Casual Internet

Is there casual internet on the ship. (Ruby). I don't need lots of minutes just need to check emails once or twice per day 20 Minutes for a 7 day cruise would be plenty

Thanks in advance.

"Casual Internet" is 75 cents/minute plus a $3.95 activation fee.

What device will you be using with the expectation of logging on, looking over your e-mails, and logging off in no more than 2 or 3 minutes? This may work with a smart phone that you keep connected to the ship's wi-fi intranet so you do not have to establish a new connection each time you log on. The terminals in the ship's internet center--forget it, it takes 5 or more minutes after logging onto the internet just to bring up the sign-in page of your webmail provider.

"Casual Internet" is 75 cents/minute plus a $3.95 activation fee.

 

What device will you be using with the expectation of logging on, looking over your e-mails, and logging off in no more than 2 or 3 minutes? This may work with a smart phone that you keep connected to the ship's wi-fi intranet so you do not have to establish a new connection each time you log on. The terminals in the ship's internet center--forget it, it takes 5 or more minutes after logging onto the internet just to bring up the sign-in page of your webmail provider.

I will just use my tablet. I assume it is only a one off activation fee?

Hi I think they usually also have package prices like 20 -60 minutes. I will be on Ruby in a few days and can let you know the costs upon return.

Hi I think they usually also have package prices like 20 -60 minutes. I will be on Ruby in a few days and can let you know the costs upon return.

Thanks would be helpful.

"Casual Internet" is 75 cents/minute plus a $3.95 activation fee.

 

What device will you be using with the expectation of logging on, looking over your e-mails, and logging off in no more than 2 or 3 minutes? This may work with a smart phone that you keep connected to the ship's wi-fi intranet so you do not have to establish a new connection each time you log on. The terminals in the ship's internet center--forget it, it takes 5 or more minutes after logging onto the internet just to bring up the sign-in page of your webmail provider.

I will never understand why anybody would waste their time going to a web page to get their email. I have always used an email client such as Thunderbird. It retrieves and sends my mail without having to connect to some stupid web site first.

Save yourself the hassle (and the shipboard minutes) and get an email client. The setup is easy these days and most clients, including Thunderbird, will setup the incoming and outgoing mail servers based on your email address so you don't even have to look them up.

Of course if you are forced to use the ship's computers you will be stuck with the web mail thing. <shudder>

The cheapest "minutes" package Princess offers online is this one.

120 minutes

Item #6038 – $69.00

(This package includes 100 minutes for the purchased plan and an additional 20 bonus minutes)

They "may" offer a smaller package once onboard but I don't know if they do. I never used Internet access onboard until I became Platinum and got it for free.

I will never understand why anybody would waste their time going to a web page to get their email. I have always used an email client such as Thunderbird. It retrieves and sends my mail without having to connect to some stupid web site first.

 

Save yourself the hassle (and the shipboard minutes) and get an email client. The setup is easy these days and most clients, including Thunderbird, will setup the incoming and outgoing mail servers based on your email address so you don't even have to look them up.

 

Of course if you are forced to use the ship's computers you will be stuck with the web mail thing. <shudder>

Will be using the email app on my tablet. Will need the internet minutes to be able to connect to the internet to be able to use my email app!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The cheapest "minutes" package Princess offers online is this one.

 

120 minutes

Item #6038 – $69.00

(This package includes 100 minutes for the purchased plan and an additional 20 bonus minutes)

 

They "may" offer a smaller package once onboard but I don't know if they do. I never used Internet access onboard until I became Platinum and got it for free.

I did see that but at $93.00 aussie dollars for 2hrs when I only need most probably 30 minutes max over the 7 days. I thought that would be better spent on cocktails. LOL

I did see that but at $93.00 aussie dollars for 2hrs when I only need most probably 30 minutes max over the 7 days. I thought that would be better spent on cocktails. LOL

Good thinking but do please remember that the Internet speed is horrible. Think dialup... You may well need more than the 30 minutes you estimate. You can save time by composing mail before logging on. If you need to reply to mail and need to think about it please just get your mail, log off, compose your reply, then log on again and send it.

I believe there are smaller packages available at a higher price/minute. Like others I get internet time for free as frequent pax perk. Please remember that the speed on the ship internet is no where near what you have on land and can be excruciatingly slow (think the old dial up days) depending on the time of day. Late at night (eg 3 AM) it can be pretty fast but later in the day, it can be very slow. Also it is not infrequent to have dropouts where you are thrown off the internet and have to re-establish your connection.

Good thinking but do please remember that the Internet speed is horrible. Think dialup... You may well need more than the 30 minutes you estimate. You can save time by composing mail before logging on. If you need to reply to mail and need to think about it please just get your mail, log off, compose your reply, then log on again and send it.

Good tip. Thanks.

Do you need to check daily? Many people skip the ship's internet and log in while in port. If you stop for lunch or even for a coffee, there will probably be free wifi available for customers.

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Do you need to check daily? Many people skip the ship's internet and log in while in port. If you stop for lunch or even for a coffee, there will probably be free wifi available for customers.

 

 

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With that in mind, just follow the crew. They are quite astute at knowing where the best free Internet access is on shore. Even with ship Internet access we take our tablet ashore and sit with the crew for fast downloads.

And if you don't want to follow the crew- If you can find a McDonalds or Burger King- often they have free internet.

Many of the tourist bars offer faster internet for the price of a drink.:)

 

Save yourself the hassle (and the shipboard minutes) and get an email client. The setup is easy these days and most clients, including Thunderbird, will setup the incoming and outgoing mail servers based on your email address so you don't even have to look them up.

I will be using an iPad. My mail application is set up with my incoming and outgoing mail servers based on my email address. Will I be able to receive and send emails as I normally do when in a hotel with wifi?

I will be using an iPad. My mail application is set up with my incoming and outgoing mail servers based on my email address. Will I be able to receive and send emails as I normally do when in a hotel with wifi?

Yep. As long as you are connected to the ship's Internet service it work just like at home albeit at a much slower pace.

I've never done an actual speed test onboard as I don't want to waste my minutes doing so. I get 180+Mbps download speeds at home on my desktop. Even my laptop on WiFi gets ~80Mbps download speeds. I'd guess the download speed onboard is "maybe" 33Kbps. Huge difference.

Thanks for your answer Thrak! Then I'll probably order an internet package before boarding. I wont be using it much but it may come handy should there be an emergency at home!!!

Is there casual internet on the ship. (Ruby). I don't need lots of minutes just need to check emails once or twice per day 20 Minutes for a 7 day cruise would be plenty

 

Thanks in advance.

At 20 minutes a day, you will want to purchase a plan. Estimated for a bit more than what you think you need.

When I was on the Ruby, I had to monitor email for work and what should have been a 5 minute email became a 30-40 minute ordeal every time due to the slow internet. I found that trying to connect on my laptop was much slower than on their computers. Sometimes I would be "on the internet" using minutes, but unable to properly use it, not connecting to my email, or the ever lasting scroll. I had better response times when connecting directly on Princess' computers. I am grateful it was not something I had to do daily or I would have gone crazy. Hope you are able to use Princess computers and do not have to deal with as slow connections as I've had on my last few cruises. I have found it to be frustrating.

At 20 minutes a day, you will want to purchase a plan. Estimated for a bit more than what you think you need.

 

When I was on the Ruby, I had to monitor email for work and what should have been a 5 minute email became a 30-40 minute ordeal every time due to the slow internet. I found that trying to connect on my laptop was much slower than on their computers. Sometimes I would be "on the internet" using minutes, but unable to properly use it, not connecting to my email, or the ever lasting scroll. I had better response times when connecting directly on Princess' computers. I am grateful it was not something I had to do daily or I would have gone crazy. Hope you are able to use Princess computers and do not have to deal with as slow connections as I've had on my last few cruises. I have found it to be frustrating.

I think OP was saying he would use 20 minutes total for the week, not 20 minutes per day

I will just use my tablet. I assume it is only a one off activation fee?

yes, just one activation. You will set up a user name and password and you can use that on your iPad, Princess computers or cell phone. Just be sure you always log out when you are done so you don't add up internet minutes that you do not intend to do. That could be an expensive mistake. :eek:

I think OP was saying he would use 20 minutes total for the week, not 20 minutes per day

I think you are correct but, given the funky Internet connection, what would normally take a total of 20 minutes might easily take 6 times as long meaning use of the the 120 minute plan. The OP's estimated 3 minutes (20 minutes /7 days = 2.86 minutes per day) could easily become 18 minutes per day. Logging in, authenticating, being dropped, logging in again, waiting for something (anything!) to happen, etc. seems to eat up the minutes.

I refused to use the Internet connection onboard until I became platinum and got free minutes.

I think OP was saying he would use 20 minutes total for the week, not 20 minutes per day

Oh, I misunderstood. Whoopsies [emoji4]

Even so, given my experience, I spent 3x or 4x the amount of time I expected to with the slow connections. It's just nice I'm Platinum, free minutes

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Thanks all for your help. I think I'll just buy the 120 minutes online before I leave. Seems like with the slowness it won't take long to use it up.

I guess with a captive audience they can charge what they like for internet that is as slow it was 20yrs ago using dial up. This day and age one would think it would be a reasonable speed. I guess why fix it when people pay for it as it is!!!!!

The main factor affecting internet speed on a ship is the satellite link. There is a dish high on the ship that points at a satellite miles above in orbit. When the centre of the dish is pointed at the satellite you will get maximum internet speed and the dish has sophisticated tracking to keep it pointed that way however the ship is moving and the rougher the sea the harder it is to keep the dish pointed a that pin prick in the sky, hence, the strength of signal between the two will vary which will cause the internet speed to vary. A phone, tablet or computer connected via WiFi to the ships network should get the same internet speed as a terminal in the Internet Cafe because the slowest link is the satellite link not the WiFi.

Consider the WiFi Link as a large pipe and the satellite link as a smaller one. No matter how big the big one is you can only get as much as the small pipe can supply.