How good is the internet service?

[tkq]

Leaving the kids behind for the first time and wondering how reliable the internet service is onboard? Do messages send and receive quickly? (Thinking we can arrange a time to "chat" with them). Has anyone tried using FaceTime/Skype? Is it available in the staterooms? Any issues with using an iPad?

 

Thanks in advance for your thoughts, insights and tips.

[rdsqrl]

The internet service is satellite-based and is sometimes reliable; sometimes not -- on my Panama Canal cruise, it was down or so slow it might as well have been down for nearly half the 15 days. It's almost always slow (don't expect the speeds of your internet at work or school), except at really off times -- and since the crew uses it too and they work round-the-clock, there's never really an off time. There is wifi, and it does reach to all cabins (some people report weak signals which they enhance by propping open their cabin door). Of course, none of this is free -- if you do a search here or on Princess's website (check the FAQ section), you'll find a price list. I know this all sounds doom-and-gloom, but it's best to be prepared and maybe you'll find fast service -- you never know. You're on a ship and things just aren't going to work as they do in a land-based hotel.

 

That said, Skype is a huge hog of available internet space and some ships don't allow it. And with the slow speeds, I can't really see how it would work at all. If you can't bear to go a week without seeing/speaking to your kids, the best strategy if you must use Skype is to locate a free-wifi place on land. Assuming you're in the Caribbean, that should be fairly easy.

 

P.S. No issues with iPads; many frequent posters here use them all the time. Just make sure you follow the directions on how to log out when you're done so you don't continue to draw down your purchased internet time.

[JimmyVWine]

Think "dial-up internet" circa 2000. No video streaming. Loading your email messages can take 15 minutes. It's pretty much 'work off-line and then upload and download when you have a half an hour to spare.'

[J-D]

...Do messages send and receive quickly? (Thinking we can arrange a time to "chat" with them). Has anyone tried using FaceTime/Skype? Is it available in the staterooms? Any issues with using an iPad?...

 

One can usually (not always) get a connection -- on a minority of occasions the ship's system may be overloaded and will not connect, or the ship may be in a geographic area (e.g., a fjord) where the satellite link is unavailable. However, total inability to connect is infrequent.

 

Much more common is the situation when you can (sometimes only after a few minutes) get a connection, but there are lengthy waits for anything to upload or download. This is common, especially at times of day when many are online. And transmission of a large file (e.g., photo) may take much longer than one expects. The system usually is not quite as slow as "dial-up" on land, but nonetheless very slow compared to a broadband connection ashore. Meanwhile, you are being charged the ship's high per-minute rate, or are rapidly using up any "free minutes" that you may have been given. It is best to keep the messages short and/or connect at less-popular times of day, e.g., early morning, (very) late at night, or perhaps during dinnertime.

 

Much of the problem is presumably a result of too many people using high-demand applications. No doubt I am a Luddite, but I wish people would communicate mainly by (low-demand) text-only e-mail, and avoid or at least minimize use of more demanding applications.

 

WiFi is supposed to be available in all Princess staterooms. However, the connection is weak from many staterooms, and from some minority of the rooms it is intermittent or worse. Opening the door to the hallway sometimes improves a weak connection.

 

John

[JimmyVWine]

Much of the problem is presumably a result of too many people using high-demand applications. No doubt I am a Luddite, but I wish people would communicate mainly by (low-demand) text-only e-mail, and avoid or at least minimize use of more demanding applications.

 

 

The problem lies more with the way the satellite system works than with the way people use it. The system is too slow for people to use high-demand applications to the point where that would be the problem. This thread explains it pretty well. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1882070

[Putterdude]

It's slow, very slow. If you are going to use Skype of Face Time then you would be further ahead to find a hot spot in the port area.

[faiz23]

I imagine your speed test will be less than .5Mbps and your ping will 500ms-600ms. You will probably pull a trigger on your self or contemplate hitting ctrl+alt+del at least 47 times before the webpage loads up for you.

[Fletch1]

There are also occasions when there is no internet access at all, due to the positioning of the ship. We were on the Diamond a few years ago cruising from Alaska to Asia and there was 5 days in a row when there was no internet access (drove some passengers to despair!!). I am sure that length of time would not occur now, but we were on the Rhapsody a week ago and there were 2 seperate days when there was no access, one being a port day!!!

 

But I have had many occasions when it is super quick as well.

[Dorset Cruiser]

Used it via Ipad on Caribbean Princess two weeks ago. It was not noticeably very slow and we did manage to Facetime our DD whilst in port on one occasion. Never used it to download our newspaper but waited until ashore in a Starbucks :)

 

Always used the Ipad in our stateroom and never went to the internet room.

 

You MUST remember to log out. I used the logout.com screen and then switched out of wifi on the Ipad and powered it off.