Internet cost has increased

[madforcruising]

Like you said BroncoFan. :) Good Lord, cruisers managed without it years back. That's one reason most people go on vacation - to get away from it all. Unless used for business purposes, why would someone pay to read most likely meaningless e-mails? :confused::rolleyes:

 

 

You are right I survived in the past without it, but it also makes thigs so much easier and more convenient now.

In the past I would call home like once or twice per week during vacation to keep in touch. This wasn´t cheap at all and I had to plan those calls to fit into my schedule and keep the time difference in mind.

 

Now these days my family at home sends me an e and I send them an e about once a day. Even on vacation these are not meaningless to them or me and we look forward to those updates. I can up and download my e´s in less than a minute, so what´s $1.30 / day compared to what I have paid for phone calls in the past? - Nothing! And as it´s an enjoyment for all of us it´s priceless anyway:cool:

[rubrrick]

Just off Radiance 2 days ago........the internet was awful.

 

The speed was slow, system was down for hours at a time but they did do credits when we asked.

 

Used the internet cafes in port for a few dollars an hour.

 

FYI........kids club after hours also went up $! per hour.

 

 

I saw some of your postings on Facebook, and had the impression that you were able to pick up some free wifi time. Untrue??

 

My DW enjoyed meeting you!!

 

Are some people able to pick up a free signal when either close to shore or onshore??

 

Rick

[pcur]

One of the great things about cruising is getting away from the internet, cell phones, and technology/people in general. They can raise the prices all they want, if people think they need it enough, they will pay for it. I on the other hand, will be RELAXING on my cruise, internet free and more money in my pocket.

 

Some of us have 91 year old fathers that we have to check on even when we are vacationing. He also loves my emails about where we are. They print them out in REALLY big text, and he goes to the world map on his wall to see where I am. Sometimes it's not obsessive reasons we use the ship's internet.

[firefly333]

Hey there everyone. Just thought that I would let you all know that the internet cost per minute has increased. It was 55¢ per minute but it has now increased to 65¢ per minute. Just off a B2B and noticed that the 2nd week it changed. The first week (April 4th) it was 55¢ per minute but the 2nd week (April 11th) it changed to 65¢ per minute.:eek::(

 

Dont go on Carnival, I think it is 75 cents a minute, 55 cents is only if you buy a package, down to 40 cents. Carnival farms it out to a 3rd party.

 

I think RCL does their own internet, so prices are better.

[financialgrl]

Okay, I am beyond technologically challenged big time so bear with me!! My niece is taking her netbook and Ipod on our European cruise. She is college aged and does so for two reasons whenever she travels- she skypes and it's next to nothing and she finds cafes with free wifi and downloads and emails her pics back home in case she were to lose her camera or it would malfunction. Wondering tho - anyone ever tried to skype from the ship and were you successful? If it can even be done is it any cheaper (my guess is no, b/c it's all wrapped up with the satellite which no matter what is over $2 minute, right?

 

We will be in Europe a month and my sister will be staying at my home with our aging father. We intend to Skype pre/post cruise because it costs next to nothing from our hotels with free wi-fi. I think we also can do that before reboarding the ship in ports where we have no real tours planned (Monaco, Mykonos, Venice and 2 hours on our own after a tour in Athens). I am just trying to keep costs down.

[thinfool]

Okay, I am beyond technologically challenged big time so bear with me!! My niece is taking her netbook and Ipod on our European cruise. She is college aged and does so for two reasons whenever she travels- she skypes and it's next to nothing and she finds cafes with free wifi and downloads and emails her pics back home in case she were to lose her camera or it would malfunction. Wondering tho - anyone ever tried to skype from the ship and were you successful? If it can even be done is it any cheaper (my guess is no, b/c it's all wrapped up with the satellite which no matter what is over $2 minute, right?

 

We will be in Europe a month and my sister will be staying at my home with our aging father. We intend to Skype pre/post cruise because it costs next to nothing from our hotels with free wi-fi. I think we also can do that before reboarding the ship in ports where we have no real tours planned (Monaco, Mykonos, Venice and 2 hours on our own after a tour in Athens). I am just trying to keep costs down.

 

Several successfully skype on the ship, tho I would think you would have to pick your time (late night, etc). Ships internet starts at $.65/min...less if you buy a package.

 

Otherwise you will find "cheap" internet cafe's with wifi available in every port that you visit. Take your laptop ashore. Typically they charge $1./hr or so. These would serve very well for skype-ing home.

[waterbug123]

 

My problem is that the servers are so extraordinarily slow and unreliable.

 

I am curious as to why this is - actual technlogy aboard the "state of the art" ships, or the will to make it work.

 

Any tekkies out there to help us understand the problem?

 

I'm not a tekkie, so really don't understand this stuff at all, but for what's it worth, I was in the CL on my recent cruise and a passenger was asking the concierge about why the internet was so slow, and yet his (concierge) internet seemed to work fast enough that he could get instant answers on things via email. What I overheard was something to do with limited bandwidth, and the fact that staff computers have a higher priority so that they can get their work done more efficiently. The pax have to share the remaining limited bandwidth, which causes slow connections, especially at busy times.

I also noticed though, that the internet terminals for pax in the CL did not seem all that slow, so I'm guessing maybe they are given a higher priority as well. Anyone who has access to the CL should try those terminals if they are having speed problems in the regular internet lounge or on their lap tops.

[waterbug123]

One relatively small bandwidth connection for:

 

1. All the pax that want to do email, shop, browse, read the CC boards.

2. All the crewmembers that want to do email, shop, browse, read whatever.

3. All the ships business (purser, HR, stores, maintenance) that is necessary.

4. Pitching ship, rolling ship, ship underway at 20 knots, stationary satellite. Lost signal, found signal, signal locked in, signal lost, looking for signal (rinse, dry, repeat).

 

Re #3: see my other reply; computers that handle ship business have some kind of priority setting so that they get a faster connection

[megr1125]

>snip<

Anyone who has access to the CL should try those terminals if they are having speed problems in the regular internet lounge or on their lap tops.

 

 

not all CLs have terminals for pax......

[mek]

I'm on vacation and enjoying my cruise. why do I want to play on the internet? Business? I leave business at the gate as soon as I board the plane. Its vacation time baby!!!

 

Yeah, but I play fantasy football, which is major fun for me, and while I'm OK for my September cruise, in December my cruise is 12 nights so I'm either going to have to bite the bullet and pay on board where I will have 5 sea days or spend precious port time to save a few $'s.

[madforcruising]

Several successfully skype on the ship, tho I would think you would have to pick your time (late night, etc). Ships internet starts at $.65/min...less if you buy a package.

 

Otherwise you will find "cheap" internet cafe's with wifi available in every port that you visit. Take your laptop ashore. Typically they charge $1./hr or so. These would serve very well for skype-ing home.

 

 

Skype and other VoiP services are usually blocked on ships, though there are ways around it of course. But still be considerate as you are on a shared bandwidth (see posts above) - there´s a reason these are mostly blocked.

[firsttimeRCcruiserMay2010]

What about those internet sticks. They looks like little flashdrives but you purchase them from an internet company and they provide you with internet service when there is none around. Has anyone tried one of those on the ships?

[MarlboroBell]

What about those internet sticks. They looks like little flashdrives but you purchase them from an internet company and they provide you with internet service when there is none around. Has anyone tried one of those on the ships?

 

I assume you mean 3G dongles from the likes of AT&T and Verizon. They may or may not work, but they WILL cost you a fortune if they do. They use the same data feed as cellphones, and so if they work they'll be going through the ship's cell tower and charging you roaming rates of about $20 per megabyte. And you can get through a megabyte frighteningly fast, sometimes in seconds.

[GOIN2C]

55 cents was outrageous, now 65 cents is really outrageous. They are starting to over price everything on the ships, especially drinks. I really cut down on my drinking when I cruise. You can get Corona or a dollar in on the mexico stops.

[cjbx]

I asked the same question on the NCL board and was told it would not work or, if it did, it would be much more expensive than the ship's internet.

 

Since I have a Telmex account, I can probably get free wifi in Mexican ports. Otherwise I have to pay up. Like another poster, we run an internet business and have to online for at least an hour a day.