Platinum Internet Package - logging on first time

[MustangGT]

So excited for our first cruise at Platinum Level coming up in a few days!!

How do we log on for the first time with our free minutes?

Thanks!!

[fishywood]

You create your account by entering your cabin number and date of birth when asked.

When you reach the screen to choose a plan the one you are entitled to as a Platinum will be priced $0.00.

Select that plan only. Unlike other lines you CANNOT select a higher priced plan and just pay the difference. You should use up all your free minutes first before deciding if you need to buy more.

 

Easy enough! Enjoy your cruise!

[cruzrbachoua]

We just did this for the first time as well. Beware the date for your birthday is entered day, month, year.......I did not catch that as it was all numerical and entered it month, day, year....oops had to have the internet manager help me. Just had to log on again as new user and enter it right...silly me for being to excited and not reading...:D I loved those minutes......came in quite handy.

[hockeygal54]

And they charge that $3.95 first time log in fee, correct? I didn't use mine since I wasn't sure and the one day I cruised by the IC there was no one @ the desk to tell me the answer. I figured the only thing I really "had" to do was airline ck in and also figured that would wait till we pulled into FLL and I turned cell phone back on!

 

 

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[Colo Cruiser]

And they charge that $3.95 first time log in fee, correct? I didn't use mine since I wasn't sure and the one day I cruised by the IC there was no one @ the desk to tell me the answer. I figured the only thing I really "had" to do was airline ck in and also figured that would wait till we pulled into FLL and I turned cell phone back on!

 

 

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They don't charge that for the free minutes.

If they happen to it will be credited back.

Edited March 30, 2014 by Colo Cruiser

[hockeygal54]

Darn. I missed my first free Internet perk!

 

 

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[MustangGT]

Thanks for the replies and especially the hint about how to enter the birthdate! Easy peasy!!:D

We are both Platinum and the cruise is 10 days - we each get 250 free minutes, right?

Now if I can just whittle down my 'must haves' and start packing!!

Edited March 30, 2014 by MustangGT

[caribill]

Select that plan only. Unlike other lines you CANNOT select a higher priced plan and just pay the difference. You should use up all your free minutes first before deciding if you need to buy more.

 

 

Actually, you do get the opportunity to purchase the next higher plan by just paying the difference.

 

The photo below shows this for a seven-day cruise.

 

 

 

Thanks for the replies and especially the hint about how to enter the birthdate! Easy peasy!!:D

We are both Platinum and the cruise is 10 days - we each get 250 free minutes, right?

 

Right

[wifeofbedo]

Thanks for the replies and especially the hint about how to enter the birthdate! Easy peasy!!:D

We are both Platinum and the cruise is 10 days - we each get 250 free minutes, right?

Now if I can just whittle down my 'must haves' and start packing!!

 

For a week you get 150 mins. Is it longer for 10 days? Curious.

[caribill]

For a week you get 150 mins. Is it longer for 10 days? Curious.

 

1-7 days 150 minutes

8-20 days 250 minutes

21+ days 500 minutes

[timetravler]

Another tip that I learned the hard way is to be sure to log off correctly, especially when using your own laptop or tablet. If your not sure how to log off ask one of the tech's in the internet café. Lots of people made the same mistake as me. I was using my kindle and all my minutes were used up the first day. Fortunately I went the next day to the tech there and he gave me back my minutes and showed me how to log off on my kindle.

[FritzG]

Actually, you do get the opportunity to purchase the next higher plan by just paying the difference.

 

The photo below shows this for a seven-day cruise.

 

 

 

 

 

Right

 

I think being able to purchase more minutes is new. I didn't notice it on our January cruises, but it was there on the March 15 and 20 Ruby cruises. Those 150 minutes on a 4 day cruise are great.

By the way, you can sign up for your free minutes on your laptop or iPad. You don't need to go to the internet cafe to do it.

Edited March 30, 2014 by FritzG

[Weluv2cruise2007]

I think being able to purchase more minutes is new. I didn't notice it on our January cruises, but it was there on the March 15 and 20 Ruby cruises. Those 150 minutes on a 4 day cruise are great.

By the way, you can sign up for your free minutes on your laptop or iPad. You don't need to go to the internet cafe to do it.

 

Not new...been like this ever since I can remember. Here's another tip - as you know, the internet is very slow. If you have a regular computer (doesn't work so well on an iPad) open up several pages/tabs you would like to read (articles, blogs etc) and then log off. They will remain accessible and you can read them at your leisure. Also if you are writing an email or Facebook update, type it up in word before you log on and then copy paste once you are logged in....don't waste your precious minutes typing. ;)

[Jasperdo]

Here's a tip. After you've logged in (we used our laptop most of the time), a page will come up that counts down your time. Keep that page open, and open another tab to browse the internet. That way you'll be able to easily see how many minutes you're using. And when you're done, that count down page also has a Log Out button.

[MustangGT]

We will be using iPads and I know we have to properly log off. Last couple of times, I seemed to get locked up sometimes and couldn't log off. Luckily, it somehow logged me off when I was locked up.

Thanks for all the tips!!:)

[marypa]

Can you use your own ipad or laptop in your cabin (wifi) or do you have to go to a designated area ?

we are in a mini and are platinum?

[CruisingJs]

Can you use your own ipad or laptop in your cabin (wifi) or do you have to go to a designated area ?

we are in a mini and are platinum?

 

You can use it in your cabin.

[Homosassa]

A warning if you are using the ship's computers in the internet cafe: When we log in to our email, we get a message back that we are using an unfamiliar device and we need to be verified. One of the ways to do it is to have a voice or text message sent to the phone number on record with the email provider.

 

My cell phone is on record so I have the verification (a number) texted to my cell phone . I make sure that I do this immediately on embarkation day before we leave port so that I still have cell phone service.

 

This has happened to us each time we try to log on to the email from the ship. The first time it happened, we were setting up the account on the sea day. No cell phone service.

 

I provided my daughter's cell phone number for the verification number to be sent to. Since I could still access Facebook, she then sent me a Facebook message with the number.

[LVTravel]

Can you use your own ipad or laptop in your cabin (wifi) or do you have to go to a designated area ?

we are in a mini and are platinum?

 

In general you can use the Wi-Fi anywhere on the ship, including a cabin or balcony. In reality, it may depend on where your cabin is located in reference to one of the Wi-Fi repeaters which are located in the hallways of the passenger decks (generally white boxes about 10" square, with a green (IIRC)light on them when working correctly, mounted on the ceiling.) When we are far forward we seem to have trouble getting a good signal either at the bed or desk and in one instance I actually had to open the cabin door, place the small table in the opening, put the laptop on the table and use the desk chair at the table to get good signal coverage. Remember that cabin walls are steel and radio waves don't go through steel well.

[LeeW]

Couple of points:

 

1. We have always had the $3.95 charge waived for free minutes.

 

2. If both passengers in a cabin are Platinum, both get the free minutes. HOWEVER:

 

3. Even if you are only using one person's minutes, sign up for both accounts early in the cruise. We have seen a few cases where it was not possible to activate the free minutes for the second account later in the cruise. Didn't matter at the time (never did use up one set of minutes), but did try to sign up around day 5 and the free option wasn't there. I suspect that if we had gone to the IC the manager could have fixed this.

 

4. Service is very dependent on wireless signal quality. When "good" was taking 3 minutes to load a page, signed off and went to a table near the atrium with "excellent" - almost a real internet connection there! From a technical standpoint, "good" indicates a fair number of packet retransmissions so find a bar or table with a better signal.