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Oceania connect@sea

aacruise

By aacruise,
in Oceania Cruises

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aacruise

aacruise

Posted
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Has anyone recently cruised on Oceania and used the Connect@sea app to make voice calls? I found some information that was posted in December (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=40907680) that stated it worked well.

 

However I was curious about the cost per minute. Oceania's website didn't have much information other than saying "as well as offer competitive per minute calling rates for all your ship to shore needs".

 

Thanks in advance

 

Terry

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aacruise

aacruise

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Forgive me but I am not sure what you are referring to, if it is calling from the phone in the room we called home on it when onboard last week and it was apx. 5$ a minute. Worked great.

 

I was referring to a smart phone or android tablet app that is available. Not using the phone that is in the cabin. Glad to hear that the phone system works well for ship-to-shore calls.

Edited by aacruise
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ohmark

ohmark

Posted
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I was referring to a smart phone or android tablet app that is available.

Does this app provide better phone service at sea than other phone apps for smart phones (i.e. Xfinity Voice2Go, Skype (audio only))? On a different cruise line, the Voice2Go app was virtually useless (but worked fine on free wifi available during excursions). I assumed that the other cruise line (HAL) had done something to prevent the apps (and similar) from working on the ship's wifi. Wonder if this is also true on O?

Edited by ohmark
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potterhill

potterhill

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On our last cruise in March 2013 we had the unlimited internet package and I was able to FaceTime with the kids. Two in Canada , one in Africa. Worked great. Better than the phone as you can see their faces. It uses a lot less bandwidth than Skype, or so I've been told. In any case, FT hardly ever drops unlike Skype.

 

Mo

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

Edited by potterhill
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potterhill

potterhill

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Oceania?

 

 

Yes. We've only ever sailed on O. We liked it and saw no reason to change. Just now taking a break to do some land travel. Thinking we can always cruise when the joints are too creaky to hike. ;-). Still perusing the brochures though, so you never know....

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

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beachchairs2

beachchairs2

Posted
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so the cost of ship to shore is 0.5 a min from your stateroom phone...and connect@sea is 0.99 a min. why would anyone use connect@sea?

 

could someone please explain it to me...I will need to be in touch with my 90 yr old mother, will have my net book to her phone....

 

it is our first time on O...we have free internet on celeb since we are elite plus members...

 

thank you for any advice...

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DOJO466 Holiday Sharing Rare

DOJO466

Posted
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so the cost of ship to shore is 0.5 a min from your stateroom phone...and connect@sea is 0.99 a min. why would anyone use connect@sea?

 

could someone please explain it to me...I will need to be in touch with my 90 yr old mother, will have my net book to her phone....

 

it is our first time on O...we have free internet on celeb since we are elite plus members...

 

thank you for any advice...

 

I think the poster wrote 5 DOLLARS per minute for ship to shore from your room.

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ohmark

ohmark

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Can anybody comment as to whether using the connect@sea app (which you must pay for by the minute) provides better telephone service onboard than do other VOIP apps (some of which are free to use via wifi)? In other words, is there a reason to pay for connect@sea rather than using other VOIP?

Edited by ohmark
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ohmark

ohmark

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Did some web research on my own and am surprised at the lack of info, reviews, or anything else in re connect@sea. So, I'll ask again: Does anybody have any comments or insight as to why this VOIP app for IOS and Android is worth paying $.99 per minute to use onboard, while other VOIP apps are free and free to use? Is Oceania or its internet/satellite provider giving some type of bandwith priority to the app or some other way of favoring connect@sea over free VOIP apps? Does this result in greater usefulness than the free apps? Does anybody have any knowledge as to connect@sea that might shed some light on these issues? Thanks.

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aacruise

aacruise

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Thanks to all who took the time to answer my question.

 

It may be the middle of May before I get a chance to post the results of using the connect@sea app.

 

Since I don't have any Apple products, I can't use their facetime feature. Might try using Google Hangouts since I have android tablet if the connect@sea app doesn't work

 

Terry

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JMBobB

JMBobB

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Just debarked from Regatta last week in Rio. Used on board wi-fi to call the pet sitter several times plus make several calls to change travel arrangements at the end. Great, clear connections every time.

 

JMBobB

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

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ohmark

ohmark

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Just debarked from Regatta last week in Rio. Used on board wi-fi to call the pet sitter several times plus make several calls to change travel arrangements at the end. Great, clear connections every time.

 

JMBobB

 

connect@sea or some other app?

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corpkid

corpkid

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connect@sea or some other app?

 

I tried connect@sea on my Android phone and couldn't get it to work (but granted didn't play with it too much as Skype (voice only) worked fairly well. I would make quick calls around 5 minutes each and they worked well about 75% of the time, and sometimes got a little out of sync. Just start your call with "I might lose you as I'm in the middle of the ocean" :) This was last summer on Marina.

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corpkid

corpkid

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So then, is there any reason whatsoever to pay to use connect@sea rather than a free app?

 

Well, they both use Voice Over IP (VOIP). I would think if anything, you might get preferential bandwidth, thus better call quality if you use connect@sea (they can do that pretty easily). In my experience, I was so many time zones forward that it only made sense to call late night (around 11pm ship time) and everyone on board was heading to bed. Sea days could be different (or more importantly nights BEFORE sea days.) If you are lucky enough to have snagged the unlimited internet package, this is something you should shoot for.

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