Internet Access

We have "free" unlimited internet access on an upcoming Nautica cruise. Does anyone know if that is per cabin or will be allowed to use two devices?

Very good question. With the packages for which we paid you could only log on with one computer or IPad at a time and I would guess you would only be given one log-in per cabin with the free as well.

Most all ships use MTN as their provider. The wi-fi onboard is what is called "garden-walled," where you can access a few free features, but need a sign-in to get past that 'wall' and on to the internet.

Once logged in, your minutes are clocked for billing purposes. In the case of "free, unlimited"...that is academic.

You can be logged in simultaneously from more than one device at a time...in all the cases I have seen.

I keep my pocket device logged in, with 3G/4G shut off, and log in using my laptop when required.

If it wasn't "free and unlimited," I would be billed for the minutes used on both devices. In that case, the phone is OFF LINE! :-)

Most all ships use MTN as their provider. The wi-fi onboard is what is called "garden-walled," where you can access a few free features, but need a sign-in to get past that 'wall' and on to the internet.

 

Once logged in, your minutes are clocked for billing purposes. In the case of "free, unlimited"...that is academic.

 

You can be logged in simultaneously from more than one device at a time...in all the cases I have seen.

 

I keep my pocket device logged in, with 3G/4G shut off, and log in using my laptop when required.

 

If it wasn't "free and unlimited," I would be billed for the minutes used on both devices. In that case, the phone is OFF LINE! :-)

Yes, however on our last cruise on Marina which used MCS we purchased an unlimited package, and only one of us could be on at a time. If one logged on without the other logging off (phone/tablet or laptop) they were prompted to kick the other off. Thus, the quote of laughable dissension on this last O cruise was "did you kick me off?!" or "I'm kicking you off" :)

I'm not sure if the offer the OP speaks of applies stateroom-wide (thus to concurrent sessions) or if it's like us who just purchased the "unlimited package" which was booked to the stateroom/final bill. Either way, we could not have two devices on at the same time, and this was about 1 1/2 weeks ago in the Baltics.

That's discouraging. It could be a flag set to the log-in account for single use.

Encountering that, I would simply have asked for two log-in accounts to be set up, both "billed" to the cabin. No reason not to comply with that request.

That's discouraging. It could be a flag set to the log-in account for single use.

 

Encountering that, I would simply have asked for two log-in accounts to be set up, both "billed" to the cabin. No reason not to comply with that request.

It's not really a flag so much as we had to login, though I agree if there are two in the final bill, you should be able to ask for 2 concurrent logins, and we will try this on our next Marina cruise in July. And that login from a mobile was a pain:

First Name:

Last Name:

Password:

Cabin Number:

(I may have got the order wrong, but it was four fields). Then you'd log on, and if someone else was on that token, it said you have to log them off, you click yes, then it says try logging on again (re-enter all those fields) and then you are on and other half is booted. Not ideal, indeed.

I must add in my experience and need for connectivity (work) here's how you find salvation in non-sea days... ASK A BARTENDER. Every port has somewhere you can get fast-ish internet for either free, or very cheap without too much walking. You will see all the guys and gals from the staff hanging out there skyping home, etc. Not glamorous, but when you need to keep in touch, beggars be choosers. Recall ship internet is not very fast or reliable and a skype call is all but impossible on board.

I must add in my experience and need for connectivity (work) here's how you find salvation in non-sea days...

Yup, the local crew hangouts can save the day, especially with a pocket device.

I, too, have to maintain connectivity while away.

( see: Hyman Roth: "...This is the business we've chosen..." :cool: ).

I often travel with far too much gear, and have set up some wild rigs in my cabin. ...w/r/t those things that are blocked by the onboard system, I keep a dedicated PC in the office and use a remote connection from the ship to be able to do whatever I need that way.

Yup, the local crew hangouts can save the day, especially with a pocket device.

 

I, too, have to maintain connectivity while away.

( see: Hyman Roth: "...This is the business we've chosen..." :cool: ).

 

I often travel with far too much gear, and have set up some wild rigs in my cabin. ...w/r/t those things that are blocked by the onboard system, I keep a dedicated PC in the office and use a remote connection from the ship to be able to do whatever I need that way.

LOL - You sound as bad as me. I literally have a USB magic jack that I've remapped the ports to avoid blocked/restricted port QOS limiting!

On our recent 21 day cruise on Regatta, we also had unlimited, complimentary internet. The trick is to create two separate login's. I had one login account and my husband had the other. I could be on the ipad and he could be on the laptop simultaneously. This was perfectly within the rules per the internet guru in the Oceania@Sea room.

On our recent 21 day cruise on Regatta, we also had unlimited, complimentary internet. The trick is to create two separate login's. I had one login account and my husband had the other. I could be on the ipad and he could be on the laptop simultaneously. This was perfectly within the rules per the internet guru in the Oceania@Sea room.

Sure, if the Internet is free that is the way to do it, but if one is paying for it, your scenario would require buying TWO passes simultaneously.

Perhaps someone here can enlighten me about connectivity, etc.

We're on a crossing in a few weeks. I think we'll eschew the unlimited internet and just buy a package of minutes. How far would 200 minutes go? Would it be eaten up quickly fighting for bandwidth and speed? I just want to be able to check my mail once in a while.

Perhaps someone here can enlighten me about connectivity, etc.

 

We're on a crossing in a few weeks. I think we'll eschew the unlimited internet and just buy a package of minutes. How far would 200 minutes go? Would it be eaten up quickly fighting for bandwidth and speed? I just want to be able to check my mail once in a while.

You'll probably be able to make 200 minutes stretch to 3 or 4 email checks, provided that you stay offline at peak hours, and that you read and compose mail offline.

What those "Peak Hours" are will vary, but if you sign on and nothing is happening, you need to be flexible enough to end the session quickly and give it a try on another day.

Frankly, I found the unlimited package well worth the money for the STRESS which it alleviated. :o

Wendy,

Despite what Jim/Stan say (and I'm not disagreeing with them!), I generally get the 200 minute package for a 2 week or so cruise and it is usually sufficient. Sometimes I go over a bit. They used to charge you your discounted rate if you went over, but I believe now they revert to the basic 99 cents a minute rate if you do.

Then again, it's hard to answer the question without knowing just how much time you would spend on the internet. I generally download my email (and I have turned off most of my email subscriptions) and then work offline preparing any answers. Then I go back online to send the messages. When I'm at home I tend to get lots of mail, but it is greatly reduced when I am away.

Are you just doing personal mail or some work mail? That makes a difference, too.

For our upcoming Barcelona-Rio cruise, I intend to get 200 minutes rather than the unlimited package since I don't really trust that we will always have access in the middle of the ocean. On past TA cruises we have always lost at least a few days of access ... except for our NCL cruise a few years ago (NY to Venice).

Mura

I agree with Mura

I have bought the 200 min package (not on a TA)

I checked mail most days & had enough time left to do boarding passes ;)

If I found I was getting low I just cut back on time for other days near the end of the cruise

Lyn

You'll probably be able to make 200 minutes stretch to 3 or 4 email checks, provided that you stay offline at peak hours, and that you read and compose mail offline.

wow, that's pretty extreme.

I agree with Mura

I have bought the 200 min package (not on a TA)

I checked mail most days & had enough time left to do boarding passes ;)

 

If I found I was getting low I just cut back on time for other days near the end of the cruise

 

Lyn

That sounds better. I'll keep it light. Even if I buy 400 minutes, still cheaper than unlimited.

I don't download mail, I use gmail, so it's on the cloud.

Middle of the ocean shouldn't be any different, since it's satellite-based.

wow, that's pretty extreme.

 

 

 

That sounds better. I'll keep it light. Even if I buy 400 minutes, still cheaper than unlimited.

 

I don't download mail, I use gmail, so it's on the cloud.

 

Middle of the ocean shouldn't be any different, since it's satellite-based.

A suggestion Wendy if it is possible for you to use outlook and simply download your e-mails and then log off. Read them and respond and then send the next day.

Did this on our world cruise of 17 weeks and got on almost every day and toward the end .went on more often; also checked my checking account and credit card accounts weekly and ended up running out on the last nite buying 1000 minutes. Was able to download and upload from the day before in less than 5 minutes in most cases and if the download stopped, I simply logged off and got mail the next day. Usually got 50 to 80 e-mails a day.

Almost think it is the time spent reading your e-mail while on line that eats up the minutes. Was able to take my time and even read later without logging back on. Not sure if you can do that with gmail but, it is an option.

The report from JimandStan seems extremely high figuring around 50 minutes for each login. That sounds more like surfing the web

Hope this helps,

Thanks for the suggestion Dave, but no. Aside from the fact that I consider Outlook a virus, I'm not going to switch the way I run my mail just for a trip.

I'll shut off as many mail feeds as possible, and just look at subject lines and respond to anything important.

On the new round of cruises, e.g*mid 2014 into 15 they are offering FREE internet for anyone who books. Can't wait to see THOSE speeds over that super-slow satellite connection. But it's free and a simple email of "hey mom - I'm alive" will suffice every now and again. :) She worries too much (granted going on a skydive camp next week - safer than driving, look it up)

Thanks for the suggestion Dave, but no. Aside from the fact that I consider Outlook a virus, I'm not going to switch the way I run my mail just for a trip.

 

I'll shut off as many mail feeds as possible, and just look at subject lines and respond to anything important.

Wendy,

I'm another Outlook hater but I use Eudora ... yes, it still exists. it allows me to download mail and answer offline, then go back to respond.

Maybe I'm one of those who can't change systems once I get used to the original! But Eudora still works for me. (And I mean the old Eudora Pro, not the newer versions.)

Not suggesting you change what you do just for the cruise ... I don't either!

My IT guy told me more than a year ago that I was the only person he knew who still uses Eudora ... but *I* know some who use far older versions, so I'm not alone in this universe.

Whether I'm right or not is another question .... But if I should change email systems, I won't go to Outlook. That's a given!

Mura

Wendy,

 

I'm another Outlook hater but I use Eudora ... yes, it still exists. it allows me to download mail and answer offline, then go back to respond.

...

Whether I'm right or not is another question .... But if I should change email systems, I won't go to Outlook. That's a given!

 

Mura

Funny, Mura! At work I always used Thunderbird, but switched to webmail when I retired, don't really want to switch back, too many devices.

 

I'm another Outlook hater but I use Eudora ... yes, it still exists. it allows me to download mail and answer offline, then go back to respond.

 

 

Mura

I am with you Mura

I still use Eudora

I also use yahoo webmail

I guess I do not like change either

Lyn

Okay, I dig webmail .. but I understand the problem. But if you are "married" to webmail, you'll have to use it.

As an aside, if you are using webmail that COULD be a reason to get the unlimited plan on the ship. Again, it depends on how much mail you expect to get.

I have access to webmail at home but don't use it when traveling simply because of the time it takes to read and answer. Its' one thing if I'm on a land trip and another if I'm on a cruise.

I have several addresses ... one is with Speakeasy, my former ISP. Email there is via webmail. I prefer NOT to use it as my primary because I can't use italics, bold, etc.

Likewise, with my Time Warner address, the same problems.

But if I download email to Eudora (or Thunderbird) I can play with text and take my time in responding.

As I said to begin with, it really depends on how much mail you will be getting. When I'm traveling I probably could depend on webmail to answer mail, but NOT to read it all just because of all the junk that I get these days. (I didn't used to but now I do.)

For me it's easier to download everything. Then offline I can delete all the junk and prepare answers or original emails when I want.

Anyway, have a great cruise! I know WE will! I'm counting the days ...

Mura

New question. Can you connect a computer with a wired connection in your room(PH) or is everything wifi? On our last cruise(Celebrity) my wife discovered that her work application, Blackboard, worked much better when she used the connected computers in the lab as opposed to the laptop on Wifi. Then again it's much nicer sitting on the deck than in a computer lab. If she could connect in the room that would also be better than being in the lab.

New question. Can you connect a computer with a wired connection in your room(PH) or is everything wifi? On our last cruise(Celebrity) my wife discovered that her work application, Blackboard, worked much better when she used the connected computers in the lab as opposed to the laptop on Wifi. Then again it's much nicer sitting on the deck than in a computer lab. If she could connect in the room that would also be better than being in the lab.

I don't believe there is any outlet for a wired connection.

New question. Can you connect a computer with a wired connection in your room(PH) or is everything wifi? On our last cruise(Celebrity) my wife discovered that her work application, Blackboard, worked much better when she used the connected computers in the lab as opposed to the laptop on Wifi. Then again it's much nicer sitting on the deck than in a computer lab. If she could connect in the room that would also be better than being in the lab.

You did not mention which ship. We did have a wired connection on the R ships

OS and VS but you would need a pretty long cord to get it on either balcony.