Wi-Fi on Freedom?

[Daytona_John]

Any chance Freedom will be Wi-Fi capable? My last cruise was on NCL, and they had Internet terminals which were horribly slow and expensive. :eek:

[FitzLA]

Any chance Freedom will be Wi-Fi capable? My last cruise was on NCL, and they had Internet terminals which were horribly slow and expensive. :eek:

 

On Freedom, the entire ship is Wi-Fi.

[Daytona_John]

On Freedom, the entire ship is Wi-Fi.

 

That seriously rocks!!!! Woohoo!!!

[FitzLA]

That seriously rocks!!!! Woohoo!!!

 

You should check out www.freedomoftheseas.com if you have not already. There is a lot of info you would enjoy. Also, here is a little tid-bit from RCI website.

 

Setting sail for the Caribbean in June 2006, our largest ship yet - Freedom of the Seas! Though we're not quite ready to reveal all of the spectacular features, rest assured this Royal Caribbean International masterpiece will come complete with a rock-climbing wall, Royal Promenade and ice-skating rink. We'll also be including extensive WiFi capabilities and connectivity for cell phones as well as flat-screen TVs in every stateroom. What else could we possibly put on a cruise ship? You'll be amazed.

[zotzer]

Just because they will have wireless, doesn't necessarily mean that the connection will be fast. :)

 

Tracy

[Daytona_John]

Just because they will have wireless, doesn't necessarily mean that the connection will be fast. :)

 

Tracy

 

Hey - as long as I can check E-Mail.... :D

 

I wonder what the bit about cell phone connectivity means? I have an international plan on my T-Mobile phone...I wonder if it will work at sea? Love my Razor....:cool:

 

[FitzLA]

Are these all photos that you took? I have the Razr as well, but not sure that I like it. I also have the new t-mobile blackberry 8700g that I just got. Not sure if I like that either. Think I like the old blackberry better.

[Daytona_John]

Are these all photos that you took? I have the Razr as well, but not sure that I like it. I also have the new t-mobile blackberry 8700g that I just got. Not sure if I like that either. Think I like the old blackberry better.

 

Yep - all my photos. I have a bit of a....watch problem... :D

 

"Hi. I'm John...I'm a watch-a-holic." :cool: :D

 

So do you think RCI will some how make mobile service available on board ship? :confused:

 

I've thought about getting one of those blackberrys....cool, but I like the profile of the Razor.

[FitzLA]

Yep - all my photos. I have a bit of a....watch problem... :D

 

"Hi. I'm John...I'm a watch-a-holic." :cool: :D

 

So do you think RCI will some how make mobile service available on board ship? :confused:

 

I've thought about getting one of those blackberrys....cool, but I like the profile of the Razor.

 

The ship will have cell phone connectivity, but as far as I have heard only through cingular. So I believe you will be roaming otherwise. But I think it would be roaming even with cingular service while at sea. Thats all I know so far.

[viperrtblck]

can someone explain exactly WHAT the wi-fi feature is..obviously for internet it's wirelss in your stateroom, but is it high speed ? and the cell phone wi-fi?...whats the deal there?

[FitzLA]

Yes, it is high speed. But depending on how far away you are from the terminal, it can be quite slow.

 

All cell phones are pretty much wifi. Wifi just mean wireless. They are all wireless. They are suppose to have a cell tower on board the ship so you get service.

[wraithe]

There's a really good article in the Feb 2006 edition of Cruise Travel magazine that details how the cell phone service works at sea. It's really pretty cool if you're a techie, basically MTN (Maritime Telecommunications Network, the people that handle the chores) take the calls from their network in Miami, beam back and forth from a satellite that sends the signal to the ship, where it's distributed via a cell phone tower on the ship. They send and receive CDMA (Verizon and Sprint), GSM (T-Mobile and Cingular) and GPRS (wireless devices like Blackberry). Now the important part, since they're a partner with Cingular, it's the cheapest service at $1.99/minute, $3/min for Sprint, and $4.99/min T-Mobile, they also serve 250 other carriers from around the world with the notable exception of Verizon, who won't sign a contract with them, therefore they have no service. I can vouch for that personally, my Verizon phone showed no signal while out to sea on Mariner. Essentially what MTN does is turn the ship into a Caribbean island. I saw quite a few people using phones while out to sea, some for fairly long periods of time while I was running on the upper deck.

 

Speaking of Blackberries, I'm looking at the 7130E from Verizon, it's capable of hooking to my laptop via USB port and acting as a high speed modem, in addition to all the normal Blackberry features. Does anyone have any experience with this unit? From looking at reviews on the web, it's got high marks, but looking for someone with personal experience.

[Daytona_John]

The ship will have cell phone connectivity, but as far as I have heard only through cingular. So I believe you will be roaming otherwise. But I think it would be roaming even with cingular service while at sea. Thats all I know so far.

 

Well, this is a positive for me, since Cingular and T-Mobile (my provider) use the same technology...my wife might be out of luck since she has Verizon.

[Daytona_John]

There's a really good article in the Feb 2006 edition of Cruise Travel magazine that details how the cell phone service works at sea. It's really pretty cool if you're a techie, basically MTN (Maritime Telecommunications Network, the people that handle the chores) take the calls from their network in Miami, beam back and forth from a satellite that sends the signal to the ship, where it's distributed via a cell phone tower on the ship. They send and receive CDMA (Verizon and Sprint), GSM (T-Mobile and Cingular) and GPRS (wireless devices like Blackberry). Now the important part, since they're a partner with Cingular, it's the cheapest service at $1.99/minute, $3/min for Sprint, and $4.99/min T-Mobile, they also serve 250 other carriers from around the world with the notable exception of Verizon, who won't sign a contract with them, therefore they have no service. I can vouch for that personally, my Verizon phone showed no signal while out to sea on Mariner. Essentially what MTN does is turn the ship into a Caribbean island. I saw quite a few people using phones while out to sea, some for fairly long periods of time while I was running on the upper deck.

 

Speaking of Blackberries, I'm looking at the 7130E from Verizon, it's capable of hooking to my laptop via USB port and acting as a high speed modem, in addition to all the normal Blackberry features. Does anyone have any experience with this unit? From looking at reviews on the web, it's got high marks, but looking for someone with personal experience.

 

Hunh. Well, it's nice to know that I'll have service if I need it, but gosh...4.99/minute... :eek: Doesn't that sort of thing constitute piracy on the open sea? :D

[disneywkids]

On T mobile website under the international coverage there is a list of cruise lines that according to T mobile, lets you have service while cruising at sea. Almost every Royal Caribbean ship is listed. The charge is $4.99 a min, but with T mobile you have to activate the international service before you guy.

A ?, I have read that on royal caribbean you can rent/buy access to have internet in your cabin?? Has anyone done this, do they provide a laptop or do you bring your own.

[Daytona_John]

On T mobile website under the international coverage there is a list of cruise lines that according to T mobile, lets you have service while cruising at sea. Almost every Royal Caribbean ship is listed. The charge is $4.99 a min, but with T mobile you have to activate the international service before you guy.

A ?, I have read that on royal caribbean you can rent/buy access to have internet in your cabin?? Has anyone done this, do they provide a laptop or do you bring your own.

 

Well, I'm planning on brining my own laptop, and I'm really hoping there' no additional charges for accessing their Wi-Fi connectivity. :eek:

[flagger]

I think we are one of the only ones who go on vacation without our laptop or cellphone. There ain't nothing important enough to be bothered while at sea.

[LAKaye]

I have an extended family that includes several elderly and/or ill folks.

 

I consider these dear people to be extremely important, and the entire family stays in touch on a daily basis. If it were not for this ability to stay in touch, I might not be able to take a 7 day cruise.

 

Leslie

[flagger]

Why? How is keeping in touch versus not going to make a bit of difference in your ability to cruise? If they pass, they are still going to have passed whether you were on vacation or not. Being on vacation has no ability to cause a death.

[zotzer]

Well, I'm planning on brining my own laptop, and I'm really hoping there' no additional charges for accessing their Wi-Fi connectivity. :eek:

 

Well, hope on! You will have to buy time. Can either pay by the minute, or buy packages of minutes at reduced rates.

 

Tracy

[wraithe]

Well, I'm planning on brining my own laptop, and I'm really hoping there' no additional charges for accessing their Wi-Fi connectivity. :eek:

 

I don't know if there will be specials on Freedom, but if you look at the thread about FAQ for RCL cruiser, by RCL cruisers, there's a list on page 3 of WI-FI costs, it doesn't make sense that they'd have cyber cabin on Freedom, since it's supposed to have stem to stern WI-FI, either way you have to have your own laptop. Here's a link to the thread, http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=294633&page=3. Hope this helps.

[Daytona_John]

Well, hope on! You will have to buy time. Can either pay by the minute, or buy packages of minutes at reduced rates.

 

Tracy

 

Bummer :( I only think I'll need about 30-60 minutes of time though...hopefully they won't rape us too badly! :rolleyes:

[Daytona_John]

I don't know if there will be specials on Freedom, but if you look at the thread about FAQ for RCL cruiser, by RCL cruisers, there's a list on page 3 of WI-FI costs, it doesn't make sense that they'd have cyber cabin on Freedom, since it's supposed to have stem to stern WI-FI, either way you have to have your own laptop. Here's a link to the thread, http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=294633&page=3. Hope this helps.

 

Cool - thanks! Looks like 25.00 for 60 minutes, which should be plenty. :)

[Libby7]

Anyone been on a preview cruise yet? Is the wireless system for wireless computers up and running? If not - are there internet cafes working? As sad as it is .... when we go for three days starting May 26, I have to maintain some contact with work and home.

 

Thank you!

[Libby7]

I was on May 21 out of Boston for one night. Yes, there is an internet cafe and the wireless is up and running. However, I found the download times to be extremely slow. That's my only complaint about the ship. I love it, otherwise.

 

Paul

http://www.mtktravel.com

THanks - that helps alot. My wireless has always worked twice as fast on the ships than the inroom dial ups and the cafes-so I'll take that and give it a whirl.