Cruise ship mobile
This past October me an the XYL decided to take our annual cruise out of Miami and like last year I wanted to take my ham radio. The usual game plan was to fly into Miami the day before and spend the night in a hotel then onto the boat in the morning..
His gave me the opportunity to try and make some contacts in the city, no matter how unsuccessful I have been. The biggest thing was would I be allowed to take the radio onto the boat? For most cruise lines this is a hard NO!!!! With Carnival it was a yes but there were some rules to follow and of course they were the following………
1. You can only operate in the Miami port from the ship or the waters surrounding on regular RF.
2. The radio cannot be larger than a small mobile rig (so leave the 9700 and 7300 at home) HT’s are preferred.
3. Radios must either used with the headpiece or volume kept at a minimal (and yes the walls are thin)
4. You are only allowed to operate in your license class and or the countries you are authorized to. (some ports like Cozumel is a big No No!!!)
With all of this you still can operate and have fun doing so and of course here are some tips to make it even more awesome!!!
1. Get a balcony room!!! They cost more but it opens up more air space and volume options and you get a wonderful place to eat and the views are the best.
2. If you buy the internet package make sure you get the right one as you may use up a lot of data with nodes and operating at sea.
3. Research operating licenses and places you are planning to operate (some places allow you buy a temporary license)
4. (Should have been #1)… With changing policies check the website and a quick call to customer service to make sure they still allow it onboard………..
5. IF you run into the Captain, Mention you are a ham radio operator, you might get a invitation to the radio room and the bridge. (this has happened to me before but weather turned bad keeping me from getting in, maybe one day)
Ham radio operating has been awesome especially when you get to operate from a cruise ship.
How many of you have done it ?
Hope you enjoyed this post……
….73
- 3 Replies
205
What a fascinating post! I have to admit, I had never even considered the idea of taking ham radio on a cruise ship, let alone all the challenges and nuances involved. Your experience really highlights how unique the hobby can be, and I imagine it requires a lot of preparation and flexibility.
I was especially intrigued by the rules you mentioned — especially about operating only from the Miami port or surrounding waters and the limitations on rig size. It really makes you appreciate how important it is to research each cruise line’s policies and port regulations ahead of time. I had no idea certain ports, like Cozumel, are a hard “no-go.”
The tips are gold, particularly about getting a balcony room and double-checking policies with the cruise line before you go. I can see how operating from a balcony would not only be more convenient but also make for an amazing experience with those ocean views. And the possibility of getting a bridge or radio room invitation? That is definitely a bucket-list moment for any ham operator!
Your post really got me thinking about all the logistics of portable operation in unconventional places like a cruise ship. It also makes me appreciate the creativity and determination of hams to make contacts no matter where they are. I might just add this to my list of future ham radio adventures.
73! 🚢
- 46
Thank you : You can buy a permit for Mexico but then you go through a lot of trouble to operate as well. Another thing is that some islands are owned by Carnival or the other companies and may add operating capabilities as well but I have not tested this water yet. With that being said you can also use HT to HT to keep in touch on the ship, a lot of folks use GMRS but hey if you have ham radio use it!!!!
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K3MRI: Thank you, You can buy a permit for Mexico but then you go through a lot of trouble to operate as well. Another thing is that some islands are owned by Carnival or the other companies and may add operating capabilities as well but I have not tested this water yet. With that being said you can also use HT to HT to keep in touch on the ship, a lot of folks use GMRS but hey if you have ham radio use it!!!!
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