Is it worth the hassel to bring personal laptop ?

[PvTraveler]

Hello!

I am going to be on the QE and the QM2 for a total of 5 weeks. Is it worth the hassel to bring my own laptop ? I am not computer savy and rarely use a computer other than e-mail. I will have internet time because of my Cunarder status, but is Wi-Fi all that good on the ships ?

 

Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated. Thanks.

[guernseyguy]

I am not computer savy and rarely use a computer other than e-mail.

 

If all you are doing is quick emails then the onboard computers are probably fine. If you want to write longer messages then you might find it more convenient to compose them off-line on your PC then send them.

[Cruachan]

Hello!

I am going to be on the QE and the QM2 for a total of 5 weeks. Is it worth the hassel to bring my own laptop ? I am not computer savy and rarely use a computer other than e-mail. I will have internet time because of my Cunarder status, but is Wi-Fi all that good on the ships ?

 

Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

 

I take my laptop every time - but I use it mostly for storing and processing digital images.

 

For e-mail communication and internet access I have found that the wifi connection from the cabins is very flakey and you can waste considerable time (and therefore money) by using it. Better to just confine yourself to the internet centre for that kind of thing.

 

J

[pepperrn]

Hello!

I am going to be on the QE and the QM2 for a total of 5 weeks. Is it worth the hassel to bring my own laptop ? I am not computer savy and rarely use a computer other than e-mail. I will have internet time because of my Cunarder status, but is Wi-Fi all that good on the ships ?

 

Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

Hi

 

I agree with wise guernseyguy and cruachan, for the occasional e-mail home I'd use the ship's facilities and leave my laptop at home.

However like cruachan I take mine whenever I go away (as it weighs very little) as a back-up to store the photos I take, if I lost my camera or the memory sticks... but if you don't use a camera a great deal this might not be so important.

 

Best wishes

[Norfolk Brit]

Hi

or the memory sticks

 

Good to know that I have company (but who the devil are you?). My memory often sticks too.

 

Sir Martin

[pnhmrk]

My memory often sticks too.

 

Sir Martin

 

If your memory sticks the thing to do is to get into a large pot of simmering stock for a couple of hours :) That will free your memory :D

[Cruachan]

Good to know that I have company (but who the devil are you?). My memory often sticks too.

 

Sir Martin

 

You wouldn't chuckle it sticks! I notice it's stuck again about the huge return you promised me on that little investment I made with you a year or so back :mad:

 

J

[UKBayern]

Depends on your needs and what you plan to do with the laptop, this could be different for everybody. Just for a quick email? I wouldn't. On any cruise ship, internet connections are not superfast, the internet corner will suffice for any short email, and in most ports you can find cheap internet cafés if need be.

For us, it is different, as we own a small business, and need to stay in touch with our customers regularly. Same as Guernsey Guy: we compost longer emails off-line and then send.

[pepperrn]

Good to know that I have company (but who the devil are you?). My memory often sticks too. Sir Martin

 

Sir Martin

 

Sir,

 

I can't remember if my memory sticks or not.

 

(If you're nine lives, doesn't that mean you've nine times the memory?)

 

I have the honour to remain your etc.

[sunshinesdad]

If emails are of most importance, I have found a smartphone (Nokia E71 or Iphone, or Blackberry) works reliably - you can get logon/wifi details from the ship's computer manager.

 

Also, Fring (fring.com) on your phone "may" allow you to make calls woldwide at low Skype rates if you have a Skypeout account - and also permit people to call you via Skype. But speech quality may be low.

 

If you need proper and regular web access, then your laptop will give you the benefit of not having to visit the ship's computer centre (plus having your personal data to hand). You cannot print on the ship.

 

However be careful of small airlines' regulations concerning laptops as hand baggage. Some allow one in addition to one hand baggage item. Some certainly don't and will charge highly to place one of your carry-on bags in the hold.

 

D

[Cruachan]

If you're nine lives, doesn't that mean you've nine times the memory?

 

I think you're right. However it comprises 9 discrete, 1 Gb SDRAM DIMMS - one for each life. So, at any given time, he's no better off.

 

J

[Cruachan]

If you need proper and regular web access, then your laptop will give you the benefit of not having to visit the ship's computer centre (plus having your personal data to hand). You cannot print on the ship.

 

It is possible to do some (very limited) printing on QM2 - I think the charge is something like 50c per sheet. I didn't try it myself, but there is a printer (that wasn't working) in the main computer centre, and another one in at least one of the other Connexions rooms.

 

J

[PvTraveler]

Thanks for all your replies. I think I will leave the laptop at home and use that weight allowance for something else. I was pushing the weight allowance to the max. Leave on Wednesday for London and getting ready to join the new QE. So excited.

[UKBayern]

I think I will leave the laptop at home and use that weight allowance for something else. I was pushing the weight allowance to the max.

On most IATA-airlines, the laptop is regarded as a "personal item" which you can carry on. I have found it to be a lot of hassle at airport security though: take it out of the bag, put it through the scanner seperately, sometimes even having to switch it on, etc.

[sunshinesdad]

On most IATA-airlines, the laptop is regarded as a "personal item" which you can carry on. I have found it to be a lot of hassle at airport security though: take it out of the bag, put it through the scanner seperately, sometimes even having to switch it on, etc.

 

You are correct in relation to most IATA airlines, however Ryanair, Europe's biggest airline - and very often used for feeder flights to/from ports are adamant that if you have a laptop - then that is your one piece of permitted baggage:-

 

"Strictly one item of cabin baggage per passenger (excluding infants) weighing up to 10kg with maximum dimensions of 55cm x 40cm x 20cm is permitted. (handbag, briefcase, laptop, shop purchases, camera etc.) must be carried in your 1 permitted piece of cabin baggage"

http://www.ryanair.com/en/terms-and-conditions

 

and Easyjet - another very large and commonly-used airline in Europe says

 

"A laptop bag constitutes one piece of hand baggage – passengers with a laptop bag will not be permitted to carry on any other bags."

http://www.easyjet.com/en/book/latest_hand_baggage_restrictions.html

 

I just recommend you check with the each airline to be used as to what their policy is. The penalties for getting things wrong can be quite severe financially.

 

Additionally, some of the no-frills airlines have smaller hand baggage dimension allowances than the larger airlines - again, falling foul of this issue can be costly

 

D

[UKBayern]

You are correct in relation to most IATA airlines, however Ryanair, Europe's biggest airline - and very often used for feeder flights to/from ports are adamant that if you have a laptop - then that is your one piece of permitted baggage:-

 

"Strictly one item of cabin baggage per passenger (excluding infants) weighing up to 10kg with maximum dimensions of 55cm x 40cm x 20cm is permitted. (handbag, briefcase, laptop, shop purchases, camera etc.) must be carried in your 1 permitted piece of cabin baggage"

http://www.ryanair.com/en/terms-and-conditions

 

and Easyjet - another very large and commonly-used airline in Europe says

 

"A laptop bag constitutes one piece of hand baggage – passengers with a laptop bag will not be permitted to carry on any other bags."

http://www.easyjet.com/en/book/latest_hand_baggage_restrictions.html

 

I just recommend you check with the each airline to be used as to what their policy is. The penalties for getting things wrong can be quite severe financially.

 

Additionally, some of the no-frills airlines have smaller hand baggage dimension allowances than the larger airlines - again, falling foul of this issue can be costly

 

D

 

Yes, but Ryanair and Easyjet are strictly speaking not complete IATA-airlines. They for example do not check through luggage to other airlines either.

[sunshinesdad]

True re IATA, but I wanted to highlight the issue for the many Cunard passengers who will be using Easyjet or Ryanair to join the ships at European ports.

D

 

Yes, but Ryanair and Easyjet are strictly speaking not complete IATA-airlines. They for example do not check through luggage to other airlines either.