travelglobetrotter Posted February 4, 2012 #1 Share Posted February 4, 2012 We just received the European Sojourns brochure, and on page 3 it states that there are new value packages offered, including Internet packages offering service per day, week or cruise. Checked the O site, but didn't find any info. We're sailing in March, so would like to know what the changes are all about. Thanks for your help. Marlene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bphman Posted February 4, 2012 #2 Share Posted February 4, 2012 They sure needed it because they are the most expensive at sea and service was terrible. But, in their defense, this is the first time where we were refunded for poor service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capecodder2 Posted February 6, 2012 #3 Share Posted February 6, 2012 I got a brief glimpse of the new pricing last Saturday on the Marina. Basically, it seemed just to be a rise in the cost of using the Internet. While we were on board there was new cable being laid on decks 9 and 10 for better serice in the staterooms. A new "layer" is being added to the satellite to, hopefully, make for faster service - don't know the exact date for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
findacruise Posted February 7, 2012 #4 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Since we are cruising in 9 days I called to check rates. I was given the following: 95 cents a minute 100 minutes $80 200 minutes $140 500 minutes $300 I said I had hoped there might be a reduction to bring them more in line with Regent since same company owns them and 'O' has the highest rates of all cruise lines! Guess that's too much to hope for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted February 7, 2012 #5 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Since we are cruising in 9 days I called to check rates. I was given the following: 95 cents a minute 100 minutes $80 200 minutes $140 500 minutes $300 I said I had hoped there might be a reduction to bring them more in line with Regent since same company owns them and 'O' has the highest rates of all cruise lines! Guess that's too much to hope for. Nothing new in those rates ..same as always Would be nice if they lowered them a bit as the service seems to be slowing down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
findacruise Posted February 7, 2012 #6 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Nothing new in those rates ..same as always Would be nice if they lowered them a bit as the service seems to be slowing down Hate to think it's any slower than it was on our TA in March on the Marina. We did Regent in November and it was the fastest internet service we'd ever had on any ship. Go figure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mura Posted February 7, 2012 #7 Share Posted February 7, 2012 About the only good thing I have to say about NCL (we did a transatlantic on the GEM in March 2010) is that the internet service was a lot faster than O's, and less money. But I won't go back on NCL just because the internet service is better! Mura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted February 7, 2012 #8 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I'm pretty sure that every single other line has lower rates and better service than O. On Seabourn, for instance, you can get an hour for $10 as compared to 80 minutes on O for $100. For that same $100 you can get ten hours or 240 minutes on Seabourn. And that's a luxury line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
findacruise Posted February 7, 2012 #9 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I'm pretty sure that every single other line has lower rates and better service than O. On Seabourn, for instance, you can get an hour for $10 as compared to 80 minutes on O for $100. For that same $100 you can get ten hours or 240 minutes on Seabourn. And that's a luxury line. I believe it. Our first, and so far only, Regent cruise was 21 days so the minute we stepped on board we were silver and got our internet free! But it did spoil my DH. You'd think Oceania could do something along those lines or at least lower rates. Our upcoming cruises are Caribbean for warm weather purposes and hopefully internet cafes should be easy to find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted February 7, 2012 #10 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I believe it. Our first, and so far only, Regent cruise was 21 days so the minute we stepped on board we were silver and got our internet free! But it did spoil my DH. You'd think Oceania could do something along those lines or at least lower rates. Our upcoming cruises are Caribbean for warm weather purposes and hopefully internet cafes should be easy to find. Princess offers 240 free minutes to each middle and highest level member of their reward program on cruises over 10 day ( and they add 20% more if you sign up the first day). That's 480 + 20% free minutes per couple. Do you think Oceania could reward their loyal customers (say, more than 10 cruises) likewise? Or have an increasing scale of free Internet based on your level? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiseonly Posted February 8, 2012 #11 Share Posted February 8, 2012 In their cruise planner it states that all outgoing emails are charged $3.95. Is that an error. Do they mean that there is an activation charge of $3.95 for the first time, and then the charge you choose for minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hondorner Posted February 8, 2012 #12 Share Posted February 8, 2012 In their cruise planner it states that all outgoing emails are charged $3.95. Is that an error. Do they mean that there is an activation charge of $3.95 for the first time, and then the charge you choose for minutes. There are two different billing systems. You are charged for minutes when you sign on to your account and surf the internet in the normal fashion, including accessing your own email system, whatever it is. But, you can also sign on to the ship's computers and use the ship0's email system. You are assigned an email address before the cruise, something like yourname@yourshipname.oeaniaatsea.com. You can provide folkks back home with that address, and they can send emails to you aboard ship. you can also send emails to others from that address without incurring any charges by the minute. It used to be that you were charged for each incoming message and each outgoing message ($2 for each at that time). The current system allows you to receive messages for free but costs $3.95 for each message you send. there is no limit to how many minutes you use to compose and send your message, but there is a limit on size -- it used to be about 100,000 bytes, so if you send a picture it has to be reduced in size. But, that size permites almost unlimited text. There are only two ways to use the computers without incurring minutes -- check for incoming emails, or read the Oceania web page. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiseonly Posted February 8, 2012 #13 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Don and Betsy: Thanks for the internet info. It is clear now to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted February 8, 2012 #14 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Oceania's internet policy is indefensible, as is the service they provide. In 2012 internet access is an integral part of peoples' lives. To charge these outrageous rates and provide poor service shows only an interest in making money off its passengers beyond what is reasonable. One should not have to go searching for ways to avoid being gouged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted February 8, 2012 #15 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Internet charges all over Europe have changed dramatically in the last 3 years. We are repeating a European trip using several of the same 5* hotels. Three years ago each charged between $25-30/ day for use which now is FREE. It's about time cruise lines follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaiidan Posted February 8, 2012 #16 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Askyour self do I really need internet.. or can I skip it, turn off the cell phone and all the toys for a week or 2 ? On my vactaions I dont want anybody to contact me. I want to enjoy traveling and being on the ship. I got rid of my cell phones for that very reason. Even though I get free internet on Regent on a 30+ day cruise I used it maybe 2 time for 20 min..... I never needed it really. Most ports have an intrnet cafe for crew...at low rates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wineart Posted February 8, 2012 #17 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Sorry, but I really need internet access because I own my own business and cannot be out of touch even while on vacation. The internet access on Oceania is a real issue for me between the high cost and slow speed. As much as I like Oceania, I've booked my past few cruises on other lines because of the internet problems. I've been following this thread in the hopes that Oceania is finally doing something about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted February 8, 2012 #18 Share Posted February 8, 2012 We do need to be in touch for several reasons. Internet has become an expense that just has become a part of the total cruise price. That does not mean we like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spindrift Posted February 9, 2012 #19 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Yes, Princess has it figured out for the loyalty passengers. We are Elite on Princess and not only get our internet free but also laundry--big benefit which you consider the cost of the internet on O and the inadequate laundry rooms on O. Just returned from a Princess trip, and we felt so relaxed--enjoyed every minute. We booked another O cruise simply because Princess was not doing that itinerary, but I can say that if P added a similar itinerary on their smaller ships, I would cancel O in a flash and move because of the loyalty benefits of O. I would miss seeing the crew we know, but cost overall is the factor these days. I did, in fact, cancel a Viet Nam trip, which made me sad, but beenefits make a difference. We do get gratuities from O, and a small onboard credit, but what else???? When I do a spread sheet, there is no comparison. Hmmmmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OzAbroad Posted February 9, 2012 #20 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Recently returned from a Celebrity cruise around NZ and was amazed at the stark difference in cost and efficacy of the Celebrity internet access compared to Oceania. The Celebrity internet was much cheaper and much faster. I have sailed on all three of the O R class ships but not Marina so I cant comment on her, but while there are many wonderful things about Oceania the internet cost and the internet speed is not one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrammieK Posted February 9, 2012 #21 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Okay, I will agree that the internet charges on O are ridiculously overpriced. But Princess???? I also had free internet and laundry, perks for elite and also for suite guests. The suite was a joke compared to the PH on O (and absolutely NO comparison to the Owner's Suite) with a miniscule balcony that was not wide enough to place the lounge chairs straight! Food was no where near as good and the only pool chairs available were the one we paid for in the Sanctuary. Cost per day was equivalent to O, but I would never go back on Princess. I know that everyone has their own opinion, but in my book, comparing O to Princess is not comparing apples to apples. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bphman Posted February 9, 2012 #22 Share Posted February 9, 2012 The Marina had horrible internet service. Expensive and difficult to connect. Never experienced this on any other line except for the QM2 where it, too, was slow and somewhat pricey. Their internet person was nasty and could care less. Never gave us any credit for poor service. At least the Marina staff was helpful and extended credit when justified. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john2003 Posted February 9, 2012 #23 Share Posted February 9, 2012 There was a time that I could handle the poor service and cost on Oceania. Then they allowed their contractor to bar the use of the PC for off-line composition and they totally lost me. To add insult to injury on our recent Marina cruise we had a cabin that had a laptop provided but 99.9% of its capability was off limits. How crazy is that except as a money making machine!! Final indignity, the wireless service didn't work on the Marina so they had the ceiling panels out in the hallways stringing cables. Some provider of services should have been dismissed but I think the Oceania now has a culture of just accepting the poor service. I even wonder if there is an investor or board relationship asw it isa so bizarre. For two or three days on our last cruise the wireless service would not talk to Apple devices because they made a software change that was obviously flawed. I tried to find out if anyone in authority at Oceania was on the case and demanding a rollback to the version that worked. I was unsuccessful and regretably think it did not register on the critical incident meter. Internet services on Oceania is one of the few businesses where the revenue increases as the quality of service declines. No wonder no one wants to fix it. Now I feel better!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted February 9, 2012 #24 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Okay, I will agree that the internet charges on O are ridiculously overpriced. But Princess???? I also had free internet and laundry, perks for elite and also for suite guests. The suite was a joke compared to the PH on O (and absolutely NO comparison to the Owner's Suite) with a miniscule balcony that was not wide enough to place the lounge chairs straight! Food was no where near as good and the only pool chairs available were the one we paid for in the Sanctuary. Cost per day was equivalent to O, but I would never go back on Princess. I know that everyone has their own opinion, but in my book, comparing O to Princess is not comparing apples to apples. GrammieK, I think you are absolutely correct - there is no comparing Princess to Ocenia as a cruise line (especially when it comes to food). We don't cruise with Princess because of free Internet but because they offer an itinerary that Oceania does not. The reason I mentioned Princess benefits is that if Princess (and Regent, among others) can offer free Internet to their loyal customers I don't see why Oceania could not ( and at comparable speed). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrammieK Posted February 9, 2012 #25 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Paulchili, Again, we agree! This seems to be the one area lacking on Oceania and when other lines can do it, it makes you wonder. That being said, we both know a good product when we experience it! Kathie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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