Internet questions

[Dardreamer]

Does anyone have the Internet rates for the 7 day Bermuda cruise. Thank you.

[KeithJenner]

Does anyone have the Internet rates for the 7 day Bermuda cruise. Thank you.

 

 

What ship?

[Dardreamer]

Sorry. The Breakaway. Thanks

[Demonyte]

Pricing for all other ships than Breakaway can be found from NCL's site: http://www.ncl.com/about/staying-connected-sea-internet-access

 

On Breakaway they are testing megabyte based pricing that is not listed on the website.

[KeithJenner]

Sorry. The Breakaway. Thanks

 

Try this thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2103657&highlight=wifi

 

It's from last year, but I doubt whether it's changed much, if at all.

[gymbomb]

If you don't need it every day, you may be able to get cheaper wifi in Bermuda. When we were there on Dawn a couple of years ago we could access the dockyard's wifi from the promenade deck of the ship.

 

 

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[Carnac767]

250 minutes for 100 bucks. Pay as you go: 75 cents a minute. Occasional sales, plus a few extra minutes for Latitudes members.

[KeithJenner]

250 minutes for 100 bucks. Pay as you go: 75 cents a minute. Occasional sales, plus a few extra minutes for Latitudes members.

 

Not on the Breakaway.

[shapatack0]

Not on the Breakaway.

 

Does anyone know if the getaway is the same as the breakaway? Charging per megabyte instead of per minute? I'm debating between purchasing a cruise ship data plan for my cell phone versus doing it through the cruise ship/wifi and this will affect that decision greatly.

[KeithJenner]

Does anyone know if the getaway is the same as the breakaway? Charging per megabyte instead of per minute? I'm debating between purchasing a cruise ship data plan for my cell phone versus doing it through the cruise ship/wifi and this will affect that decision greatly.

 

No, it's just the Breakaway at the moment.

[shapatack0]

No, it's just the Breakaway at the moment.

 

Thanks.

[Demonyte]

I'm debating between purchasing a cruise ship data plan for my cell phone versus doing it through the cruise ship/wifi

 

 

Your cruise ship data plan most likely won't work with NCL (based on what I've read here).

[greg2014]

Does anybody know if NCL is planning to expand test of MB charging internet from Breakaway for another ships ? Maybe you know any results of this test ?

In my opinion MB based plans could be more interesting than current - basing on time.

[KeithJenner]

Does anybody know if NCL is planning to expand test of MB charging internet from Breakaway for another ships ? Maybe you know any results of this test ?

In my opinion MB based plans could be more interesting than current - basing on time.

 

I've never seen anything announced (the original change wasn't announced either as far as I know).

 

The Breakaway was changed to per mb quite a while ago. If it was just a trial then I'd have expected it to change back, or others to change by now, so I suspect this will be just the Breakaway for a while. Perhaps there are specific issues with the Breakaway or its itinerary which caused the change.

 

We never know though.

[luvtheships]

The Internet on the BA was wonderful!!!

 

300mg for $39 plus just remind them if you are latitudes and you get some extra minutes based on your latitude level

 

Hint.... FaceTime AUDIO is the way to go when communicating with loved ones back home

 

Uses about 1 mg per minute audio versus approx 4 mg per minute video

 

The Internet crew member showed me this trick

 

I cruised with my 2 college kids for 12 day to the deep eastern Carib from NYC and facetimed several times per day with dh and 14 yo back home. Boyfriend ...theirs not mine lol....FaceTime was limited to when the girls were on free wifi at the ports

 

Also checked email and texts frequently onboard and in ports

 

I specifically and exclusively used a wifi only iPad mini on the ship and kept it on airplane mode except when turning wifi on for FaceTime etc. you only want wifi on when needed or you will waste mg and do stop all silly updates/notifications like constant FB update notifications or you waste mg as well

 

Just update as needed not constantly

 

iPhones stayed off and in sAfe except in San Juan which is like being home as far as use is concerned

 

All other ports we brought the phones and pad and hooked into free wifi and if we wanted speak to back home we did FaceTime not phone calls

 

In st Thomas we did a 15 minute video chat in free wifi. We did this in several ports with no problem

 

My girls facetimed or texted the longtime boyfriends with no problem and as we do frequent long haul trips.... think 3 weeks europe... the girls and the boyfriends know this is the way to communicate.... free!!!!

 

 

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[Paul Bogle]

In st Thomas we did a 15 minute video chat in free wifi. We did this in several ports with no problem

 

If you don't mind my asking which network is your carrier? In ours (Sprint) St. Thomas and St Croix are in network just like Puerto Rico. I was under the impression that Verizon and T Mobile were the same.

[mking8288]

St. Juan, PR is on a "home" signal for VZW, AT&T and T-Mo. USVI/BVI is NOT home for VZW and considered roaming for billing purposes (voice & data) - check & reconfirm with the carrier directly.

T-Mo has coverage on USVI/BVI via its partner, depending on devices, might show roaming - depending on whether it's postpaid or prepaid plans, be included at no charge or not available on some devices (due to bands used)

AT&T has 4G LTE coverage in St. Thomas & USVI since July 2013. For most current coverage & what's excluded/extra with fees billed - contact one's home carrier on 611 & speak with their international support desk to avoid billing surprises.

This link is for the current VZW Cruise Ship Coverage via satellite (not land coverage while in non-US ports) - http://www.verizonwireless.com/landingpages/global-roaming/

The MB data plan once offered has been discontinued and data is very expensive, worst than what MTN (Celluar-At-Sea) charged or offered within NCL fleets while sailing - VZW costs is over $20 per MB data used, so 100 MB is $2,000 USD + taxes & regulatory fees, OUCH !! - NCL Breakway's plan, if offered & available (was) is $19 for 100 MB or $39 for 300 MB and $59 for 1 GB ("slow" or "slower" data, of course) and a bargain.

**

We will be on the BA in 2 weeks and will update/share what we know afterward. Once docked in those Caribbean ports, it's usually fine to look for a local unsecured WiFi hotspt (i.e. McD and Starbucks in Old San Juan, PR) even if it's for a nominal charge, to access & check emails or whatever, just stay away from checking mobile banking & finance sites, etc. & follow common sense online best practices.

As for OP's question with BDA, dockyard has 1 to 2 to 3 days paid WiFi internet access plan (on/near the piers & land shops/buildings) for purchase and mixed results as far as access from the ship's open decks & balconies, since typical WiFi signal has a max. range of 100 meters or 300 ft. (usually less) - YMMV.

Downtown Hamilton's BDA telecomm office has internet access, both wireless & ethernet for a reasonable charge. Clocktower building at Dockyard used to have paid WiFi but last time I checked, discontinued or N/A. VZW is roaming covearge (paid $$) on the island as GSM bands are used by the local providers.

[Carnac767]

Here's a response from Verizon about coverage in Puerto Rico:

 

Puerto Rico sounds amazing mgmoralesroc! I hope you are enjoying your time. Allow us to provide clarification with using your phone while in Puerto Rico.

 

Making and receiving phone calls, text are considered domestic and are covered under your calling plan. If you do not have a text messaging plan you are then billed $.20 cents to send and $.20 cents to receive. Please keep in mind, sending and receiving picture or video messages are not covered while in Puerto Rico and the charge is $.50 cents to send and $.25 cents to receive.

 

I am happy to confirm that data usage in Puerto Rico is considered domestic and will deduct from your current data plan. Also, please keep in mind that Puerto Rico is part of our Extended Network, which means we have agreements with other cell carriers in the area to allow our customers to use for service. With this being said, service in Puerto Rico may not always be guaranteed.

 

 

Thank You,

MichelleL_VZW

VZW Support

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSUPPORT

 

VZW's cellular data coverage in PR is almost non-existent, so you have to turn cellular data roaming ON but there is no extra charge. Just make sure you turn back to off before you leave, or you might start accidentally racking up $20 per mb data charges when you when you leave your Verizon area.

[cheapboxer]

FWIW ... I was on a Sunday to Sunday cruise on the Epic. Due to the time of my return flight and the slow internet during the day I decided to wait until early morning (Sunday) to check in with the airlines and print my boarding passes. Check in went in fine but printing is shut off the previous night at 10 PM.

 

How much could a couple of pieces of paper cost????

[mking8288]

Here's a response from Verizon about coverage in Puerto Rico: ... sending and receiving picture or video messages are not covered while in Puerto Rico and the charge is $.50 cents to send and $.25 cents to receive ... part of our Extended Network, which means we have agreements with other cell carriers ... service in Puerto Rico may not always be guaranteed.

VZW's cellular data coverage in PR is almost non-existent, so you have to turn cellular data roaming ON but there is no extra charge. Just make sure you turn back to off before you leave, or you might start accidentally racking up $20 per mb data charges when you when you leave your Verizon area.

Great & helpful update for others.

There were many reasons for us to drop our VZW coverage after 25+ years dating back to the Motorola numeric pager & analog brick days - charging $20 per MB roaming data these days is just (------) "fill in your own term" So much easier to deal with T-Mo & AT&T as our backup for travel.

 

FWIW ... cruise on the Epic. Due to the time of my return flight and the slow internet ... wait until early morning to check in with the airlines and print my boarding passes. Check in went in fine but printing is shut off the previous night at 10 PM. How much could a couple of pieces of paper cost????

To them, nothing - you are charged 50 cents per page to print while sitting on their plain Jane PC terminal for anything & everything, including BP.

I was under the impression that Epic's satellite internet is relatively "faster" but ... MTN as their provider is rolling out newer & faster speed, so on the Breakaway, it was reasonably fast with the iConcierge "intranet" in the closed loop. Bouncing the signal thousands of miles up & then down for land-tower relays would destroy any sort of latency.

Fortunately, our carriers use mobile BP & accept digitized check-in with no hard-copy paper BP needed at the airports.

Edited March 10, 2015 by mking8288

[luvtheships]

If you don't mind my asking which network is your carrier? In ours (Sprint) St. Thomas and St Croix are in network just like Puerto Rico. I was under the impression that Verizon and T Mobile were the same.

 

Verizon and its just San juan

 

 

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