early this year i bought a set of cobra 725’s to use on snowboard trips. sadly, the snowboard season was over by the time i got my them. so i haven’t even had a chance to use them. now, i’m putting a lot of thought into taking a cruise. i will have my cell phone, but i’m not sure what verizon’s rates are in that situation. and mostly, i would just be communicating with my group on the ship. so i think a two way radio would be ideal, depending on its performance. i’m sure some of you have taken two way radios on cruises before. how well did they perform? anyone have any experience with the 725’s on a ship? i’m mostly worried about the range. with different decks and so many walls and rooms, there is potential for a lot of interference. i want to make sure i can reach the members of my group when i need to, without expensive cell phone rates.
almost 100 views and no replys? 
Sorry, I missed your post. We actually have an upcoming episode of The Two Way Radio Show on this very topic planned for release soon.
In a nutshell, a lot of people use two way radios on a cruise and many cruise ships have them available for sale or rent. Personally, I recommend you bring your own radios for a number of reasons, primary because the selection and quantities of radios on board may be limited and will likely cost a lot more on the ship.
Some cruise ships do offer cell services but the fees are no bargain and you will likely pay roaming fees from your carrier. Also, losing or damaging a cell phone at sea is a lot more expensive than losing a radio.
Your Cobras are high powered GMRS radios so they should work fairly well on a cruise ship. The only concerns I would have are power options and keeping the radios dry.
The best radios to use on a cruise are those that offer a choice of rechargeable battery packs or disposable Alkaline batteries and are water resistant or waterproof.
Multiple power options are important to consider so you don’t have to worry about constantly charging the radios, which is an easy chore to forget when you’re having fun. At the very least, take along a couple of backup battery packs for your radio and charge them all before you leave, so you can quickly swap battery packs and minimize down time for charging during the cruise.
Also, you will be out on the water. The air will be moist and there is always the chance the radios can get wet. The CXR-725 is not waterproof, so you will want to be extra careful. My personal recommendation is a water resistant radio like the Midland GXT1000 or a fully waterproof model such as the new Motorola Talkabout MS350R.
It doesn’t mean you can’t use the Cobra radios, of course. By all means, if you have them, take them along. Just be careful not to get them damp or wet. Either way, it is still better to wet a radio than an expensive cell phone.
I have used the TriSquare eXRS units flawlessly on a cruise. I was surprised, as we were on the bottom passenger deck and were able to communicate from there to the bar/pool area, much higher up, and forward on the ship. They were 95% reliable. Even was able to call the wife from the casino, to tell her when I got a good slot machine hit 
I saw LOTS of FRS/GMRS radios, which I figured. I would imagine a lot of interference, with all the folks trying to stay in contact. Cell rates aboard ain’t cheap!
To follow up, the latest episode of The Two Way Radio Show Episode 19 - Cruising With Radios is now online. It is an in-depth discussion about using radios on a cruise.