NCL WiFi Cost & Usage Location

[Jack1980]

I'm looking at a cruise for myself and 3 children.  NCL looks suitable but when calculating costs, WiFi looks very expensive.  They're teens so want to use their phones every day - not all day of course but it seems I'd have to pay $30 + gratuity + tax for myself and then $16+gratuity+tax for each of them so it's around $100 per day, which, over a 10 day cruise is $1000.  That's kind of putting me off NCL as it increases the cost so much.  I can't find any 'full cruise' package so is that $1000 my only option ?   ( And that's for the basic service, no video calls/streaming).  Is there a cruise line which includes WiFi or has a whole-cruise package that's not so crazy priced?

 

Second question;  if I pay for just two packages, can I share them - i.e. I log off and then another device can log on?

Finally, according to this:  "Norwegian Bliss, Breakaway, Dawn, Epic, Gem, Getaway, Jade, Jewel, Pearl, Sky, Spirit, Star, Sun, Pride of America, and Prima. While the remainder of the vessels in the NCL fleet offer wifi to guests only within the Internet Cafe. "  Is that correct?   We will only be able to use the package by travelling to an Internet cafe every time ?  Not in the cabin or lounge/deck/restaurant areas?

I guess in protest I can have the 'gratuities' removed (I wish everyone would do that in order that they change the pricing model so it's more transparent and prices are fully inclusive).

 

thanks,

 

[Asawi]

What ship will you be on? The list that offers vessel-wide WiFi seems to be most of the fleet.

In my experience it can be a bit iffy in the room, depending on location on ship, but corridors and public spaces are usually good/acceptable. 

[Jack1980]

I think it's Getaway or Escape.

[Asawi]

Just now, Jack1980 said:

I think it's Getaway or Escape.

Then you'll be fine! I see now that Escape isn't listed in the article, but I think that is an error of the author. I can't imagine it not having shipwide coverage!

[Jack1980]

Thanks.  Still $1000 though... that's crazy !    I wonder how close to mediterranean shore it stays... i.e. whether you can connect to land cellular.. ?

[hallux]

Escape has ship-wide coverage, except for maybe the occasional dead-zone as can happen with any WiFi network.

2 hours ago, Jack1980 said:

Second question;  if I pay for just two packages, can I share them - i.e. I log off and then another device can log on?

Yes, I did this with my phone and tablet.  Additionally - SOME devices (I have a Pixel 7 and it can do this) can share the WiFi connection using the hotspot feature, so I could connect my Pixel to the ship's WiFi and log in to the internet then enable hotspot on the phone and share it to my tablet.

 

2 hours ago, Jack1980 said:

Finally, according to this:  "Norwegian Bliss, Breakaway, Dawn, Epic, Gem, Getaway, Jade, Jewel, Pearl, Sky, Spirit, Star, Sun, Pride of America, and Prima. While the remainder of the vessels in the NCL fleet offer wifi to guests only within the Internet Cafe. " 

Funny enough - on my cruise this year on the Bliss, in the area of the internet cafe was the one place I had the MOST trouble getting a connection as it's in the Atrium and it can be a popular spot sometimes.

[ngrund]

8 hours ago, Jack1980 said:

I'm looking at a cruise for myself and 3 children.  NCL looks suitable but when calculating costs, WiFi looks very expensive.  They're teens so want to use their phones every day - not all day of course but it seems I'd have to pay $30 + gratuity + tax for myself and then $16+gratuity+tax for each of them so it's around $100 per day, which, over a 10 day cruise is $1000.  That's kind of putting me off NCL as it increases the cost so much.  I can't find any 'full cruise' package so is that $1000 my only option ?   ( And that's for the basic service, no video calls/streaming).  Is there a cruise line which includes WiFi or has a whole-cruise package that's not so crazy priced?

 

Second question;  if I pay for just two packages, can I share them - i.e. I log off and then another device can log on?

Finally, according to this:  "Norwegian Bliss, Breakaway, Dawn, Epic, Gem, Getaway, Jade, Jewel, Pearl, Sky, Spirit, Star, Sun, Pride of America, and Prima. While the remainder of the vessels in the NCL fleet offer wifi to guests only within the Internet Cafe. "  Is that correct?   We will only be able to use the package by travelling to an Internet cafe every time ?  Not in the cabin or lounge/deck/restaurant areas?

I guess in protest I can have the 'gratuities' removed (I wish everyone would do that in order that they change the pricing model so it's more transparent and prices are fully inclusive).

 

thanks,

 

you misinterpreted this line:

 

Norwegian Cruise Line offers specific spaces onboard its ships for guests to access the internet, in addition to offering wifi packages to purchase.

 

You need to go to the cafe and use their computers if you don't buy wifi or have your own device

[Jack1980]

10 minutes ago, ngrund said:

you misinterpreted this line:

 

Norwegian Cruise Line offers specific spaces onboard its ships for guests to access the internet, in addition to offering wifi packages to purchase.

 

You need to go to the cafe and use their computers if you don't buy wifi or have your own device

 

Oh yes, you're right, I did misread it ! thanks.

[1bighund]

2 or 3 days into the cruise they will probably offer a highly discounted wifi

[fredflint]

Just give the kids one account to use you need to log off or you can kick the other person off it will. be fun watching them.   There is usually a 2 device option and there should not be a gratuity.

[Mike Senior]

10 hours ago, 1bighund said:

2 or 3 days into the cruise they will probably offer a highly discounted wifi

No, they won't. Based on recent Sun & Pearl cruises.

[hallux]

17 hours ago, 1bighund said:

2 or 3 days into the cruise they will probably offer a highly discounted wifi

 

6 hours ago, Mike Senior said:

No, they won't. Based on recent Sun & Pearl cruises.

It's not so much a huge discount as it is that you're not paying for a couple of the days so it's cheaper.

[BirdTravels]

On 5/10/2024 at 4:37 AM, Jack1980 said:

I'm looking at a cruise for myself and 3 children.  NCL looks suitable but when calculating costs, WiFi looks very expensive.  They're teens so want to use their phones every day - not all day of course but it seems I'd have to pay $30 + gratuity + tax for myself and then $16+gratuity+tax for each of them so it's around $100 per day, which, over a 10 day cruise is $1000.  That's kind of putting me off NCL as it increases the cost so much.  I can't find any 'full cruise' package so is that $1000 my only option ?   ( And that's for the basic service, no video calls/streaming).  Is there a cruise line which includes WiFi or has a whole-cruise package that's not so crazy priced?

 

Second question;  if I pay for just two packages, can I share them - i.e. I log off and then another device can log on?

Finally, according to this:  "Norwegian Bliss, Breakaway, Dawn, Epic, Gem, Getaway, Jade, Jewel, Pearl, Sky, Spirit, Star, Sun, Pride of America, and Prima. While the remainder of the vessels in the NCL fleet offer wifi to guests only within the Internet Cafe. "  Is that correct?   We will only be able to use the package by travelling to an Internet cafe every time ?  Not in the cabin or lounge/deck/restaurant areas?

I guess in protest I can have the 'gratuities' removed (I wish everyone would do that in order that they change the pricing model so it's more transparent and prices are fully inclusive).

 

thanks,

 

I would upgrade your Free at Sea minutes to basic unlimited wifi. Everyone shares that one account. Only one phone can be on at a time. When a 3 device access the WiFi, one gets bumped off. 
 

Or upgrade to a 2-device package and you suck it up and stay off the WiFi when the kids are active. 
 

It is the cost of the WiFi. No gratuities. 
 

wifi is available ship-wide on all ships. In your stateroom and in all public areas. 
 

We

share 1 account across 5 devices. Two phones each (one personal, one work) and a iPad. Sometimes a 6th device is my laptop if I carry it. 

Edited May 11 by BirdTravels

[Jack1980]

30 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

I would upgrade your Free at Sea minutes to basic unlimited wifi. Everyone shares that one account. Only one phone can be on at a time. When a 3 device access the WiFi, one gets bumped off. 
 

Or upgrade to a 2-device package and you suck it up and stay off the WiFi when the kids are active. 
 

It is the cost of the WiFi. No gratuities. 
 

wifi is available ship-wide on all ships. In your stateroom and in all public areas. 
 

We

share 1 account across 5 devices. Two phones each (one personal, one work) and a iPad. Sometimes a 6th device is my laptop if I carry it. 

 

Sharing 1 account with 5 people, one at a time would be tough as it's generally in the evening they'll all want to use it.

[BirdTravels]

8 minutes ago, Jack1980 said:

 

Sharing 1 account with 5 people, one at a time would be tough as it's generally in the evening they'll all want to use it.

Totally agree. But it is getting the kiddos to disconnect or $1K.
 

Personally, we would not pay the $1K. Fortunately, there was not a demand for WiFi when our kids were cruising. Now, they cannot their own WiFi when sailing. 

[Lellena]

Last November I upgraded my FAS internet package to unlimited ( no streaming) for 300 euro ( 19 night cruise) on the NCL Dawn and was able to log off and log on with my business phone..

I am not sure if I was able to do so because my husband had internet as well ( minutes part of the FAS promotion)

So technically I wasn't sharing it with anyone else..

 

 

Edited May 11 by Lellena

[erisajd]

The article you reference is from 2022. . . . most NCL ships have gone to Starlink - you'll still only see a 1.5-2mbps download at your device - so streaming is out - you cna have two devices on an account where two people in a cabin have upgraded to either unlimited wifi or FAS+. 

 

Remember also that the ship is made of metal - its a fourier box - so you cannot expect good cell service inside the ship - even in port - but in balconies you will find cell service to be ok - if you have one phone with a decent wifi hotspot account you can serve everyone else better. . . . 

 

wifi is a profit center for cruise companies - actually everything is a profit center - remember - $300 for a $100 50 min massage is highway robbery.   Everything else on board is priced like that.  

[hallux]

6 minutes ago, erisajd said:

its a fourier box

Did you mean Faraday?

[BirdTravels]

5 minutes ago, erisajd said:

Remember also that the ship is made of metal - its a fourier box - so you cannot expect good cell service inside the ship - even in port - but in balconies you will find cell service to be ok - if you have one phone with a decent wifi hotspot account you can serve everyone else better. . . . 

Ports are often bad for cell service. 10's of thousands of cruise ship passengers hitting cell towers taking bandwidth down to nothing. In a port like Miami, I move to WiFi quickly because the cell service degrades to unusable by sailaway time.