On board WiFi, Ventura / Caribbean ?

[Southendweather]

I have used WiFi on the Oceana before on a Canaries cruise, which wasn't bad for connection/speed, although the clock starts ticking as soon as you login.

 

However, I was just wondering if anyone had any experience on a Caribbean cruise using on board Wi Fi?

 

I notice that P&O are now adveratising free WiFi on Meditteranean cruises.

 

Keith (Southend)

[jasperado]

Sorry I cant answer your question, but can you please point me in the direction for information of free wi-fi for med cruises??

Apologies for hi-jacking your thread.

[Southendweather]

Sorry I cant answer your question, but can you please point me in the direction for information of free wi-fi for med cruises??

Apologies for hi-jacking your thread.

I have see it on Tv adverts. I also seem to think it was on one the emails from cruise critic, but I can't be sure.

 

Keith (Southend)

[the english lady]

I think the free wifi I have seen advertised, was only though one TA (so far as I could see) and it was only in the highest grade cabins (suites) and there were T and C attached, as you knew there would be.

When we did our transatlantic I couldn't get a decent signal speed on land either. Everywhere had so many people logging on-I gave up in the end.

Managed to get decent free wifi in the Azores-which we be no help.

In the med I think you would be better off following crew ashore...they will know where the best free wifi is...or just look for a lot of people standing around looking at screens.

[Captain Rob]

Most of the bars on shore have free WiFi if you buy a drink. Speed normally very good. Some place are totally free.

 

It would be nice if the on board WiFi was charged per Megabyte instead of time logged on.

Edited January 13, 2015 by Captain Rob

[Mr Piano]

So exactly what does time logged on mean? Does it mean if I just log on to send an e-mail then log off, I am still being charged for time not using it

[the english lady]

So exactly what does time logged on mean? Does it mean if I just log on to send an e-mail then log off, I am still being charged for time not using it

 

Yes it does sort of mean that, and as it has always been painfully slow waiting for it to logoff and stop charging you is also rather annoying.

You actually sign on on one screen, clock starts ticking, and until you logoff through that screen again clock is ticking.

those who do use it usually do everything offline-ie compose emails etc, and just log on to send them..so that would keep the time logged on at a min.

Also waiting for some webpages to load can be painful to watch as well.

[Southendweather]

Yes it does sort of mean that, and as it has always been painfully slow waiting for it to logoff and stop charging you is also rather annoying.

You actually sign on on one screen, clock starts ticking, and until you logoff through that screen again clock is ticking.

those who do use it usually do everything offline-ie compose emails etc, and just log on to send them..so that would keep the time logged on at a min.

Also waiting for some webpages to load can be painful to watch as well.

I think you summed it up perfectly, as others have said, it would be better if you had a Mbit allowance, but I guess they wouldn't make so much.

 

Keith (Southend)

[annieuk]

Back in 2011 when we were on Azura in the Caribbean they were trialling a new form of internet whereby you were only charged when you sent the message, not while you were writing it - made a considerable difference to our internet spend. The only thing you had to remember was not to click on "Reply" to answer an email as you then got charged for the whole message, yours plus the original one sent to you.

 

However, this method was never continued. One thing I did hear from the librarian was that an outside company provides the internet on board, not P&O.

[davecttr]

Apparently RCI? have been trialing a new system that uses a 'swarm' of satellites in low earth orbit rather than the geostationery ones used now. Its all very technical but it seems this new system has much greater capacity and speed. I read somewhere that the test ship had more internet bandwidth than all other cruise ships combined. If successful all cruise lines will have to eventually adopt the technology.

[Mr Piano]

We were on Ventura last June in the med, but we never bothered with the Internet. We are on it again, February in Caribbean. This time our Daughter is expecting twins, her due date being shortly after our cruise. So my wife wants to stay in touch, without breaking the bank if possible. We all have iPods and iPhones so face time would be ideal.

 

So a few questions. Is it slow all the time or just when at sea? Is there free internet in public areas to e-mail? (Didn't check it out last time). Is there free wifi at port cruise terminals? If so can you connect from ship when in port?

[cruisebore]

We were on Ventura last June in the med, but we never bothered with the Internet. We are on it again, February in Caribbean. This time our Daughter is expecting twins, her due date being shortly after our cruise. So my wife wants to stay in touch, without breaking the bank if possible. We all have iPods and iPhones so face time would be ideal.

 

So a few questions. Is it slow all the time or just when at sea? Is there free internet in public areas to e-mail? (Didn't check it out last time). Is there free wifi at port cruise terminals? If so can you connect from ship when in port?

 

 

Hi Mr Piano

 

You may find this helpful.

 

http://crew-center.com/crew-wifi-locations-ports-worldwide

The only port were we could get free wifi on our balcony was Curacao.

 

Cb

Edited January 14, 2015 by cruisebore

[the english lady]

We were on Ventura last June in the med, but we never bothered with the Internet. We are on it again, February in Caribbean. This time our Daughter is expecting twins, her due date being shortly after our cruise. So my wife wants to stay in touch, without breaking the bank if possible. We all have iPods and iPhones so face time would be ideal.

 

So a few questions. Is it slow all the time or just when at sea? Is there free internet in public areas to e-mail? (Didn't check it out last time). Is there free wifi at port cruise terminals? If so can you connect from ship when in port?

 

on board ship I have always found it rather slow, whether at sea or not.

on board there would be no area that has free internet. I think all the ships are wifi now, internet not free though.

Some cruise terminals have free wifi. I have never managed to connect via it, even when I am sat looking at it from the balcony.

[richleeds]

Apparently RCI? have been trialing a new system that uses a 'swarm' of satellites in low earth orbit rather than the geostationery ones used now. Its all very technical but it seems this new system has much greater capacity and speed. I read somewhere that the test ship had more internet bandwidth than all other cruise ships combined. If successful all cruise lines will have to eventually adopt the technology.

 

 

Yes. Bit of a fanfare when it launched last year but not heard how it's working in practice.

[richleeds]

We were on Ventura last June in the med, but we never bothered with the Internet. We are on it again, February in Caribbean. This time our Daughter is expecting twins, her due date being shortly after our cruise. So my wife wants to stay in touch, without breaking the bank if possible. We all have iPods and iPhones so face time would be ideal.

 

 

 

So a few questions. Is it slow all the time or just when at sea? Is there free internet in public areas to e-mail? (Didn't check it out last time). Is there free wifi at port cruise terminals? If so can you connect from ship when in port?

 

 

Forget FaceTime on the ship you won't get the speed or bandwidth needed.

 

It's slow all the time.

 

Some ports do have free wifi but as English Lady says your device will often see the signal but you cannot connect from the ship, this has been our experience also.

[Mr Piano]

Hi Mr Piano

 

You may find this helpful.

 

http://crew-center.com/crew-wifi-locations-ports-worldwide

The only port were we could get free wifi on our balcony was Curacao.

 

Cb

 

Thanks very much, that does look helpful:)

[Southendweather]

Forget FaceTime on the ship you won't get the speed or bandwidth needed.

 

It's slow all the time.

 

Some ports do have free wifi but as English Lady says your device will often see the signal but you cannot connect from the ship, this has been our experience also.

For what I use it for bandwidth isn't an issue and I want to spend my days in port seeing the islands and enjoying the sun. If you do buy a package I remeber when I was on the Oceana in the Canaries it was worth reading the daily rag left outside your room because on top of what package you have bought the sometime had an internet 'happy 1/2 hour'. When you logged on the clock did not tick down for the duration. Just something worth keeping an eye on if they still do this.;)

 

Keith (Southend)

[ellyg1824]

We were on Ventura last June in the med, but we never bothered with the Internet. We are on it again, February in Caribbean. This time our Daughter is expecting twins, her due date being shortly after our cruise. So my wife wants to stay in touch, without breaking the bank if possible. We all have iPods and iPhones so face time would be ideal.

 

So a few questions. Is it slow all the time or just when at sea? Is there free internet in public areas to e-mail? (Didn't check it out last time). Is there free wifi at port cruise terminals? If so can you connect from ship when in port?

weve allegedly got 150 mins through our travel agent plus some wine for our trip one month today ! We will wait and see !!

[jaceyar]

When I was on Ventura across the Atlantic, all my gmails came in and went out. I was connected to their wifi but not logged in. So get yourself a Gmail account and try it.

[richleeds]

When I was on Ventura across the Atlantic, all my gmails came in and went out. I was connected to their wifi but not logged in. So get yourself a Gmail account and try it.

 

 

I've read that on here before, maybe you posted it? Good exploit if it still works now.