RCCL New and Innovative Charges?

[md sailor]

I recently uncovered a new indirect revenue producer RCCL has adopted. On a recent cruise on Brilliance of the Sea from Harwich, UK, which embarked on 19 June 2013, I wished to write an e-mail. Since on-line services was a pay by minute service and was extremely slow, I decided to prepare the document in a simple word processor before I went on-line using Connect minutes I had purchased. To my extreme disappointment, I discovered that RCCL had modified its computer workstations as follows:

a. The public workstations did not have any professional word processing application such as Microsoft Office/Microsoft Word installed for passenger use.

b. RCCL had removed the WordPad, simple word processor that is part of the Windows XP, Win 7 and Win 8 operating systems and had disabled the simple note preparer, Notepad, another part of the OS. These two apps cost the owner of the OS nothing to use since that are part of the OS and paid for under the cost of the Microsoft OS.

 

I had only one option using the RCCL workstation. That was to use the arcane word processing feature contained in my e-mail tool. I decided not to send the e-mail thus avoiding RCCL’s additional fees for internet time

 

Well congratulations to RCCL. They have found another way to bilk your customers with additional unnecessary charges for internet time in preparing e-mail. They have denied their passengers something they obtained free and charged them for the internet time services which are unnecessary to prepare a text document.

 

Have they removed the word processing capability on all their ships’ public computers? What will be the next indirect charge they will attempt to charge us? How about charging passengers for cloth napkins? If the diner uses the cloth napkins provided at dinner a service charge will appear on his bill for each cloth napkin used. Their cruise ship charges resemble what the airline industry has imposed on their passengers since the deregulation of that industry. I am certain RCCL is well aware of what the public thinks of the charges airlines impose on their passengers. I would implore RCCL not clone the airline industry’s pricing policies. The least they could do is to reinstate simple word processing capabilities on all their ships public computers.

Robert Haber

Rockville, MD

[ahecht]

Like most internet kiosks, they most likely block everything that isn't necessary for accessing the internet. Any program could have security flaws discovered in the future that would allow someone to gain full control over the computer. For example, with notepad (or any program that allows you to save files to the hard drive) you can actually run any program or delete any file on the hard drive from the "save as" dialogue box by right clicking the file. This could let someone corrupt the system or install software to spy on other users of that computer.

 

If you want to use word or notepad, bring your own device and use wifi.

[cozzello]

I am interested in hearing about your trip? We are doing the trip next June 19 and I am curious about everything... How did you get to Harwich? What is the earliest you can get a flight home? Favorite port?

I hope you enjoyed the rest of your trip.

Thanks.

Cheryl

[setsail]

Their system has always been straight up, no add ons. There are a ton of threads on CC by people who do live reports and they for the most part, write everything up off line, then when they have it like they want, hit send/enter

 

Extremely slow, that's funny. Why don't you put wheels on the cell tower you use at home so it can move around all the time and see how that works

[Clarea]

It's always best to bring your own laptop (or iPad etc.) so you can use the programs you want. I've found the public use computers to be unreliable.

[Starry Eyes]

I'll echo the others. Bring your own device if you wish to compose off line.

 

A can understand setting the computers with the minimum needed for their purpose. Imagine how frustrated one might be if you went to the computer center at at busy time (maybe the last day when people want to print boarding passes). Imagine one found all operational computers occupied, and some people camped at some doing free stuff (be it word processing or playing games or whatever), forcing you to wait for a terminal. Then you get a terminal and are ready to print the boarding pass, but you discover one of the freebie users is printing the novella he composed (he had time because he cancelled his excursions after he sprained his ankle on day 1;) ) while on the trip, so the printer is busy. Eventually the printer runs out of paper and you must wait for staff to bring more. I suspect some passengers would shrug it off, but others would be unhappy. Simple solution: disable such functions. Yes my example is extreme to make my point. Several years ago I did see passengers playing solitaire on a ship computer (I think it was a different line). Though a free game, I am not surprised that cruiseline removed the function to free up computers for paying functions.

[tserface]

I suspect the reasons were more innocuous than that. First off, some programs, like WordPad can save files to the disk and can cut and paste information. This gives viruses a way to infiltrate. Second, any program that a user could use on their systems is going to cause support questions from someone. You may know how to use WordPad, but someone else is going to try and not know anything and expect the people working there to teach them how. That takes resources.

 

So, I'd bet they just made a decision to make the internet kiosks... just internet kiosks and removed anything that wasn't in that vein. They probably weren't even thinking about revenue generating. They may have thought about resource saving.

 

Having your own device, like an iPad, gives you great flexibility. I do what you're describing. I use the iPad mail program and download the email while online, get offline, respond to email or create new emails, then get back online to send them. It does save a lot of time and it means I don't have to be in a hurry while typing responses. You're idea of doing this offline is really good!

 

Tom

 

Well congratulations to RCCL. They have found another way to bilk your customers with additional unnecessary charges for internet time in preparing e-mail. They have denied their passengers something they obtained free and charged them for the internet time services which are unnecessary to prepare a text document.

[tserface]

I didn't even think of that. Yeah, it would be annoying if someone was sitting there playing Solitaire or Mine Sweeper (both free programs that come on all Windows installs). :rolleyes:

 

Tom

 

I'll echo the others. Bring your own device if you wish to compose off line.

 

A can understand setting the computers with the minimum needed for their purpose. Imagine how frustrated one might be if you went to the computer center at at busy time (maybe the last day when people want to print boarding passes). Imagine one found all operational computers occupied, and some people camped at some doing free stuff (be it word processing or playing games or whatever), forcing you to wait for a terminal. Then you get a terminal and are ready to print the boarding pass, but you discover one of the freebie users is printing the novella he composed (he had time because he cancelled his excursions after he sprained his ankle on day 1;) ) while on the trip, so the printer is busy. Eventually the printer runs out of paper and you must wait for staff to bring more. I suspect some passengers would shrug it off, but others would be unhappy. Simple solution: disable such functions. Yes my example is extreme to make my point. Several years ago I did see passengers playing solitaire on a ship computer (I think it was a different line). Though a free game, I am not surprised that cruiseline removed the function to free up computers for paying functions.

[Paulxyz2004]

What´s new and innovative here?

 

They always charged for Internet and they never had any text processing Software available on their Computers. So what´s this all about?

[kyriecat]

OP says removing word processing programs is new for RC, but I can't ever remember there being word processing programs on any RC computer. I have been bringing my own computer if I plan to send lengthy emails since 2005 to reduce my internet minute usage. OP's history says he was on Enchantment in December. I haven't sailed on that ship so maybe it is unique and has word processors on the Internet Cafe computers. If so, I guess I could understand his surprise when Brilliance did not have a similar feature.

[oneputt18]

Royal has never had anything except internet access on their computers.

[Clarea]

Royal has never had anything except internet access on their computers.

That's been my experience too. I've never been able to even print a PDF email attachment on their computers because of the lack of a PDF reader.