Regent Explorer Internet Experience

[OMW]

Hi All,

 

We are a working couple tentatively booked on the March 2022 crossing to Europe.  It is essential that we have decent working internet to manage our businesses (email mainly...streaming not needed).  Please provide any insights on recent (up to early 2020 obviously) sailings regarding internet performance on the Explorer.

 

Thank you...much appreciated in advance. 

[Kwaj girl]

I, too, use the internet for work emails quite a bit onboard, experiencing few connectivity issues with some exceptions.  Example - in Japan apparently Japan's emergency communications use the same systems that the ship does...so we had no internet onboard when in that country.  We were able to access internet in the terminals (mostly free access).  Also - if A LOT of passengers are trying to get on at the same time (such as after returning from excursions & they're trying to download photos, etc) it can be a bit slow.  I found it easiest and fastest early in the morning, late in the evening, and when everyone was in the lounge pre-dinner & the early part of dinner.  We like to eat a bit later (eg 730pm or so) so this was not a big deal for us.

[Steve Q]

21 hours ago, Kwaj girl said:

I, too, use the internet for work emails quite a bit onboard, experiencing few connectivity issues with some exceptions.  Example - in Japan apparently Japan's emergency communications use the same systems that the ship does...so we had no internet onboard when in that country.  We were able to access internet in the terminals (mostly free access).  Also - if A LOT of passengers are trying to get on at the same time (such as after returning from excursions & they're trying to download photos, etc) it can be a bit slow.  I found it easiest and fastest early in the morning, late in the evening, and when everyone was in the lounge pre-dinner & the early part of dinner.  We like to eat a bit later (eg 730pm or so) so this was not a big deal for us.

I think we are on the same cruise—-Miami to Rome. Hope it sails. Our previous Miami to Lisbon in March 2022 on Voyager has already been cancelled. We booked this as a replacement.

[OMW]

Thank you Kwaj Girl.  That is helpful information.  

 

Steve...We are booked with the deposit due Monday (also for the next leg...although we may stay in Italy for 5 days then hop on an Oceania to Barcelona).  We have other options we are exploring as well but would prefer to go Regent.  It seems silly maybe, the internet performance is a deciding factor.   We each own our respective companies and cannot be too out of touch.  Hopefully we can get some more feedback to help us make our decision.  

[ronrick1943]

We didn’t use it for work, but we really didn’t have a problem with the service.  A few times it took a little longer to download something.  It was OK…….

[Steve Q]

3 hours ago, OMW said:

Thank you Kwaj Girl.  That is helpful information.  

 

Steve...We are booked with the deposit due Monday (also for the next leg...although we may stay in Italy for 5 days then hop on an Oceania to Barcelona).  We have other options we are exploring as well but would prefer to go Regent.  It seems silly maybe, the internet performance is a deciding factor.   We each own our respective companies and cannot be too out of touch.  Hopefully we can get some more feedback to help us make our decision.  

Received an email from Regent this morning offering a free two category upgrade for this cruise. Contacted our Travel agent and they got us upgraded from a Superior Suite to a Concierge Level Suite. We are pleased as we had originally forfeited this perk when they cancelled our Voyager cruise.

[CruisetheCs]

There is a link to a thread from late 2019 about internet connectivity on Regent https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2709374-connectivity-on-regent/page/5/

 

Regent has a long history of promising far more than it provides with regard to internet functionality.  Search for the terms "fiber optic speed" on this forum and you will find lots of older posts about Regent's history of advertising.

 

My experience with many Regent cruises is simply that the internet sometimes works and sometimes doesn't.  When it works (which in my experience is most of the time) its quality is unpredictable though.  And typically download and upload speeds are slow.  I have old speed test results that are still on my phone showing download speeds of about 5 MBPS to less than 1 MBPS on Regent Explorer in Sept 2019.  Many times the speed was less than 1 MBPS--and Ping was often 600ms or longer.  And at times it can unpredictably simply stop working.  My experience is that email usually works, but downloading and uploading files is slow and inconsistent.

 

Another consideration is whether you want to use more devices simultaneously than you get with "free" included internet.  Paying for minutes of use is extremely frustrating because there are inevitably times when the internet is so slow that something that should take 30 seconds will take minutes to do.

 

It is possible that Regent upgraded its bandwidth after the thread I posted above, but I wouldn't count on it.

[OMW]

Thank you.  I did read through the thread plus the other feedback so far. It has definitely given us pause for thought on going through with this cruise.  We are doing some more diligence and hope to get some more feedback here.  

[pingpong1]

51 minutes ago, OMW said:

Thank you.  I did read through the thread plus the other feedback so far. It has definitely given us pause for thought on going through with this cruise.  We are doing some more diligence and hope to get some more feedback here.  

I'm just wondering if there's any cruise line internet service that would be rated as consistently "Great"?

[OMW]

I actually have had pretty good luck on Viking and Celebrity.  Viking especially.  

[Dwtlion]

Where you are cruising can make big difference due to number and location of satellites. The further north or south of the equator you are; fjords and other natural objects can impact the satellite internet

reception.

[Pcardad]

The hardware is in place...Regent just needs to pay for the bandwidth and it would turn on with the flick of a switch.

[wcsdkqh]

All must be right in the world when the conversation returns to Regent internet. 😀

[GOARMY]

Yes, and The World--neigh the Universe-- will certainly have reverted back to what will pass as the New Normal when we again, again, make another visit to Regent's "Tipping Policy".  Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa [for even bringing this up].   

 

It's the old Altar Boy in me. 

 

Take care,

 

GOARMY!

 

  

 

 

[mikenbob]

Perhaps a new thread on whether we should tip for good internet speeds?! 😂 Happy sailing, y'all!

[Pcardad]

On 6/12/2021 at 8:29 AM, mikenbob said:

Perhaps a new thread on whether we should tip for good internet speeds?! 😂 Happy sailing, y'all!

 

I think that would be a bribe.....

[OMW]

In case anyone cares we ended up NOT booking on Regent.  We opted for Celebrity Edge in a Suite in April.  Too many questions unanswered regarding the internet...plus the retreat perks, prospects for better weather a month later both crossing and in the Med., and many other factors.  Perhaps we will book a Regent down the line.  Thank you.  

[pdaniel]

46 minutes ago, OMW said:

In case anyone cares we ended up NOT booking on Regent.  We opted for Celebrity Edge in a Suite in April.  Too many questions unanswered regarding the internet...plus the retreat perks, prospects for better weather a month later both crossing and in the Med., and many other factors.  Perhaps we will book a Regent down the line.  Thank you.  

Probably a good call if WiFi speed is a critical part of your cruise experience.  We were on the Edge last January and Explorer on February 22nd.  The internet speed was terrific on Edge and unusable on Explorer.  

We are currently on Silver Moon and WiFi speed is excellent.

We love Regent but WiFi speed is consistently bad.

[UUNetBill]

We've been hit-and-miss on internet on Explorer...mostly miss.

 

Checking email wasn't an issue, but large attachments were.  No amount of walking around the ship, propping doors open, sitting under repeaters, etc. was helpful.  I'd describe it as 'marginally useful'.  Which isn't good if you rely on decent connectivity to stay in touch with your business.

 

Hopefully someday Regent will realize that they're losing sales due to weak connectivity and finally do something about it.

 

"Fiber-optic speeds" my butt.