Internet speed

[Shining Clem]

We'd like to know why usage couldn't be charged by the number of bytes downloaded or sent? Although it wouldn't solve the capacity or connectivity issues, it would be fairer. One would be charged by the volume, regardless if it took 2 or 20 minutes to download.

 

Also both the contractors running the Internet services and the cruise lines would have incentives to speed up connections and improve service, because they could make more money the smoother things ran allowing for increased volume. Crew would be happier too!

 

We too hope O and other lines will improve in this area and recognize passengers needs. Undoubtedly for some it is a way to keep in social contact. This can become paramount when there is a family or property emergency.

 

Too many others have personal or company business contacts to maintain. O has longer cruises than many other lines, often in far reaches of the world. Except that those far reaches aren't so remote if decisions have to be made. As newer, younger cruisers come along, these needs should be accommodated.

 

RedRaider mentioned the shower stall problem improving. Smoking is another issue that many of the lines have made changes with in response to customer dissatisfaction. O, Celebrity & Azumara got the message. Those who haven't don't get our business (Cunard, Chrystal, HAL, Princess). So there is hope, especially if O lets us know they are working on the issue.

[sailfar]

FDR thank you for responding to the issue. We are sure that you are trying to run a quality product as witnessed by your response to this board over the years as well as to the questionnaires we fill out onboard. Your management should be applauded by the board for your listening skills and smart decisions.

 

I am looking forward to faster service and lower costs per minutes. I know it will be costly for Oceania. The person in charge of the internet net serivce from the company serving Oceania onboard our last cruise said it would be expensive to upgrade the system. I was asking if we could get a qualtiy service like Regent. We are over 70 days of loyality on Regent and get free internet. The service on Regent is fast and excellent, even in the cabin.

 

We are booked on 4 future Oceania cruises and 1 Regent. So you could say that we have a vested interest. On the other hand, you could look at this as a PR breakthough for the future and something your tech age consumers value.

[wristband]

Regent is indeed total opposite of Oceania Interent - far superior speed w/ better pricing (for those who must pay).

 

Claim above that Regent has smaller ships, ergo fewer pax banging away, ergo online speed is faster, is not so. Regent Mariner is = to Nautica/R ships at 750+ guests.

 

My observation: more passengers are online at any time on Regent Mariner's service than was the case in the tiny Internet room on Nautica last month. Mariner offers more terminals than Nautica, whcih are in constant use and suffers little degradation in speed as a result of such active usage.

[travelinjudy]

Is still horrendous on the Regatta. I just got off. Simply awful! It's a joke. Azamara's is better, and that's not so great.

[sailfar]

Just read USA news story on their travel site that hotel guests want wi-fi included over everything else, even coffee. I feel so good that I am not alone in my new age attitude about staying connected. I am nearly 70 years old and I know the generations below me are going to feel even more strongly about these issues.

 

If people want free internet at hotels, one would think they would also value this on a cruise. It is only a matter of time that this will also be a deciding factor in how we cruise.

[Baby Hughy]

Just read USA news story on their travel site that hotel guests want wi-fi included over everything else, even coffee. I feel so good that I am not alone in my new age attitude about staying connected. I am nearly 70 years old and I know the generations below me are going to feel even more strongly about these issues.

 

If people want free internet at hotels, one would think they would also value this on a cruise. It is only a matter of time that this will also be a deciding factor in how we cruise.

As one that is also of your generation I really don't want free internet offered on the cruise. Firstly because nothing is free it is just included in the fare structure and this means I would be asking all my fellow pax to support my internet usage even if they don't require it for themselves. Being retired if I have to go on line I will pay for my usage myself. In 4 cruises my bill has not exceded $20.00.

Bill

[wristband]

Yeah, but you miss the point. The issue is not cost alone. Its terrible speed. I am happy to pay for the service. But O must provide a service that reinforces - not detracts - its good reputation.

 

Don't charge for a service that provokes so many irate posts on Cruise Critic!

[sailfar]

I agree that it is not just the cost of the internet, but it is the speed of the service. We live on Oceania and Regent ships for the better part of 2 months of a year. We just want to make our life better on the ships.

 

We choose Oceania and Regent for the following reasons:

 

You eat three times a day and the food is 5* plus on both Oceania and Regent.

 

The staff is super, and you have to be served 24/7.

 

 

Each cruise line advertises what they do in the dry docks. They spend millions of dollars that we all pay for in the "absorbed" cost, whether we want it or not. I am looking forward to the times ahead and saying that money spent on creating a better internet will be a selling point and an attractent to not only new age passengers but to quality crew attractments and their loyalty to the company.

 

So, back to one of my comments on this board, USA reported that free internet was more important than coffee. It may not happen on cruise ships as fast as on land, but I think the cruise corporations should elevate the status of the the internet on their future plans.

[pklaguna]

I would love to know if the Marina in fact has updated their internet speed. It was the worst ever when we travel Europe last October. We are scheduled for a 3 week south pacific cruise in late December....I will need internet!

[candbgirl]

Thanks. I had just decided to leave my laptop home during my Regatta cruise in June. Good news.

[PaulMCO]

It is great that the WiFi connectivity is fixed. But that does not solve the problem -- the issue is the amount of bandwidth allotted to the internet port being used by passengers.

 

The bandwidth is shared by the ships data, TV, telephone communications (voice and data) and crew data. When there is a fixed amount of bandwidth something has to give and I am sure the order of the data priority is ship data, crew data and LASTLY passenger Wi Fi data. The improvements I assume FDR was talking about was a box that compresses the data allow more data to be up-linked to the satellite.

 

But with more passengers toting iPhones, Blackberry's and iPads. The amount of users increases dramaically from past cruises and so does the amount of data. Just like ATT -- a ship cannot keep up with the data usage.

 

My last trip I took an Abroadband modem for my PC that was very slow because it acts like an iPhone and uses the data side of the telephone port (Cellular at Sea). It worked and ended up costing about $100 for the 30 day cruise because it is based on amount of data (in mb) not time connected. But still it two hours per day to down load my e-mails was not very efficient.

[TenerifeSharon]

We just returned home from our first O cruise - Rio to Barcelona on Insignia. The cruise was brilliant in every facet -- excepting one .... INTERNET. The internet@sea attendant, Milos, did what he could, including reinstating the minutes when the speed was excruciatingly slow (very often). But, I made the mistake of buying a 200 minute package for $150 on the first evening (greedy to want those 20% more minutes for free!). The first time I was actually able to connect at a decent speed was on the 10th day of a 16 day cruise. (A new reason for the lack of speed was related to me by one of the crew -- it's always slow around the Equator.:rolleyes: REALLY? Had Neptune pierced the satellite with his trident?) Ultimately, I ended up with over 100 unused minutes remaining in the package. Milos mentioned that there were several passengers upset about having over 300 minutes (of 1200 minutes purchased) unused at the end of the cruise. An eMail from him to headquarters brought the reply that prepaid minutes would not be reimbursed.

 

Will we do another O cruise? DEFINITELY!:D Will I ever buy another internet package during an O cruise? DEFINITELY NOT.:(

 

Again, the voyage was fantastic -- so the internet problem was minimal in comparison to all the fantastic experiences and will not alter all the wonderful memories.

[LuAnn]

We just returned home from our first O cruise - Rio to Barcelona on Insignia. The cruise was brilliant in every facet -- excepting one .... INTERNET. The internet@sea attendant, Milos, did what he could, including reinstating the minutes when the speed was excruciatingly slow (very often). But, I made the mistake of buying a 200 minute package for $150 on the first evening (greedy to want those 20% more minutes for free!). The first time I was actually able to connect at a decent speed was on the 10th day of a 16 day cruise. (A new reason for the lack of speed was related to me by one of the crew -- it's always slow around the Equator.:rolleyes: REALLY? Had Neptune pierced the satellite with his trident?) Ultimately, I ended up with over 100 unused minutes remaining in the package. Milos mentioned that there were several passengers upset about having over 300 minutes (of 1200 minutes purchased) unused at the end of the cruise. An eMail from him to headquarters brought the reply that prepaid minutes would not be reimbursed.

 

Will we do another O cruise? DEFINITELY!:D Will I ever buy another internet package during an O cruise? DEFINITELY NOT.:(

 

Again, the voyage was fantastic -- so the internet problem was minimal in comparison to all the fantastic experiences and will not alter all the wonderful memories.

 

we just got back from Germany!! So sorry we missed you...but we are on Marina Rome to Rio in November and would love to hear all about your cruise!! Email me, ok?? LuAnn

[LuAnn]

I would love to know if the Marina in fact has updated their internet speed. It was the worst ever when we travel Europe last October. We are scheduled for a 3 week south pacific cruise in late December....I will need internet!

 

 

talked to FDR on the disembarakation day on Marina Spring T/A and he assured us O had spent $1 M on Internet upgrades...we didn't buy a package to check it out but that's his news! LuAnn

[wripro]

Unfortunately, the words "internet speed" are an oxymoron on Oceania. "Internet Sludge" would be more appropriate, especially for the outrageous charges they level.