leaves the range of the closest land-based cell tower. While in port, cell service will revert to the local, land-based towers.
Earlier this year, AT&T Wireless and MTN formed Wireless Maritime Services, a joint venture combining MTN’s satellite services with AT&T Wireless’ cellular services. AT&T Wireless was subsequently acquired by Cingular Wireless, creating the nation’s largest digital voice and data network.
