Internet access on Cunard

Hello! I am about to book a transatlatic on Queen Victoria in March 2018. first time with Cunard. But I am finding not enough info on internet packages. Any detailed info about this subject? As I will need to work while away...

Thanks!

As far as I know, Cunard have not yet implemented any internet plans that offer unlimited usage for a fixed daily fee such as the Voom packages you may be used to on Royal Caribbean. Cunard still charges per minute for internet access. You can purchase blocks of minutes for internet access once you are on board. Here are the prices I have from last August.

Pay as you go: $0.75 per minute

2 hours: $47.95

4 hours: $89.95

8 hours: $167.95

There is usually an embarkation special that provides extra minutes if you purchase one of these time plans on the first day of the voyage. That embarkation special typically adds 15 minutes to the 2-hour plan, 25 minutes to the 4-hour plan, and 50 minutes to the 8-hour plan for no additional cost.

Regards,

John

Thanks... Definitely I need to move to another company then...

Yeah, although supposedly, the QM2 had an upgrade recently, by all reports it's pretty much the same as the usual slow, crappy internet speeds that most ships have provided over the past decade or two. (no Voom or equivalent). As always, strategies such as doing email offline can be helpful.

I heard an interview with Ed Sheehan about how he was horrified by his internet bill on the QM2. And he's worth £57 million. So maybe go easy on it!

Actually my problem was the price more than the speed. As I really need to stay connected almost all day (Celebrity's Xcellerate was truly amazing)... Definitely need to change company. What a pity...

That's a shame but definitely better to find out before booking.

I hope you find something suitable.

Have travelled on the QM2, QV & Celebrity Eclipse in the last year & can sadly confirm the QM2 is light years behind Celebrity's Xlerate internet service which is both (relatively) fast & reliable.

Internet service on both the QM2 last July (post refit) & the QV in Jan 2017 were dire, unreliable & immensely frustrating.

A great pity.

I can also confirm, sadly, that the internet speed and connectivity on the QM2 was only marginally improved during the dry dock this past summer. And I have been hearing stories that other lines are making progress in taking us into the 21st Century. And now it seems that Celebrity is doing a better job. As far as I can tell, Cunard management does not have a commitment in this area. There was one quote a number of months ago from one Cunard guy who said (and I am paraphrasing) that folks on holiday do not need to stay obsessively connected. True that, but there are those of us who need the internet to manage our lives and our holidays. So while on the QM2 I enjoy things other than the internet. So for the original poster who needs the internet for work (and I sympathize, not everyone is retired), maybe Cunard is not the right fit.

FWIF, some bypass the ship's wifi and internet altogether and just use their phone. That goes straight to the Maritime Communication Platform satellite. Although that's not cheap either especially when one if running multiple apps and the data rates are adding up to an astronomical phone bill.

I was last on QM2 in December and noticed no improvements in internet speed. As usual the worst times were after breakfast and before dinner as those are prime email times. There did seem to be better wifi accessibility - no more Apple iPad users sitting on the stairs because they could not get a signal in their stateroom.

If ONLY Cunard monitored these boards (as ANY company aware of social media should) - they shoud see that this is a significant shortcoming in their product which deserves attention. When what is normally a cheerleading forum for the line tells a potential customer to look elsewhere, it's an indication that they've got a problem!

A quick related question... will the internet on QM2 handle facetime?

A quick related question... will the internet on QM2 handle facetime?

I've seen it in use, but it's not officially supported. I think at busy times it would be fairly unreliable.

Thanks

I found the internet on Q V to be excellent, this past Jan >> March 2017... from Fla >> Sydney. Admittedly, I was not running a business, downloading the Library of Congress or researching a thesis. As a platinum member, I had 4 hrs of free internet on each segment, and there were 4 segments on the cruise. I certainly see that my opinion/ experience seems to be in the minority..... I'm sorry that many others seem to face / endure such problems.