Internet usage pricing?

[monctonmama]

Where can I find the pricing for internet usage? I can't find it anywhere on the O. site?? Thanks

[LHT28]

It will be in your cruise personalizer that arrives about 6 wks prior to your sailing

 

last I saw it was 99 cent per minute

$160 for 200 minutes

up to $27.95 pd for unlimited

[Paulchili]

On our upcoming Riviera T/A in Nov the unlimited package is "special offer" @ $21.99/day. As Silvers we get 20% off from this.

IIRC, it can be purchased anywhere from 3 to 7 days into the cruise (depending on cruise length)

The other figures Lyn listed are up to date.

[monctonmama]

Never thought to look in my packet.

 

On a side note, I feel that the price is far too high, and if O. is listerning, they need to realize that people today expect to be "wired" 24/7.

 

This is my first cruise, and I know I'm going to love O. but in future we will be seriously looking at the free perks offered by other lines.

 

To Oceania, if you want to capture me, you have to change this policy.

[Travelcat2]

Never thought to look in my packet.

 

On a side note, I feel that the price is far too high, and if O. is listerning, they need to realize that people today expect to be "wired" 24/7.

 

This is my first cruise, and I know I'm going to love O. but in future we will be seriously looking at the free perks offered by other lines.

 

To Oceania, if you want to capture me, you have to change this policy.

 

Finding free internet will be a challenge as it is offered only by a couple of cruise lines. Even though it is included, the speed is generally slower than the old dial-up. The speed and price is due to the satellite connection that cruise ships are able to get. Things are improving but have a ways to go.

[pacheco18]

On our upcoming Riviera T/A in Nov the unlimited package is "special offer" @ $21.99/day. As Silvers we get 20% off from this.

IIRC, it can be purchased anywhere from 3 to 7 days into the cruise (depending on cruise length)

The other figures Lyn listed are up to date.

 

We had same deal in May for 21 days. Loved the unlimited package. At the reduced price with the discount it is tolerable

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[GeezerCouple]

There seem to be some advance purchase offers that include free unlimited Internet (also included Gratuities).

 

Is this fully as advertised?

 

We have two booked thus far, but have not yet been on an Oceania cruise.

 

Thanks.

 

GeezerCouple

[LHT28]

There seem to be some advance purchase offers that include free unlimited Internet (also included Gratuities).

 

Is this fully as advertised?

 

We have two booked thus far, but have not yet been on an Oceania cruise.

 

Thanks.

 

GeezerCouple

 

Where did you see advance purchase offers for free unlimited internet??

 

The only ones I have seen are some specific sailings that have free internet as part of the cruise package

If that is what you are talking about why would it be anything other than advertised?

 

Lyn

[ggglo]

All cruises which just came out have free Internet and gratuities if booked by dec. 31, 2013.

[Benita]

All cruises which just came out have free Internet and gratuities if booked by dec. 31, 2013.

 

That does not include cruises for the winter 2013-2014 season, unless specified. I keep getting mailings from O that tout the free internet and gratuities for that time frame,, but when you actually read through the brochure, most sailings are not included for those perks. The latest had a great price for the sailing I had booked, but in the small print, said cruise only, so they had just deducted the airfare credit, which made the price the same. As every category is still available for my March sailing, I still have hopes that they will add the perks as the time gets closer. My TA gets me the free gratuities and I do get an internet discount due to 6 previous O cruises, but it would be great to get the free internet. We have bought the unlimited package on the previous two O cruises and thought the connections were pretty good.

[GeezerCouple]

All cruises which just came out have free Internet and gratuities if booked by dec. 31, 2013.

 

Yes.

 

It seems to be everything in the new 2014-2015 catalogue (online and fancy snail mail version).

We've booked one for 2014 and one for 2015 (had to change that from early 2014 due to a scheduling conflict, and thus picked up some extra perks for same itinerary, about a year later).

 

I don't know about the various perks for reservations made otherwise.

On quick glance, they seem to be fairly constant/similar over time except for the free Gratuities and unlimited Internet (?).

 

Another big advantage for us to making far advance reservations is more choice in cabin selection ;-)

 

GeezerCouple

[RalBel]

It seems to me that an alternative to the outrageous price charged onboard for what I hear is slow Internet would be using a Data package on your cell phone, possibly in conjunction with the phone's Personal Hotspot or similar (to give WifFi access to an iPad for example). Of course, this would only work while docked (gotta be within range of cell towers), and you would want to prepurchase a data package from your cell phone provider to control costs.

 

HAS ANYONE DONE THIS, and can you comment on whether the cell tower range works OK in port? Thanks.

 

Fred

 

EDIT: Just found the answer elsewhere. When you are aboard ship, apparently the ship intercepts cell phone signals and effectively forces you to go on their "tower," charging you via your own cell phone provider. Users have reported receiving bills in the thousands, even when they had purchased an International Data Package ...

Edited November 9, 2013 by RalBel
JUST FOUND THE ANSWER ELSEWHERE ...

[PaulMCO]

 

 

EDIT: Just found the answer elsewhere. When you are aboard ship, apparently the ship intercepts cell phone signals and effectively forces you to go on their "tower," charging you via your own cell phone provider. Users have reported receiving bills in the thousands, even when they had purchased an International Data Package ...

 

 

Not true -- when in range of land based cellular -- the ship is required to shut their "Cellular at Sea" service down.

 

I have used my ATT plan and also an Abroadband account (mobile hotspot) when docked.

[RalBel]

Not true -- when in range of land based cellular -- the ship is required to shut their "Cellular at Sea" service down.

 

I have used my ATT plan and also an Abroadband account (mobile hotspot) when docked.

PaulMCO: Your experience is totally different than described in the "Verizon Cruise Ship Roaming Charges" forum, where people talked about bills in the thousands and also about receiving warning messages as soon as they activated their cell phones aboard ship. However, their posts aren't specific about exactly when they got the warning messages or built up charges, so your reply is interesting, and worth considering or exploring further. Thanks.

 

Fred

[pacheco18]

ATT is much better than Verizon outside the United States. Plus, t is not always easy to get a signal in port. On my last cruise, some did, others did not.

 

For email, you simply take off cellular and data roaming and you cannot incur charges. You have to wait for a free WIFI signal to connect. This really limits your connection time but if you only want to touch base occasionally it suffices. For those poor souls who still need to connect for work, you need to use the ship's internet.

[RJB]

There seem to be some advance purchase offers that include free unlimited Internet (also included Gratuities).

 

Is this fully as advertised?

 

We have two booked thus far, but have not yet been on an Oceania cruise.

 

Thanks.

 

GeezerCouple

My question about the free internet is how slow it would be if the whole ship had it? Could the servers handle all that air time? :confused:

[Paulchili]

My question about the free internet is how slow it would be if the whole ship had it? Could the servers handle all that air time? :confused:

 

One thing is for sure - it will be faster very late at night and very early in the morning :)

[PaulMCO]

PaulMCO: Your experience is totally different than described in the "Verizon Cruise Ship Roaming Charges" forum, where people talked about bills in the thousands and also about receiving warning messages as soon as they activated their cell phones aboard ship. However, their posts aren't specific about exactly when they got the warning messages or built up charges, so your reply is interesting, and worth considering or exploring further. Thanks.

 

Fred

 

I am sure they were out to sea and not in or near a port. And yes using Cellular at Sea is expensive at about $20 per meg of data. So is anyone's service (ATT, Verizon, TMobile) unless you have an international data plan that includes the partner that gives reduced rates - all are around $.02/kb, unless you have a 100MB plan that ATT or Verizon offers set up before you travel.

[ORV]

The 21.99 or 27.99 unlimited price is determined by the length of your cruise. I think it's 14 days or more get the reduced price but I think I saw in the 2014-2015 catalog before I left for this current cruise that it will be 12 days or more.

 

You also get a 10% discount if you are in Concierge or higher. Don't know if that combines with the Oceania Club level discount.

 

The internet is sssllloooww, so if you plan on using it much at all the unlimited is definitely the way to go. We've had it for 3 of our 5 days so far and used about 4 hours. And we haven't done much at all with it. So we've spent about $75 so far, if we had the 200 minute plan we would have spent $160 +, and would have already had to purchase another. A lot of people on board have the unlimited promo so I'm sure that's slowing it down.

[pacheco18]

Not sure what ship you are on

 

When I was on Nautica in May for 3 weeks we had the unlimited package and I did not find it to be that slow (ok slower than what I have at home but not a big problem) -- could be a function of the smaller ship with fewer people.

[corpkid]

We just use the skype voice app (not video chat) to call people at home, and it works fairly well over the ships wifi. Cell@Sea is a tremendous rip-off. We always purchase the unlimited package about 2 days into our cruise for this purpose. I find that skyping home very early (or very late depending on where in the world I am) works best. Just think of it like a highway that gets backed up during rush hours. Same thing. While everyone else is sleeping, I'm pacing around the lido chatting on my phone with my friends and family halfway around the globe. :) Works for me!!! Also, you can tell people to send you skype instant messages (in lieu of text messages). This is great if there is a problem/etc back home.

 

Also, when in port just ask a bartender where there is free wifi in the port. They always seem to know as they use it to skype their family back home. Almost always you'll find out there's wifi all over the ports if you know where to look.

Edited November 10, 2013 by corpkid