BB Curve :: Turn Off All Connections (Mobile Network Sprint & Wi-Fi), Lose All GPS Connections As Well?

I've got Googe maps, BTC Mapper, and Endomondo on my phone. They all use GPS to track you, plot where you have been, and save tracks for you to chek out later. They work nice. I use them a lot for walking, running, and bicycling.My question though, is the GPS actually using the GPS satellites in orbit, or is it using triangulation off several cell towers to get my location?If it is using GPS satellites, why is it that if I turn off all connections (Mobile Network Sprint & Wi-Fi), I lose all GPS connections as well? If this device is atually getting signals from the satellites, what difference does it make if I am in a cell coverage area or not?I've read that, yes, the location is retrieved from the satellites, but to plot it on the maps takes the cell connection. If that is the case, is there an app that just logs longitude and latitude every second and stores it in a file that can be dumped to a map at a later time?

The reason I bring all this up is because, later this summer, I plan to go on a 2-week long cruise that will visit about a dozen different Carribean islands and I'd like to track my location. At sea, I won't be able to pick up a cell signal. Will the GPS tracking apps like google, still work? Even if I can't get a cell signal, my GPS should still be able to pick up satellite signals