Just how slow is QM2 internet connection?

From another thread:

I have not been able to update this log due to abysmally slow on board internet speeds. Last night I burned up 47 minutes just trying to read a couple of emails. I'll give some updates now that I'm temporarily on a land based connection.

First, thank you, Blue, for persevering and posting your report via a land based connection. Much appreciated.

But this again begs the question of just how slow the QM2 internet connection is? I have seen earlier complaints about the service, and it now appears this issue was not addressed in the remastering. I suspect this is very important to a small number of passengers, somewhat important to a larger group, and not even remotely important to yet another group.

Is internet connectivity onboard as unreliable as it sounds? Is it much better in the public-area computer stations than it will be in our cabins?

The speed was at approximate DSL speeds until two nights ago. On Wednesday night, at 1:30 in the morning, nothing would load. Last night I burned up 47 minutes just to try to open two emails. Either something failed or high bandwidth services like Skype or streaming are not being blocked.

I think the world and their dogs will agree that internet speeds on all cruise ships isn't going to match expectations when we are now used to such excellent speeds ashore.

While I do not know if any modifications were done to improve wifi facilities during the recent remastering I have usually found speeds on board QM2 to be more than satisfactory when compared to other ships.

If/when I really needed the best connection I would take my Macbook/ipad/iphone down to Connections as early in the morning as possible. (Would you believe there were often many members of staff sharing the room?)

As for spending 47 minutes 'reading' emails, well the simple answer is to get connected, watch them come in and disconnect: that's usually less than 10 minutes including logging in time and downloading the Daily Mail..

Read your emails, messages etc at leisure and if there is a need to reply type the response and hit send before logging in again.

Hope this helps.

Perhaps I didn't write what happened too clearly - it took 47 minutes just to try to open two emails. And this is just formatted text, no big graphics. I'm pretty proficient at composing off line and reading off line.

The speed was at approximate DSL speeds until two nights ago. On Wednesday night, at 1:30 in the morning, nothing would load. Last night I burned up 47 minutes just to try to open two emails. Either something failed or high bandwidth services like Skype or streaming are not being blocked.

The weather does affect the wifi on the high seas. I wonder if there was a Low

Pressure system the other day on the Atlantic? Or the Qm2 encounter any bad weather ?

Like Blue Riband, I was on the QM2 after re-mastering. Sadly, the WIFI has NOT improved since our last sailing a year ago. Funny, a couple of days ago, I overheard the Concierge reply to an angry internet-using passenger that the re-mastering had resulted in an improved internet speed. Well, he was living in the dream world of Cunard marketing. It's just not any better. I could not access Cruise Critic most days, could not get to my charge card and bank accounts, could not get to Facebook. I could do basic emails, very slowly. Sadly this was worse than when we were on Azamara 3 months ago, and that was none too swift. Oh, and someone turned off the internet at midnight last night, so lots of us with remaining minutes that we wanted and NEEDED to use before disembarkation were completely blocked as though we had marched off the ship in the middle of the night and out in the Atlantic. So don't expect miracles. Lower your expectations and you will be all right.

I have found Internet on QM2 to be slower than on QE. But that might have something to do with my QE cruises being closer to land than my TAs on QM2. Both are operated by the same connection company.

Apparently Carnival corporation is trailing high speed Internet which will be rolled out across all fleets by 2020. I remember reading that somewhere last year.

Given the prices charged for online access I would expect better service. One thing I started doing to avoid excessive minute wastage was to download my emails through the app on my tablet and then read through them offline. I'd draft responses offline and then send once connected.

In this modern connected world I find it disappointing that Cunard see the need to charge for such a poor internet service , when on a budget airline flying at 36k feet at 600mph I can get high speed reliable internet for FREE

One more thing not discussed. On other crossings with other companies (Azamara, Crystal, Seabourn) we have had both faster internet speeds AND unlimited access pricing. Cunard is quite behind in this respect.

One more thing not discussed. On other crossings with other companies (Azamara, Crystal, Seabourn) we have had both faster internet speeds AND unlimited access pricing. Cunard is quite behind in this respect.

Perhaps Cunard feels their clientele don't want/need faster Internet. I admit that many Cunard passengers I have encountered over the years have suggested that they have little desire to go online during a voyage. Plenty of free Internet time for status holders must go unused.

But if Cunard wants to start attracting younger people (thinking the long term viability of the line) then investment in reasonably priced on board Internet must be something they look at.

Perhaps Cunard feels their clientele don't want/need faster Internet. I admit that many Cunard passengers I have encountered over the years have suggested that they have little desire to go online during a voyage. Plenty of free Internet time for status holders must go unused.

I am self-employed. I need to spend about 30 minutes in the AM and again in the PM checking my emails. It is unlikely that my clients have a "real" emergency that requires my immediate attention. But it's real to them and solving their problems is how I make a living.

Last year on a TA crossing it was taking me approx. 3 hours/day to check emails (2.5 hrs for emails and 0.5 hrs to have connections credit me back the wasted minutes as the system would frequently drop the connection before I could properly log off.) I just starting phoning my office twice a day and having them read me my emails. That was much faster than using the QM2 system.

I don't know anyone who wants slow internet! If people aren't using their packages it may be that they are too frustrated to try. People of all ages are online now

If people have no family, or business to conduct then perhaps they are fine going weeks at a time without contact, but there is no reason why the rest of us cannot keep in touch. This is nothing newfangled. Remember, even on the titanic the wireless Marconi was in constant use.Just the mode has changed.

At this stage in my life, I travel frequently and as much as I am in remote spots, I have to have a way to contact my family. In foreign countries I get SIM cards to overcome that obstacle.i guess I will be using my phone more than I thought.

Hopefully, cunard will leap into the new century!

I don't know anyone who wants slow internet! If people aren't using their packages it may be that they are too frustrated to try. People of all ages are online now

If people have no family, or business to conduct then perhaps they are fine going weeks at a time without contact, but there is no reason why the rest of us cannot keep in touch. This is nothing newfangled. Remember, even on the titanic the wireless Marconi was in constant use.Just the mode has changed.

At this stage in my life, I travel frequently and as much as I am in remote spots, I have to have a way to contact my family. In foreign countries I get SIM cards to overcome that obstacle.i guess I will be using my phone more than I thought.

Hopefully, cunard will leap into the new century!

I heartily concur. Cunard's competitors are advertising faster and cheaper internet connectivity. I hope the company plans to move in this same direction soon.

I understand those who do want to be away from cares and worries and the electronic rat race while on a ship. But for many of us, we absolutely need good internet while we travel to make arrangements for where we go down the road. We make dates with friends we visit, hotel arrangements, car/train/bus arrangements, arrange tours and research what we will do on land. The internet has make travel so much easier and we have become dependent upon it to ensure a smooth and culturally-rich trip. It's frustrating that the slow speed on Cunard makes all of this way-too problematic. Internet on the seas is always slower than most systems on land, but unfortunately Cunard's in the slowest we have experienced. Still, we will return to the QM2 because we love the ship.

I'm writing this at 6:25PM ship's time and the speed is at near DSL speed, probably because at least half the ship is at dinner and not online.

Good news/bad news regarding when the account is effective. The good news is that one can sign up upon boarding instead of having to wait until about 7PM. The bad news is that it dies at midnight before disembarkation. A disadvantage for those needing to check travel pickups.

If so, that's a change. In the past onboard time has been available through disembarkation, although WiFi in some of the waiting areas has been worse than the rooms.

So sorry to see that the Mary is stilling experiencing speed problems on the Internet.

Have not been on for 7 years but hoped that this would have been improved.

I always found terrible speed after breakfast but great near Midnight when everyone is at the bars, casino and dancing.

Considering sailing next year and would like better service...

Hope so....