Internet Package discounts on board

[annmarz]

I know that you can upgrade your "free" internet minutes onboard, and that it is best to wait till the second day of the cruise before logging in - thanks to all the posters on this board.  What I want to know is that are better discounts offered as the cruise progresses?  

[screenname2004]

For our 3/27/2022 cruise on NCL Bliss, we had 150 "free" internet minutes each as one of the perks. For day 1 & 2, we can upgrade for $110 for one device. From day 2 onward, $90 to upgrade. If you have not used your minutes, you can upgrade from the app at any time. If you have, the upgrade option disappeared from your app starting on day 2 and you have to do the upgrade at the internet cafe.

Edited June 2, 2022 by screenname2004

[mkkao924]

1 hour ago, screenname2004 said:

For our 3/27/2022 cruise on NCL Bliss, we had 150 "free" internet minutes each as one of the perks. For day 1 & 2, we can upgrade for $110 for one device. From day 2 onward, $90 to upgrade. If you have not used your minutes, you can upgrade from the app at any time. If you have, the upgrade option disappeared from your app starting on day 2 and you have to do the upgrade at the internet cafe.

"not used your minutes" at all? or "not used up all your minutes"?

[screenname2004]

2 minutes ago, mkkao924 said:

"not used your minutes" at all? or "not used up all your minutes"?

When the upgrade option "disappear" on day 2, person 1 used less than 30 minutes out of the 150. Person 2 did not use any minutes till day 6 and the upgrade option (at $90) was on the app till then.  Did not check exactly when the upgrade option dropped off on person 2's app.

[phillygwm]

8 hours ago, screenname2004 said:

For our 3/27/2022 cruise on NCL Bliss, we had 150 "free" internet minutes each as one of the perks. For day 1 & 2, we can upgrade for $110 for one device. From day 2 onward, $90 to upgrade. If you have not used your minutes, you can upgrade from the app at any time. If you have, the upgrade option disappeared from your app starting on day 2 and you have to do the upgrade at the internet cafe.

But does this represent a true discount or just that you're buying fewer internet days since it's already Day 3+?  

 

On my last 7 day cruise, the upgrade cost was <$100.  On this 10 day it's something like $175.  Someone explained the math previously so it makes sense but still seems like a lot of money.  But I need to be in touch with work so I won't really have a choice and will just budget it in.

[cruiseinfoseeker]

On 6/2/2022 at 6:52 AM, phillygwm said:

But does this represent a true discount or just that you're buying fewer internet days since it's already Day 3+?  

 

On my last 7 day cruise, the upgrade cost was <$100.  On this 10 day it's something like $175.  Someone explained the math previously so it makes sense but still seems like a lot of money.  But I need to be in touch with work so I won't really have a choice and will just budget it in.

someone needs to explain the math to me.

 

I upgraded (precruise) the 150 FAS minutes to the premium unlimited on a 7 day cruise in May for $179.93. That is approx. $25.70 per day. I have a 12 night booked on getaway for January. The FAS promo is 300 minutes per person on that one. So double the 7 night minutes free. HOWEVER, the 12 night to upgrade to the premium unlimited is $334.88. That is approx. $27.91 per day.  Help me with that math. double minutes- less than double amount of cruising days, but HIGHER per day upgrading cost.  Insane cost, really. 

(and I have another 7 night booked in May 2023 with FAS 150 showing premium unlimited upgrade same $179.93 that I paid for the 7 night this year, so it isn't just an across the board increase. )

 

We really would prefer the streaming (especially me as I'm hard of hearing so I need closed captioned programming and there is none of that on cabin tvs- except sometimes the international CNN or FOX with horrible lag time and/or horrible captioners--maybe not actual people doing it just an app-- and frankly not what I want to watch to wind down at the end of the day)

 

The profit on wifi for NCL is irritatingly over-the-top in my opinion

Edited June 13, 2022 by cruiseinfoseeker

[phillygwm]

10 hours ago, cruiseinfoseeker said:

I upgraded (precruise) the 150 FAS minutes to the premium unlimited on a 7 day cruise in May for $179.93. That is approx. $25.70 per day. I have a 12 night booked on getaway for January.

Not sure where those numbers came from.  I did a 7 day sailing in December and the upgrade cost was something less than $100 (I don't remember precisely.)  For my next 10 day cruise, the upgrade cost is $174.90 ($224 for premium.)

 

Someone else will have the specifics but the calculation is based on the FAS package having a fixed value.  That is subtracted from the non-upgraded package cost for the overall price.

[Dopeyjoy]

Can you upgrade before boarding, if you have the free wifi, or do you have to wait til you're onboard?

[phillygwm]

4 hours ago, Dopeyjoy said:

Can you upgrade before boarding, if you have the free wifi, or do you have to wait til you're onboard?

You should see the upgrade options in the Explore and Plan section of the website for your cruise.  Or you could wait until you're onboard.  I'll do the latter as then I can apply OBC to the cost.

[graphicguy]

The other question, if you’re an upper tier Latitudes member, you get 15% off the internet packages.  Is that combinable with the Free at Sea discounts?

[phillygwm]

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

The other question, if you’re an upper tier Latitudes member, you get 15% off the internet packages.  Is that combinable with the Free at Sea discounts?

I believe not.  When I look at my internet upgrade, it doesn't show the 15% Platinum discount I should receive.  The odd part is I've tried to add other Internet packages (not upgrading from FAS, just to see if it works) and it doesn't.  So not sure whether it would reflect if you called NCL to add or did it onboard but it doesn't seem to reflect online.

[mking8288]

@graphicguy - iCafe's upgrades can no longer be stacked or combined to maximize Latitudes discounts that otherwise are valid - unless it's charged at the full retail prices, not on the Getaway nor the Joy recently (20% for being Sapphire would've been nice, huh.)  Just upgrade first, onboard using NR OBC on Day 1 - do not use any of the available 150 airtime minutes.  There are still conflicting reports depending on CC'ers and the ship s/he sailed on, as to whether you are charged one day less if you do the upgrade or conversion to unlimited after midnight as that's technically Day #2 then.  

 

I upgrade my plan to unlimited on a 7 nighters for the duration, charged about $110 for the difference.  DW's "free" 150 minutes remained available & usable - that can be registered and used on a different device, or shared with someone else.  

 

NCL changed the rules of the games on it as we emerge from the 😷 pandemic ... it is what it is.  😠 

Mrs. M now just "spend" less duty-free shopping since her allocation of OBC has been slashed as a indirect result, to keep her busy on the unlimited plan.  

[graphicguy]

5 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

@graphicguy - iCafe's upgrades can no longer be stacked or combined to maximize Latitudes discounts that otherwise are valid - unless it's charged at the full retail prices, not on the Getaway nor the Joy recently (20% for being Sapphire would've been nice, huh.)  Just upgrade first, onboard using NR OBC on Day 1 - do not use any of the available 150 airtime minutes.  There are still conflicting reports depending on CC'ers and the ship s/he sailed on, as to whether you are charged one day less if you do the upgrade or conversion to unlimited after midnight as that's technically Day #2 then.  

 

I upgrade my plan to unlimited on a 7 nighters for the duration, charged about $110 for the difference.  DW's "free" 150 minutes remained available & usable - that can be registered and used on a different device, or shared with someone else.  

 

NCL changed the rules of the games on it as we emerge from the 😷 pandemic ... it is what it is.  😠 

Mrs. M now just "spend" less duty-free shopping since her allocation of OBC has been slashed as a indirect result, to keep her busy on the unlimited plan.  

Thanks!  

 

I used to be “up” on all of NCL’s policies.  Now?  Not so much!  Too many rule changes, too much time has passed.

 

Also checking to see if the Latitudes excursion discounts can be combines with the $50 excursion credit.

[sunshine5]

Does anyone know if it is possible to swap the free minutes for one  of the Unlimited Social Media Wi-Fi plans?

[CrazyTrain2]

I'm bringing my own StarLink satellite dish - it's gotta be cheaper. 😁

[John&LaLa]

On 6/21/2022 at 4:25 PM, CrazyTrain2 said:

I'm bringing my own StarLink satellite dish - it's gotta be cheaper. 😁

 

Probably won't work. Royal inking deal with Elon. Already setup on Freedom

[robin13]

On 6/20/2022 at 4:49 PM, graphicguy said:

Thanks!  

 

I used to be “up” on all of NCL’s policies.  Now?  Not so much!  Too many rule changes, too much time has passed.

 

Also checking to see if the Latitudes excursion discounts can be combines with the $50 excursion credit.

Yes, it can.  I just booked three excursions and it took off an additional 10%.