Ship Public Computer Questions

A curious question.

I was wondering where can I find the rules for ship's public computer access.

I was wondering if it were OK to boot from your own hard drive, with your own operating system (Ubuntu, Linux)?

I don't mean installing it, but just to boot from it, if you know what I mean?

If not, what could happen if someone does it?

Do cruise ships offer free Wi-Fi?

What if you need to print something, could you do that from your own computer?

I have no idea what you are asking to do, but the computers on the ship are just a keyboard and screen, except on Celebrity where they use mac laptops. Ships do not offer free wifi. EM

Bo you can't . The computers are actually dumb terminals with USB ports . The IF station has a PC for their use only.

With a USB, is how one can boot from their storage drive, with a SATA to USB cable, access BIOS/UEFI and select select it from there.

With a USB, is how one can boot from their storage drive, with a SATA to USB cable, access BIOS/UEFI and select select it from there.

Many of thise uSB ports are locked when staff isn't around. I've had to ask tje IT person to unlock the ports.

I personally don't understand why you want you own Hard Drive to boot from?

It's a preference.

I have a storage drive that has Ubuntu (a Linux operating system) installed on it. I can connect it to any computer, select from the boot menu during the computer start-up, and select the drive from the list.

It is like using your own computer, except the computer is the host; providing the processor, RAM, etc. Everything is as it were. When I'm done using it, I can shut-down or restart the computer and remove it, and the computer will start up the same as it were before, as if nothing had happened. I hope that makes sense.

An example

Let's say want to use a public computer, but don't want to use Windows (Or Mac, if it happens to be), and you had a storage drive with from your laptop or a clone (just to make it more understandable) you can connect it, reboot, and select it from the boot menu, and there all your settings and files will appear as if you were on your laptop. You do your work, or whatever, when done, restart and remove the drive, the computer boots back into Windows, the same as it were before.

Someone at campus does it all the time. It's something I've done before, but different places have different policies. I've done it at a library once, even the screen came on to enter my library card to assess the Internet when I went to Firefox worked the same, on Ubuntu.

Our own experience (on multiple cruise lines) is that all the external ports have been deactivated (this is a necessary step to maintain security of the computer and network). On ships where they actually have a friendly Internet expert you can certainly ask if he/she can activate a port...but it is very doubtful that any expert is going to let you boot a computer with your own operating system. I sure would never allow that :). In fact one could make a good case to fire any network administrator or Internet expert that allowed anyone to connect an external drive (even a thumb drive) to a networked computer. Entire corporate networks have been compromised by less.

The solution for you is actually pretty simple. You need to bring along your own computer or other device that you can connect to WiFi.

Hank

the short answer is

NO

just take your own and pay the fee to use the WIFI

I have no idea what you are asking to do, but the computers on the ship are just a keyboard and screen, except on Celebrity where they use mac laptops. Ships do not offer free wifi. EM

Though one could make the argument that the cost is built into the base cabin price, some lines do offer "complimentary unlimited wifi internet" (though it may be limited to a single device at any given time).

As for printing, it depends on the ship policy. On our most recent cruise the IT guy allowed me the IP address to remotely print without incurring the per page charge.

Most ships lock down the public computers including the USB ports. Best to bring your own laptop.

With respect to free wifi. The mainstream mega ship lines all charge for wifi, but some of the luxury/premium Lines provide free wifi. Viking Ocean have always provided free and unlimited wifi and I recall reading that Oceania will also shortly provide a similar service.

A curious question.

I was wondering where can I find the rules for ship's public computer access.

I was wondering if it were OK to boot from your own hard drive, with your own operating system (Ubuntu, Linux)?

I don't mean installing it, but just to boot from it, if you know what I mean?

 

If not, what could happen if someone does it?

 

 

 

Do cruise ships offer free Wi-Fi?

What if you need to print something, could you do that from your own computer?

It is impossible to do what you suggest. They are Windows machines and all ports on the public computers are disabled and access to the control panel is blocked. The BIOS is also password protected. Apps are also limited to a web browser or two. You are stuck with using what they have.

If you could figure out how to pull it off you could face anything from no punishment to being removed from the ship and made to get home on your own.

You have to pay for every minute of Internet time, unless you have a package with a perk. Printing is charged on a page by page basis. If you want to print very much, bring your own portable printer.

Shipboard public computers are "locked down" to prevent a user from booting their own OS and otherwise taking control of ports and drives. It's too easy for a miscreant to install malware on the computer otherwise.

I know of no cruise line that would allow this. The last I saw, the user had the ability to use a media card or thumb drive. This would be for access to files only. For over 10 years we have cruised with our own laptop.

Apparently I am the only other person who uses Linux on here. (I'm a Red Hat user) but I do carry around a LiveOS with me when I go out into the field for various purposes.

That being said, I do think they have this blocked (at least on Carnival) but honestly have never tried. I don't think I've ever used a computer on the ship...

I’ve never seen one on any of the mainstream lines that allow you to use the USB ports, little thing about viruses.

I sail on Crystal, and accessing the internet is free (their computers or WiFi), and each computer has 3 or 4 USB ports to use - I use them often to transfer things between their desktop and my laptop.