Which Internet Package to Buy???

[Rose66]

I'm cruising on the Carnival Valor soon and need to know which internet package to buy.  I have several apps/games that I have downloaded to my iPad but the games still need internet access in order to play them.  I'm talking about games like Bingo, Solitaire, Mahjong, Wordscapes, etc so they aren't fast action games.  Of Carnival's three internet access levels, does anyone know which one I should purchase in order to play these games/apps?

 

Thanks!

 

[young_ens]

Really?   For work I could understand needing internet, but for games....   

I left everything at home, it was nice to not have an electronic device for 10 days.

[jbethel11]

40 minutes ago, Rose66 said:

I'm cruising on the Carnival Valor soon and need to know which internet package to buy.  I have several apps/games that I have downloaded to my iPad but the games still need internet access in order to play them.  I'm talking about games like Bingo, Solitaire, Mahjong, Wordscapes, etc so they aren't fast action games.  Of Carnival's three internet access levels, does anyone know which one I should purchase in order to play these games/apps?

 

Thanks!

 

 

I would get the Value Plan, but once again, you are on a cruise! The only time I play games is when I am taking a *searches around for any adults* poop. 

[christyran1228]

You'd need the value plan I think, which is about $10/day ... kind of pricey for games, IMHO.

Edited April 30, 2019 by christyran1228

[Organized Chaos]

If you want to play a few phone games while on your cruise, I say by all means, you do you. Don't let anyone influence you otherwise. No one ever seems to have anything to say to those who want to spend their cruise gambling in the casino, sitting at a bar, sitting around a pool, or anything else. But the moment someone mentions cell phone and internet, watch out! My solitaire game has daily games and I like to do one every night before I go to bed. It does require internet connection, but it wouldn't let me play last year aboard the Glory using the Value plan. But I don't think it was because of the plan itself. The internet overall was absolutely terrible that whole cruise. If you do try the Value plan first, and it doesn't work, you could always upgrade to the Premium plan on board. You'd just have to pay the on board price, which is a little higher. I suppose there's no guarantee any of the plans will allow you to play, though. Even with the Premium plan, it still isn't full access to the internet as if you were at home.

[Cincy2]

It's your vacation.  Do what you enjoy.  I have a couple of games I like to play.  I may play them on my next cruise.  I like reading too. It's all good and I was also wondering which plan to get. So thanks for asking.  

[Rose66]

Thank you jbethel11 and christyran1228 for recommending the value plan. 

 

Thank you to Organized Chaos and Cincy2 for your posts too.  You bring up an interesting point about how people don't think twice about spending hours (and money) in the casino and hours (and money) at the bars, and hours at the pool, etc. but they freak out when spending time on the internet is mentioned.  I wonder why that is?  Anyway, I will definitely do what I want on my cruise since I'm the one paying for it. 🤑   Also stranger's opinions about my habits couldn't mean any less to me. ☺️

 

Cincy2, if I find out which plan for sure to buy, either before or after my cruise, I'll come back and post it here.

 

[Organized Chaos]

2 hours ago, Rose66 said:

Anyway, I will definitely do what I want on my cruise since I'm the one paying for it. 🤑   Also stranger's opinions about my habits couldn't mean any less to me. ☺️

 

Cincy2, if I find out which plan for sure to buy, either before or after my cruise, I'll come back and post it here.

 

Good for you.

 

I'm willing to bet that if you asked Carnival, they'd just tell you none of the plans support games like that. It's pretty much their way of covering their rears just in case someone can't get something in particular to work with one of their wifi plans. Much like some of the video streaming services that they say aren't supported, but people report do, in fact, work. They just say it's not supported, that way if passengers have trouble, it's not Carnival's fault. So you're best bet is to find people with first-hand experience getting games like that to work and which plan they used. Worst case scenario, you'll just have to pick one and go for it.

[EngineCo52]

6 hours ago, Rose66 said:

I'm cruising on the Carnival Valor soon and need to know which internet package to buy.  I have several apps/games that I have downloaded to my iPad but the games still need internet access in order to play them.  I'm talking about games like Bingo, Solitaire, Mahjong, Wordscapes, etc so they aren't fast action games.  Of Carnival's three internet access levels, does anyone know which one I should purchase in order to play these games/apps?

 

Thanks!

 

 

a lot of those games don't require internet access to be played. put your iPad on airplane mode and attempt to load the apps and play. if that doesn't work than I would say all you should need is the lowest one. good luck 

[BIGREDIOWAN]

I just upgraded from the social media plan to the top plan. Mainly because I wanna test a cruise hack I read about, but also because I like to watch some videos on Youtube in the mornings. We are going to be on the Horizon though so from what I've heard it has fast internet so we'll see if it's worth it.  It makes me happy, I'm paying for it, and it's my vacation sooo....🙃 Do what makes you happy! 

[moppet]

8 hours ago, BIGREDIOWAN said:

I just upgraded from the social media plan to the top plan. Mainly because I wanna test a cruise hack I read about, but also because I like to watch some videos on Youtube in the mornings. We are going to be on the Horizon though so from what I've heard it has fast internet so we'll see if it's worth it.  It makes me happy, I'm paying for it, and it's my vacation sooo....🙃 Do what makes you happy! 

 

You can't just casually drop that you're testing a cruise hack and then not tell us what the hack is! lol.

[JaniceB]

Inquiring minds want to know.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

Lol, sorry, I had a feeling someone would ask! 😋 I bought an internet bridge that'll hopefully make the ship see one device in our room and allow our 4 devices to connect to that one internet stream. Basically it'll be a wifi router for our room. I read about it in the cruise hacks thread. We'll see! 🤞

[kruzns4me]

37 minutes ago, BIGREDIOWAN said:

Lol, sorry, I had a feeling someone would ask! 😋 I bought an internet bridge that'll hopefully make the ship see one device in our room and allow our 4 devices to connect to that one internet stream. Basically it'll be a wifi router for our room. I read about it in the cruise hacks thread. We'll see! 🤞

you simply must post about this if it works when you return!!!!!  or even while you are on your cruise - maybe even a youtube video!!!!!!  What a hack - LOLOLOL

[Honolulu Blue]

17 hours ago, Rose66 said:

I'm cruising on the Carnival Valor soon and need to know which internet package to buy.  I have several apps/games that I have downloaded to my iPad but the games still need internet access in order to play them.  I'm talking about games like Bingo, Solitaire, Mahjong, Wordscapes, etc so they aren't fast action games.  Of Carnival's three internet access levels, does anyone know which one I should purchase in order to play these games/apps?

 

Thanks!

 

 

Let me add my two cents in hopes that it will be of use:

 

* I was on the Horizon in January and its Internet access was very good (by ship standards) most of the time in most places.  I had the Value plan.

* On other Carnival ships I've been on, the Internet experience varied from pretty good to terrible depending on which ship, time of day (middle of the night is usually best, days in port are also good), where you are on the ship (public areas usually better than the cabins), and where the ship is, among other factors.

* The one time I used the Premium plan I didn't notice enough of a speed difference to be worth it.

* The lag, or ping, is going to be very long, so be sure your games/apps can handle a second or two of delay without choking.

* You can check out Internet conditions by fiddling around with carnival.com , one of the sites you can visit for free without buying a plan.  If that site performs unacceptably, it's probably not going to be any better with other sites/apps that you pay to access.

* If your iPad happens to have cellular access, I would recommend using that instead.  Don't do this while at sea or in a foreign port (unless you happen to have a plan that covers it), but U.S. ports like Key West and St. Thomas usually have usable 3G or 4G.

[JaniceB]

Thanks for the internet condition tip by going to the Carnival site.  I will have internet for the first time on a cruise.