A passenger enjoying a relaxing vacation aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise was quickly brought back to reality when they received an enormous cellphone bill due to one particularly expensive mistake.
What began as a week of sun-drenched memories ended with a staggering $1,300 cell phone bill, leaving the cruiser fuming and demanding answers from the cruise line.
The passenger, who has not been named, thought they were covered for all cellphone use after purchasing Royal Caribbean’s Wi-Fi package, but returned home to find the obvious bill.
As they sipped cocktails and soaked up the sea breeze, their phone was silently racking up roaming charges, downloading updates and background data as if it were on a high-seas spending spree, all because of a simple mistake.
Despite the WiFi plan, their phone was not set to ‘Airplane Mode’.
This meant that over the course of the cruise the phone continued to rack up massive roaming charges as it was constantly downloading data in the background.
To make matters worse, their child also unknowingly added to the costs by using the phone to constantly stream videos throughout the trip.
When the angry passenger called Royal Caribbean and demanded answers, the cruise line quickly washed its hands of the matter, citing their clear policy that it is the responsibility of the passenger to activate airplane mode on their own device.
A passenger enjoying a relaxing holiday on board a Royal Caribbean cruise ship was quickly brought back to reality when they returned home after receiving a huge phone bill
A cruiser faced a staggering $1,300 mobile phone bill and demanded answers from the cruise line – but it was their fault after they failed to put their mobile on ‘airplane mode’.
While some carriers, like T-Mobile, are known to retroactively adjust bills for roaming charges, others, like AT&T and Verizon, are less forgiving.
This is far from an isolated incident. Smartphones often silently pick up charges at sea, even when locked in a cabin safe.
Background apps, updates and downloads all still add to the cost.
Populationr YouTube personality Jayson Judson brought the story to light, warns viewers about the hidden financial traps lurking on cruises.
It’s not just cell phone bills – cruise lines can have a knack for sneaky charges that can empty your wallet faster than you can say good trip and they rarely take responsibility for passenger oversight.
And while adults may overlook the necessity of Airplane Mode, children often have no understanding of roaming charges or how they differ at sea.
It’s not just about avoiding hefty phone bills either; parents also have another big spending trap on board: arcades.
It’s all too easy for kids to swipe their way to hundreds of dollars in expenses and all without parents realizing it until the final bill arrives by using their room key to add up charges
Arcade machines often require a cockpit key to be scanned to use, but the cost is not displayed.
That’s why it’s all too easy for kids to spiral into hundreds of dollars in spending in a single day — all without parents realizing it until the final bill arrives.
Preparation is the key. Parents are requested to set spending limits on your room key card prior to boarding, switch all devices to Airplane mode, and keep a watchful eye on the activities children are participating in before racking up charges anywhere on the ship.
