Another vote for leaving it at home, or leaving it off and checking your messages periodically. What are you going to do thousands of miles away from home? If they need you they will find you.
How I hate cell phones on the beach!!!!!!

"(But I'm sure no one on here would ever dream of blabbing on thoughtlessly on the blasted thing while someone is trying to actually relax on vacation...)"

Guess I was wrong.

I live in Hawaii and my TMobile works fine!

I will admit, I am like Kal...I use my cel phone on vacation every so often to rag on the poor saps sitting at home. hee hee. Well, on the practical side, when on a family trip, we use our cels to keep tabs on each other if we plan to meet at a certain place/time, etc. Keeps coordination less hairy.

Mels, Like for finding a bar in New Orleans? :-"

Diana-"""(But I'm sure no one on here would ever dream of blabbing on thoughtlessly on the blasted thing while someone is trying to actually relax on vacation...)"""

If you EVER found me doing this I would gladly let you climb up on a stool and club me over the head repeatedly.

My comment to Natalie-""Agree with natilie, too. A little courtesy always goes a long way no matter where you are.""

The ultimate beach nightmare?: Smoking parents on cell phones while kids are screaming and running around all over.

Yipes Kal!

That is the ultimate beach nightmare

I'm sure I'll run into them eventually.

I'm one of those people who leave incredibly detailed itineraries in case of emergency. I'm taking my cell phone because I'm too cheap to drop $1 per local call at a hotel, if I'm in a coverage area anyway. My husband keeps in close contact with his newly-widowed dad, and a cell phone makes that a lot easier. I might also use it to keep in touch with my husband, if we're doing vastly different things in different directions.

The phone would never come to the beach with me, because I wouldn't want to worry about losing it. I hate it when people talk on cell phones at restaurants, buses, ball games, etc., and I'm sure that someone using one loudly at a beach would drive me nuts.

For me it's not about calling work or chatting by the pool and bothering everyone. I would just like my 9 year old son to be able to contact me without having to give my entire itinerary of my honeymoon to my ex.

Nancy, that's one excellent reason for carrying a cell phone on vacation!

CLLRN,
I have cingular and my service was much better in Maui than it was in PA and NJ.

I'm from Atlanta, and I just returned from a week in Honolulu. I was very pleased with how well my Verizon service worked; I didn't have a single dropped call and the voice quality was excellent. With the phone calls in the hotel room costing $1 each, I was very glad I had the cell phone with me (no roaming or long-distance charges).

FYI--Just got back from the island of Lanai and they only have Verizon and AT&T service there. I have a T-Mobile phone and could not get any service!!

Hawaii and Vegas -- two spots that are literally filled with people yakking on cellphones.
I suggest Fodors do a new guidebook on travel destinations where there is little to no cell phone usage. I'd visit each and every spot. Twice. Heck, I might even move there.

question about cell coverage on Kauai... i have T-Mobile, and plannin on stayin on north shore, around princeville... anyone know how the coverage is around there? or anywhere on the island? saw the coverage map on T-mobile site and they seems to cover around lihue but not much anywhere else.. but after readin the threads im not sure anymore.... appreciate any info. thanks.