For anyone who has asked about cell phone usage on ship, here's what I received in a recent email from Cruise 411.

"Cruisers, rejoice: That stateroom telephone will no longer rob you blind. This year several top cruise lines including Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, and Royal Caribbean are rolling out new cell-phone services, allowing passengers to use their own phones and numbers. All at bearable rates: $2 to $5 per minute for most voice calls, which is far less than in-cabin fees. The company with the biggest upside, though, is Wireless Maritime Services, a Florida startup (partly owned by Cingular Wireless) that outfits ships with base stations that act as conduits between users, satellites, and cell towers. Another new marine cellular vendor, SeaMobile, recently signed up its first customers, Silversea and Oceania."

Not suprising as the technology is now available, but in a way, I'm sorry to hear it.
There was always something special about a cruise "disconnecting" us from the world. It was one of the last refuges from the daily interuption of phones, pagers, etc.

Shit! Now everyone will be on their cell phones constantly. One thing I do not want to hear on my vacation / cruise is how important some folks think they are, yelling into their phones telling the poor person on the other end where exactly they are in the middle of the Caribbean or the Pacific. I personally dread the day.

I don't think people will be gabbing constantly at $2-5 per minute.

Oh yeah they will be - just as said earlier bragging OR the really stupid ones will be calling the office to check in. Vacation? What vacation? Now between wi-fi on the ships and cell phones these idiots can work all the time.

Someday someone will invent a most certainly illegal device that you can buy which will jam all cellphone communications within 50 feet of the user...you keep it in your pocket and simply press a button when needed and laugh at the results.

Unfortunately, it will have to come with earplugs so the user can blot out the shouts and screams coming from the disgruntled users.

luv2fly...I am imagining conversation about where exactly they are in the middle of the Caribbean or the Pacific and LMAO...I too don't think it will be lots of long talks for this price but those who can charge to their companies - ofcourse...but then you can always walk by and while he is so engaged into how many trucks were shipped out yesterday - just give him a little stronger then usually pat on the back...

Just returned from a very relaxing week on the Paul Gauguin and the one thing I did not miss was having to listen to cell phones ringing and people talking about their personal business. In the 7 days we were on ship, I only saw one person use a cell phone. It was wonderful..please give us some breathing room to escape the constant communication. We also noticed that when we were in Aukland and Sydney people didn't seem as loud on their cell phones when we saw them and no one I repeat no one used them in the restaurants!