Laptops and Wi-Fi Secrets

[B-May]

I took my laptop this trip which has wireless connection. If you just want to send emails here's a tip to save money.

 

Do your blogs on wordpad or another writing software on your laptop. Save it. Depending on your length of cruise sign up for the package that suits you. We were on a 14 nite cruise so took the $30 package and with your coupon book you will get $5 free. This worked out to 50 cents a minute. Otherwise I believe it's 60 cents a minute without a package.

 

Go to the nearest wi-fi spot (for us the library was on our floor), open up your blog so it's ready to paste, sign in and open up your email of choice. Quickly enter your email addies and paste your blog into the text area. Hit send and it's done.

 

Two of us were able to send our emails using different email locations for a total of $3.00 each session.

 

But make sure you are signed out of the RCCL site. If it doesn't pop up showing you are logged out and how much is left on your account you are still online. We lost about $5.00 not knowing the time was still ticking.

 

It's so much cheaper and more comfortable to be in your cabin writing your blogs (and checking the spelling) than to be rushed in the internet cafe.

 

Hope this helps anyone who takes their laptop.

[Mugga]

A surprising number of cruisers on our roll call have netbooks. So I am sure we will all be bringing them. Thanks for this tip. Do you know how much the in cabin internet was? Thanks

[rednancy1]

We have always traveled with our laptop. Recently we bought a Netbook because of it's size and weight. :)

 

Why doesn't RCI have WiFi in all cabins? :confused:

 

I love to peruse the internet while drinking morning coffee in my jammies. :o

 

Most of the time I have to get dressed and go to a hot spot on the ship. :(

 

Then people ask me ....."Are you working?":eek:

 

Arrrrrgh!

[Dunmore2]

You could always go in your jammies to find a "hot spot".

Who knows what else you may find!!

 

I agree though, wi fi in the cabins would be welcomed.

[steve20832]

You could always go in your jammies to find a "hot spot".

Who knows what else you may find!!

 

I agree though, wi fi in the cabins would be welcomed.

 

The Jewel has ethernet ports in the cabins but I was told they were not working as of yet (this was a year ago) but they might be working by now. I could be wrong but I remember reading the Freedom class ships have internet access in each room. Bring an ethernet cable with you.

[link99]

A surprising number of cruisers on our roll call have netbooks. So I am sure we will all be bringing them. Thanks for this tip. Do you know how much the in cabin internet was? Thanks

 

Had my netbook last week used it in the cabin. Connected Via Wi-Fi.We also had two Platinum Internet credits $7.50 each for a total of $15 dollars worth of time at 55 cents per minute. Was all we needed to check email real quick from the comfort of our cabin.

 

Was kinda slow so make sure you access your email via POP3 so you can get on and off fast. I did try the web based emails services at first and they took more time to load then POP3.

[madforcruising]

I took my laptop this trip which has wireless connection. If you just want to send emails here's a tip to save money.

 

Do your blogs on wordpad or another writing software on your laptop. Save it. Depending on your length of cruise sign up for the package that suits you. We were on a 14 nite cruise so took the $30 package and with your coupon book you will get $5 free. This worked out to 50 cents a minute. Otherwise I believe it's 60 cents a minute without a package.

 

Go to the nearest wi-fi spot (for us the library was on our floor), open up your blog so it's ready to paste, sign in and open up your email of choice. Quickly enter your email addies and paste your blog into the text area. Hit send and it's done.

 

Two of us were able to send our emails using different email locations for a total of $3.00 each session.

 

But make sure you are signed out of the RCCL site. If it doesn't pop up showing you are logged out and how much is left on your account you are still online. We lost about $5.00 not knowing the time was still ticking.

 

It's so much cheaper and more comfortable to be in your cabin writing your blogs (and checking the spelling) than to be rushed in the internet cafe.

 

Hope this helps anyone who takes their laptop.

 

There´s a better and cheaper way.

 

Set up your email account as pop3. Then you can use something like Outlook, Outlook Express, WIndows mail, etc.

 

Set up the settings to not connect automatically, find a Hotspot, Open the email software, Log in, Hit the Send/Receive Buttton, Log off once all emails are sent and downloaded.

 

If you mostly get plain text emails and tell your family and friends to hold off with all the pics and videos and such stuff being sent to you during your trip you will be able to download a whole bunch of emails in less than a minute. I frequently Log off in less than 30 seconds (RCCL starts charging after 30 seconds) so if you are quick you can get your e´s for $0.00.

 

Once log off you can read all of your mails respond to them and repeat the whole thing for sending.

 

No need to copy and paste and type in email addresses while logged in.

[firefly4423]

Thanks for the tip. Ill have to try that out.

[Merlin139]

I used my Laptop everyday last year on the Independence TA from my room. So I would assume all the Freedom class has Wi-Fi in the rooms.

[madforcruising]

The Jewel has ethernet ports in the cabins but I was told they were not working as of yet (this was a year ago) but they might be working by now. I could be wrong but I remember reading the Freedom class ships have internet access in each room. Bring an ethernet cable with you.

 

The Ethernet ports in Jewels cabins have always been there and are used for the CyberCabin. If it´s still offered (it was last Sept., but there´s a lot of talk about it being discontinued) it is a dial up connection for a flat fee.

 

An ethernet cable is useless as these ports look like Ethernet, but they are not. To use them you need a special cable from the Guest relations where you sign up for the CyberCabin which has am RJ11 plug on one side and RJ45 plug on the other side. Your Computer needs a modem for this as it´s a dial up connection. Speed of this is average between 42-49 kbps if you can get connected at all, while wifi is 11Mbps.

[madforcruising]

Why doesn't RCI have WiFi in all cabins? :confused:

 

 

The newer Ships - Freedom Class and I would assume Oasis class have WiFi coverage all over including all Cabins. The "older" ships have not been built with this and not outfitted with it as of yet. Radiance and Voyager class have/used to have CyberCabin for in room Internet usage.

[madforcruising]

A surprising number of cruisers on our roll call have netbooks. So I am sure we will all be bringing them. Thanks for this tip. Do you know how much the in cabin internet was? Thanks

 

Karen, it doesn´t matter which way you access the Internet onboard (Their Computers or using WiFi with your own Computer) it will cost the same.

If CyberCabin is still offered on Serenade that will be the only way to use the Internet from your Cabin as WiFi is only available from certain Hotspots and your cabin would have to be right next to one to catch the signal from the cabin. It can work but don´t count on it.

 

CyberCabin is a flat fee for unlimited use and should cost somewhere between $70-100 for the week, again if still offered.

[cruislovin]

Does anyone know if Cyber Cabin is still available on AOS? Where are the hot spots on the Voyager class ships?