Summit First Time! Last Minute Question!

[Beachgirlohio]

Departing on 4/14. Trying to decide what technology to take. I heard the internet is expensive and this is our first cruise so not sure if I should take the Ipad or Laptop or just leave at home. Is there wireless in the rooms? Let me know your thoughts. THANKS!!!

[cruisestitch]

Internet access on board starts at 75 cents per minute. You can buy packages of minutes which reduce the per-minute rate. For example, 90 minutes for $50. You can use their machines or bring your own and set up a wireless account.

[Beachgirlohio]

If you buy the package minutes, can they be used in your room?

[cruisestitch]

I don't believe that Summit has wireless in the staterooms, although my memory could be wrong on that. I believe that you would need to take your iPad or laptop to one of the various hotspots around the ship. First you buy the package, then set up a wireless password, and from then you can use the wireless wherever you can get signal.

[TLCOhio]

Departing on 4/14. Trying to decide what technology to take. I heard the internet is expensive and this is our first cruise so not sure if I should take the Ipad or Laptop or just leave at home. Is there wireless in the rooms? Let me know your thoughts. THANKS!!!

 

Hi, to Ohio Beachgirl!! You have received some good thoughts from cruisestitch. Here are my suggestions and reactions. Yes, the Internet is costly at sea, as it is on ALL ship and service can be a little slow compared to what we might have been used to with our work and/or cable hook-ups at home.

 

OPTIONS???

 

1. Even on the newer Solstice ships, the wireless can be iffy at times for different parts of ship. I had a cord to hook up with the phone and have a better, direct connections.

 

2. Packages can cut your average per minute cost significantly down.

 

3. My strong view and experience, if you want to save major money and be more efficient, is to take a laptop. That way, you can better compose what you want to send out, offline, then log on, upload, grab your incoming mail and sign off . . . quickly. Read, write and compose offline, then only go back on when you're ready, do your "business" online and then sign off quickly.

 

I did lots of postings, uploading pictures, doing a daily live/blog, etc., last June in the Med, but managed to keep my time uses at a reasonable level. Reactions??

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 72,605 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[FrankinPA]

Just to add to Terry's suggestion: with you laptop you can also use wifi in local coffee shops and other hot spots at ports of call. I spent a couple of hours at Georgetown in a coffee shop using their free wifi just recently.

[DPurcell58]

If I take my Ipad and have a coupon for free internet can I use the iPad instead of their computers?

[cruisestitch]

Yes, you can use your own device. First you set up the account on one of their machines, create your wireless password, and from then you can use your own laptop or iPad or iPhone or whatever.

[Wine-O]

I inquired about wifi on Summit in the staterooms and was told that during their recent solstizing they did in fact add wifi in the stasterooms.

[uktog]

Certainly take your own ipad. When composing emails you can use your word processing software and then a quick cut and paste into the email. If you use the ships PC you do not have access to software so have to compose on line using vital minutes

[lmizza]

I borught my I-pad and had free wi-fi, it was extremely slow in the room and a little faster in the solarium. Didn't even use the 180 minutes it was so slow. Also the safe is very small, barely fit the i-pad and nook, wallet, passports and jewelry, so not sure if lap-top would fit.

[Choozin Croozin]

I borught my I-pad and had free wi-fi, it was extremely slow in the room and a little faster in the solarium. Didn't even use the 180 minutes it was so slow. Also the safe is very small, barely fit the i-pad and nook, wallet, passports and jewelry, so not sure if lap-top would fit.

 

I always lock the laptop in the suitcase. FWIW

[CathyCruises]

I always leave it on the counter. FWIW