Internet Access = $30 an hour or $1000 for Cruise - Stealing?

[armandpaul]

PRINCESS is Charging $30 Per Hour for internet Service

 

This is our fourth cruise on Princess. My wife and I both run our own businesses and need internet access and assumed because the brochure indicated in had internet access that it was reasonable priced. (Note – platinum level cruisers receive internet access free per the brochure which may be very misleading as it does not cover wireless and this ship is not hard wired) Not so. Princess wants 50 cents per minute and we usually purchase 24/7 access for $10 per day or a little more on a ship. Not so on Princess as Princess wants $30 an hour for wireless internet which is the same as stealing. Joan must work several hours a day as she is in contract negotiations and dealing with ongoing client issues. Would never have booked on this ship or with Princess if we had known of this pricing before hand. I did not question but assumed and we all know what happened to assume.

 

Joan, my wife, who is really pissed off was on the phone with people on the ship at all levels and corporate headquarters and is working up the ladder trying to reach the sr. VP of customer service whom all appear on vacation but she is persistent – people not empowered to solve customer problems with a focus of maximizing today’s revenue with no understanding of the long term impact on their business.

 

We were approached by two other cruisers who overheard our conversation and had similar issues and are looking for solutions. It will be imperative for us to know the pricing of internet access on all future cruises. Please note this is a new policy for Princess and it is my memory that it was free in the past. We may just not be the profile of the customer Princess is seeking – late 50’s, disposable income with many years of cruising ahead. Humm – if confused appears to be an oxymoron. The ship while redone in 2003 has no hard wiring for networks in the rooms but has cable TV which is similar or the same wiring. Does anyone at Princess understand what is going on in the world.

[Toto2Kansas]

Personally, I would find another cruise or two to get yourself to Platinum status to receive free internet. Although it does not include your laptop, at least it would give you free access from the internet cafe. At that price, you could book a short cruise or two and it would be well worth your time and money to do so.

Internet access is a perk that you must pay for, I know, it is expensive, but it is just the way it is.

This isn't anything new actually, Princess has never had or has plans to have free wireless on their ships in the near future.

Sorry you are upset. You might try another line where you can purchase wireless in your cabin for a much cheaper rate if you have to work so hard on your vacation.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

On DCL you can pay a fee for unlimited access for the cruise but I don't think it includes wireless, not sure if other lines offer this as well.

[rinse82]

The cruise line is there to provide you with a comfortable and stress-free vacation.

 

They are not there to provide the infrastructure to run your business.

 

It's a cruise ship, not an office.

[T&J]

PRINCESS is Charging $30 Per Hour for internet Service

 

This is our fourth cruise on Princess. My wife and I both run our own businesses and need internet access and assumed because the brochure indicated in had internet access that it was reasonable priced. (Note – platinum level cruisers receive internet access free per the brochure which may be very misleading as it does not cover wireless and this ship is not hard wired) Not so. Princess wants 50 cents per minute and we usually purchase 24/7 access for $10 per day or a little more on a ship. Not so on Princess as Princess wants $30 an hour for wireless internet which is the same as stealing. Joan must work several hours a day as she is in contract negotiations and dealing with ongoing client issues. Would never have booked on this ship or with Princess if we had known of this pricing before hand. I did not question but assumed and we all know what happened to assume.

 

Joan, my wife, who is really pissed off was on the phone with people on the ship at all levels and corporate headquarters and is working up the ladder trying to reach the sr. VP of customer service whom all appear on vacation but she is persistent – people not empowered to solve customer problems with a focus of maximizing today’s revenue with no understanding of the long term impact on their business.

 

We were approached by two other cruisers who overheard our conversation and had similar issues and are looking for solutions. It will be imperative for us to know the pricing of internet access on all future cruises. Please note this is a new policy for Princess and it is my memory that it was free in the past. We may just not be the profile of the customer Princess is seeking – late 50’s, disposable income with many years of cruising ahead. Humm – if confused appears to be an oxymoron. The ship while redone in 2003 has no hard wiring for networks in the rooms but has cable TV which is similar or the same wiring. Does anyone at Princess understand what is going on in the world.

 

Wow back up buddy!...Firstly, Princess has NEVER had free internet for pax's other than for Elite and Platinum members.

 

Secondly, I work from sea many a times and when I do I must pay the wireless charges to download my mail and it is $10.00 for 30 minutes to do so. It's a cost of doing business as far as I am concerned...so I don't drink that day by the pool!:(

 

The charges for years have been hovering from 0.35 cents to 0.50 cents a minute and $1.00 for priting per page and now Fleet Wide it's 0.50 cents a minute. Your Travel Agent could have informed you fully if you claim you didn't know the per minute charge prior to embarking the ship.

 

You may try and write a letter to Customer Relations if you feel that strongly but IMHO you'll reach a dead end and get nowhere on this issue. If I've got 47 cruises and 648 days at sea on Princess and I've got pay to run my office at sea...so do you!

 

Cruise Celebrity or RCCL for in-room internet capabilities...no plans on Princess currently to convert and make the investment.

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[LARGIN]

Interesting.. So wireless access is now the same price price as using the computers in the onboard Internet Cafes. As for 24/7 access, why can't you do the majority of your work offline and then log on to transfer data and do your contacts. Also, since you are on the Island enroute to Hawaii, you can hit some Internet Cafes when you hit land for a lot less $$ than on the ship.

[Jerm]

I have cruised on Carnival and the internet service was priced about the same as princess I took my laptop on one cruise and never even used it until I got into port and then I used my verizon card depending where you are going you may have service in some islands in the caribean by the way my verizon card is faster than the service on the ship You can use it on sail away day and maybe a port or two and also on disembark day. on my second carnival cruise I did not take my laptop I bought an hour of time at the internet cafe on board and wound up using about 20 minutes of time. I also am self employed so I do need to check email daily. but I tell every one that I am going to be unreachable for x days usually have work done before I leave.

 

If you you are cruising in Hawaii you should be in luck with a cell phone provider using one of their products on port days and you should be in port most days the initial investment might be the same as using all week on board the ship but you will have your equipment after the cruise with this setup you should be able to eliminate an expensive portion of internet costs on board the ship.

[Toto2Kansas]

Wow back up buddy!...Firstly, Princess has NEVER had free internet for pax's other than for Elite and Platinum members.

 

Secondly, I work from sea many a times and when I do I must pay the wireless charges to download my mail and it is $10.00 for 30 minutes to do so. It's a cost of doing business as far as I am concerned...so I don't drink that day by the pool!:(

 

The charges for years have been hovering from 0.35 cents to 0.50 cents a minute and $1.00 for priting per page and now Fleet Wide it's 0.50 cents a minute. Your Travel Agent could have informed you fully if you claim you didn't know the per minute charge prior to embarking the ship.

 

Cruise Celebrity or RCCL for in-room internet capacities...no plans on Princess currently to convert and make the investment.

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

 

Very well said Tony. This isn't something that has just came up, but it has been this way for a long time. Heck, I am sure we both remember when Princess charged 75 cents, or was it 95 cents per minute when they began providing service at an extra cost to passengers?

I think it is great that they have dropped the rate, even though it has come up 15 cents per minute, it is still very reasonable seeing how it is a sattelite feed.

[catmand]

Hi there..................

While I appreciate your situation and problem I have to say I believe most of the folks who cruise enjoy the freedom FROM the office, Internet, telephones, Fax machines etc.

I agree, the Internet rates on Princess ships are high but they also give free service to those that have cruised with them five times. This perk is a lot more than other lines offer.

I know this is going to be a real "HOT" topic so I'll just sign off with this: again, sorry for your problem and situation but you are really going to be in the minority of this issue......being an issue.

[easykruz]

PRINCESS is Charging $30 Per Hour for internet Service

 

I'm not saying your experience is okie dokie but try checking out Crystal Cruises internet charges, their even higher. Hope you have success in getting all of us lower per minute rates when using our laptops.

 

Happy internet surfing or cruising,

Dollar Bill

[Ethel5]

You state this is your fourth Princess cruise and I have to assume that you and your wife had your businesses on those cruises also. So my question is what did you do for internet service on the past cruises? Nothing has changed except the price went up from $.35 to $.50 per minute. This isn't stealing, it's business.

[Ethel5]

System hiccup=duplicate post.

[Druke I]

Not too terribly sympathetic here, either.

 

Just off Oceania's Nautica, where the flat rate was $.90 per minute, with marginally reduced rates when packages were bought. Our package was $80.00 for 100 minutes - you do the math!

 

As someone else noted, Princess is providing a cruise, not a mobile office.

[Druke I]

Delete-duplicate post.

[Druke I]

Delete - server stuttering.

[Bonnie-Jean]

Internet is also free if you book a full suite.

 

Bonnie

[T&J]

Internet is also free if you book a full suite.

 

Bonnie

 

True, but if the guy and his wife are having a "cow" about a $30 charge I don't think he's gonna spend thousands more to get the free internet.:rolleyes:

 

Wireless is NOT free even for Full Suite paxs.

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[sjbdtz]

Cruise Celebrity or RCCL for in-room internet capabilities...no plans on Princess currently to convert and make the investment.

 

Tony

 

 

NCL's new ships (Jewel, Star, Dawn, Pearl & soon: Gem) are hard-wired in-cabin, with several common areas served by wireless.

 

ALL have charges either by the minute, or on a package basis... 250 minutes for $100 last Sept.

 

I'm glad you raised this, because the only way I could take 4 weeks off for my next vacation was by promising to check-in at the office periodically, to put out fires. I also like to keep track of what's going on at home, by reading the local newspaper online, and with 4 weeks away...there are always bills to pay.

 

All of which is easier done with the laptop....so I'll add some buffer to my budget :rolleyes: :mad: :eek:

[camNaud]

You can always get friendly with someone who has completed enough cruises to get free access. It might cost you a cocktail or two. :p

 

With respect and as much as running your business must be important, so is the chance to get away from it all. I can't understand the need to 'work' while on holiday. If business is that critical why go away when you can't relax?

 

It's funny how the world has changed.

 

What did you do before 'internet access' was available on cruises?

[donna5]

I'd check the web and see where the cyber cafes are at the ports. Some ports you can sit on an outside deck and receive wireless.

[sjbdtz]

You can always get friendly with someone who has completed enough cruises to get free access. It might cost you a cocktail or two. :p

 

With respect and as much as running your business must be important, so is the chance to get away from it all. I can't understand the need to 'work' while on holiday. If business is that critical why go away when you can't relax?

 

It's funny how the world has changed.

 

What did you do before 'internet access' was available on cruises?

 

I'm not sure to whom you are addressing these questions...but I'll answer them for you:

 

 

1. Great idea about using someone else's account. Won't work for wireless though, for those who need to use their own laptops (including those who compose email off-line and then upload it)

 

2. BECAUSE business is this critical, the choices are:

- go away...enjoy...but be in touch periodically OR

- don't go away...ever.

 

3. Before internet access was available on cruiseships, we took land vacations.

 

Yes, the world has changed. Now you're no longer in competition with the guy next door for your job, but with him, the guy two towns over, and 2 billion people in China & India, who are equally qualified.

 

If the business proves it can function without you....then there's an improved chance that it will choose to function without you :mad: in the future.

 

In my case I manage a territory for a company (I'm not the owner)...but I'm uniquely responsible (and impacted by) what happens in the territory. Yes, I have backup coverage from the Director, but he usually accepts my decisions and generally bows to my experience & knowledge of the intricacies of my particular territory.

 

So when the proverbial hits the fan, it doesn't matter if I've chosen to try & get away that week...things need to be resolved, and my input is required....and that's to my own advantage!

 

That's why internet is good, and why occasionally cell phones are necessary (though in my case I have email on my cellphone and rarely talk on it).

[Casshew]

The OP's sense of entitlement is disgusting.

 

I have my own business too and was *grateful* to Princess for giving me options so I could keep in touch with and run my business even from the North Sea.

 

I don't care how much they charged, I didn't even think twice about it.

 

It's the cost of doing business and a write off for expenses. Get a grip :rolleyes:

 

If 1000.00 is too much of an expense for your business to absorb, you're not doing too well. LOL

 

My cell phone roaming charges were almost double that!

[pnjkeith]

Wow is right. Its not stealing, its the price they provide to you. Take it or leave it. Why go on a cruise if your already stressed out before you go!

[TinaLee]

If the business proves it can function without you....then there's an improved chance that it will choose to function without you :mad: in the future.

 

In my case I manage a territory for a company (I'm not the owner)...but I'm uniquely responsible (and impacted by) what happens in the territory. Yes, I have backup coverage from the Director, but he usually accepts my decisions and generally bows to my experience & knowledge of the intricacies of my particular territory.

 

So when the proverbial hits the fan, it doesn't matter if I've chosen to try & get away that week...things need to be resolved, and my input is required....and that's to my own advantage!

 

That's why internet is good, and why occasionally cell phones are necessary (though in my case I have email on my cellphone and rarely talk on it).

 

Oh my gosh... you remind me so much of a good friend and colleague of mine. I'll tell you exactly what I tell him...

 

If you got run over by a truck tomorrow on the way to work, the business would still function.

 

All of the things you fear would happen if you aren't there would not surface, someone else would handle it. Ever stop to think that maybe NOT having 24/7 access to you might actually make them appreciate you more?

 

I lost my BIL this year, and he felt as you do about his business. News flash - Life is too short. Wake up and realize it. On your tombstone they aren't going to write "he was a good employee/manager/boss and worked on his vacations"

 

JMHO

[sjbdtz]

Wow is right. Its not stealing, its the price they provide to you. Take it or leave it. Why go on a cruise if your already stressed out before you go!

 

 

I think that the issue here is the OP's terminology.

 

Stealing isn't the right term. I think the implication was that in this day & age, with bandwith available readily, and access costs dropping rapidly, that the fees of $.50/minute are usurious.

 

And just because they CAN, doesn't mean they SHOULD!

 

I think that's the point he was trying to convey.