Do you use the internet onboard?

[swin26]

I use the Internet for work while on a cruise as well as to keep in touch with family. I wouldn't cruise if I was unable to have Internet service.

[zackiedawg]

I'm using it right now - on the Westerdam - just left Port Everglades and I popped on to sign up for a plan. I decided to pop for the unlimited this time - I've never done that before. Usually, I avoid any social, pleasure, board type posting - I strictly get internet access on the ships for work as I do need to clear out work e-mails and stay in touch with my office every few days at least. But typically I get a basic 6-hr package or the like...and just use it sparingly for work then log off. It's so slow that just 30 minutes of checking e-mails actually takes about an hour. But the Westerdam's internet is definitely faster, and with the unlimited I can pop on occasionally to stuff like this.

[Lizzie68]

A really big plus was having unlimited internet on our Sailaway Gang Panama Canal cruise last April. A lot of us knew each other previously so we used FB Messenger to communicate with each other around the ship. Since we were always online we could easily arrange to meet up at a moment's notice. Several impromptu large gatherings took place as a result of being able to find each other quickly. It was fun.

 

That was probably one of the best aspects of that package. Those impromptu gatherings were so much fun.

[Boytjie]

I used internet onboard maybe the first two cruises we did in 2007 but it was so slow - and we are usually so busy - that I have not bothered with it again.

 

I don't travel with a laptop/notebook anymore since I can do most stuff on my iphone and I just bring a couple of memory disks for my camera so I can swap new ones in periodically.

 

In ports I will look for free internet to catch up on email and Facebook, and yes, sometimes Cruise Critic. ;)

 

With the new internet plans they are starting to introduce with a reasonably priced package for email, Facebook etc. I may consider signing up for that.

[RetiredMustang]

Yes, I use the internet while on board HAL ships. Many of you know that I have been doing "Live From" blogs since 2009; before that, we used the internet cafe to check email -- our sons seem to think that we geezers will fall overboard sometime and require the occasional "we're still alive" email. And, my job requires I be available for emergencies. So, we have bought internet packages for years.

 

I have to say, it has gotten easier, and faster. I bought a small netbook a few (OK, maybe many) years ago, based on reports from other CC members, and find it very useful instead of relying on the ship's computers. Early on, I would sometmes have to take it to a public place near an internet cone, usually in a bar where the totally amazing staff would produce me a drink when I wanted one (go figure!). Lately, I have found that I have had good enough connections in our cabin, since HAL shifted to Harris and installed newer repeaters.

 

I use it to post photos to photobucket, and then insert the photos into blog posts, which I have written before, so I only copy and paste while actually online. Lately, I have purchased the 1000 minute package, and found that to be sufficient for a 14-day live blog, occasional emails to the sons, checking email, etc.

 

I don't know if I will continue to live blog, but I can still see the need for connectivity, so that our (by now firmly into middle age) sons can hear from us now and then.

 

Dave

Edited October 31, 2015 by RetiredMustang

[radio Flyer]

The access to the Internet on HAL is very slow and for that reason expensive. I rely on the Internet for work but when on a cruise there is no way I'll be tied to any device.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Cheers

Radioflyer

[Nebr.cruiser]

We use it mainly to check on elderly parents. My husband also checks on some sports teams, if the service isn't too painfully slow.

[OCruisers]

We never use the internet while cruising ... even on Princess where we have lots of free minutes.

We want to make "The World Go Away". :D

 

LuLu

[Scrapnana]

Starting with my 2014 World Voyage, I write a blog of my cruises so

I need the internet. I also use it for e-mails and banking. Before the world cruise my idea was to carry my iPad with me at every port and find free or cheap internet on land and supplement that by buying minutes onboard. I very quickly realized that it was a pain to have to carry the iPad everywhere and I was missing interesting ports that I might never visit again. I also found that many of the terminals that provide free wi-fi had worse service than on the ship because so many (passengers and crew) were trying to use it at the same time.

 

The best internet at sea was on Westerdam last April with the unlimited plan. The signal was usually very good (not as good as home but great for a ship) everywhere I used it onboard. Worst was on Liberty of the Seas.

 

I only use my cell phone in the US - either on land or when docked.

[sammiedawg]

We always have some type of Internet on board plan, we've used it to monitor our business and to check in with family. We have people sending us quick personal and business updates, sometimes just the "the no news is good news" variety.

However I would never use it for a transaction that required secured Ethernet, I don't think any cruise line would meet that standard as I know it.

The onboard Internet is never strong enough to FaceTime, we find a visitor center, restaurant or hotel in port to do that. Face time is a phenomenal way to communicate.

We always have at least one I phone and 1 iPad turned on in port. I'm a news, sports, entertainment junkie and have to speed read many web sites on a daily basis.

[NMLady]

Contrary to others, we do not like to waste often valuable port time sitting at an internet café in port so we purchase a sizable package on the ship (prefer the unlimited plan when available) and use it while having a drink or two at the pool to catch up on e-mails and use social media to communicate with family.

 

This is what we do also, on our ipad. We don't have Smart phones. Ours are very dumb :o

Edited November 1, 2015 by NMLady

[SeaBands]

we only use internet off the ship where the crew goes or a bar that offers free wifi with a drink. Don't expect anything urgent while away.

Edited November 1, 2015 by SeaBands

[Randyk47]

We've gone through the cycle of not getting Internet to getting it to not getting it. We have a very small family, there are only six of us in the whole world, and all are more smart phone owners and texters rather than email users. Over the past four years of Med cruises we've opted for short term International plans on our cell phones which has worked for us but truth is even that option hasn't been used much. Typically we send short text like "leaving for Venice", "arrived in Venice", etc., just so the other four know where we are but that's about it.

Edited November 1, 2015 by Randyk47

[sunsetbeachgal]

Like some of the others we also limit our internet to texting and emailing from free wifi hot spots. Especially in Europe, this is easy to do. Since we love a short coffee break anyhow, I look for places where we can buy a coffee and snack, use the restroom (which is sometimes more important than wifi!) and the wifi.

 

We love museums and have found that museums in Europe have excellent wifi, and of course cafes and bathrooms!

Edited November 1, 2015 by sunsetbeachgal

[IllinoisGirl1978]

I only used the ship's internet to check in for my flight home. For day to day I used my phone data (when in port).

[Krazy Kruizers]

I rarely buy an Internet package when we cruise.

But I had to on our recent Eurodam cruise as we needed to get in touch with someone.

Eurodam still has the old system and the various packages. It was awful -- some days I could not get on. Eurodam is suppose to get the new package in December when she goes into dry dock.

[cruz chic]

I rarely buy an Internet package when we cruise.

But I had to on our recent Eurodam cruise as we needed to get in touch with someone.

Eurodam still has the old system and the various packages. It was awful -- some days I could not get on. Eurodam is suppose to get the new package in December when she goes into dry dock.

 

That's exactly what I found KK. I started a thread about it only to be chastised by the usual suspects ;). Apparently some folks were in a special cone of the ship where the Internet worked great :D.

[Lizzie68]

That's exactly what I found KK. I started a thread about it only to be chastised by the usual suspects ;). Apparently some folks were in a special cone of the ship where the Internet worked great :D.

 

Confused about your comment. Do you mean this thread? http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2274549

 

Only one person mentioned their internet was OK on the Eurodam. No chastisements at all. Sorry you felt that way.

 

Edited to add - I did learn a lot about tendering on that thread though. Some scary stories.

Edited November 1, 2015 by Lizzie68

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

We don't have to us the ships any more . We have switched to T mobile who has service all over the world ..

[holacanada]

Hello fellow cruisers !

 

With my job, I must be available to respond to a lot of professional posts.

 

I confess, I am an "Internetvore" of the worst kind ! Over 200,00$ per cruise…

 

I also give daily information to my friends on a French-Canadian cruise forum when I travel.

Re : http://www.lemondedescroisieres.com/portal.php?sid=24d5a7b1f14bc1acb8a2f578ab8fb1ba

 

Holacanada

 

P.S. : I'll be on the Volendam next february and I hope the will have the so call «new plans». I think the prices and packages are more interesting. Do you think they are going to offer us the new plan ?

[Bowie MeMe]

Contrary to others, we do not like to waste often valuable port time sitting at an internet café in port so we purchase a sizable package on the ship (prefer the unlimited plan when available) and use it while having a drink or two at the pool to catch up on e-mails and use social media to communicate with family.

 

I also don't always have the time to use internet in port -- plus I don't want to be someplace I never will be back to and be worried about touching base with family or friends or taking care of personal business. More and more our business (bills for house/appointments set up later/medicines to reorder/etc) are done electronically and you need internet for that. We also check our bank accounts and credit card accounts to make sure they have not been compromised while we are traveling. So talk to the grands, pay the bills, make appointments for next month, keep up with my friends and yes brag a little about what I am seeing. I buy internet packages and rather large ones. It is just part of the cost of going on a cruise. I could do better about writing notes etc off-line but I always goof it up so I just pay to write on-line.

[Mexfolkart]

We absolutely could not cruise if it weren't for the Internet. We try to get an unlimited package. We use it 99.9% for work. We use it every morning and every evening. We never go to a place in port..those times are for our "vacation times" We cannot be without it. We have been able to take very long cruises with Oceania as their internet works in our rooms and we have made many "deals" in unusual places! On HAL we have had major problems..rarely can we use the internet in our rooms. This does affect the length of trips we can take. Last 2 trips on HAL we couldn't even print our air boarding passes!! We hope the Oosterdam is better this year!

Its a serious problem for us when it does not work and is "out" more than "on"!

I wish HAL would get a better program and also have their internet also accept Internet Explorer instead of only Chrome.

Sherry & Kimber

[holacanada]

Believe it or not,

 

Even my boss tell me to enjoy my vacation without worrying about what is happening at the office !!!

 

Holacanada

[CowPrincess]

Thanks for all the replies! I am sort-of surprised by the number people who purchase internet primarily to write and update personal blogs and to keep "Live From" threads going. What a great thing to do for others!

 

Like a few others, right now we need to stay connected in order to cruise. For everyone who just unplugs, I am envious :D

[Cinder Again]

Is the Westerdam the only ship offering unlimited internet, and if not, which ships offer it? What's the cost?

Why don't they all offer it? I have found the Internet rules vary greatly, ship to ship. On some collectors cruises, they've moved my leftover minutes forward seamlessly to the next segment, on another collectors cruise, I had to argue that it might be two segments, for them, since some folks disembarked,but it was one trip for me, and luckily, I had a printout showing how many minutes they owed me, from the first segment that they finally restored. It would be nice to know what I can expect on the Ooesterdam come January!