HUGE roaming bill despite turning mobile data off .Samsung S3 Verizon phone

[AC Question]

I was traveling overseas, I turned phone setting for the mobile data to off....I set on airplane mode and wifi only. However, apparently on Verizon controlled phones the settings change when you turn phone off and on and it still continues to rack up roaming charges......what a rip.....I hate these locked phones here in the US...any winners ort ips from folks successful in the negotiating your bill down from this issue out there??