Sea days give passengers a chance to relax and enjoy some alone time before arriving at the next destination. Passengers choose to spend that time differently – some read, some watch videos or listen to music on their smartphones.
This is a much more enjoyable activity than the assessment of complex casino wagering terms, which all casino players face at some point.
There are several adjustments you can make to limit the traffic spent while cruising and this will reflect in a big way on your phone’s performance and your bill. Here’s how to get hours of uninterrupted entertainment without incurring high mobile data fees.
Download Everything Before You Sail
Rule number one is to download every app, every piece of content you will be using throughout the trip before leaving home.
If you like to spend a lot of time on YouTube or other streaming platforms, there’s a way to download your favorite cruise podcasts, shows and other videos via Wi-Fi and save them for later.
The same goes for audiobooks and music. Instead of streaming them, make sure you have them downloaded on your devices, ready to use.
Now that we covered entertainment, let’s talk about utility. Maps, travel guides and translation apps are well-worth having on a trip, but they also need access to resources, which they find on the internet.
Download every piece of content these apps might need over your home Wi-Fi network. Maps, lessons, and guides can be neatly stored on any device, so you don’t have to depend on the ships’ Wi-Fi.
Carry the Right Accessories
Today, we’ve got everything on our smartphones, resulting in constant use, whether it’s checking emails, messengers, or ordering food.
That continual use drains the battery and requires frequent charging, which can be a problem when cruising.
This is why, one of the best accessories to have on your is a compact power bank. It can keep your phone’s battery topped up while you are enjoying an afternoon by the pool or during a leisurely morning on deck.
Another must-have accessory is the wireless earbuds. They significantly improve the experience compared to wired headphones when watching films or listening to music during a trip.
Optimize Battery Life
Sea days often include a long time away from the cabin, meaning that you need to know how to manage battery use. The easiest trick is to lower screen brightness and close the apps that work in the background.
Almost all phones now have Battery Saver mode, which can also be activated with a single tap. This won’t affect basic entertainment, but might result in some apps performing slower than before.
You are also advised to disable bluetooth, location services, and mobile data when not required. One simple trick to deny access to mobile networks is switching to Airplane mode.
The good news is that Airplane mode keeps Wi-Fi connectivity. If you put all these small adjustments to work, you will get several extra hours of use before another charge becomes necessary.
Prepare Games That Work Offline
The allure of online games is clear – you can play against other players, get updates, and feel part of an online community.
However, if you want to save battery, you can simply play installable games that also work offline. A perfect example of such are puzzle games, racing games, card games, and arcade-like classics.
One more advantage to playing offline is that you won’t be experiencing connection interruptions. Offline games have a different pace and vibe.
They are usually a complement to a quiet evening or a good way to fill in time between destinations.
Organize Your Entertainment Library
Many cruise passengers forget to organize their entertainment applications into folders before the cruise and that creates a suboptimal experience for them. It’s worth spending some time creating separate folders for films, podcasts, music, and games and organising their contents.
Even better, you can create libraries sorted by mood, purpose, and time of the day. This is especially useful for music as it can create wildly different effects in different moods and times of the day.
Don’t forget to plan how you want to experience your mornings, evenings, alone time, and workouts while on the trip and sort your digital content appropriately.
Read next: What Laws Protect You on a Cruise?
