Apart from seeing so many new places, the array of activities on a cruise ship makes it one of the best ways to enjoy your holiday with friends and family.
One tip regular travelers hand out is to get the very best walkie talkies for a cruise ship for your group if you want to be in constant touch with each other.
This makes a lot of sense considering how big cruise ships are these days. Getting lost is quite easy and common. With so many events planned on these cruises, coordinating your movement on board the ship becomes easier with the right communication gadgets.
Cell phones would have been convenient. But roaming charges can make them rather expensive. Besides, out on the open seas, cell phone networks are as unpredictable as the weather.
But getting the best walkie talkies for a cruise ship is not that straightforward. There are certain features and functions to look for or your time and money would have been wasted.
In this guide are five hand-held 2-way radios that would be perfect for a cruise no matter the size and complexity of the ship.
Best Walkie Talkies for a Cruise Ship: Selection Criteria
Weather/water resistant – On a cruise ship, you would be surrounded by water all the time. The atmosphere would heavy with water droplets. The ideal walkie talkie must be resistant to water in any form.
The walkie talkie you purchase must be at least JIS4-certified. This means splashing water from any direction would have no harmful effects on the performance of the radio.
If you can get a device with a higher rating, so much the better as that provides more protection against even immersion in water.
Privacy features – On cruises, many parties come along with their own walkie talkies. It is imperative that yours offers enough privacy codes so you can communicate within the group without intrusion.
The more privacy codes the device has, the higher your chances of finding unoccupied frequencies.
UHF – Steel, iron, wood and other obstacles are part of a cruise ship’s structure. You would want a radio that can either penetrate these strictures or go around them without any loss in effectiveness.
UHF devices are far more suited to communications in such surroundings that VHF.
Vibrate Alert – Vibrating alert is a nice feature that alerts users of an incoming communication. You would appreciate a device with this feature when you find yourself in a situation that requires silence all the time. With the vibration alert, you can excuse yourself and go somewhere to talk without making a nuisance out of yourself.
The feature is also handy in a very noisy environment where the beep or tone of an incoming message is drowned out by the noise. With the feature activated, the device vibrating would surely grab your attention especially if you are holding it.
Size and weight – Since you are using the walkie talkies as a substitute for your cell phones, it is important that you prioritize the weight and size. Go for compact, portable and lightweight.
And since these factors can be subjective, simply ensure that you can comfortably fit them in your pocket and don’t feel like you are being weighed down when moving with one in your pocket.
The portability should include the length of the antenna when it is attached. The length of the antenna should not be more than the height of the device. In the ideal case, an in-built antenna with good range is best.
Batteries – One problem you are not likely to encounter on a cruise ship is unavailability of power. That means you won’t have any problem with charging your device any time the battery runs down.
See that your choice comes with rechargeable batteries with a talk time of at least 8 hours.
Walkie talkies powered by disposable AA batteries would be a waste of money on a cruise ship. Only go for them if you consider the other features too exceptional to be ignored.
Other important factors
- VOX – enhances hands-free use of the device
- Keypad locks – to prevent accidental change of channels or activation of other functions.
- Holster – an important accessory to aid in carrying the radio around
- Audio quality – Radios with consistent audio clarity should be at the top of your shopping list for obvious reasons.
Top 5 Best Walkie Talkies For A Cruise Ship: Review
1. Uniden SX507-2CKHS Walkie Talkies
The Uniden SX507 could just be the most perfect radios for a sea cruise with its range of features and functions making it a truly worthy investment.
With a range of up to 50 miles in ideal conditions, the 22-channel device comes with 142 privacy codes to expand your channel options to several hundred. You also get 142 direct call codes with it.
Sold as a pair, the walkie talkies are designed to float and can withstand immersion in 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes. It also comes with NOAA weather channels with including an alert feature so you can receive emergency and weather broadcasts from the National Weather Service.
The device is powered by rechargeable NiMH batteries that can deliver up to 14 hours of battery life when it is fully charged.
- Up to 50-Mile Range - Uniden Two Way radios keep you in touch whether you are out camping, shopping, biking or caravanning on the highway. Rated at up to 50 miles, these two-way radios provide great range when there is a clear view between the radios. Your actual range may be limited by hills, buildings, trees, and other obstructions.
- With 22 channels, and 142 Privacy Codes/142 Direct Call Codes there’s always an open line for uninterrupted communications. And since the SX507 operates on industry-standard frequencies, you can easily communicate with people using other models or brands.
- Uniden SX507-2CKHS is certified JIS7 and can be submerged in up to three feet of water for up to 30 minutes. On the plus side it floats, so you wont have to dive underwater to retrieve it.
2. eSynic zESY66 Walkie Talkie
The eSynic handheld 2-way radios provide excellent communication with excellent reception, awesome transmission all backed by the amazing sound quality.
The long-range UHF radios come equipped with 16 memory channels with a dedicated knob to select any channel you want to use. And in a cruise ship where privacy is important, additional 50 privacy frequencies are available giving you hundreds of extra channel combinations for secure communication.
You get up to 9 hours of continuous use with the 1500 mAh battery even at peak power usage. It takes just 3 hours max to fully charge the battery using the docking USB charger.
These walkie talkies are fully-featured with everything you’d want in 2-way radio. Some of the features include VOX, scanning function, noise reduction, emergency alarm, and a built-in flashlight.
- ???????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????*-----:Our eSynic Professional Walkie Talkies Employ Advanced Communication Technology to Deliver Exceptional Signal Quality and Communication Performance. Whether in Complex Environments or for Long-distance Communication, Our Radio Walkie Talkies Provide Clear and Stable Voice Transmission, Ensuring Seamless Communication Among Team Members.
- ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????*---:To Enhance the Communication Experience, Our Rechargeable Walkie Talkies Come with Original Earpieces These Carefully Designed Earpieces Offer Clear Sound Quality and Comfortable Wearing, Allowing you to Hear the Other Party's Voice Easily even in Noisy Environments, Thereby Improving Communication Efficiency.
- ???????? ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????*----: Our eSynic Long Range Walkie Talkies for Adults Offer 16 Channel Options, Allowing you to Configure Channels Flexibly According to your Needs.This Means you can Assign Separate Channels for Different Departments, Tasks, or Teams, Enabling more Efficient Team Collaboration and Management.
3. Floureon 161886001 Long Range Walkie Talkies
No products found.Floureon walkie talkie is a simple, compact, and intuitive two-way radio that is simple to operate with lots of features making it ideal for sea cruise communication between friends or staff.
The dual-band FRS/GMRS device is a 22-channel affair with privacy codes to provide more channel combinations and encrypt communications. And you would be amazed by the amazing sound quality and clear signals.
Sold as a pack of 4 walkie talkies, each unit comes with an LCD display that is easy to read even in very poor visibility. This is helped by the backlight on the display.
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Other great features you would find handy during a ship cruise include the built-in flashlight, squelch function, auto scan, channel lock, and call alert among others.
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4. Motorola T100 Talkabout Radio
The Motorola T100 is a colorful communication device that would be great to have if you are on a cruise ship with family and friends and need to stay in contact regularly.
With a range of up to 16 miles, the dual-band device comes with the full complement of 22 channels providing you with enough frequencies to reach loved ones instantly. It is so easy to use and compatible with other radios. Even kids can master it quickly.
T100 also features call tones, keypad lock, auto squelch, keypad tone, and flashing low battery alert.
And talking about the battery, it uses 3 AAA alkaline batteries capable of powering the unit for up to 18 hours.
- Call Tones: A call tone is what people calling you can hear instead of the normal default ring. It grabs the attention of your family and friends before you start speaking.
- Quickly Find a Channel: Use the scanning feature to see which channels are currently in use.
- Flashing Low Battery Alert: Low battery alert reminds you when batteries are running low.
5. DeWALT DXFRS300 Heavy Duty Walkie Talkie
The DXFRS300 is an FRS radio that is ideal for on-site applications such as within the confines of a cruise ship. Cruise ship crew and passengers would love the rugged and easy to use functions of the radio that can withstand drops of up to 2 meters.
The pack contains two units each with 22 preset channels with privacy codes to reduce unwanted interference from other parties on the cruise ship. The 2,662 channel combinations further enhance privacy.
Each unit is equipped with a swivel holster that can be rotated sideways for multiple positions; VOX function for hands-free operations; key lock feature to prevent accidental channel changes; auto squelch that shuts off weak transmissions from interfering with your communication; etc.
The devices are powered by a 1000 mAh battery pack able to provide up to 12 hours of use. The integrated power saving feature can extend the life of the battery further.
- This refurbished product is tested and certified to look and work like new. The refurbishing process includes functionality testing, basic cleaning, inspection, and repackaging. The product ships with all relevant accessories, and may arrive in a generic box
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the walkie talkie in every port?
The laws governing the use of handheld two-way radios in different countries are variable and can get very complicated.
In countries outside the US, the frequencies allocated for private walkie talkie use in the US could be allocated for other purposes making them illegal.
What factors affect the range?
The ‘effective’ range of all handheld 2-way radios never goes above 3 miles. On a cruise ship, you are unlikely to need up to that.
However, with so many obstacles on a cruise ship, that range could be further diminished. The obstacles include steel hulls, the thousands of people aboard, furniture, miles of wire cables and so on.
And there are electrical obstructions that can be caused by the electrical/electronic systems of the ship.
Can FRS Radio cover the entire ship?
This is dependent on several factors such as the size of the ship, the number of people aboard, the complexity of the electrical system and metal structures.
Generally, though, your basic FRS device should be enough to satisfy your communication needs.
Why are privacy codes important?
The number of people using walkie talkies on a cruise ship can be overwhelming. Clearly, many folks have the right idea about how to communicate during cruises.
This brings up the issue of privacy.
Walkie talkie messages are open to anybody. It is possible for somebody to accidentally stumble on your frequency and listen in. The privacy codes make that less likely.
With the privacy codes, it becomes easier to find an unoccupied channel to use only with your friends or family. Since there are several hundreds of channel-combinations, it is almost impossible for a third party to accidentally tune into to your frequency.
Conclusion
In a decent-sized cruise ship with the full complement of passengers and crew, keeping in contact with your party might be difficult with so many decks, hallways, halls, and shops to explore. This particular problem could be solved with any of the best walkie talkies for a cruise ship reviewed in this guide.
Anyone of the five devices in this guide is guaranteed to give you the best experience as far as communication is concerned. The most important features and functions that determined the most suitable ones for a cruise were all taken into consideration.
