AIM on Cruise Computers

[journey2002]

Hi! Hubby and I are traveling on the The Rhapsody this June and will be leaving our one year old at home for the first time. (Yes - this will be difficult for me). I am the kind of family gal who travels all over the US and talks to both my Mom and my hubby (if he isn't with me) EVERY night.

 

Obviously, I will not be able to do that every night on the cruise, so I am hoping to set my parents up with AOL Instant Messanger and then talk to them that way from the Internet Cafe (I've learned so much from ya'll). However, as I was thinking of that I realized that I didn't even know if the computers on the ship were equipped with AIM.

 

Help???? Does anyone know the answer to this? I don't want to download this onto their computer and then spend hours (yes it will take that long), to explain how to use it to my non-computer savvy parents.

 

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

Marisa

[BCJazz]

I am pretty sure that you can log onto AIM straight from the aim.com website. You might give that a try before you go then you will be all set.

 

I went to aim.com and looked. In the left column there is an option called AIM Express. Hope that helps!!

[NancyB84]

The computers on Brilliance in the cafe were slow and the charges were really expensive!!!! Cost me a fortune to just get onto aol to check my mail two or three times in an 11 night cruise!!!!! If you think you may use a computer alot, my advice would be to check into the "in-room access"... if they have it on your ship and bring a laptop. Unless they improved the computers... the time started ticking as soon as you got off the rccl free site and sometimes I paid for 3-4 minutes and didn't even get to the aol welcome screen. Good luck.

[journey2002]

I don't think I can bring my wireless laptop to use on board the Rhapsody.

[NancyB84]

I don't think I can bring my wireless laptop to use on board the Rhapsody.

 

Just watch your charges on your sea pass and if you think you are charged for time that you had to sit and watch the web site try to load over and over again... the pursers desk will refund it. My DH also got some "free" internet time by buying the specialty coffee in the mornings. Good luck and have fun... I hope it all works out for you!

[journey2002]

I am pretty sure that you can log onto AIM straight from the aim.com website. You might give that a try before you go then you will be all set.

 

I went to aim.com and looked. In the left column there is an option called AIM Express. Hope that helps!!

 

I was thinking that you had to have AIM loaded on your computer to actually use it.

[gemz]

You can your MSN Webmessenger from any computer without having to download MSN. Windows usually has Windows Messenger with it (variation of MSN) or if your relatives don't have it they can download it.

 

All you need is a hotmail account.

 

http://webmessenger.msn.com/

[cactuscruiser]

I was on the Rhapsody 3/20-27 and yes, they did have AIM on the computers in the internet cafe. Connection time was inconsistent -sometimes fast, sometimes not so fast. Still, I like the policy of charging by the minute better instead of by blocks of time. Someimes if you're just looking for a response to an email, you can be off in a minute or two. Whatever did we do before computers???? :)

[madforcruising]

As others have said the computers onboard can be really slow and time adds up pretty fast at a rate of 0,50 per minute.

 

I don´t know about AIM but I know that many people have problems with AOL onboard and I know the purser knows this and tell the people about it that there might be problems with AOL access.

 

I´m staying in touch with my family at home too. I use emails for this. I think it´s much easier. I can write to them anytime I want and they can respond when they have time. With AIM we would have to be online at the same time, wich is difficult sometimes, especially when it comes to different time zones. Also I don´t want to go by a schedule to meet online as well as I don´t want them to do this. We email back and forth once or twice a day and that´s fine to keep in touch. JMHO of course.