Going on Cruise to Mexico/How to avoid Roaming Charges?

Airplane mode shuts off all radios, so you will get nothing incoming. You can turn Wi-Fi back on after you set Airplane mode to get access to the internet if you have a wireless network to use. That will incur no data charges.

If you want to allow phone calls to come it but don't want to pay for roaming charges (which are high) for data, turn off Data Roaming in the Settings application. You won't be able to get email or use location services (GPS) then, unless you are connected to a wireless network.

If you get email without being connected to Wi-Fi, you will use data services.

Geotagging won't work if you are in Airplane mode. Location services do use data, so no dice if you want to avoid data charges.

MacVixen said:

I am going on a quick 3 day cruise to Mexico in a few days. I don't intend to use my phone very much except to take a few pics (I like the geotagging feature when it uploads to iPhoto). I may want to check my email occasionally. If I enable Airport mode I'm not able to make or receive calls, right? Does that turn off all data options? If I don't enable Airport and my push email still comes through, will I be paying roaming charges for that?

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That wouldn't be the one leaving from LA and goes to Ensenada is it? If so, great cruise.

Airplane mode will disable all wireless radios, like if you were going on a plane. You'll have all other functionality on the device. I would say this is the best option and you can turn on occasionally to receive some email if you like, but check to make sure what the roaming data charges are first. You will receive roaming data charges for any data sent or received while outside of your network.

MacVixen said:

It is indeed the LA (well Long Beach)-Ensenada trip. I am looking forward to it - my first time on a cruise

Thanks for the answers guys.

Hmmm.... I really wanted the geotagging feature, but since I will have to pay roaming charges I might rethink that. I guess if I am lucky the cruise ship will have some sort of WiFi that I can access. In that case I would just be on WiFi and pay no roaming charges, right?

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That was my first cruise too. It's a total "booze cruise", at least for our group (a friend's 30th birthday was May 5th 2007). A little OT here but go wine tasting if you can when you get to Ensenada, L.A. Cetto was excellent and Domencq was ok. Domencq was cool to see how they produce the wine and where it's stored. Los Amigos was decent for some basic tacos, beer and fun. The place across the street was really hopping but our group decided Los Amigos was a little less crazy.

Back on topic, the GPS chip should still theoretically work and will hopefully tag your photos with location data.