Help with internet on Alaskan cruise for a UK traveller

[DJP31]

I've searched and browsed the replies but would like to check my understanding is correct please. we're on Regatta in Sept on an Alaskan cruise (first time cruiser and delayed from CV-19). very excited and just received the glossy brochure and luggage labels. 😃

 

I'm coming from the UK and think for shore based data I'm best advised to get an eSim (we did this for a Barbados trip and it worked really well, rather than buying a data roaming  package from our provider EE). Onboard we are concierge level so I think that gets us 2 x devices. I am still working and need to be in contact with my office via my laptop. Is the 2 x devices actually by actual "device" or can multiple devices access the wifi, just no more than 2 at any one time?

 

Any advice, tips or guidance is very welcome.

 

[1985rz1]

5 hours ago, DJP31 said:

I've searched and browsed the replies but would like to check my understanding is correct please. we're on Regatta in Sept on an Alaskan cruise (first time cruiser and delayed from CV-19). very excited and just received the glossy brochure and luggage labels. 😃

 

I'm coming from the UK and think for shore based data I'm best advised to get an eSim (we did this for a Barbados trip and it worked really well, rather than buying a data roaming  package from our provider EE). Onboard we are concierge level so I think that gets us 2 x devices. I am still working and need to be in contact with my office via my laptop. Is the 2 x devices actually by actual "device" or can multiple devices access the wifi, just no more than 2 at any one time?

 

Any advice, tips or guidance is very welcome.

 

No more than 2 at a time.

[basor]

Each stateroom has 2 WIFI accounts - a separate account must be set up for each.  Then each account can have 1 device signed in at a time.  There is no limit to the number of devices allowed to access the account, just only one can be signed in at a tine.

[AMHuntFerry]

One warning about internet on an Alaska cruise...we've taken 3 cruises to Alaska in 2023 and 2024. My spouse does some business on the cruise and has found that during the day/evening the internet can be incredibly slow to the point it's unusable since he has to go through the company's servers; I was able to check web-based email during these times but it can be slow. If he gets up in the middle of the night (say ~2-4 am), the internet is better. Also, if the port is popular, waiting until most people leave the ship meant he could get a little work done before we went ashore.

Also I see that you're getting an e-sim for off-ship use. Be sure to check the coverage maps for your ports. Often as soon as you leave a populated area you'll lose coverage (and even parts of the populated areas may be iffy).

Note that Starlink will be available by 2025 so future cruises should be better.

[FlyerTalker]

7 hours ago, DJP31 said:

I am still working and need to be in contact with my office via my laptop.

 

And that statement tells very little.  Does this mean you need to be able to communicate via texts, via emails, or do you require full-time video linkage?  Different needs call for different amounts of bandwidth - don't expect full-time video streaming.

 

You are going through a satellite.  And most importantly, you are sharing that "pipe" with EVERYONE else onboard your ship.  Including all the grandmothers that just HAVE to do video calls with their grandkids throughout the day.

 

If you absolutely have to be in constant contact with work, cruising is not the vacation for you.  Cold, hard fact.

 

 

[DJP31]

1 hour ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

And that statement tells very little.  Does this mean you need to be able to communicate via texts, via emails, or do you require full-time video linkage?  Different needs call for different amounts of bandwidth - don't expect full-time video streaming.

 

You are going through a satellite.  And most importantly, you are sharing that "pipe" with EVERYONE else onboard your ship.  Including all the grandmothers that just HAVE to do video calls with their grandkids throughout the day.

 

If you absolutely have to be in constant contact with work, cruising is not the vacation for you.  Cold, hard fact.

 

 

Apologies for not providing enough detail. I don't need video facilities, just to be able to reply to the occasional email and maybe view the odd attachment. 

[FlyerTalker]

24 minutes ago, DJP31 said:

Apologies for not providing enough detail. I don't need video facilities, just to be able to reply to the occasional email and maybe view the odd attachment. 

 

In that case, you should be fine.