Internet With I-Pad2

[Cruise Fanatic]

Will be on the Oosterdam Oct 22, 2011 Hawaii sailing. My question is will my I-pad 2 work with the Wi-fi, or would I be better off bringing my laptop?

[catl331]

If your iPad works with public wi-fi anywhere it will work on the ship. No difference.

 

But note what this ship's officer said:

We are receiving many complaints lately about connectivity for iPads on ships. With a large amount of steel around you, the iPad antenna is not efficient enough to connect well unless you are outside, or located near a repeater antenna. In cabin wifi connections that work fine with a laptop rarely will work with an iPad.

[SXM54]

Will be on the Oosterdam Oct 22, 2011 Hawaii sailing. My question is will my I-pad 2 work with the Wi-fi, or would I be better off bringing my laptop?

 

I was on a cruise from Venice to Greece and my IPAD worked....anywhere you get wifi, your IPAD works. You will have to pay a lot for your minutes on the cruise but it will work. I would google charge for internet on (name of boat) going to Hawaii and you will find the info you are looking for.

[ConnCruise]

On the Veendam and had a hard time getting 3G in new York harbor. I had 3G in Hamilton for a bit, but my international data plan maxed out at 50mb, which I blew through very quickly. I had a gps app running that pulls down satellite maps too, so I suspect thats where all my bandwidth went. Anyway, I did not sign up for the ships Internet as it's sort of slow and they charge by time (good for them, bad for me) and not data used. Very,very expensive.

[Grandma Gilly]

I have even managed to skype using my iPad although most ships say this isn't supported!

[sail7seas]

I was on a cruise from Venice to Greece and my IPAD worked....anywhere you get wifi, your IPAD works. You will have to pay a lot for your minutes on the cruise but it will work. I would google charge for internet on (name of boat) going to Hawaii and you will find the info you are looking for.

 

 

Internet Packages on HAL ships are:

 

100 minutes for $55 plus one time $3.95 start up charge

250 minutes for $100 plus same start up charge.

 

If you sign up first day, you will get bonus minutes.

[cruisinjudy]

My iPhone worked fine on the ship's internet. I wonder why the iPad would have problems.

[SXM54]

My iPhone worked fine on the ship's internet. I wonder why the iPad would have problems.

 

Yes, agree. Wherever my iPhone works so does my iPad.

[arzz]

Used my iPad for wifi now for about 80 days on board various HAL ships and it has worked fine -- no difference between using my iPad or a lap top. The Internet will be as fast (or should I say as slow) as it is for anyone else on board -- it will vary by geographical location. I do not have 3G on my iPad and cannot comment on that.

[HoneyGV]

Yes, agree. Wherever my iPhone works so does my iPad.

 

I believe when you are at sea, you will pay big bucks to use your IPhone. When you're in port and if you have the international calling plan you will pay reduced rates, and if you're in an American port and you have service it will just be on your regular phone bill.

I once used my cell phone at sea after we left port and ended up with a HUGE phone bill because as far as I know it reverts to the ship's communication system as soon as we leave port.

I'm sure someone can explain it further if I'm wrong on this.

I found I am better off just to buy their internet package and use it on my laptop. It's very slow though every time I used it.

A lot of people just wait till we get to a port and go onshore and use one of the local internet cafe's.

[WriterOnDeck]

I believe when you are at sea, you will pay big bucks to use your IPhone. When you're in port and if you have the international calling plan you will pay reduced rates, and if you're in an American port and you have service it will just be on your regular phone bill.

 

I once used my cell phone at sea after we left port and ended up with a HUGE phone bill because as far as I know it reverts to the ship's communication system as soon as we leave port.

 

I'm sure someone can explain it further if I'm wrong on this.

 

I found I am better off just to buy their internet package and use it on my laptop. It's very slow though every time I used it.

 

A lot of people just wait till we get to a port and go onshore and use one of the local internet cafe's.

 

I think the poster might have been referring to using the iPhone in WIFI mode for Internet access, not for calling (which can be expensive). However, on Alaskan cruises my iPhone calls were part of my US plan, so no additional charge, when actually in Alaska.

[cruisinjudy]

Yes the iPhone on wifi mode!

[Spender Nui]

On the Veendam last week I wasn't able to use my iPad2. The computer guru said iPads don't work on ships. I told him I've used iPads on at least 4 other cruises (not HAL), which I have.

 

He told me I shouldn't expect mine to work because even the new iPad 2's don't work. He was so inept he didn't even realize he was looking at the new one. I'd think the magnetic "smart cover" would make it easy to tell.

 

I've used it before but wasn't able to on the Veendam.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Both will be slow

[Charles4515]

On the Veendam last week I wasn't able to use my iPad2. The computer guru said iPads don't work on ships. I told him I've used iPads on at least 4 other cruises (not HAL), which I have.

 

He told me I shouldn't expect mine to work because even the new iPad 2's don't work. He was so inept he didn't even realize he was looking at the new one. I'd think the magnetic "smart cover" would make it easy to tell.

 

I've used it before but wasn't able to on the Veendam.

 

That is odd. I used my iPad on the Veendam last June.

[SXM54]

Used my iPad for wifi now for about 80 days on board various HAL ships and it has worked fine -- no difference between using my iPad or a lap top. The Internet will be as fast (or should I say as slow) as it is for anyone else on board -- it will vary by geographical location. I do not have 3G on my iPad and cannot comment on that.

 

I have 3G on my ipad but would never use it while traveling outside the US, too expensive even with an international plan. I always shut off my 3G capability and use only wifi when traveling internationally. The ship wifi is much less than satellite any day and you can always connect to free wifi at ports.

[SXM54]

That is odd. I used my iPad on the Veendam last June.

 

Yes, I agree that is odd. I've used my iPad on several different ships using the ships wifi plan and never had any problems. Sometimes the connection is slow but my iPad always works. I wonder is there was something wrong with his settings?

[Charles4515]

Yes, I agree that is odd. I've used my iPad on several different ships using the ships wifi plan and never had any problems. Sometimes the connection is slow but my iPad always works. I wonder is there was something wrong with his settings?

 

I am pretty sure something was wrong with the other persons settings. Last summer I used my iPad on the Veendam and also on Volandam in Alaska. I did have to go to one of the Wi Fi hot spots. Could not ge t a Wi Fi signal in my cabins.

[SXM54]

I am pretty sure something was wrong with the other persons settings. Last summer I used my iPad on the Veendam and also on Volandam in Alaska. I did have to go to one of the Wi Fi hot spots. Could not ge t a Wi Fi signal in my cabins.

 

Same here. Never had a problem with the iPad or laptop in wifi hotspots but couldn't get a signal in my cabin either. I did a search on cc regarding wifi on the HAL and they show pictures of white cones on the ceiling about 10 feet from each other. They say if your room is located near the cone, you can connect to wifi in your room. I would think this would be similar to your linksys connection at home.

[Charles4515]

Same here. Never had a problem with the iPad or laptop in wifi hotspots but couldn't get a signal in my cabin either. I did a search on cc regarding wifi on the HAL and they show pictures of white cones on the ceiling about 10 feet from each other. They say if your room is located near the cone, you can connect to wifi in your room. I would think this would be similar to your linksys connection at home.

 

I saw those pictures and maybe they are for Wi Fi. But they look a lot like video cameras we have at work. When I am on Veendam agian in August I will take a closer look. The lens is a pinhole so they do not look like cameras. They are inside the cone.

[SXM54]

I saw those pictures and maybe they are for Wi Fi. But they look a lot like video cameras we have at work. When I am on Veendam agian in August I will take a closer look. The lens is a pinhole so they do not look like cameras. They are inside the cone.

 

I'll be on the July 24 Veendam cruise and will let you know how the IPad works and what the story is with the cones. I was thinking that possible the cones were cameras as well.

[arzz]

The white ceiling cones are the Internet wi fi signal devices. Sitting near one of them often works when all else fails.

 

As to whether the wifi works in your cabin, depends on the ship and on your cabin location. I have used the wifi often in Dolphin and Main deck cabins on board the Prinsendam (yes, the iPad works on HAL ships) but have had less success in my cabins on the Westerdam and the Amsterdam.

 

In general, sometimes opening your cabin door improves the wifi signal. The wifi never seems to work well when the ship is leaving or entering ports. The time of day can also affect your service -- if too many others are using the wifi at once it can be very slow. Service can be excellent between 5 and 6 am.

 

A good internet manager can be important to good wifi service -- don't let anyone tell you that the iPad does not work on HAL -- mine has always worked well except on one cruise when nothing worked well (that Internet manager also said the trouble was my iPad but the laptops and HAL's own equipment also worked just as poorly that cruise).