How much internet time did you purchase?

[mferris77]

For those of you who bought internet time on the ship, how much did you end up purchasing (or using)?

 

I'll be on the Dream next month and am pretty sure I want to buy an internet package. I figure I would like enough to check emails, upload pics, maybe even do a 'live from...' review. I'd be pretty conservative by logging off while composing emails or CC board thread replies, but you have to be online for some amount of time to send the emails, make the posts, and upload the images.

[*Mach*]

The connect speed on the Dream is three times faster than on any other ship in the fleet so you may get away with a smaller package.

How many minutes do you normally purchase?

[Sweet_Tea]

The connect speed on the Dream is three times faster than on any other ship in the fleet so you may get away with as smaller package.

 

How many minutes do you normally purchase?

 

 

Will the Magic offer the same service as the Dream?

[Dave0311]

We usually buy the highest package. There are a couple of us that check e-mail every day, so we use up all the time. If you buy minutes on the first day, you usually get some free time. There are also specials later on in the cruise when you'll get half of your minutes back spent during that session.

 

I can't imagine how long it would take to upload photos using ship's Internet. :eek:

[*Mach*]

Will the Magic offer the same service as the Dream?

 

 

Yep... perhaps a bit faster.

With the exception of the Dream all of the other ships have 750 k connection to share with everyone logged on. The Dream has a 2.4 mb connection...

I was able to get a consistent download speed of 156 k... not too shabby for being at sea...

:)

[Meyer2]

Yep... perhaps a bit faster.

 

With the exception of the Dream all of the other ships have 750 k connection to share with everyone logged on. The Dream has a 2.4 mb connection...

 

I was able to get a consistent download speed of 156 k... not too shabby for being at sea...

 

:)

 

Mach- Question. We will be on the Conquest, want to purchase some time so we can email with our kiddos. (Grandparents are staying here with them) Anyways, thinking of the speed on there, think we'd be okay with the smaller package?

[*Mach*]

Mach- Question. We will be on the Conquest, want to purchase some time so we can email with our kiddos. (Grandparents are staying here with them) Anyways, thinking of the speed on there, think we'd be okay with the smaller package?

 

 

The 'smaller' package is 100 minutes for $55.

You should be fine especially if you log on... down load your message... read them and compose your responses off line.

One word of caution... in rough seas the satellite connection is worthless as the link drops when the ship rolls and pitches...

:)

[mferris77]

The connect speed on the Dream is three times faster than on any other ship in the fleet so you may get away with as smaller package.

How many minutes do you normally purchase?

 

I've never purchased minutes before, that's why I was asking. Although I guess if I spend 10 minutes actually 'on line' per day (hopefully long enough to upload images and send emails if I'm quick) then the 100 minute package should be enough with a little extra padding.. i can see myself doing a few extra things though so maybe I'll go for the next step up.

[golfadj]

I have a business and check email and respond several times a day.

 

Always purchase the 250 minute plan and manage to use it up.

[pokergirl34]

Mach- Question. We will be on the Conquest, want to purchase some time so we can email with our kiddos. (Grandparents are staying here with them) Anyways, thinking of the speed on there, think we'd be okay with the smaller package?

 

We did the same thing on the Valor last fall. And yes, even purchased the smaller package. We tried to email them late at night when fewer people were using the wifi to (hopefully) help our speed a little. We went over by about 5 minutes but no more than that and we did use it to set our fantasy football lineups on Saturday night (LOL).

 

Do as Mach suggested and compose your emails offline so you don't waste minutes typing. I would especially do that if you use a handheld device like an iTouch. I find it takes me much longer to type on a tiny touch screen than on a laptop. Or, use the ship's internet cafe.

[Quampapetet]

I bought the largest block of time and they gave me 20 or so free minutes with it (which I didn't even realize 'til I saw it on the usage list later) and I used all but 8 minutes up that week. I'll buy the same package on my next cruise.

 

On my first cruise, which wasn't on Carnival, I also bought the largest package of minutes and used all the minutes up in the Internet Cafe (used the ship's computers that time).

 

I check e-mail, Facebook, etc.

[Essiesmom]

Uploading pictures will be your downfall. I have never tried it. Waited until I was inport and could use local wifi or my aircard. EM

[tiggerman101]

I use the internet all the time at sea. Sometimes I am a bit surprised that it isn't slower. Other times I just have to give up on it. I am pretty happy with it most of the time. I was shocked that I was able to download and post photos on the Spirit while we were in Endicott Arm in front of Dawes Glacier. I usually buy the largest block and go through all of it. I ate up two large time packages on my last cruise on Delta alone. I was trying to book our airfare to Barcelona for our Magic cruise. We used miles so I needed to book it as soon as it became available which happened to be on our cruise.

[Meyer2]

The 'smaller' package is 100 minutes for $55.

 

You should be fine especially if you log on... down load your message... read them and compose your responses off line.

 

One word of caution... in rough seas the satellite connection is worthless as the link drops when the ship rolls and pitches...

 

:)

 

We did the same thing on the Valor last fall. And yes, even purchased the smaller package. We tried to email them late at night when fewer people were using the wifi to (hopefully) help our speed a little. We went over by about 5 minutes but no more than that and we did use it to set our fantasy football lineups on Saturday night (LOL).

 

Do as Mach suggested and compose your emails offline so you don't waste minutes typing. I would especially do that if you use a handheld device like an iTouch. I find it takes me much longer to type on a tiny touch screen than on a laptop. Or, use the ship's internet cafe.

 

 

Thank-you both very much, I appreciate it!

[*Mach*]

I've never purchased minutes before, that's why I was asking. Although I guess if I spend 10 minutes actually 'on line' per day (hopefully long enough to upload images and send emails if I'm quick) then the 100 minute package should be enough with a little extra padding.. i can see myself doing a few extra things though so maybe I'll go for the next step up.

 

 

Forget uploading images unless the size is quite small.

Most of the pictures I take are in the 23 mb range and would take six to ten minutes to upload a single image.

Save them to your laptop and upload them at an internet café in one of your ports of call or wait 'til you get home.

:)

[CRZCRAZY]

I usually do my mail checking when they have a half off special or very late at night when few people are up so I'm not sharing a connection. I've had quite fast access that way. During the half off specials things are slower because of the people using it, but it's cheaper, too.