It's all included!

[MichaelPeak]

Hi Graham, I know you say it's all included and that certainly puts you well above all the other cruise companies.

However how about in this modern age of communications you include free internet access?

I simply could not afford to be out of contact for 18 days and that is the only thing that puts me off booking

[Graham Sadler]

[FONT="Times New Roman"][SIZE="3"]Dear Michael Peak,

We will be including free internet for our Concierge Suites and above in 2014, so I hope we will see you on board for that 18-day voyage.

Graham[/SIZE][/FONT]

[MichaelPeak]

Dear Graham, Thank you for that and I do understand how expensive Internet access is at sea. However once in port, the ship can link relatively cheaply to the local network. We have just had a 12-day river cruise in China and that did have free Internet access as it was via the local network. So perhaps if you thought outside the box and had local access in port for free, then to charge for access at sea, would be perfectly acceptable.

[Travelcat2]

IMO, if it were easy to link to a local network while in port, all of the cruise ships would do it (or consider doing it). Since none of them do, there must be more to it than we see on the surface. Actually, we have seen the opposite...... in some ports, internet is blocked completely.

In terms of "it's all included", I would love to see Regent go back to the tag line "The Regent Experience" because that is what we feel and think about when planning a cruise on Regent.

[rallydave]

[quote name='Travelcat2']IMO, if it were easy to link to a local network while in port, all of the cruise ships would do it (or consider doing it). Since none of them do, there must be more to it than we see on the surface. Actually, we have seen the opposite...... in some ports, internet is blocked completely.

In terms of "it's all included", I would love to see Regent go back to the tag line "The Regent Experience" because that is what we feel and think about when planning a cruise on Regent.[/quote]

Very simple reason, it is a profit issue. Cruise ships, other than all inclusive, make most of their profits from extras charged for on board and internet is one of those high profit items. Why would they connect to local networks, which are not free to the cruise line and provide free internet when they can charge the standard (high) on board rates?? And blocking accessable internet is another way to "force" passengers to use the expensive ship internet.

[MichaelPeak]

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]Well, trying not trying to be contentious, I missed out the name of the cruise company. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]But just for the record it was Viking River Cruises and we were on board their boat cruising the Yangtze [/FONT][/COLOR][COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana] in China. For most of the time we were in port we were able to FaceTime on my iPad for free and we know that uses a lot of bandwidth. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]All I was hoping I could get Graham to consider was a free simple connection while we were in port, so I could see how the business was doing and send the odd email.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]I realise that we might get access if we upgrade, but I’m one of those people that are prepared to accept a more basic grade cabin, so I can afford more cruises![/FONT][/COLOR] Edited November 13, 2013 by MichaelPeak

[Travelcat2]

[quote name='MichaelPeak'][COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]Well, trying not trying to be contentious, I missed out the name of the cruise company. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]But just for the record it was Viking River Cruises and we were on board their boat cruising the Yangtze [/FONT][/COLOR][COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana] in China. For most of the time we were in port we were able to FaceTime on my iPad for free and we know that uses a lot of bandwidth. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]All I was hoping I could get Graham to consider was a free simple connection while we were in port, so I could see how the business was doing and send the odd email.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]I realise that we might get access if we upgrade, but I’m one of those people that are prepared to accept a more basic grade cabin, so I can afford more cruises![/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE]

Oh - so it was a river cruise. I am not familiar with river cruising - only ocean cruising (except for a Fijian and Nile cruise in the late '80's). It is interesting that they can use local internet. If you check with crew members on Regent, they all know of places on shore with inexpensive (or free) Wi Fi connections. At least for now, the major luxury cruise lines (Regent, Crystal, Silversea, Seabourn and SeaDream Yacht Club) all charge for internet. What we do when sailing on Silversea is to mentally add in the cost of internet to the cost of the cruise. It is a nuisance but better than not have internet:-) Edited November 13, 2013 by Travelcat2

[MichaelPeak]

[FONT=Times New Roman]To be quite clear about this, as well as the river cruise, we have also done several cruises to the Baltic, the Mediterranean and Norway, when our business looked after it’s self for a week or so. However I have always been unhappy with the fact there were so many extras. So when a company said in its literature “Its All Included” I thought that’s great, just what I’m looking for. But of course it’s not “all” included, because there is no Internet. This immediately excludes any long voyages, which I would really like to do. The China River cruise was fine – with it’s internet. My purpose in starting this thread was to try and encourage the cruise companies to re-think their policies, in this age of global communications.[/FONT]

[Travelcat2]

[quote name='MichaelPeak'][FONT=Times New Roman]To be quite clear about this, as well as the river cruise, we have also done several cruises to the Baltic, the Mediterranean and Norway, when our business looked after it’s self for a week or so. However I have always been unhappy with the fact there were so many extras. So when a company said in its literature “Its All Included” I thought that’s great, just what I’m looking for. But of course it’s not “all” included, because there is no Internet. This immediately excludes any long voyages, which I would really like to do. The China River cruise was fine – with it’s internet. My purpose in starting this thread was to try and encourage the cruise companies to re-think their policies, in this age of global communications.[/FONT][/QUOTE]

Think that something is wrong with your system..... your post is in very tiny font -- difficult to read.

I understand that Regent's tag line is misleading. However, it is what is it is. Looks like you will not be able to cruise on Regent because you do not want to pay for internet. Hope you are able to find the itinerary you are looking for on a river cruise because, unfortunately, you will not find it on Regent or other luxury lines.

[rallydave]

[quote name='MichaelPeak'][COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]Well, trying not trying to be contentious, I missed out the name of the cruise company. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]But just for the record it was Viking River Cruises and we were on board their boat cruising the Yangtze [/FONT][/COLOR][COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana] in China. For most of the time we were in port we were able to FaceTime on my iPad for free and we know that uses a lot of bandwidth. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]All I was hoping I could get Graham to consider was a free simple connection while we were in port, so I could see how the business was doing and send the odd email.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]I realise that we might get access if we upgrade, but I’m one of those people that are prepared to accept a more basic grade cabin, so I can afford more cruises![/FONT][/COLOR][/quote]

Michael, not as bleak as tc has told you. Your computer is just fine and your post easily readable and not small at all. Something wrong with her computer. While Internet is not free from the beginning on Regent, at the present time and up to the end of October next year, if you cruise with Regent just 21 nites, you will have free internet for all of your future cruises and, on the cruise when you hit the 21 nite mark, your internet is free from day one of that cruise.

Starting Nov 2014 the 21 nites will become 75 nites however if you book Concierge or above at that time or later, you get free internet from day 1.

In a way Regent is acknowledging your need for internet by providing it for you if you book Concierge or above but, taking it away by requiring more nites in lower category suites.

Giving it free to everyone would impact their revenue and therefore your profit and if they were to provide internet for everyone, they would simply raise cruise prices and you would be no better off. As I said earlier, any extras they can come up with do a large job in increasing profit and Regent doesn't have a lot of things to sell as most is include. Actually think Regent is about the most liberal with free internet among all cruise lines.

To try and explain your free internet in China, your River Cruise stays in China all or most of the time so easy for them to arrange Internet from a single provider in China while ocean cruises port in countries all over the world and would require a lot of logistics to get internet in all of their ports especially since many ports are only reached once or a few times per year.

And bet your Viking Cruise did charge you for at least their costs for the internet or cost plus a hefty profit buried in the cruise fare.

Enjoy your next cruise wherever it is.

[MichaelPeak]

[quote name='rallydave']Michael, not as bleak as tc has told you. Your computer is just fine and your post easily readable and not small at all. Something wrong with her computer. While Internet is not free from the beginning on Regent, at the present time and up to the end of October next year, if you cruise with Regent just 21 nites, you will have free internet for all of your future cruises and, on the cruise when you hit the 21 nite mark, your internet is free from day one of that cruise.

Starting Nov 2014 the 21 nites will become 75 nites however if you book Concierge or above at that time or later, you get free internet from day 1.

In a way Regent is acknowledging your need for internet by providing it for you if you book Concierge or above but, taking it away by requiring more nites in lower category suites.

Giving it free to everyone would impact their revenue and therefore your profit and if they were to provide internet for everyone, they would simply raise cruise prices and you would be no better off. As I said earlier, any extras they can come up with do a large job in increasing profit and Regent doesn't have a lot of things to sell as most is include. Actually think Regent is about the most liberal with free internet among all cruise lines.

To try and explain your free internet in China, your River Cruise stays in China all or most of the time so easy for them to arrange Internet from a single provider in China while ocean cruises port in countries all over the world and would require a lot of logistics to get internet in all of their ports especially since many ports are only reached once or a few times per year.

And bet your Viking Cruise did charge you for at least their costs for the internet or cost plus a hefty profit buried in the cruise fare.

Enjoy your next cruise wherever it is.[/QUOTE]
Dear RallyDave,

Thanks for you kind reply. At 77 this was my first try on any message board and after the tone of Travelcat2's reply I thought that's it, I'm not engaging with that sort of abruptness ever again.

So very pleased to have it softened by you nice reply.

With very best wishes,
Michael