Taking Walkie-Talkies on a Cruise: What to Check Before You Pack Them

Families often wonder whether walkie-talkies are a good way to stay in touch on a cruise, especially with kids. They can work, but a ship is a harder environment for radios than most people expect, and the rules are not as simple as on land.

Does it work?

Sometimes. Walkie-talkies work on a ship the way they work anywhere: they need a path between the two radios. A ship is a large steel structure with many decks. Steel blocks and weakens radio signals, so two radios on the same deck and in the same area usually work, while a radio deep inside the ship, or on a very different deck, may not reach another one. On open decks with a clear line between you and the other radio, you will usually do better.

A thousand other passengers may also have radios. Consumer channels are shared, so you may hear other conversations on your channel. Privacy codes reduce this, but they only filter what you hear. They do not make your conversation private.

Check the cruise line first

Policies about personal radios differ between cruise lines and can change. Check the guest rules for your cruise line before packing radios, and check what applies in the ports you will visit.

Licensing at sea and abroad

FRS radios need no individual license in the United States, and GMRS radios need an FCC license. The FCC’s rules apply where the FCC regulates radio communications. Once a ship is in foreign waters or a foreign port, local rules apply, and FRS and GMRS channels are not license-free everywhere in the world. GMRS rules in the US also prohibit sending messages to foreign stations. If your cruise includes international ports, check the radio regulations of the countries you will visit.

If you plan to use a GMRS radio such as the Midland GXT1000, the license is a $35 FCC fee, lasts ten years, has no exam, and covers the licensee and immediate family.

Ways to make radios more useful on board

• Pick a channel and privacy code before boarding, and write down a backup channel.
• Radio-check at the start of each day and whenever you move to a different area of the ship.
• Agree on meeting places and times, because radios will not cover every area.
• Keep messages short.
• Charge the batteries each night.

Phones and alternatives

Many ships offer their own cellular network or Wi-Fi, and roaming charges can be high. Check your phone plan and the cruise line’s published connectivity options before you sail. Some families rely on set meeting times and places, with radios as a backup. Radios are a convenience, not a safety system, and young children should not be left unsupervised because they have one.

If you decide to bring radios

What to do if radios do not work well on board

If your radios cannot reach each other, move to a more open area, try a different channel, and check that both radios have the same privacy code. If the ship is simply too large or the steel too thick between you, fall back to your agreed meeting places and times.

A note on children: a radio on a ship can give a child some independence, but set limits first. Agree where the child may go, when they must check in and what to do if the radio does not respond. Adults should treat a radio as a convenience and not as a replacement for knowing where children are.

Choose radios that are simple to use, with a rechargeable battery, a channel you can set quickly, and a stated license status. For a GMRS option, the Midland GXT1000 two-pack is available in our store. For help choosing between FRS and GMRS, see FRS vs GMRS: Which Walkie Talkie Should You Buy?.

Top image: “Motorola Talkabout TA280s” by Jaysin Trevino, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

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