Wifi free anywhere on Princess ships

[startedwithamouse]

4 hours ago, deltahog said:

Hm they should have mentioned that then.....which I will mention to them.

Please don't be "that guy" to the crew. 

 

If you are upset, email corporate. Don't take it out on crew.

[Rick&Jeannie]

2 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

Looks like you failed to get your wish. 🤪

 

For some it is hard not to try to inform folks regarding the difference between WiFi and Internet access. So many just don't seem to understand. For me, I cringe mightily every time someone calls the wallpaper on their device a "screen saver". No, no, no, no, no. Not at all the same thing.

 

At work I had issues with people who referred to their computer as "the hard drive". x I would ask them if they drove their "carburetor" to work that morning. I actually had a user who thought her computer was "the modem" and another who thought the monitor was the computer. I had to smile and pretend they weren't making me crazy. Some refused to learn and continued with their improper terminology. I wasn't even allowed to shoot them.)

I think we've lived the same life!!! 😄

[Thrak]

6 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

I think we've lived the same life!!! 😄

 

All you can do is to smile and tell them not to worry, it's not their fault, and you will make things right. (No matter how many times they have done the same, lame thing before.) One person told me I was the "most patient person she had ever known". Hah! My wife about died when I told her that as she knows my actual level of patience. However, it was my job and I like to do my job well. It was nice that, no matter which office I went to, they were happy to see me. For my department I covered the blue area below:

Edited September 15, 2023 by Thrak

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, deltahog said:

I'm definitely going to print this out and take it then.

 

"Our Internet Café is filled with computers so it’s easy to access your mail account or browse the Internet for world news, sports and stock trading. Or bring your own electronic devices and access the Internet through our improved onboard wireless service. The Internet Café is open 24 hours a day."

 

https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/ships/products/activities/internet-cafe.html

IDK how you got linked to the page above, but this main page on MedallionNet is quite clear IMO that it is not free unless guest has booked Plus or Premier Cruise Fare. 

 

https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/ocean-medallion/medallionnet/

 

It also indicates that internet cost is $15/day and up.  What you indicate planning to print says nothing about providing free internet.  Guests are free to use any of the computer screens in the Internet Cafe area, but all you can do for free is what others posted above.

Edited September 15, 2023 by Steelers36

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, strobellayjam said:

I had also heard the Princess intranet would allow for use of the iPhone iMessaging, FaceTime and WhatsApp but we were not able to do so on our last sailing.  

WhatsApp and Facetime require Internet.  iMessaging can work between/among Apple smart devices.  No good to Android devices.

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, strobellayjam said:

I find the Princess app chat function clunky and my biggest pet peeve is that a notification does not pop up when a message is received.  That being said, it could be an argument for the fact that you're on the ship to "disconnect" 😄

Reading your note and others reminds me.  Princess touted some time back that one of the Princess Medallion App upgrades now included a notification to the receiving guest if a message was sent using the included shipmate messaging feature.  Posters keep saying there is no notification, so I wonder if they are folks like me that gave up on the thing ages ago or is there yet another bug out there that this new wonderful feature doesn't work.

[strobellayjam]

9 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

WhatsApp and Facetime require Internet.  iMessaging can work between/among Apple smart devices.  No good to Android devices.

I’m keen to test out iMessage again with our party onboard. Albeit the Medallion tracker has been helpful to meet up with the family while we are all scattered about doing our own thing. 

[deltahog]

11 hours ago, startedwithamouse said:

Please don't be "that guy" to the crew. 

 

If you are upset, email corporate. Don't take it out on crew.

Please read through the entire thread before commenting on posts in the middle of the thread.  This was addressed and put to bed.

[Guest ldtr]

17 hours ago, deltahog said:

I'm definitely going to print this out and take it then.

 

"Our Internet Café is filled with computers so it’s easy to access your mail account or browse the Internet for world news, sports and stock trading. Or bring your own electronic devices and access the Internet through our improved onboard wireless service. The Internet Café is open 24 hours a day."

 

https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/ships/products/activities/internet-cafe.html

If you buy a plan.

 

No free access to internet anywhere on board.

[kywildcatfanone]

20 hours ago, deltahog said:

I just watched the Discovery Princess tour and I believe I still saw an Internet Cafe?  That would still count as "free internet" in response to the question, yes?  The question was not "wifi" it was "internet" I believe.

The internet computers in the IC are not free internet usage. You have to log in just like you do on your phone/tablet/PC.  

[jwattle]

18 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

All you can do is to smile and tell them not to worry, it's not their fault, and you will make things right. (No matter how many times they have done the same, lame thing before.) One person told me I was the "most patient person she had ever known". Hah! My wife about died when I told her that as she knows my actual level of patience. However, it was my job and I like to do my job well. It was nice that, no matter which office I went to, they were happy to see me. For my department I covered the blue area below:

Hey, you covered our place too (Humboldt) 😄

 

[Thrak]

1 minute ago, jwattle said:

Hey, you covered our place too (Humboldt) 😄

 

 

5 hours one way to the Eureka office and even farther to the one person stationed in Crescent City. Loved travel to various offices as I got out of my office and was paid reimbursement for mileage. I used my own car so it was separate, non-taxed money. Then, of course, they also paid for hotel and meals. One night hotel stays alone are boring but my wife did go with me to the Tahoe office a couple of times. 🙂  Every time I got the mileage check for the month I stuck it into the "cruise account".

[jwattle]

Eureka! 🥂

[MissP22]

On 9/14/2023 at 6:52 PM, strobellayjam said:

The apps can run on the internet and intranet as well, depending on which IP ports are left open on the ship intranet.  Many eons ago when we sailed RCL Anthem of the Seas, we had the ability to use iMessage, Google Chat and Whatsapp to communicate with our fellow shipmates and those back home.  

 

I find the Princess app chat function clunky and my biggest pet peeve is that a notification does not pop up when a message is received.  That being said, it could be an argument for the fact that you're on the ship to "disconnect" 😄 

I'm still not certain if the Whatsapp will work without an internet connection or not. Not that I couldn't use their app to message my husband but Whatsapp is so much nicer if it'll work. 

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

2 hours ago, MissP22 said:

I'm still not certain if the Whatsapp will work without an internet connection or not. Not that I couldn't use their app to message my husband but Whatsapp is so much nicer if it'll work. 

I do not know for certain but unless Princess has blocked the use of WhatsApp specifically it is quite likely that WhatsApp messaging between passengers on the ship might be possible as the ship is basically an intranet. Messaging to people off the ship would definitely require a wifi subscription.

[MissP22]

1 hour ago, Snaxmuppet said:

I do not know for certain but unless Princess has blocked the use of WhatsApp specifically it is quite likely that WhatsApp messaging between passengers on the ship might be possible as the ship is basically an intranet. Messaging to people off the ship would definitely require a wifi subscription.

I was using the WhatsApp last cruise and it worked very good BUT we had the unlimited internet. Next trip, we don't so it should be interesting to see if it works with just the intranet alone. I really have no need of the internet when on the ship & enjoy getting away from most of the political news. 

At all our Caribbean ports we have unlimited phone & data so it's of no concern.

[Rick&Jeannie]

2 hours ago, MissP22 said:

I was using the WhatsApp last cruise and it worked very good BUT we had the unlimited internet. Next trip, we don't so it should be interesting to see if it works with just the intranet alone. I really have no need of the internet when on the ship & enjoy getting away from most of the political news. 

At all our Caribbean ports we have unlimited phone & data so it's of no concern.

WhatsApp requires the internet. 

[MissP22]

2 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

WhatsApp requires the internet. 

I was afraid of that. 

[Roberto256]

On 9/14/2023 at 4:47 PM, deltahog said:

I'm definitely going to print this out and take it then.

 

"Our Internet Café is filled with computers so it’s easy to access your mail account or browse the Internet for world news, sports and stock trading. Or bring your own electronic devices and access the Internet through our improved onboard wireless service. The Internet Café is open 24 hours a day."

 

https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/ships/products/activities/internet-cafe.html

Our bars are filled with your favorites spirits...

 

Doesn't mean it's free.

[MissP22]

17 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

WhatsApp requires the internet. 

Yes, I realize that I wouldn't be able to call outside phones without an INTERNET connection but just to call each other on the ship in the same network it may be possible. 

Still hoping. 

[SinbadThePorter]

On 9/15/2023 at 6:23 AM, voljeep said:

let's just get this clear from the start - On CC at least - Wifi and internet are the same thing and no need for an "expert IT consultant" to correct the difference - OK?

 

That way madness lies!

[Rick&Jeannie]

2 hours ago, MissP22 said:

Yes, I realize that I wouldn't be able to call outside phones without an INTERNET connection but just to call each other on the ship in the same network it may be possible. 

Still hoping. 

WhatsApp depends on access to its main servers to facilitate its functions. It does not have the capability to make a  "direct call" to a device on local wifi.

[Rick&Jeannie]

Perhaps this will "put this topic to bed"!  This is directly from the WhatsApp website:

 

Problems connecting to WhatsApp

If you can’t connect to WhatsApp, it’s usually because your device isn’t connected to the internet. To ensure you have a working internet connection, follow these steps:

1. Make sure you have a data plan on your mobile provider’s network, or a Wi-Fi connection with internet access.
2. Make sure that the signal strength of the Wi-Fi or data network is good and the device is connected to the network.
3. Open a webpage in your device browser to see if it loads. If it does, your device is connected to the internet.
4. Reboot your device.

[Roberto256]

On 9/17/2023 at 8:45 AM, Rick&Jeannie said:

If you can’t connect to WhatsApp, it’s usually because your device isn’t connected to the internet.

 

I think that's sort of obvious...

Maybe they should add step 0:   make sure your device is powered on.  :)

[Rick&Jeannie]

17 minutes ago, Roberto256 said:

 

I think that's sort of obvious...

Maybe they should add step 0:   make sure your device is powered on.  🙂

There seemed to be some confusion about the app and how it communicated.