All Carnival Corp. Ships to Get Sophisticated Wi-fi

[Ray66]

All of the ships owned by Carnival Corporation's 10 brands, including Carnival, Princess, Holland America, Cunard, P&O and others, are being outfitted with a state-of-the-art satellite communications system that will drastically improve passengers' ability to stay connected at sea.

 

Installation of the WiFi@Sea system, which bumps up Wi-fi capability and Internet bandwidth, has already taken place on 30 ships across the company's fleets, including AIDA, Carnival and Holland America. All ships will receive the new infrastructure through 2016, and 40 percent will have it by the end of 2015, the company said.

 

In addition, the cruise lines will be adding flat-rate Internet packages that focus more on how passengers use Wi-fi instead of simply time on online...

 

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=6551

[Underwatr]

According to a linked CruiseCritic article, one HAL ship has trialed the flat rate plans:

 

Westerdam is the only ship to test the line's new social media package. Here's how those packages break down, priced for seven-day cruises.

 

"Social" ($5 for 24 hours or $25 for the week): Limits access to only eight social media sites, including Facebook and LinkedIn.

"Enhanced" ($16 for 24 hours or $60 for the week): Excludes videoconferencing and music streaming.

"Premiere" ($25 for 24 hours or $99 for the week): Excludes video streaming.

At those prices I could see paying for the "Enhanced" package. I wonder how CWC benefits would be adjusted: "Social" for Gold members, "Enhanced" for Platinum and "Premiere" for Diamond? The current Gold benefit has the same street price as the Enhanced package.

 

I'd think that most passengers would want some way to access email, if only occasionally.

 

Reading further, maybe the above packages aren't as inclusive as I thought...

Edited October 14, 2015 by Underwatr

[branston boy]

Hello.Ray 66.Will these improvements also bring up the web cams to a reasonable level ie.they might work occasionaly.

 

Rodger.

[ExArkie]

I'd think that most passengers would want some way to access email, if only occasionally.

 

Reading further, maybe the above packages aren't as inclusive as I thought...

 

Actually, the main access I would want is e-mail. I'm a self-employed consultant and maintain my business contacts primarily through e-mail when I'm traveling. Having that access is a key factor in determining whether I can afford to take another trip in the future.

 

I'd certainly have no use for social media sites; I'd rather enjoy my time than post how much I'm enjoying my time. Of course, I do have a stated goal of being the last person on earth to get a Facebook account...

[Host Hattie]

Does anyone know when the Cunard ships will be getting this?

[BoisDore]

According to a linked CruiseCritic article, one HAL ship has trialed the flat rate plans:

 

Westerdam is the only ship to test the line's new social media package. Here's how those packages break down, priced for seven-day cruises.

 

"Social" ($5 for 24 hours or $25 for the week): Limits access to only eight social media sites, including Facebook and LinkedIn.

"Enhanced" ($16 for 24 hours or $60 for the week): Excludes videoconferencing and music streaming.

"Premiere" ($25 for 24 hours or $99 for the week): Excludes video streaming.

 

"While each cruise line has some leeway in what they offer and how the offerings are priced, all of the ships will have Internet packages that charge a flat rate for social media usage..."

 

Who knows where it would go, but looks like that pricing isn't to be counted on.

 

Providing cheap access to social media seems like a clever move - allowing for the customers to do a lot of marketing for the lines.

[robbie_3]

Actually, the main access I would want is e-mail. I'm a self-employed consultant and maintain my business contacts primarily through e-mail when I'm traveling. Having that access is a key factor in determining whether I can afford to take another trip in the future.

 

I'd certainly have no use for social media sites; I'd rather enjoy my time than post how much I'm enjoying my time. Of course, I do have a stated goal of being the last person on earth to get a Facebook account...

 

We too will be pleased to have greater access to our e mails at cheaper cost. After the expiry of our free time allocation we have in the past resorted to checking e mails using my smartphone which for us was the only reasonable option. Though technically we are early retired, letting investments really make it essential for us to remain in contact.

[BigMac1953]

Does anyone know when the Cunard ships will be getting this?

 

A couple of weeks ago, I was told, on QM2 that it would be at the refit.

 

Stewart

[axelskater]

Actually, the social media would be a huge help to me. Facebook isn't just for posting pictures and status updates. For instance, I Sydney we used it to find a craft brewery, what their hours were, and send them a message to make sure they'd be open when we got there. FB business sites also provide maps to find your way there.

In Boston we used it to find menus for North End restaurants. You can use FB instant messaging to basically chat in real time with family back home in messenger. That's a lot of activity for $5 a day.

[ClanMcLean]

Actually, the social media would be a huge help to me. Facebook isn't just for posting pictures and status updates. For instance, I Sydney we used it to find a craft brewery, what their hours were, and send them a message to make sure they'd be open when we got there. FB business sites also provide maps to find your way there.

In Boston we used it to find menus for North End restaurants. You can use FB instant messaging to basically chat in real time with family back home in messenger. That's a lot of activity for $5 a day.

 

Agreed. We use Facebook a lot, especially as we live overseas from most of our family. It's a life line for my parents who look forward to seeing what my son's been up to. If we could Skype from the ship as well, that would be amazing.

And yes, the messaging is great and free :D

[tv24]

An improved system and more rational unlimited pricing would be most welcome. Thank you Jesus!

[Q-step]

Actually, the main access I would want is e-mail. I'm a self-employed consultant and maintain my business contacts primarily through e-mail when I'm traveling. Having that access is a key factor in determining whether I can afford to take another trip in the future....

 

I completely agree. I own a small financial services company and client interaction is key. While I have two employees there are times where a quick email to/from me can head off issues or problems. My client have expressed concern when I am out of touch. In reality they don't need me most of the time - but perceptions become realities. And they do pay me well.

 

While on vacation I will check my emails 2 or 3 times a day. Normally this would take 10 minutes or less each time. But on QM2 it could take 20-30 minutes each time due to slow internet speeds or being dropped by the server. On our last QM2 T/A crossing I sometimes just gave up and called my office, had them read me my emails and I dictated responses.

 

If I could count on the service being faster and reliable, I could actually book longer and more frequent trips.

The price isn't an issue with me - it's the service.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Actually, the main access I would want is e-mail. I'm a self-employed consultant and maintain my business contacts primarily through e-mail when I'm traveling. Having that access is a key factor in determining whether I can afford to take another trip in the future.

 

I'd certainly have no use for social media sites; I'd rather enjoy my time than post how much I'm enjoying my time. Of course, I do have a stated goal of being the last person on earth to get a Facebook account...

 

Yes!

 

Email is our primary need, too. As for being the last person on earth to get a Facebook account, you've got some competition from me. I don't "facetweet," so the social package wouldn't work for me.

[lannp]

Email is primary for me also. I don't text, I don't Tweet and I am not a fan of Facebook although friends are always telling me that I should check out theirs, etc.

[JollyJackTar52]

As someone who works in IT, the ideal way for me to get the best out of shipboard WiFi is to leave my Surface switched off at Home, and to turn the WiFi and put the phone in flight mode and disable the WiFi as soon as we're on-board.

 

Might check my email every 3 days or so to see if the cat sitters are ok.

[Scrapnana]

According to a linked CruiseCritic article, one HAL ship has trialed the flat rate plans:

 

Westerdam is the only ship to test the line's new social media package. Here's how those packages break down, priced for seven-day cruises.

 

"Social" ($5 for 24 hours or $25 for the week): Limits access to only eight social media sites, including Facebook and LinkedIn.

"Enhanced" ($16 for 24 hours or $60 for the week): Excludes videoconferencing and music streaming.

"Premiere" ($25 for 24 hours or $99 for the week): Excludes video streaming.

At those prices I could see paying for the "Enhanced" package. I wonder how CWC benefits would be adjusted: "Social" for Gold members, "Enhanced" for Platinum and "Premiere" for Diamond? The current Gold benefit has the same street price as the Enhanced package.

 

 

I'd think that most passengers would want some way to access email, if only occasionally.

 

Reading further, maybe the above packages aren't as inclusive as I thought...

 

I was on Westerdam in April and purchased the package. The internet was very good - still not as good as at home but the best I have had on a ship.

 

It will be interesting to see how Cunard will incorporate this into the World Club benefits.

[Toffeegirl68]

A tiny part of me thinks that this is sad.

 

There are fewer places to hide away these days :).

[BobBranst]

As someone who works in IT, the ideal way for me to get the best out of shipboard WiFi is to leave my Surface switched off at Home, and to turn the WiFi and put the phone in flight mode and disable the WiFi as soon as we're on-board.

I totally agree.

 

Bob