A passenger enjoying a relaxing vacation aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship was quickly brought back to reality when he received a huge cell phone bill due to a particularly costly mistake.
What started as a week of sun-filled memories ended with a staggering $1,300 cell phone bill, leaving the cruiser enraged and demanding answers from the cruise line.
The passenger, who has not been named, thought he was covered for all cell phone use after purchasing Royal Caribbean’s WiFi package, but they returned home to find the eye-watering bill
As they drank cocktails and enjoyed the ocean breeze, their phone quietly collected roaming charges, downloading updates and background data as if it were spending on the high seas, all because of a simple mistake.
Despite the WiFi subscription, their phone was not on ‘Airplane mode’.
It meant that the phone continued to incur huge roaming charges during the cruise as it continually downloaded data in the background.
To make matters worse, their child had also unknowingly increased the costs, using the phone to continuously stream videos during the trip.
When the irate passenger called Royal Caribbean and demanded answers, the cruise line quickly rolled up its sleeves, citing their clear policy that it is the passenger’s responsibility to activate Airplane Mode on their own device.
Passengers enjoying a relaxing holiday aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship were quickly brought back to reality as they returned home after receiving a huge phone bill
A cruiser was hit with a staggering $1,300 cell phone bill and demanded answers from the cruise line – but it was their fault after they didn’t put their cell phone on ‘airplane mode’
While some carriers, like T-Mobile, have been known to retroactively adjust roaming bill bills, others, like AT&T and Verizon, are less forgiving.
It is far from an isolated incident. Smartphones often charge silently at sea, even when stored in the cabin safe.
Background apps, updates and downloads all continue to add to costs.
PopulationR YouTube personality Jayson Judson brought the bringing the story to light and warning viewers of the hidden financial pitfalls that lurk on cruises.
It’s not just cell phone bills; cruise ships can have a knack for sneaky charges that can empty your wallet faster than you can say “have a safe trip,” and they rarely accept responsibility for passenger inattention.
And while adults may overlook the need for airplane mode, children often have no idea about roaming charges or how they differ at sea.
It’s not just about avoiding high phone bills either; parents are also confronted with another major spending trap on board: arcades.
It’s all too easy for kids to rack up hundreds of dollars in expenses, all without parents realizing it, until the final bill arrives by using their room key to collect charges
Slot machines often require a booth key to be scanned to use them, but the costs are not displayed.
That’s why it’s all too easy for kids to rake in hundreds of dollars in expenses in one day — all without parents realizing it until the final bill arrives.
Preparation is key. Parents are urged to set spending limits on your room key card before boarding, put all devices on airplane mode, and keep an eye on the activities children are participating in before charging anywhere on the ship.