DonMaryCar Posted September 15, 2004 #1 Share Posted September 15, 2004 We are booked to do Back to Backs on Ryndam to Mexico in November, (dancing tonight as our tickets came today) but now are wondering about internet service. We have cruised several times on HAL and used internet but have always had AOL as our service provider and are now contemplating changing to PEOPLE PC and wondered if anyone had used that on board any HAL ship or if we should stick with AOL till we get home from cruise. Any help you guys can give would be appreciated. Thanks;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roohound Posted September 15, 2004 #2 Share Posted September 15, 2004 unless I'm totally misunderstanding your question, the internet provider you have at home has no bearing on what HAL provides you. You can access your own web-based e-mail like Hotmail and Yahoo through HAL's ISP..who that is, I'm not sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakrewser Posted September 15, 2004 #3 Share Posted September 15, 2004 Digital Seas (click here for their web site) is the service provider on HAL ships. Visit their web site to learn more about the service. I was impressed, so much so that I wrote them up in the magazine I write for (click here for that column). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Globaliser Posted September 15, 2004 #4 Share Posted September 15, 2004 I think one advantage of being an AOL user is that you often find AOL software installed on the computers in Internet cafes (not just as sea). This means that you can drive the AOL software like you would at home, rather than using the webmail function. I wouldn't myself let this make a decision for me, as I am very often in Internet cafes that don't have AOL software so don't have the choice - and the webmail works OK even if it is a bit heavy and clunky. But others may be more comfortable with an interface to the AOL service that is more familiar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LAFFNVEGAS Posted September 15, 2004 #5 Share Posted September 15, 2004 We are booked to do Back to Backs on Ryndam to Mexico in November, (dancing tonight as our tickets came today) but now are wondering about internet service. We have cruised several times on HAL and used internet but have always had AOL as our service provider and are now contemplating changing to PEOPLE PC and wondered if anyone had used that on board any HAL ship or if we should stick with AOL till we get home from cruise. Any help you guys can give would be appreciated. Thanks;) Now you have me excited!!! What dates in November are you on your B 2 B? We will be on the Ryndam November 13th for the Sea of Cortez. I have posted several times on the Roll Call Board. I was beginning to thin we would be the only ones on the ship:eek: But since you just got your Docs, that is exciting that means I soon can Dance;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merryecho Posted September 15, 2004 #6 Share Posted September 15, 2004 Excuse me for being internet illiterate, but- the Hal website says they have wireless internet connection on board. If I bring my own laptop with wifi card, how do the charges work? Thanks for any help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakrewser Posted September 15, 2004 #7 Share Posted September 15, 2004 Excuse me for being internet illiterate, but- the Hal website says they have wireless internet connection on board. If I bring my own laptop with wifi card, how do the charges work? Thanks for any help. The charges are still the same, with 250 minutes for $100 the best deal. You'll have to get an account set up on the ship's wireless access network. Generally, it works in the Atrium on the same deck as the internet c@fe and a deck or two above and below. The major benefits are using your own software - and doing your writing in the Ocean Bar! -dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michmike Posted September 15, 2004 #8 Share Posted September 15, 2004 and I guess I understand that if you have small children left with relatives or sitter or perhaps are in the President's Cabinet you might want to be in touch.... but when I'm on a cruise the LAST darn thing I want to do is to be in touch with home, office, friends (other than those traveling with us) or relatives. And I sure don't want to spend $100 that I could just as well spend on rum punches, doing it. Not intended as a flame..but hey.. I'm there to get away and relax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMaryCar Posted September 15, 2004 Author #9 Share Posted September 15, 2004 Thanks so much dakrewser for the link, will definitely check it out. All the information you guys shared was really appreciated. I hate to make it sound like we are addicted to internet but we do use it to check on things at home. We have told everyone to just send us a email if they need anything as it is sooooo much cheaper than phone calls. Usually just check it every evening before we go to bed. Thanks again everybody Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMaryCar Posted September 15, 2004 Author #10 Share Posted September 15, 2004 We are on the November 6th Mexican Rivera Cruise then staying on board for the Sea of Cortez cruise on the 13th, so we'll be on there with you. At least there will be 6 of us there. You and your husband and a couple we met on our Alaska cruise this year that live in California We are really looking forward to it, probably got our documents a little earlier than you since we actually are boarding a week earlier than you guys. Hope to see you onboard somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LAFFNVEGAS Posted September 15, 2004 #11 Share Posted September 15, 2004 DonMaryCar, that is great that you will also be on our sailing. I was beginning to think we would be the only Cruise Critics member on that sailing. You will have to post on the Roll Call Board. That is also exciting news that you just got your Docs, that would mean that we could possibly be getting outs next week:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tealady Posted September 17, 2004 #12 Share Posted September 17, 2004 What is the charge for use of the internet on a per use basis? We too, normally would never think of connecting to the outside world when on a cruise, but this year our son is in Iraq and we need to check our email on a daily basis to see that he is still okay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orcrone Posted September 17, 2004 #13 Share Posted September 17, 2004 and I guess I understand that if you have small children left with relatives or sitter or perhaps are in the President's Cabinet you might want to be in touch.... but when I'm on a cruise the LAST darn thing I want to do is to be in touch with home, office, friends (other than those traveling with us) or relatives. And I sure don't want to spend $100 that I could just as well spend on rum punches, doing it. Not intended as a flame..but hey.. I'm there to get away and relax. Mike, I agree. I would rather spend the $100 bucks on something else. When I'm in PR, where I get cell service I'll give a call home and check in. Otherwise, they'll have the phone numbers required in case of emergency. But everyone chooses how they spend their time and money on their vacation. I personally appreciate those that post from the ship (although I won't be doing that). I choose not to go to the casino, but many people enjoy it. On the other hand I'll probably spend a few bucks scuba diving. It will only be two ports because DW doesn't dive, but if she did it would probably be all five ports.:D Some people might wonder why I spend over $100 in each port to dive. This is also not a flame (seriously). Just pointing out that what's enjoyable, and worth spending money on for some, is a waste of time and money for others.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Host Walt Posted September 17, 2004 #14 Share Posted September 17, 2004 Mike, I agree. I would rather spend the $100 bucks on something else. When I'm in PR, where I get cell service I'll give a call home and check in. Otherwise, they'll have the phone numbers required in case of emergency. But everyone chooses how they spend their time and money on their vacation. I personally appreciate those that post from the ship (although I won't be doing that). I choose not to go to the casino, but many people enjoy it. On the other hand I'll probably spend a few bucks scuba diving. It will only be two ports because DW doesn't dive, but if she did it would probably be all five ports.:D Some people might wonder why I spend over $100 in each port to dive. This is also not a flame (seriously). Just pointing out that what's enjoyable, and worth spending money on for some, is a waste of time and money for others.:) Some, such as I, like to email photos to friends and relatives, keep track of events at home and check on business issues that always seem to pop the week before a cruise. I, personally, choose to set up all my email off line then find an internet cafe on shore to send off my stuff, then receive my stuff for reading off line. It takes only a few online minutes. That way I'm not using very expensive minutes to simply compose emails and read emails. As for the time spent on a cruise, my alternative question is, why do so many sit in the dark movie theatre watching movies on a cruise when there's so much more to do? Same for video watching in cabins. These videos are all available at Blockbuster, etc. and, when a 7 day cruise is 160 hours long at best, why use up 2 or more of them watching old movies? Being a CPA I do numbers. Counting air fare, hotels, meals en route, etc. and cruise fare, a typical cruise can cost, say, $3,200 for a standard outside for two. That equates to $20 per hour. That means you pay $40 for the 2 hours of movie/video watching time. Last I checked, Blockbuster is a bit less than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakrewser Posted September 17, 2004 #15 Share Posted September 17, 2004 What is the charge for use of the internet on a per use basis? We too, normally would never think of connecting to the outside world when on a cruise, but this year our son is in Iraq and we need to check our email on a daily basis to see that he is still okay. More than you ever wanted to know about internet service on HAL ships is available here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakrewser Posted September 17, 2004 #16 Share Posted September 17, 2004 I just discovered that http://www.mtnsat.com/ds_kbyg_hal.htm lists the areas on each ship where you can get wireless access. I also noticed that on the Oosterdam (where I'll be in January) there's WIFI access in the Crow's Nest! umm, sitting in the lounge chair, watching the ocean roll by, sipping a rum punch and doing "work". Does it get any better than that? :) -dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cactuslady Posted September 17, 2004 #17 Share Posted September 17, 2004 I was in the computer software business for 20 years. I helped write and/or managed development of operating systems, real time software, computer networking, and so on. When I got far enough in law school to get a legal job, I "mysteriously" forgot all I knew and now claim to be barely able to turn my computer on without help. I'm pretty sure I'll find a way to be helpless and unable to read or send any email until I get back home. A little port from Portugal and a visit to a teak deck chair will probably also help out in my endeavor. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orcrone Posted September 17, 2004 #18 Share Posted September 17, 2004 Hi, I noticed you quoted my response when you posted. I was stating that everyone spends their time/money on what they choose, since it's their vacation. Was your post directed at me, or were you just expounding (is that a word?) on what I had to say? Just wondering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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