Is Skype allowed on NCL

[Family Travel Story]

I know Carnival still allows you to use Magic Jack, not sure about Skype, but I don't remember if NCL allows the use of Skype on their ships. I know it takes a lot of bandwidth though, so I can understand if that site is restricted. Also, would it matter if I was using my own laptop vs. a ship computer?

[3dogsrule]

I know Carnival still allows you to use Magic Jack, not sure about Skype, but I don't remember if NCL allows the use of Skype on their ships. I know it takes a lot of bandwidth though, so I can understand if that site is restricted. Also, would it matter if I was using my own laptop vs. a ship computer?

 

No, according to the NCL Q&A, it is not allowed:

 

Q: Can I access Skype or view streaming video onboard?

 

A: No, these services are limited due to bandwidth consumption issues.

 

The internet connection is painfully show (think close to dialup), so even if it wasn't blocked Skype probably wouldn't work well.

[smeyer418]

No, according to the NCL Q&A, it is not allowed:

 

Q: Can I access Skype or view streaming video onboard?

 

A: No, these services are limited due to bandwidth consumption issues.

 

The internet connection is painfully show (think close to dialup), so even if it wasn't blocked Skype probably wouldn't work well.

 

 

On the Gem last week, NCL has rolled out a higher speed(at extra cost) option. It should be able to support Skype...although I didn't check to see if it was still blocked but at about .50-75 cents per minute, I don't think its a good option.IMO

[khall]

We used Skype on the Epic the beginning of October from Europe. We did video chat with our kids back home 5 nights...a couple of the nights the picture wouldn't show up cause the internet connection was too slow but the other nights worked fine. Didn't know you weren't suppose to be able to access it :confused::confused:

[mtwingcpa]

I tried Skype twice from my own laptop on a recent Pearl cruise. Once it appeared to be blocked (generating a "can't connect" message from the Skype program itself), but the other time it worked! I was able to call my home number and check for messages (the connection was workable but less than perfect).

 

But the successful try might have been a fluke, so I certainly wouldn't count on it.

[icyheat]

Skype is typically restricted but MTN (the providers of internet) have a hard time blocking apps on the Mac platform. I connect just fine, just don't use video.

[NormanW]

Use a PPTP VPN connection and you can do whatever you want. ;)

 

Cheers,

 

Norman

[Family Travel Story]

If Skype won't work, has anyone tried using a magic jack?

[Cruise-Crazy]

Skype is typically restricted but MTN (the providers of internet) have a hard time blocking apps on the Mac platform. I connect just fine, just don't use video.

 

Another reason to use Macs. :D

[NormanW]

If Skype won't work, has anyone tried using a magic jack?

 

Any of these services can be hit or miss. Protocol and port is also operating system independent so whether your use mac/win/nix/risc/pa1/etc. need not matter.

 

When you encapsulate/tunnel your traffic with a VPN this gets around all these restrictions. SSL VPNs are the best because in order to block them they basically have to turn off web (SSL) browsing! Fat chance of that happening. :D

 

If you google VPN service you will see a lot of them. You can sign up for a month or prepay for a year.

 

If you work from home you probably use a VPN as well. Of course your IT department must have the endpoint configured as a remote gateway or have permission to tunnel.

 

There's a huge benefit to tunneling besides getting around the service restrictions. This is particularly important when using un secured wifi! Without encapsulation EVERYTHING you send from your PC is free for taking. Any websites that are not secured login (SSL) are fair game. I show this all the time to folks and they cannot believe it. Better to be safe than sorry.

 

Cheers,

 

Norman

Edited November 2, 2011 by NormanW

[Family Travel Story]

Any of these services can be hit or miss. Protocol and port is also operating system independent so whether your use mac/win/nix/risc/pa1/etc. need not matter.

 

When you encapsulate/tunnel your traffic with a VPN this gets around all these restrictions. SSL VPNs are the best because in order to block them they basically have to turn off web (SSL) browsing! Fat chance of that happening. :D

 

If you google VPN service you will see a lot of them. You can sign up for a month or prepay for a year.

 

If you work from home you probably use a VPN as well. Of course your IT department must have the endpoint configured as a remote gateway or have permission to tunnel.

 

There's a huge benefit to tunneling besides getting around the service restrictions. This is particularly important when using un secured wifi! Without encapsulation EVERYTHING you send from your PC is free for taking. Any websites that are not secured login (SSL) are fair game. I show this all the time to folks and they cannot believe it. Better to be safe than sorry.

 

Cheers,

 

Norman

 

Norman, for those of us who are not of your level of tech understanding, could you please translate into simple English? Are you suggesting buying some sort of AIR card or similar device? Also, what is tunneling?

[LadyShiva]

Norman, for those of us who are not of your level of tech understanding, could you please translate into simple English? Are you suggesting buying some sort of AIR card or similar device? Also, what is tunneling?

 

He's referring to software, not an AIR card. AIR card is a network card (hardware). I've seen AIR cards use cellular minutes and therefore the cellular data plans, and I've seen them used for Macs to connect over WiFi.

 

VPN software wraps up the communication from your computer and obscures it from hackers (needed if you're communicating for business). The VPN connection also gets around the block for Skype on the ship's network.

 

Hope that helps. :)

[Family Travel Story]

Thanks, so it sounds like if I purchase a VPN plan, (I did some research and they seem to run around $10 a month to start), I should be able to use the ship's internet connection and get on to Skype through the VPN?

[LadyShiva]

Thanks, so it sounds like if I purchase a VPN plan, (I did some research and they seem to run around $10 a month to start), I should be able to use the ship's internet connection and get on to Skype through the VPN?

 

Not necessarily. You're still fighting trying to pull an elephant (Skype and Magic Jack's bandwidth needs) through a straw (satellite internet on the ship shared between all cruisers using the internet at that moment).

 

But VPN gets you through the port block (no connection to your machine via port 5080 and video via port 80).

[sjbdtz]

Skype Instant messaging works, so I imagine that the voice would work too...but I would expect lousy quality.

 

Why not just use the IM portion of skype?

 

 

 

.

[eliza261]

We just got off the Jade and the internet was painfully slow.. i cant see it being very fun to try to use skype on the internet via the internet on board- the last day at sea it took us 20- 30 mins to check into our flights home the next day..

[cassie55]

We used Skype on the Jewel last December. I had a voicemail on my mobile to call someone who had interviewed me (3rd round interview :eek:)the day before we left London. I didn't want to call from the Caribbean to London on my mobile and so used Skype and it was perfect.

 

This July we tried to use it again on the Jade and it was blocked. My husband (who is an IT Director) discussed it with the Internet Manager and she said it was due to the lack of bandwidth.

[madiexvv]

I use VPN for watching Norwegian tv when I travel abroad.. The Super VPN service allows for truly anonymous surfing, and adds a whole extra layer of security to your internet experience... so far experience has been great...

[Sauer-kraut]

So is VPN differnt from VOIP??

[LadyShiva]

So is VPN different from VOIP??

 

Yes.

 

VPN = virtual private network

VOIP = voice over IP (IP meaning network)

 

You can run your VOIP application (such as Skype) over your VPN to obscure your conversation (via encryption) or move your traffic around NCL's roadblock on their network (use a different port for your voice conversation).

[NormanW]

Using public wifi these days without encapsulation (VPN) is nuts IMHO. Crafty persons up to no good can easily see the sites you're going to and even if they are running SSL sometimes it's even possible to see credentials. :eek:

 

With encapsulation whether PPTP, L2TP, SSL, etc. this is not possible.

 

Imagine being in a public place and sending something through a tube that's clear for everyone to see. That's basically how it works without VPN. With VPN you have a tube that's opaque and others cannot see anything inside it. They just see the tube and where it's going.

 

I find the speed quite a bit slower on ships with shipwide wifi vs. ships only having it in select areas. The reason for this is obvious. In any case don't expect it to have the performance (throughput, latency, low jitter) that one typically experiences with a broadband connection on land.

 

Cheers,

 

Norman

Edited January 12, 2012 by NormanW

[emulsified]

Use a PPTP VPN connection and you can do whatever you want. ;)

 

Cheers,

 

Norman

 

I found your post above and I think we're on the same wavelength, can you help me out with these questions?

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=46512817#post46512817