Pirates of the Caribbean?

Apparently, it’s not just a summer blockbuster. If you’re sailing on select cruise lines, you may find that it’s the unofficial theme of your vacation.

A passenger on a recent Celebrity cruise to Alaska e-mailed me yesterday to say he’d been billed $3.50 a minute for calls made at sea (even with land in sight) and in port. The wireless provider, Wireless Maritime Services, LLC, insists that the on-board cell transponders are powered down while in port.

It is unclear whether this was just an isolated glitch or a deliberate plan by the cruise line to generate more cellular phone revenues.

But this much is obvious: Cruise ships are taking a cut of the revenue from the wireless carrier, so there is certainly a motive to keep the system turned on all the time. Wireless carriers, which set the rates for calls, are in for a piece of the action, too, so they’re unlikely to back down when a customer calls to dispute these expensive ship-to-shore calls.

Even though the official line on its Wireless Maritime Services’ site is that its service adds “value” to a cruise (in other words, it’s just another amenity) a look at a recently posted job description doesn’t mince words: it’s there to “assist in revenue generation” — to help the cruise line make money.

There’s nothing wrong with that. But a little more disclosure might be useful.

Bottom line? Think twice before powering up your cell phone on a ship. You might find yourself making a very expensive phone call — and not even knowing it.

Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

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