WIFI on Oceania

[molemaui]

We just returned from 12 days on the Riveria and found the cruise excellent in every area except WiFI. While the connection. and speed was adequate, the one sign in at a time policy was aggravating at the least and infuriating at the most. Anyone else experience this or feel this way?

 

Picture a couple scenarios:   (a) We are at two different places and want to meet. Easy solution is to text. You can't do that when only one of you can sign in. No one wants to stay in cabin to wait for phone call either. Its a big ship to be chasing each other down.   (b) This cruise we traveled with two other couples-6 total. Everyone has different things they want to do-it was a nightmare getting everyone together without being able to text. 

 

In the last couple years, I've sailed Silversea, Viking Ocean, Regent, Windstar, Uniworld and Celebrity and did not have this issue. True this wasn't a problem 20 years ago but it just seems stupid and arbitrary to have this policy in today's world. 

 

In spite of this I can honestly say Oceania surpassed Viking Ocean, Celebrity and Regent in most areas. Food was outstanding. 

 

The cruise ambassadors said this issue has been their #1 complaint. Here's hoping they do something about it. 

[LHT28]

decide  in the morning to meet  for lunch/dinner /drinks  ..what ever

leave a message on the phone

Just wander the ship ..it really is not that hard to find people ...is it?

 

pay for  a second account  then you can both be online when you want

[ORV]

Seems an easy fix would have been to purchase one package. I believe on Celebrity there is no free internet. You either take it as a perk or purchase it. I don't know about the other lines. 

[molemaui]

16 minutes ago, ORV said:

Seems an easy fix would have been to purchase one package. I believe on Celebrity there is no free internet. You either take it as a perk or purchase it. I don't know about the other lines. 

On Celebrity, I usually take a Suite and the last two times internet, premium drink package, gratuities and credit were included. I realize this isn't every time but this what I've experienced. 

 

I'm not going to buy a second connection. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, molemaui said:

On Celebrity, I usually take a Suite and the last two times internet, premium drink package, gratuities and credit were included. I realize this isn't every time but this what I've experienced. 

 

I'm not going to buy a second connection. 

Post-ITs are much cheaper😉

[clo]

26 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Post-ITs are much cheaper😉

I guess we're showing our age to admit to remembering well when there wasn't even internet 🙂

 

BTW, what does a second connection cost?

Edited July 30 by clo

[GeezerCouple]

2 hours ago, molemaui said:

On Celebrity, I usually take a Suite and the last two times internet, premium drink package, gratuities and credit were included. I realize this isn't every time but this what I've experienced. 

 

I'm not going to buy a second connection. 

 

The larger suites have two logins, IIRC (hope that's correct).

How is that different from getting your suite on Celebrity, one that includes the goodies you like, including two logins?

Or you could keep the cabin/suite you already like on O, and pay for a second login...

 

However, you would rather remain infuriated throughout the entire cruise, rather than pay what is, after all, a relatively modest amount (given the total price of the cruise) to get a service that would eliminate the source of your annoyance?

(If only all infuriating issues had such an easy solution!.)

 

Some cruise lines/ships bundle things one way, others do a a different way.

I'm sure if the prices were higher on Oceania so that the price of two logins was included for all cabins and suites, some people would complain about that.  (As it is, there are plenty of people who feel that it's ridiculous even to bring any "tech" equipment on a cruise...

 

This is really no different than the "are drinks included or not" issue, etc.  And as I'm sure you are aware, there is disagreement about that, too.

 

And at least you *can* pay for the extra login.  Other the other lines, it is a lot more difficult to "fix" the lesser food quality. on other lines

Ditto all the other ways ("most areas") that you felt Oceania "surpassed" the other cruise  line(s).

 

GC

[LHT28]

3 hours ago, molemaui said:

On Celebrity, I usually take a Suite and the last two times internet, premium drink package, gratuities and credit were included. I realize this isn't every time but this what I've experienced. 

 

I'm not going to buy a second connection. 

if you had a suite on Oceania  you would have gotten 2  accounts

[GeezerCouple]

6 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

if you had a suite on Oceania  you would have gotten 2  accounts

 

Just the larger suites.  PH suites still have one login included.

 

GC

[LHT28]

Just now, GeezerCouple said:

 

Just the larger suites.  PH suites still have one login included.

 

GC

sorry  should have said TOP suites

[Paulchili]

I have been able to make calls with my iPhone using wifi service at no cost - essentially as if I were calling from my home.

Disclaimer - I only made these calls when absolutely necessary - such as airline reservations that were time sensitive, etc. If I keep in touch with family or friends while away, I do it with emails and not phone calls.

The point - could the OP have used his phone via wifi to call others in the party?

[1985rz1]

11 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

I have been able to make calls with my iPhone using wifi service at no cost - essentially as if I were calling from my home.

Disclaimer - I only made these calls when absolutely necessary - such as airline reservations that were time sensitive, etc. If I keep in touch with family or friends while away, I do it with emails and not phone calls.

The point - could the OP have used his phone via wifi to call others in the party?

But using wifi calling on your phone requires a login to the wifi, and zi think that's the point the OP was trying to make.  One phone at a time.  Or did I misunderstand?

[Paulchili]

26 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

But using wifi calling on your phone requires a login to the wifi, and zi think that's the point the OP was trying to make.  One phone at a time.  Or did I misunderstand?

Yes - the caller has to be logged in to wifi but not the recipient of the call - hence only one login. The people I called were not logged into wifi - I just called the number (even an 800 number).

PS - my home service is with Comcast and that was the service the wifi call was using - not my ATT iPhone service which would be a paid long distance call. In fact, I could make the same call from my iPad - didn’t even need to use my iPhone.

Also, the numbers I called were US landlines and it was like a call being made from my home phone # - thus there was no charge to either party. If OP were to call someone’s cell phone he may not be charged for a wifi call but perhaps the recipient of the call might be charged as they are out of the country? I don’t have the answer but I think if not calling them then messaging them should have been easy?

Edited July 30 by Paulchili

[1985rz1]

11 hours ago, Paulchili said:

Yes - the caller has to be logged in to wifi but not the recipient of the call - hence only one login. The people I called were not logged into wifi - I just called the number (even an 800 number).

PS - my home service is with Comcast and that was the service the wifi call was using - not my ATT iPhone service which would be a paid long distance call. In fact, I could make the same call from my iPad - didn’t even need to use my iPhone.

Also, the numbers I called were US landlines and it was like a call being made from my home phone # - thus there was no charge to either party. If OP were to call someone’s cell phone he may not be charged for a wifi call but perhaps the recipient of the call might be charged as they are out of the country? I don’t have the answer but I think if not calling them then messaging them should have been 

Ah. I assumed the caller and callee were both on the ship trying to communicate, and both would need to be using wifi calling to avoid both incoming an outgoing charges from the cruises roaming connection.

[pingpong1]

For me, a "good cruise", or even a land vacation, is one in which I don't ever have to turn on a cell phone or get within 10 feet of a keyboard device, at all!  How did we ever function as human beings, raise children, or go on vacations, before we ever had "electronic thingies" to hold up to our ears?  "Damn, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs"!  😠

[kitty9]

When we were on Riviera in May, wifi speed was awful.  BUT, if you were willing to pay for their upgraded wifi, it was sooooo much faster.  

[ak1004]

I find the one account solution very fair when the internet is free. On most lines it isn't (it cost $320 for unlimited internet on 12 night cruise on Celebrity, for ONE account). Giving one free account and an option to purchase more is very fair and reasonable in my opinion. Giving more than one account for free would reduce the speeds significantly for everyone on board.

[ak1004]

On 7/30/2019 at 3:14 PM, kitty9 said:

When we were on Riviera in May, wifi speed was awful.  BUT, if you were willing to pay for their upgraded wifi, it was sooooo much faster.  

 

The IT guy on our cruise last September claimed that the speed is the same for free and upgraded packages. The difference is that the upgraded package allows streaming while the free one does not.

[clo]

7 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

the speed is the same for free and upgraded packages.

That's what I thought.  What affected the speed was how many users were on at the same time.  Not just on ships.

[bunzini]

WIFI is important to us as well.  My husband does a lot of research while we are at sea.  It is a form of entertainment for him.  Please do not make any comments about being disconnected, etc.  To each his own.  For us WIFI is very important, so it is nice to know whether or not the WIFI works as it should.  

[clo]

1 hour ago, bunzini said:

WIFI is important to us as well.  My husband does a lot of research while we are at sea.  It is a form of entertainment for him.  Please do not make any comments about being disconnected, etc.  To each his own.  For us WIFI is very important, so it is nice to know whether or not the WIFI works as it should.  

I just skimmed this thread and saw only one comment.  But I guess you know that depending on where you travel you might have little or no internet.  Off the grid.

[Ken the cruiser]

3 hours ago, bunzini said:

WIFI is important to us as well.  My husband does a lot of research while we are at sea.  It is a form of entertainment for him.  Please do not make any comments about being disconnected, etc.  To each his own.  For us WIFI is very important, so it is nice to know whether or not the WIFI works as it should.  

We had no WiFi issues while we were on the Sirena and Nautica, 2 of their smaller ships, last year. However, we WILL NOT go on the Riviera until we hear they have upgraded their WiFi system, to include their routers. We were on her for 45 days last Oct/Nov and had horrible service, mostly caused by inefficient router connectivity issues. If quality internet service is important to you, you may want to reconsider booking a cruise on the Riviera until they upgrade their service. 

[cruzemaven]

On Insignia now...using the ship’s WiFi right now to post this...WiFi works well most of the time.

[AtA]

On 7/29/2019 at 6:12 PM, ORV said:

Seems an easy fix would have been to purchase one package. I believe on Celebrity there is no free internet. You either take it as a perk or purchase it. I don't know about the other lines. 

Crystal has free internet for all and it's really excellent.

I believe Regent has free internet after 1 or 2 cruises?

 

 Giving more than one account for free would reduce the speeds significantly for everyone on board.

Actually if the ships upgraded their service like Crystal ships did, it wouldn't reduce speeds for anyone. In fact since Crystal changed their service internet speed is much faster than it used to be. It can be done but the ships are reluctant to pay to do so.

Edited August 6 by AtA

[AtA]

On 7/29/2019 at 11:49 PM, Paulchili said:

Yes - the caller has to be logged in to wifi but not the recipient of the call - hence only one login.

Actually both parties have to be logged into wifi to not get any additional charges. If you're not logged into wifi and you take a call, you will be charged additional fees from your carrier. (Ask me how I found that out!)