Sharing Internet?

I searched all over and couldn't find an answer to this question. Our family of four will be on the Koningsdam in December. We usually don't pay for internet on a cruise but this time two of us have to be able to check emails every day. Will we be able to share an internet package as long as only one device is on at a time? Or will each person be required to buy a package? Thanks for the help -

 

 

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As long as you're on a plan that entitles you to a set number of minutes, there's no reason you can't share with anyone and everyone you want to. You've paid for the minutes, and when they're gone, they're gone (or you buy more minutes). But you're right, it's only one device at a time.

 

It's only when one person pays for an unlimited plan, and starts sharing with all their new-found friends, that it becomes problematic. Even in that case, so long as both people are on the same booking number, and sharing one cabin, I don't suppose most people would find fault with that.

When we were on the K-dam a couple of weeks ago they offered the option of pay-as-you-go for $0.75 per minute ... so it's not necessary for anyone to buy a "plan". Or, you could buy a plan for whoever will be using it the most, and others could p-a-y-g. If you all registered separate accounts you could all be on at the same time.

 

If all you want to do is check emails, you should use a mail handler program such as Windows Live Mail. By using that to read and write off-line and connecting only to send and receive batches, I normally use 1 to 3 minutes at a time, twice a day.

 

One other tip: set your home page to the very simple google.com so you don't waste time loading up a complex home page that you won't be using.

.

Edited November 28, 2016 by jtl513

We always share but only one can be on at a time.

We have shared with family before so long as only one person on at a time and you remember to log off.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

When we were on the K-dam a couple of weeks ago they offered the option of pay-as-you-go for $0.75 per minute ... so it's not necessary for anyone to buy a "plan". Or, you could buy a plan for whoever will be using it the most, and others could p-a-y-g. If you all registered separate accounts you could all be on at the same time.

 

If all you want to do is check emails, you should use a mail handler program such as Windows Live Mail. By using that to read and write off-line and connecting only to send and receive batches, I normally use 1 to 3 minutes at a time, twice a day.

 

One other tip: set your home page to the very simple google.com so you don't waste time loading up a complex home page that you won't be using.

.

 

Valuable advice. Thanks for sharing.

As long as you're on a plan that entitles you to a set number of minutes, there's no reason you can't share with anyone and everyone you want to. You've paid for the minutes, and when they're gone, they're gone (or you buy more minutes). But you're right, it's only one device at a time.

This comment caught my attention. While it makes sense that there would be some limit on the number of devices connected at the same time, is it actually stated somewhere that that limit is one? I ask only because of my experience with the closest analogs elsewhere: Generally there is no such limit (such as in hotels, ISP roaming Wifi hotspot services, etc.) or the limit on the number of devices is three or five (though such limits are generally for content consumption services, such as Netflix).

 

Practically speaking, placing such a limit on the service is increasingly becoming a vain gesture. Consumers with multiple devices are more likely to use connection sharing provided by their devices. I'd have to check, but I believe my smartphone's mobile hotspot works even when the smartphone is connected to the Internet via wifi rather than cellular. That approach is actually much simpler, if you think about it, since it means you only need to teach your other devices to connect to your smartphone's mobile hotspot, and then they can connect to the Internet whenever the smartphone has a wifi (or cellular) connection and is nearby, whether that's in an airport premium lounge, at a hotel pre-cruise, using a venue's provided wifi access (i.e., at a conference center), or using the smartphone's own cellular connection.

Edited November 28, 2016 by bicker

 

One other tip: set your home page to the very simple google.com so you don't waste time loading up a complex home page that you won't be using.

.

 

Have shared accounts when my DH was here and do remember it was 1 log-on (or device) allowed per time but do know HAL has been adapting their internet so ??.

 

For the cruise, I set my homepage to my email page which saves lots of e-time. Also turn off many of the auto-updates and scans to speed up my use on board and handle these while on shore.

Edited November 28, 2016 by take us away

While it makes sense that there would be some limit on the number of devices connected at the same time, is it actually stated somewhere that that limit is one?

I doubt if HAL's accounting system could handle more than one. You are charged from login to logout, and it would probably not know how to deal with or allow multiple concurrent logins. (I've never tried.)

I just checked in it a bit further and see they're doing that funky "LOGOUT.COM" stuff.

 

Thanks.

Funky or not, if you do not log out the clock con tinues to eat up minutes and you likely will be 'bickering. Not a big deal to log out.

Edited November 28, 2016 by sail7seas

Definitely. That indicates they're doing something quite different from the examples I mentioned earlier in the thread.

This comment caught my attention. While it makes sense that there would be some limit on the number of devices connected at the same time, is it actually stated somewhere that that limit is one? I ask only because of my experience with the closest analogs elsewhere: Generally there is no such limit (such as in hotels, ISP roaming Wifi hotspot services, etc.) or the limit on the number of devices is three or five (though such limits are generally for content consumption services, such as Netflix).

 

Practically speaking, placing such a limit on the service is increasingly becoming a vain gesture. Consumers with multiple devices are more likely to use connection sharing provided by their devices. I'd have to check, but I believe my smartphone's mobile hotspot works even when the smartphone is connected to the Internet via wifi rather than cellular. That approach is actually much simpler, if you think about it, since it means you only need to teach your other devices to connect to your smartphone's mobile hotspot, and then they can connect to the Internet whenever the smartphone has a wifi (or cellular) connection and is nearby, whether that's in an airport premium lounge, at a hotel pre-cruise, using a venue's provided wifi access (i.e., at a conference center), or using the smartphone's own cellular connection.

 

Odds are your phone can't bridge the WiFi connection. I laptop running Windows 7 Professional (or higher can.) If you have the consumer version of Windows 7, 8, or 10, you can probably share the WiFi connection, but you'll need to run some commands at tha command line (DOS prompt.)

 

Here are the instructions:

 

http://www.howtogeek.com/214080/how-to-turn-your-windows-pc-into-a-wi-fi-hotspot/

 

Make sure you try this at home without a wired LAN connection so you know how it works before you hit the ship. If you're paying by the minute, it's expensive to learn.

 

and the geekier version:

 

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/turn-windows-wifi-hotspot-share-internet-connection/

Edited November 28, 2016 by POA1

Odds are your phone can't bridge the WiFi connection.

No odds about it... I just checked and you're absolutely correct: It won't let me enable the Mobile Hotspot if Airplane Mode is enabled, and when I tried to just shut off the Mobile Data and enable the Mobile Hotspot, the phone said explicitly that WiFi will be shut off.

 

Darn.

This may be obvious to all, but not mentioned (unless I missed it), yes, ONLY ONE device can be connected at one time AND all users must use the same log-on and password to get onto the ship's system. After that, I could access either of my e-mail accounts and either of my husband's two accounts on the connected device.

This may be obvious to all, but not mentioned (unless I missed it), yes, ONLY ONE device can be connected at one time AND all users must use the same log-on and password to get onto the ship's system.

That's if you are sharing one account. There's no reason why each person can't have their own account and be on concurrently without buying a "plan" if they are willing to pay $0.75/min.

jtl513

True if you are not responding to OP. BUT the OP was asking about sharing one account. Thus my answer was directed only at that question. Of course each cruising person can have their own account and pay for it, or do the minute by minute plan.

Edited November 29, 2016 by wander

Quick question: is the internet on HAL (specifically Zaandam) reasonably fast? It's my first cruise with them coming up.

jtl513True if you are not responding to OP.

I quoted you and was responding to your statement that

... AND all users must use the same log-on and password to get onto the ship's system.

 

The OP did ask

Or will each person be required to buy a package?

The answer is "no".

 

Quick question: is the internet on HAL (specifically Zaandam) reasonably fast?

I've never been on the Zaandam, but based on my experience on 13 other HAL ships I'd say probably not! :) Edited November 29, 2016 by jtl513

We just got off the Amsterdam, Tales of the South Pacific. WIFI was really fast. I could access it from our Dolphin Deck cabin, the Seaview pool and the Lower Promenade deck. I was very surprised. The last time we cruise in the South Pacific WIFI was useless.

 

Cheers, Denise