wi fi on board

[nana51]

Normally wifi is free to use at starbucks, etc. How does it work on the ship. My daughter said I could take her laptap for the week. We are going on the Oosterdamn.

[innlady1]

nana, wi-fi on HAL is slow and somewhat costly, although, being somewhat "addicted", we always succumb to buying the plan! Some folks take their laptops into the port and find an Internet Cafe.

I can't remember the cost...but I'm sure someone will post what it is.

[sugarcharlie]

Normally wifi is free to use at starbucks, etc. How does it work on the ship. My daughter said I could take her laptap for the week. We are going on the Oosterdamn.

If the ship is stopping at a port where they have a Starbucks, or other free wi-fi you will have free internet. On the ships however, I think they are all encoded and you have to buy an internet package to use it. Now if some tech savvy cruiser brings a wireless router and is close to your cabin and doesn't have it security protected, you may be able to piggyback on his signal!

[Himself]

It is not free at sea.

[jtl513]

I can't remember the cost...but I'm sure someone will post what it is.$3.95 to start an account, then $0.75/min, or 100 min for $55, or 250 min for $100. Bonus minutes given for signing up the first day. It's the same price whether you use the ship's computers or your own laptop.

Sometimes in a port you can pick up a free signal from the ship or close by. Look up your ports here: http://www.wificafespots.com/wifi/

[sail7seas]

You can only connect to the internet, while on the ship through the ship's Internet.

They have several plans:

100 minutes for $55 plus $3.95 start up charge
250 minutes for $100 plus same start up charge
You can pay by the minute at very high rate

If you take the laptop off the ship, you can find WiFi cafes/hot spots in port and charges will be according to where you find it...... may well be free.

Some people have reported they have gotten free internet on their veranda in some ports. I've never been able to connect though I've tried several times.

[sail7seas]

:o Sorry, John. I was typing while you were posting.

[jtl513]

:o Sorry, John. I was typing while you were posting.
Funny the way that happens ... nobody posts for 20 minutes, then two do at once. It seems to happen a lot! :)

[CruiserBruce]

The wireless speeds can be pretty quick if you are close to an antenna- much faster than the ships computers in most cases. The best way to get good speeds on the computers is to go in the off hours- very early or very late.

Used my tablet on the last cruise. It was faster 95% of the time, so used it most of the time.

[Joy R]

Just come off the Statendam, where I had bought the cheapest Internet package ($55 for 100 minutes, plus signing up fee, with 10 minutes extra for signing up on the first day). I only used it for e-mails, as I found it to be very slow, and sometimes cut off altogether, or I just couldn't manage to log on. I had brought my iPad and used that, rather than the ship's computers, as that way I could download and then log out and read the e-mails when offline, likewise when composing and sending.

I did manage to find a couple of free wi-fi areas in port, and used my iPod Touch to e-mail there. But I think that the service on board needs to be improved.

[sugarcharlie]

Just come off the Statendam, where I had bought the cheapest Internet package ($55 for 100 minutes, plus signing up fee, with 10 minutes extra for signing up on the first day). I only used it for e-mails, as I found it to be very slow, and sometimes cut off altogether, or I just couldn't manage to log on. I had brought my iPad and used that, rather than the ship's computers, as that way I could download and then log out and read the e-mails when offline, likewise when composing and sending.

I did manage to find a couple of free wi-fi areas in port, and used my iPod Touch to e-mail there. But I think that the service on board needs to be improved.

There is a reason it is sooooo slow........they charge you by the minute!

It wouldn't help their profit margin if they had super fast 4g speeds would it? These cruise lines are trying to squeeze the last nickel out of everything they can. There was a program on CNBC last year that showed how they figure down to the penny how much they have to make on everything on board.

My suggestion would be to check your email at one of the free wifi locations in a port rather than the ship, or better yet just pretend you are shipwrecked for a week and forget about the outside world while enjoying the voyage. You'll be back to the real world soon enough and can catch up then!;)

[kahtrav]

We have never bought a plan, but with an upcoming 37 day trans-pacific, I'm thinking to do that. Can the plan be used on multiple devices (like his netbook and my Kindle Fire) or do you have to have a plan for each one? Also, will the IPod Touch work? I'll definitely check it first day for extra minutes.

[sail7seas]

You can use your internet plan with any devise you wish.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have never bought a plan, but with an upcoming 37 day trans-pacific, I'm thinking to do that. Can the plan be used on multiple devices (like his netbook and my Kindle Fire) or do you have to have a plan for each one? Also, will the IPod Touch work? I'll definitely check it first day for extra minutes.

You may want to call Ship Services at 1-800-541-1576 to get a special rate on your 37 day cruise.

I know that a couple of people here have called for special rates on their longer cruises and got them.

[SAN415]

Wont the free "experimental" internet connection on the Kindle work? I have checked and sent email using the free 3g service on my kindle3 (the keyboard wireless/3g one). It isn't as easy as using my computer or my smart phone. I find I mess up alot on the kindle. But it is free.

[F5Loar]

Is it true the deluxe suites/penthouse guest get free WiFi or is that just rumor? If not free then do they get a discount?

[sail7seas]

Suites pay the same as everyone else for WiFi.......
I wish they included some minutes for suites. :)

[frencisauro]

Hi guys,
for what i've read on CC forum regarding wifi onboard,
it looks like slow and expensive, so for my next cruise i'm
looking for an alternative solution.
I've found this service (http://www.iphonetrip.com/) online, "cruise ship" plan offers 3G connection starting from $7,99 day.
Does anyone have tested it?

[LVSue]

For our AK trip, I activated the ATT 3G connection on my iPad 2.($15/mo) and was able to use it in the American ports. Since I mainly use it for Google and email, SIL and I would make up Google lists for when we got into port. The International plan is more expensive, but I think I'll use it on our European trip, which is very port intensive, since everyone says HAL's deal is so klutzy.

[doublebzz]

Just come off the Statendam, where I had bought the cheapest Internet package ($55 for 100 minutes, plus signing up fee, with 10 minutes extra for signing up on the first day). I only used it for e-mails, as I found it to be very slow, and sometimes cut off altogether, or I just couldn't manage to log on. I had brought my iPad and used that, rather than the ship's computers, as that way I could download and then log out and read the e-mails when offline, likewise when composing and sending.

I did manage to find a couple of free wi-fi areas in port, and used my iPod Touch to e-mail there. But I think that the service on board needs to be improved.

While not necessarily free, the costs in Internet Cafes are very reasonable - something on the order of $1-$3 per hour. I have found them in most ports in the Carribbean, Europe and North America. Agree that the service needs to be improved as well as the unreasonable costs.

[DaveOKC]

Good point someone made about going early in the morning to get faster service. I tried it last trip and it sure was alot faster.

Also, we were on a port intensive cruise in Oct (Canada) and found that wireless connections were available at every port - just watch where the ship's crew go with their laptops - they know the best spots.

DaveOKC

[innlady1]

Good point someone made about going early in the morning to get faster service. I tried it last trip and it sure was alot faster.

Also, we were on a port intensive cruise in Oct (Canada) and found that wireless connections were available at every port - just watch where the ship's crew go with their laptops - they know the best spots.

DaveOKC

Exactly!