Internet on Wind Star in Costa Rica (Wind Star)

[Mateo&Kali]

Greetings,

I know the last thing I want to do is connect with the Internet but my wife and I have an online school program that completes the week we will be in Costa Rica before leaving on the Wind Star cruise December 5.

I believe the Internet in San Juan will be acceptable as we are staying the Mariott near the airport. My question is how is the Internet reliability on the Wind Star? We might have one or two days of needing Internet connectivity from the ship during the Costa Rica cruise.

Thanks for any feedback.

[6rugrats]

It's very slow and expensive. You will be offered a package where you can purchase minutes.

From their webpage:
Windstar Cruises offers full internet capabilities, depending on course and position of the ship, as well as wireless Internet service on all three ships. Wi-Fi access is possible in most public areas, staterooms and suites

These were the prices the last time I checked (probably has changed by now):

White 30-Minute Card: $22.50 or $.75 per minute; Silver 100-Minute Card: $55 or $.55 per minute; Gold 250-Minute Card: $100 or $.40 per minute.

[spots25]

just back from rome-nice windsurf. internet not great. not able to connect for 1 1/2 days. very slow. dial up.

[Mateo&Kali]

Thank you for the replies and information on Internet connectivity as well as the prices for onboard Wind Star Internet use.

Cheers!

[hifred]

Yes I need the internet also it is a must for my job which I am required to check in daily.

[Drummond Creek]

Is using a black berry an option for internet? We appear to stick pretty close to the coast so if there is cell phone reception, blackberries will work.

[6rugrats]

Originally Posted by Drummond Creek

Is using a black berry an option for internet? We appear to stick pretty close to the coast so if there is cell phone reception, blackberries will work.

Yes, a Blackberry can be used.

[Drummond Creek]

I can survive just with a black berry for a week. find the internet quicker on the bb then trying to get it from the ship's satellite connection.

[SailorJM]

I have heard you need to be careful if using an iPod out of US. Story in major newspaper here (San Diego) a month or so ago about a couple who had iPods with them while vacationing/cruising in Central or South America and never turned them on. Just had them with, in case. When they got home, they had $800 fee each on phone bill cuz apparently, iPods are never really "off." They had a big battle with AT&T and Apple over that.

[Mands&Ian]

Originally Posted by SailorJM

I have heard you need to be careful if using an iPod out of US. Story in major newspaper here (San Diego) a month or so ago about a couple who had iPods with them while vacationing/cruising in Central or South America and never turned them on. Just had them with, in case. When they got home, they had $800 fee each on phone bill cuz apparently, iPods are never really "off." They had a big battle with AT&T and Apple over that.

That would be an iPhone, rather than an iPod, surely?

I can't imagine they'll get far with AT&T or Apple though. The iPhone has an Airplane mode to prevent avoid this;

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1644

Airplane Mode
Turn on airplane mode to disable the wireless features of iPhone on a plane.

Tap Settings and turn airplane mode on.
When airplane mode is on, appears in the status bar at the top of the screen, and no cell phone, radio, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth signals are emitted from iPhone. When airplane mode is on, you can still do things like:

If they didn't know that one wonders how they dealt with the iPhones on the flight to/from the cruise to ensure they weren't in breach of airline regulations?

Mands

Mands

[SailorJM]

Yeah..blond moment!!!! arrgghhh. Definitely meant iPhone. Came to me in middle of the night that I actually said iPod. Geesh.