Royal Princess Internet Requirement

[WannaBaMermaid]

I will be on the Royal Princess soon (first time Princess) and plan on purchasing the internet package.  I'm old.  I'm not into all these apps and new technology.  I know the basics.  How does the internet actually work on my smartphone (iPhone)?  Do I just connect to the Princess internet once I'm boarded and Princess knows I have paid or do I need to add all the apps (medallion) that I keep reading about?

 

I had planned on getting the Medallion apps but got totally confused when I realized there were multiple apps and quiet a few people were having problems getting "ocean ready", etc.  I really don't want a bunch of apps.  I will only use the internet for wifi calling home.  

 

Technology moves too fast for old folks......🤣 (or at least ME)

 

Thanks for any input you can provide!

[vampiress]

you will connect to the ship wifi just like you would at hotel.  you look for the ship's wifi in the wifi section of your phone, and then once you connect it will open a browser and have you log in.

 

the apps don't really have anything to do with the internet.  you would want the medallion class app, as this will give you access to the onboard ship functions like ordering drinks, finding your friends/family, and looking at the journey.

[Mike45LC]

7 hours ago, vampiress said:

the apps don't really have anything to do with the internet.  you would want the medallion class app, as this will give you access to the onboard ship functions like ordering drinks, finding your friends/family, and looking at the journey.

I want the Schedule of Activities, but I do NOT need to order drinks through my phone or to do any of the other things that Princess is pushing the Medallion for.  So I will have to carefully review the list of the Applications so that I don't clutter my phone with a bunch of junk that I don't want.

 

[WannaBaMermaid]

Thanks Vampiress; this answers my questions!  I think I can manage this.  🙂

 

I also agree with Mike45LC, I don't think I need the apps since I am not so tech savvy, nor do I want to be.  I can order my drinks the old fashioned way.  Schedule of Activities might be nice though if they don't give you a paper copy.

 

[XBGuy]

WBM--no apps are needed.  In your cabin you will find instructions on how to connect to the ship's Wi-fi with your iPhone.

 

You mentioned that you planned on purchasing an internet package.  It sounds like you haven't done so, and that is fine.  When you first log on, you will be offered various options.  I might suggest that you give serious consideration to the unlimited access option that is available on the Royal Princess rather than buying some amount of minutes.  It is a bit more expensive, but with the unlimited plan, you do not have to worry about logging off when you end a session in order to preserve the unused minutes that you might have left.  My wife is not the most technical person, either, but she is better than most.  She finds the Princess log-off procedure to be confusing and there has been at least one time when she has thought she was logged off, only to find that the next time she tried to log on, her minutes are gone.  We get "free" minutes from the Princess Captain's Circle program.  Since I have no reason to go on-line when I'm on a cruise, she just logged on as me and used my minutes.  On our Royal Princess cruise, next week, she is going to go for the unlimited access program.  We have a ton of OBC for this cruise.  😁

[skynight]

Turn phone to airplane mode, this is important so you are not charged for cell service.

Then turn your wi-fi back on.

Visit the internet navigators. They will set everything up, explain how to use it and place an icon on your screen. On our last cruise there were navigators roaming around the ship on boarding day and they had a desk by the photo area. They are also in the internet cafe.

[Blondilu]

As XBGuy said you have to be very careful to log out when you have a set amount of minutes.  I have twice lost my "free" minutes because I thought I was logged out but wasn't.  

 

 

[cr8tiv1]

Do you really need to purchase internet minutes?  You will be able to use the INTRAnet on your phone for free (order drinks, get the patter, message other passengers, check your bill, and anything to do with the ship you are on).  Did I mention....for free????

 

The only time you would need the INTERnet is if you wanted to check for emails, read the news, play games, etc.  

 

You did mentioned that you will be on the Royal Princess.  Are you doing a Mexican cruise or a California Coastal?  If you are doing California Ports, you can use your (smart)phone data when you get off the ship.  In Mexico...that's a different story, but there is "free" wifi available at Starbucks and other places like that.  In Ensenada, I walked over the "bridge" to get free wifi on the last day.

[Mike45LC]

1 hour ago, cr8tiv1 said:

You did mentioned that you will be on the Royal Princess.  Are you doing a Mexican cruise or a California Coastal?  If you are doing California Ports, you can use your (smart)phone data when you get off the ship.  In Mexico...that's a different story, but there is "free" wifi available at Starbucks and other places like that.  In Ensenada, I walked over the "bridge" to get free wifi on the last day.

 

We will be on a Mex Riv cruise.  Through Verizon, we get unlimited access on our phones for a reasonable daily fee whilst ashore.  But we have three sea days and several evenings/nights on board.  My wife loves to stream, so we need to get her unlimited internet.  I'll stick with my free minutes, 150 minutes is plenty for me to check my email.

[mtnesterz]

10 hours ago, WannaBaMermaid said:

...(first time Princess) and plan on purchasing the internet package... How does the internet actually work on my smartphone (iPhone)?  Do I just connect to the Princess internet once I'm boarded and Princess knows I have paid or do I need to add all the apps (medallion) that I keep reading about?

 I will only use the internet for wifi calling home

There are log on instructions provided onboard. For additional connectivity, app questions and problems, go to the Internet Cafe, most ships in the Atrium, and the on duty technician will patiently (in my experience) walk you through your concerns.  There is usually quite a line the first cruise day, so don't feel alone.  As mentioned, don't forget to log out after your session!

Edited September 11, 2019 by mtnesterz

[WannaBaMermaid]

Thanks all for your excellent suggestions!   You brought to attention things that I had not thought of.   I’ll get the unlimited package as not to worry about logging off. I really only Need the internet to make WiFi calls but I do need to call home & surely don’t want to lose my minutes by forgetting to log off ( which I would surely do).   

 

[Colo Cruiser]

39 minutes ago, WannaBaMermaid said:

Thanks all for your excellent suggestions!   You brought to attention things that I had not thought of.   I’ll get the unlimited package as not to worry about logging off. I really only Need the internet to make WiFi calls but I do need to call home & surely don’t want to lose my minutes by forgetting to log off ( which I would surely do).   

 

There is one app for the Medallion now. They combined them into one recently.

The Medallionnet is awesome.

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, Mike45LC said:

I don't clutter my phone with a bunch of junk that I don't want.

You can always delete the apps while waiting to board your plane home.

 

[caribill]

8 hours ago, XBGuy said:

I might suggest that you give serious consideration to the unlimited access option that is available on the Royal Princess rather than buying some amount of minutes.

When unlimited Internet is offered, then packages of minutes are not sold.

 

(Platinum/elite get their free minutes, but are offered the opportunity to exchange the minutes + $$$ for an unlimited package.)

[XBGuy]

10 hours ago, caribill said:

When unlimited Internet is offered, then packages of minutes are not sold.

 

(Platinum/elite get their free minutes, but are offered the opportunity to exchange the minutes + $$$ for an unlimited package.)

 

I did not realize that.  Thanks.

 

They do also offer unlimited access by the day, don't they?  I can see a scenario where people exhaust their Captain''s Circle allocation with only one or two days left in their cruise.  I would think that they might be inclined to purchase 24 hours, or so, of additional access.

[voljeep]

10 minutes ago, XBGuy said:

 

I did not realize that.  Thanks.

 

They do also offer unlimited access by the day, don't they?  I can see a scenario where people exhaust their Captain''s Circle allocation with only one or two days left in their cruise.  I would think that they might be inclined to purchase 24 hours, or so, of additional access.

19.99 per day ...

[rbrad3]

11 hours ago, caribill said:

When unlimited Internet is offered, then packages of minutes are not sold.

 

(Platinum/elite get their free minutes, but are offered the opportunity to exchange the minutes + $$$ for an unlimited package.)

can you do this before boarding or after?

 

[Times Prince]

On 9/10/2019 at 9:10 AM, WannaBaMermaid said:

I will be on the Royal Princess soon (first time Princess) and plan on purchasing the internet package.  I'm old.  I'm not into all these apps and new technology.  I know the basics.  How does the internet actually work on my smartphone (iPhone)?  Do I just connect to the Princess internet once I'm boarded and Princess knows I have paid or do I need to add all the apps (medallion) that I keep reading about?

 

I had planned on getting the Medallion apps but got totally confused when I realized there were multiple apps and quiet a few people were having problems getting "ocean ready", etc.  I really don't want a bunch of apps.  I will only use the internet for wifi calling home.  

 

Technology moves too fast for old folks......🤣 (or at least ME)

 

Thanks for any input you can provide!

To start with  put your iphone into AIRPLANE MODE.  Very important.

Then you can enable just wi-fi on your phone.  The initial connection is to the ship's intranet (not global INTERnet).  You can maintain this for your cruise, as it uses no charged minutes.

The INTERNET package is charged separately and one only uses it when you want to email, search the internet, go to internet sites.   Be sure to LOG OFF when done, as any extra time will go against your paid allotment.

 

Hint: if browsing a lot of email, access it while connected to the internet, log off, the prepare responses offline to be sent when next online, which uses less of your paid minutes.

[Times Prince]

56 minutes ago, XBGuy said:

 

I did not realize that.  Thanks.

 

They do also offer unlimited access by the day, don't they?  I can see a scenario where people exhaust their Captain''s Circle allocation with only one or two days left in their cruise.  I would think that they might be inclined to purchase 24 hours, or so, of additional access.

My wife and I have never run out of both of our Elite allotment of minutes on a cruise.     Judicial management is the key.

[XBGuy]

2 minutes ago, Times Prince said:

My wife and I have never run out of both of our Elite allotment of minutes on a cruise.     Judicial management is the key.

 

In fact we have never run out, either.  On our last cruise when we went to the disembarkation lounge Mrs. XBGuy logged on and found that she had 120 minutes remaining.  Ten minutes later our disembarkation group was called, and off we went.

 

As you say, "Judicial management is the key."

 

On the other hand, when you're on vacation who wants to be judicious?  I think I posted above that on our next cruise we have a ton if OBC.  The theme for this cruise is to not act like an adult in any way.  So, Mrs. XBGuy is getting unlimited access.  😁

[Mike45LC]

49 minutes ago, XBGuy said:

On the other hand, when you're on vacation who wants to be judicious?  I think I posted above that on our next cruise we have a ton if OBC.  The theme for this cruise is to not act like an adult in any way.  So, Mrs. XBGuy is getting unlimited access.  😁

Wonderfully put!  

 

But I am sure you do not mean by "to not act like an adult in any way" that you will not be indulging in adult beverages!  Enjoy those as well!

 

[XBGuy]

2 hours ago, Mike45LC said:

Wonderfully put!  

 

But I am sure you do not mean by "to not act like an adult in any way" that you will not be indulging in adult beverages!  Enjoy those as well!

 

 

Yes, you are probably correct.  We are leaving next Tuesday, and what you read might have been keyboard exuberance.

[Haboob]

7 hours ago, Times Prince said:

My wife and I have never run out of both of our Elite allotment of minutes on a cruise.     Judicial management is the key.

The problem is that if you use WiFi calling, you have to remain logged onto the ship's internet to receive calls and texts unless you have a "call-me-at time" established.

[Steelers36]

8 hours ago, rbrad3 said:

can you do this before boarding or after?

 

If you are Platinum/Elite (and I presume so with the context of your question above), you should wait until on board and then swap your free minutes for a 25% discount.  Your bottom-line net will be less than what is offered in the Cruise Personalizer.  Do this on embarkation day.  Earlier the better, in case you need to visit Internet Cafe.  It will be quite busy by evening, if not before.  But they do bring in some extra help.

 

[caribill]

2 hours ago, Haboob said:

The problem is that if you use WiFi calling, you have to remain logged onto the ship's internet to receive calls and texts unless you have a "call-me-at time" established.

 

I assume the use of WIFI calling was for outgoing calls only. At least that is how we would use it.