iPad on Oasis?

[lawyerboy5555]

Hey - just checking to see if there's anyone out there who has been on Oasis and has brought their iPad with them. I've read about heat issues by the pool, but otherwise, has it worked? We have the 3G version, so will it work on the ship? Or, do we have to purchase the wifi plan? If we purchase the wifi plan to be used with the iPad, can it be used anywhere in the ship (cabin, dining room, etc.)? Our 1.5 year old daughter loves it and this will be a great distraction for her...any info is appreciated.

[Daghis]

I've seen others report that they've used their iPads successfully on board. I presume from their postings that they were doing it by WiFi.

 

The iPad does have support for international data plans, but I don't know whether they'd specifically work with the cruise ship data service, and even so, it's very expensive. Using the WiFi service is probably cheaper.

 

I'm looking forward to trying this myself next week as I'm not bringing a laptop with me, instead just using the iPad. I will be using the 3G service while we're in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, but once we set sail, I'll be turning off the Cellular Data option just to be safe.

[bionicman97]

I took mine on the Monarch last month, but didn't connect to the Internet. Taking it on the Freedom in a few weeks and intend to use the wifi. I think 3G would be pretty expensive.

[CruznIllini]

Was on Oasis recently and used my iPad. It was easy once I figured out I needed to turn off Auto Fill in settings in order to access the wifi. Leaving this on would block the login in process. I found it simple to log on to wifi quickly and grab the WSJ, USA Today and NY Times, then my email, and log off, all using only about five minutes of time. I made sure that I was logged off by restarting the iPad to avoid any possibility of racking up costly wifi minutes.

[DPurcell58]

So you bought a wi fi plan on the ship to do this? We have the 3G version also, will be able to use it before we leave, but am glad to see some other info in case we want to use it on the ship.

[koxler]

The ships I have sailed on do not support 3G on board. I think this is common across the fleet. So wifi would be your only options but I would not let my child have wifi internet access when it cost $0.55 per minute of use. If you want to use it to check/send occasional email or other low bandwidth apps then go for it but if connectivity is a must I'd personally leave it at home to avoid temptation and the risk of a problem.

[ehfl]

The iPad should be able to access the internet if you have a WiFi plan....just remember that it can be very expensive. You will not be warned if you exceed the minutes....she might just keep racking up charges at the full rate. Also, you have to click the logoff button...simply closing the browser will not disconnect you.

[hetrickr]

You should be able to connect via WiFi at most ports as there are usually several stores/vendors at the port that offer free WiFi.

[waterbug123]

Hey - just checking to see if there's anyone out there who has been on Oasis and has brought their iPad with them. I've read about heat issues by the pool, but otherwise, has it worked? We have the 3G version, so will it work on the ship? Or, do we have to purchase the wifi plan? If we purchase the wifi plan to be used with the iPad, can it be used anywhere in the ship (cabin, dining room, etc.)? Our 1.5 year old daughter loves it and this will be a great distraction for her...any info is appreciated.

 

I assume your 1.5 year old daughter is not using the ipad to surf the internet, but maybe just watching movies or playing simple games. Assuming the movies/apps are already downloaded, you won't need to bother with going online for her to use it while onboard. Now, if you want to surf the internet or check email, then you'll need to pay for the ship's wiifi. Wifi strength can vary in different parts of the ship. On some ships the signal is weak to non-existent in cabins and you have to go to some of the public areas of the ship to get a decent signal.

[aloha of the seas]

Just a reminder to us iPad users. You can not print anything wirelessly. So there still might be times you need to go to the internet cafe to print something like a boarding pass.

[flbeachmom]

My girlfriend was outside with her iPad and an alert button came on because it was to hot , iPad shut down. It is hard to see the screen in the sun anyway so maybe you should not carry to pool unless you sit in the shade.

[Spender Nui]

Was on Oasis recently and used my iPad. It was easy once I figured out I needed to turn off Auto Fill in settings in order to access the wifi. Leaving this on would block the login in process. I found it simple to log on to wifi quickly and grab the WSJ, USA Today and NY Times, then my email, and log off, all using only about five minutes of time. I made sure that I was logged off by restarting the iPad to avoid any possibility of racking up costly wifi minutes.

 

Don't understand "turn off Auto Fill in settings in order to access the wifi". Can you educate me?

[Toddcan]

I'm waiting for the i-board to come out. I don't think I'll be getting the i-mat, as I doubt it would fit in the luggage. :cool:

 

[mgg42]

WARNING! If the 3G works, you will pay dearly for it. When you activate your 3G service, in the terms of services agreement, you agree to pay any roaming expenses. Using your iPad via 3G would be the same as using your smartphone that way. And since iPad is capable of downloading massive amounts of data, this could break the bank.

 

I strongly suggest, as an iPad owner, that if you go on board, go to your settings, and turn roaming off. This will allow you to connect to a domestic 3G carrier when stateside, but protect you from accidentally incurring charges through the "cellular at sea" system.

 

Wireless on Oasis works great. I used my laptop all over the ship in February (just to test it out, I'm not that big of a geek), and it worked everywhere. Sign up for a wi-fi package on board and use that.