Internet Pricing on Norwegian - Am I not reading this right?

We are sailing Norwegian for the first time. Have always sailed Carnival before and are looking forward to exploring this new Cruise Line. Our extended families stay in another continent and we have used the Carnival internet plan for $5/day to stay in touch. Norwegian's lowest per day rate is $29.99 for our cruise (Pearl). This looks atrociously high to me. For all of you who have used internet - I need Facebook and Whatsapp only to connect with my family through messenger - Please tell me which plan you used and how much you paid.

Thanks!

You are reading it right.

If you just want to Facebook etc then you probably don't need the unlimited package. You can get ones priced for a number of minutes, which will be cheaper unless you are on a very short cruise.

There was talk a while ago about NCL introducing cheaper, social media only, packages. I'm not sure where they are with those, so don't know whether they would become available before you sail.

We are sailing Norwegian for the first time. Have always sailed Carnival before and are looking forward to exploring this new Cruise Line. Our extended families stay in another continent and we have used the Carnival internet plan for $5/day to stay in touch. Norwegian's lowest per day rate is $29.99 for our cruise (Pearl). This looks atrociously high to me. For all of you who have used internet - I need Facebook and Whatsapp only to connect with my family through messenger - Please tell me which plan you used and how much you paid.

Thanks!

Never use ships internet. Far too expensive. Whilst in port look for a restaurant or pub that has free wifi and have a drink or coffee and get your internet stuff done there. Free wifi signs are all over the place on shop windows

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Never use ships internet. Far too expensive. ...

Good advice.

But, not if someone wants to connect while the ship is at sea. You have no other choice. Well, there is one choice, you can use you cell phone data and pay an even higher rate. Much higher.

Can't do anything with the pricing. Just use the ship's wifi if there is a real need, alternately with the free wifi hotspot in port just to simply get in touch.

I thought that was pretty high as well. We've never cruised and are heading on epic next February. Since it's an eastern Caribbean sailing our plan is to connect with family while in st Thomas when our phones will be none roaming.

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Good advice.

 

But, not if someone wants to connect while the ship is at sea. You have no other choice. Well, there is one choice, you can use you cell phone data and pay an even higher rate. Much higher.

You're not going to get cellular data from the ship's tower.

We are sailing Norwegian for the first time. Have always sailed Carnival before and are looking forward to exploring this new Cruise Line. Our extended families stay in another continent and we have used the Carnival internet plan for $5/day to stay in touch. Norwegian's lowest per day rate is $29.99 for our cruise (Pearl). This looks atrociously high to me. For all of you who have used internet - I need Facebook and Whatsapp only to connect with my family through messenger - Please tell me which plan you used and how much you paid.

Thanks!

That price is for unlimited internet and it has to be purchased for every day of the cruise. But you can buy packages of minutes, spread over the entire cruise. I usually buy the 250 minute package. IIRC it cost about $125. But I only check email, not Facebook. Connection time is verrrry slow!

You're not going to get cellular data from the ship's tower.

I was able to use Verizon Wireless "Pay as You Go" roaming for data while on the Dawn in May..... very expensive but data is 100% available

 

There was talk a while ago about NCL introducing cheaper, social media only, packages. I'm not sure where they are with those, so don't know whether they would become available before you sail.

This is still only available on the Getaway and the Escape. Hopefully it rolls out fleet wide soon!

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I was able to use Verizon Wireless "Pay as You Go" roaming for data while on the Dawn in May..... very expensive but data is 100% available

Really? I stand corrected.

You're not going to get cellular data from the ship's tower.

Oh yes you will. And it is very expensive. I forgot and did not turn my off right away when we left port on a recent trip. Works just fine. Since I had the $10 intl data plan from ATT and was connected to shore for the day, but then that evening... - they were nice and credited most of it back.

Norwegian is testing a social plan like carnival on a ship or two but it isn't fleetwide yet. So an option similar to carnivals may be available eventually but not yet.

So the question becomes what is essential for you? If being 100% reachable all day every day is essential then yes, will have to pay $30 a day. If simply logging in a couple times a day to send/check messages works, then you can buy a package of minutes or pay as you go. I did pay as you go and spent a total of $25 on internet, just logging in for a few minutes to check messages, upload a pic to Facebook, and log back off.

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