make sure everything is turned off of auto update so it doesn't update apps and cost you big money that's not necessary. My sister found out the hard way, now she keeps it completely turned off and has all sync and updating turned off. So when she turns it on she uses it then back off.

Yes I used viber when my son was overseas in Ireland. It was a free app on my Droid phone. After he got back I deleted it...allows you to make the call for free.
Joann

Yes, be sure everything is turned off. We live on the west coast of BC and just returned from a trip to Arizona, before we left I purchased a long distance plan for my I phone and took my laptop for emails etc. When I received my phone bill after returning I had an extra $90 for data useage. I phoned our carrier and explained that I had not used any data as I had my laptop for that. It turned out it was all through AT&T so there was nothing they could do about it, or would do about it. One day was $61.80, so they told me you have to make sure that everything is turned off on your phone. Expensive lesson to learn......

Those are good questions, and I appreciate both the asking and replies. My DH and I are taking a cruise this summer, and I never even thought about his phone. I'll share this info with him. Thanks!

Also talk to your phone companies to see what they say.
Many years ago, before all these new toys, DH use to just email me from whereever he and his brother were.

I'll be turning the whole phone off so it won't be updating all day. As far as I can tell from reading cruise site information, I could turn the phone on Airplane mode and turn on the wifi mode when on the ship (with their minutes). It suggests if I take a while to "ponder" a text, that the wi fi and roaming should be turned off so the phone doesn't start updating again.
I asked for the phone # from skype a couple days ago so I'm not clear on how much data time it uses or what other charges are incurred. Talking on the phone sounds better than texting if the data charges aren't too high. Need to investigate that.
Facebook would be a good way to see updates on the teenagers.

Any time I am out and don't want it to use my mobile network, only Wi-Fi I go into settings and disable the mobile network that way I can use the phone part but no data transfers can happen. I turn off all sync. I have a great app that keeps track of exactly how much you have used on all types of connections it is one I highly recommend. It's called My data manager it's free, search for it in the play store.

Here is a link that might be useful: data manager

Thank you Ravencajun, will do that this morning.
Your app has a great star rating too. I appreciate your help!
I have 2kb to use each month and never even come close. Probably use the GPS and Safari more than I talk or text on the phone. Cruising could change all that.

you are welconme that app also will keep track of exactly which apps are using the data and how much there are several pages to the app so just swipe to next page to see the various charts and graphs.
If you find you have things starting up at startup that don't need to you can choose to kill them at startup just like on your computer I have an android phone and tablet and for that I use an app called android assistant which has included in it a start up manager. I am sure there is something similar for Iphone, however I know Iphone will limit what is running at startup and in the back ground, the latest versions of android do similar.

I wrote 2 kb but surely meant Gb. Anyway I have enough!

my kids just went on a disney cruise and wern't able to get cell service out to sea...but they gave me a phone # to call the ship if it had been necessary...