Internet access in cabins

[Murphey]

What is your experience....is it easier/faster to access from your own laptop/tablet/phone via WiFi in your cabin vs using the ships computers. Thanks. I realize everyone's milage may vary due to reception, but I'm asking about normal situations.

[Pam in CA]

What is your experience....is it easier/faster to access from your own laptop/tablet/phone via WiFi in your cabin vs using the ships computers. Thanks. I realize everyone's milage may vary due to reception, but I'm asking about normal situations.

Faster and more convenient: WiFi on my own device whether it's my iPhone or tablet.

[wox]

I found that internet access was much better in the cabin using my Ipad than using the ships computers. I checked about boarding passes on my Ipad but, of course, needed to print those off. I went to the ships location & tried to connect. After 15 minutes, I gave up.

[Woobstr112G]

What is your experience....is it easier/faster to access from your own laptop/tablet/phone via WiFi in your cabin vs using the ships computers. Thanks. I realize everyone's milage may vary due to reception, but I'm asking about normal situations.

 

Kind of depends on your cabin location and the type of device you have. I have a first generation I-Pad and it has a habit of always dropping the wi-fi signal. When I've used my laptop I've had better luck. Biggest factor, IMHO, is location.....

Bob

[Shelly97060]

I like using Wi-Fi from my cabin on my ipad. I do find that late at night or really early in the morning it is easier to get connected ( maybe not so many users?).

[Woobstr112G]

I like using Wi-Fi from my cabin on my ipad. I do find that late at night or really early in the morning it is easier to get connected ( maybe not so many users?).

 

Exactly why it's easier late at night or early in the morning.....:):):)

 

Bob

[paddingtonbear]

Some hotel computers have restrictions on access to some sites because they don't allow pop ups. So you can't access bank websites etc. Is this the case on the ship's computers?

[DeltaOne]

What is your experience....is it easier/faster to access from your own laptop/tablet/phone via WiFi in your cabin vs using the ships computers. Thanks. I realize everyone's milage may vary due to reception, but I'm asking about normal situations.

 

Using your own device is always going to faster and more economical because you can log on, download emails, then log off. Take your time reading and composing replies without the clock ticking. Then, log on, send replies and log off.

 

The "trick" is you use an email application, not a web browser. Easy to set up and test before you leave home too.

[rollingstone]

We always use our own laptop. When we use it in the room it is slower sometimes. To correct this, we wedge the bathroom garbage can in the door so that it is open a few inches. Since the doors are metal, this allows a better signal.

I like to use the computer in the morning at the coffee bar. Just like at home-coffee, mail, looking out of the window.

[Kamloops50]

Never have used the Wi-Fi in the room. Will be trying next trip as I have a

 

laptop and a Tablet . The laptop is mainly for downloading pictures from

 

my digital camera . I find that early morining , port days and supper time

 

the access speed is the best . Around 8AM the access is usually poor.

 

I asked asked the IT fellow one day and his rely was

 

" Most Ship administrative traffic downloads are done

 

between 7am and 9am "

[Griller]

Not all Princess ships have all cabin internet access, for example I could not get it to work on Golden P. last month and the internet manager told me there was NO cabin signal on that ship. Don't know whether I totally believe that but maybe its so.

It was of less importance to me on that Hawaii cruise as we were in US territory for some of the cruise so I could use my tethered Sprint phone with its unlimited "free" internet on the days we were in the islands, certainly took the pressure off my free allowance of 250 shipboard minutes.

[Riviera 30]

My preious experience with wi fi internet in hotels ( especially asia hotels ) is if you have purchased a 60 minute internet card for example, is that even if you used say 7 minutes and then log off, it rounds it up to 15 minutes, is this the same on the Star Princess? If it is then you are always losing internet time, how can one be sure that you only have actual minutes used deducted from your allowance.

 

cheers

 

Les

[duck addict]

My preious experience with wi fi internet in hotels ( especially asia hotels ) is if you have purchased a 60 minute internet card for example, is that even if you used say 7 minutes and then log off, it rounds it up to 15 minutes, is this the same on the Star Princess? If it is then you are always losing internet time, how can one be sure that you only have actual minutes used deducted from your allowance.

 

cheers

 

Les

I have used in on the Star and Emerald. When you log off, it gives you an updated status of your purchased minutes. It counts actual minutes, no rounding

[Griller]

My preious experience with wi fi internet in hotels ( especially asia hotels ) is if you have purchased a 60 minute internet card for example, is that even if you used say 7 minutes and then log off, it rounds it up to 15 minutes, is this the same on the Star Princess? If it is then you are always losing internet time, how can one be sure that you only have actual minutes used deducted from your allowance.

 

cheers

 

Les

Not as extreme as that, but 4 minutes and 1 second will be 5 minutes gone from your allowance.

I have checked my start and end time on my wristwatch from time to time and my time online always worked out OK, subject to rounding up to the next minute.

Its amazing how quick the minutes go though, I have taken to downloading and saving my emails then logging off. Then replying using the free ecards which do not entail logging on or using minutes up, I think you get 400 characters per ecard.

This is when its worth having your own laptop to save your emails to.

[WhereIBelong]

Has anyone recently used an iPad in their cabin? I've read previous posts that the coverage is spotty at best. Has it improved of late?

 

I'm considering taking my iPad vs. laptop on a British Isles cruise in May.

[NewPennCruiser]

Some hotel computers have restrictions on access to some sites because they don't allow pop ups. So you can't access bank websites etc. Is this the case on the ship's computers?

 

I don't believe there are restrictions like this on the ship's computers, but you might want to think twice about accessing personal information like that on a computer shared by others. At a minimum, make sure you log off the site before you log off the computer and walk away.

[PescadoAmarillo]

We had a router/booster/whatever you call it right outside our cabin. We had the best internet we've ever had on a ship. I was able to get non-video Skype calls out sometimes late at night or early in the morning.

[Sacewood]

I wonder which cabin decks are best for the wifi connection. I'll be on the Sea Princess on Caribe in the middle of the ship doing Alaska in May. Any ideas?

[BlueCat1105]

I had no trouble with the connection using my iPad in January on the Grand.

[Murphey]

Gosh, so much useful information....thanks everyone!!!!! I love the tip to open your cabin door.....

[DPk400]

Laptops will always have a better connection than that of a tablet or other mobile device. They have a larger and more powerful antenna. If you are very close to an Access Point, the difference will be less noticeable. If it is right outside your cabin, any device you have will work perfectly. :D

[DDJ]

Pam, do you get good reception with the iphone or should I take my Mac Air for better reception?

 

Thanks,

 

Jean :confused:

[caribill]

I wonder which cabin decks are best for the wifi connection. I'll be on the Sea Princess on Caribe in the middle of the ship doing Alaska in May. Any ideas?

 

All decks are good if your cabin is relatively close to the signal. All decks are bad if your cabin is far from the signal.