Thursday, January 3, 2008

New Wave of Cell Phone Service at Sea

Your New Year's resolution might read something like, "Get away from it all--take a cruise." However, if you're like many of us and have small children, elderly parents, or are self-employed, those lazy days at sea can be stressful. Just knowing that you can pick up the phone and check on the family or take care of business if you have to can greatly add to your vacation time enjoyment.

That's possible on more cruise ships thanks to an deal inked yesterday between Norwegian telecommunications group Telenor ASA and Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, and P&O Cruises Australia to install and operate the cellular network onboard 21 of their ships with a total capacity of approximately 45,000 passengers, as well as 20,000 crew. The service, provided by Telenor's wholly-owned subsidiary, Maritime Communications Partner (MCP), will allow everyone onboard to use their own mobile phones when sailing.

As with any cruise ship cellular service, check with your own mobile service provider to be sure your phone is compatible. If it isn't, you might want to consider renting a GSM-enabled phone that will work not only at sea, but in foreign ports of call as well. The peace of mind is well worth the cost.

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