Wi Fi question

[jonj]

Hello everyone - I was wondering how accessible free wifi is in Europe? I know in London there were a few places that it was available

 

I was thinking of bringing a mini computer to quickly check email in port instead of purchasing the expensive cruise line internet packages

 

The port we will be visiting are as follows

 

Malta, Palermo, Villefranche, Ajaccio, Naples, La Spezia, Civitavecchia

 

We are doing all the ports on our own

In civitavecchia we will probably go into Rome proper, have been before and only want to cover some of the items we missed

 

la Spezia we will be staying either in La Spezia or going to Cinque Terre

 

Villefranche planning on going to Nice and Monaco

 

 

We don't plan on check at each port but would like the information to see where it would be possible

 

 

On another note I can use my iphone to check email if free wifi is available. I always have my data turned off when abroad so not to incur expensive roaming charges.

 

Any other suggestions would be welcomed

Thank you

[euro cruiser]

I hope that someone who has had better luck with wi-fi recently in Italy will speak up. I have not had much luck at all here in the last couple of years finding free connections. Now almost everywhere there are "Alce" connections, but that is a TIM service that you buy time on. I brought my Dell netbook with me but was unable to use it to connect.

 

This trip was the firsy time to Italy with my new Kindle with 3G wireless. This has worked everywhere - I'm posting this from a train on my way to the airport!

[jonj]

I hope that someone who has had better luck with wi-fi recently in Italy will speak up. I have not had much luck at all here in the last couple of years finding free connections. Now almost everywhere there are "Alce" connections, but that is a TIM service that you buy time on. I brought my Dell netbook with me but was unable to use it to connect.

 

This trip was the firsy time to Italy with my new Kindle with 3G wireless. This has worked everywhere - I'm posting this from a train on my way to the airport!

 

Never thought about using the kindle, that is a great idea. I have the original model that has internet but it is the "testing mode one". I may invest in a new kindle

[screwcork]

Hi,

 

I believe it's possible to have free access to free wifi in most of the places you mention.

 

If you see two or more packpackers with a laptop in their knees you might be quite sure that there is a free network around!

 

I had free networks in Livorno, Civitavecchia, Piraeus, Mykonos and Kusadasi last year.

 

Good luck!

 

Screwcork

[hkto]

Finding free WI_FI is a hit & miss. Sometimes port authority or local tourism board will offer it but it's limited to a very small area. For example there is free WI-FI in port of Vigo (in the actual building) but none in the city. In Cannes it's also there but only in area adjacent to city hall. Paid offers (by hr or day) from local telecom providers are usually available. Ball park price are in 2 to 3 euro per hour range. And of course inexpensive paid internet (from internet cafes) is usually around.

[D4]

I bring my netbook on trips but gladly pay the cruise line internet fee so I don't have to carry & protect it in ports. To me the cost is very minimal compared to the total cost of a Med. cruise. Plus port time is very valuable to me.

[slidergirl]

I havent' found many free wifi spots, but there are many more internet cafes than what I found in the US. If you go to Cinque Terre, there is a spot in Vernazza where you can pay for some time.

I also travel with my little Acer Aspire netbook. But, most places, I just used their terminals to connect and check email. I did just get a Kindle - maybe I'll check out the email feature on it for my upcoming trip to Kenya!!