Is the Internet Cafe convenient to use?

[cruzhappy88]

We are trying to decide if we should bring a laptop on our upcoming cruise or just go to the internet cafe to use the internet. Is it usually crowded and are you limited on your time there?

[rkmw]

We are trying to decide if we should bring a laptop on our upcoming cruise or just go to the internet cafe to use the internet. Is it usually crowded and are you limited on your time there?

 

if you only need to check on emails might be best to use the internet cafe, its open 24/7 so you can please yourself when you go there

 

it could get busy on the last day with people printing out their flight details

[Retiring cajun]

does the Internet cafe charge by minutes or ???

[rdsqrl]

Internet charges are the same whether you're connecting using wifi or using a desktop in the Internet Cafe.

[west coast cruiser]

I always use the internet cafe for emails. It isn't as crowded as it used to be as so many people are using i pads and lap tops.

[fishywood]

It can be crowded on the first day with people who need the internet manager to walk them through every single little step to set up their account, and the last day with everyone checking in for their flights. In between very unlikely you would ever have to wait for a terminal, though you may have to search for a chair as there can be three or four family members crowded around one desk. But remember that your personal laptop will have all the cookies and log in shortcuts for your various accounts in its memory. It can take five or more minutes of your time ticking away just to sign into an e-mail provider on the public terminals (yahoo accounts are particularly difficult). While there are shortcuts to the most common e-mail and social media sites the cache of each terminal is wiped out every time someone signs off so every single banner, header, footer etc. will be re-downloading as if it is the very first time someone tried to sign into AOL or whichever on that computer.

 

But I must confess I find watching what can go on on embarkation day in the Internet Centre more amusing than pier runners: passengers who have gone years since checking their e-mail anywhere but their home PCs with all the passwords saved berating the internet manager for not being able to magically open their e-mail for them. Heck some of them couldn't come up with the correct domain name for their home internet/e-mail provider if their life depended on it.

Edited November 4, 2015 by fishywood

[caribill]

Heck some of them couldn't come up with the correct domain name for their home internet/e-mail provider if their life depended on it.

 

Put me in the category of not knowing the password I have not had to enter for five or so years.

[icat2000]

Internet cafe always seems crowded to me unless you go really early or late. I just use my tablet to access wifi around the ship.

[skynight]

I find the internet cafe easy to use, but then I use very little mins. The best times are around 11pm, and port days. You will find it crowded on the last day with people printing airline boarding passes. I leave my laptop at home. I only use it for e-mail, nothing else, like banking, social web sites, etc. When using the e-mail I have to log into my provider's web mail with my user name and password. Remember to bring these along as these are pre-loaded on your own computer and you don't really have to think about it. Also, since the cafe does not have all your e-mail addresses you have to manually enter them, so bring along a list.

 

The positives of bringing your laptop:

Use in your cabin or other ship location

No loading of e-mail and log on information

Making your own notes in Word or other software

Play your own games. Don't play on line.

Skype.

Plus more

 

With your own device remember to sign out and not leave it on, as you will be charged for every min you are connected.

 

While a tablet fits into the cabin safe, I'm not sure regarding a laptop.

[hm9912]

We are trying to decide if we should bring a laptop on our upcoming cruise or just go to the internet cafe to use the internet. Is it usually crowded and are you limited on your time there?

 

A couple of weeks prior to our recent cruise I decided to purchase an IPad mini.

 

Very glad I did.

My email was already set up for outlook when we boarded the Caribbean Princess. I did need a little assistance from the Internet Manager in configuring the incoming and outgoing mail servers for the ship but she added icons for logging in and logging out which was most helpful.

It also took very little time to download the daily edition of The New York Times which I was able to read on my IPad after logging off.

If you don't logoff properly you continue to rack up minutes.

 

Howard

[Friscoonetwo]

DW and I use our Kindles when on a cruise. Small, lightweight and has all our addresses as well as log in info for our e-mail accounts. We never had any problem logging onto the ship's internet with them. We did use the Café once or twice when we were sending longer letters since was faster to type on the Café keyboards as the Kindle keyboard.

[Oxo]

I bring my Android Samasung Galaxy Note 4 Smart Phone (5.7" screen.) Wife brings her Samsung 7" tablet. Many advantages (both very small and portable:

1. Can access all of my applications via phone or tablet.

2. Can read/listen to audio books/ebooks.

3. Can use anywhere on the ship.

4. Don't need to remember all of the passwords for each site/application used.

5. Never had a problem on accessing ship Internet.

6. Can read email when not connected to Internet and write replies. Send replies once connected to Internet.

7. Take photos or videos.

8. Send text, access Facebook, etc., when on/in port and free WiFi available.

9. Many more someone else can add.

[Thrak]

I check email on my phone. My wife uses her iPad but could use her phone if she liked. It's much more convenient to do it in our cabin than going to the Internet Cafe.

[Retiring cajun]

I have iPhone. If I buy wifi minutes on CB, will my phone have roaming charges? Intl

[Justprettynpink]

Turn your roaming off and Wi-fi on :-)

[cruiselvr1]

A couple of weeks prior to our recent cruise I decided to purchase an IPad mini.

 

Very glad I did.

My email was already set up for outlook when we boarded the Caribbean Princess. I did need a little assistance from the Internet Manager in configuring the incoming and outgoing mail servers for the ship but she added icons for logging in and logging out which was most helpful.

It also took very little time to download the daily edition of The New York Times which I was able to read on my IPad after logging off.

If you don't logoff properly you continue to rack up minutes.

 

Howard

On our Hawaiiian cruise on the Star, we used our laptop, and it was very easy to use in our stateroom. The only problem we had was logging off. Sometimes it would stick on, so I would have to contact the IC manager.

[hm9912]

You need to type 1.1.1.1 logout in the address bar or have the IM create an icon for you on the screen to properly logout

 

Howard

[Northender]

I like using the Internet Café. Yes, sometimes it can be pretty crowded, but then I just walk around (shop :) have a drink (wine) and head back. Usually most people are do not take too much time to get what they want to see/read and leave. Later in the evening is best, or early morning.:)

 

We usually fly JetBlue, and you can check in 24 hours before your flight.

[Cruisin' Chick]

We bought the Internet package for the first time for our most recent cruise. I did bring the receipt for prepurchasing the package, but there were no instructions regarding how to get going. My daughter went to the Internet Cafe and was told we would have to "repurchase" it, which seemed strange. It was very awkward (plus just seemed stupid to us to have to do this, rather than being able to sit down with a sign in and immediately start using it -- which seemed to be a major reason for us, besides the bonus minutes, to call Princess to buy the package in the first place). So it could be that, if this is still the routine, then that's why the place is packed on the first day. If they streamlined this, there wouldn't be this confusion.

 

Things, such as some web based email sites did get bogged down during the day. Faster speeds later on at night.

[Oxo]

We usually fly JetBlue, and you can check in 24 hours before your flight.

 

FYI - this is a norm with most airlines. Not just JetBlue.

[tailspintom]

You need to type 1.1.1.1 logout in the address bar or have the IM create an icon for you on the screen to properly logout

 

Howard

 

The login and log off functions have been improved significantly. They are user friendly and have made the toggle between the Princess WiFi and Internet quite easy. Even I had no difficulty in logging off the system. They also seemed to increase the bandwidth.

[Retiring cajun]

How many devices can we use with our minutes?

[fishywood]

How many devices can we use with our minutes?

 

No restriction that your plan is assigned to a single device as on some other lines. But you can only log in from one at a time.

[Woobstr112G]

I always use the internet cafe for emails. It isn't as crowded as it used to be as so many people are using i pads and lap tops.

 

There were a couple of times during our September T/A when I had to wait for a terminal to open up. Also if anyone plans/needs to talk to the internet manager, get there early as there are always lines for the brief periods of times he/she is actually open for business.....:):):)

 

Bob

[Retiring cajun]

Never used OBC before. Is that for purchases once onboard? So I'm interested in wifi minutes, see there are bonus minutes if pre purchasing.