The obsession with Wifi?

[telken22]

Hi All :)

 

I got my latest CC newsletter today and as always it was a good read. There was an article about saving money and one of the tips was to limit or not use internet cafe's on board, and not the buy the wifi package.

 

In the comments section there was a lot of contreversy about this with people getting quite agitated that WIFI isn't free on all cruise ships. Ignoring the fact that internet via satellite will always cost more than hard wired from your average hotel, why are people so obsessed with having wifi just so that that can spend all their cruise on Facebook or whatever looking at what's going on at home?!

 

I totally respect everyone is different and am not attacking them personally, but why get so stressed? I've been on 2 cruises so far and loved both and can't wait to do my next one. But my big policy is when I'm on holiday/a cruise, I'm ON HOLIDAY. I'm there to be somewhere relaxing, enjoyable and to get away from my daily life routine and I've only once had the temptation to go online, which was when my girlfriend (now wife) went to the cafe to check some things out and I wanted to research something on our cruise quickly. Other than that I've never had any temptation to be 'hooked up'

 

Does anyone else feel like this?

[sparks1093]

Hi All :)

 

I got my latest CC newsletter today and as always it was a good read. There was an article about saving money and one of the tips was to limit or not use internet cafe's on board, and not the buy the wifi package.

 

In the comments section there was a lot of contreversy about this with people getting quite agitated that WIFI isn't free on all cruise ships. Ignoring the fact that internet via satellite will always cost more than hard wired from your average hotel, why are people so obsessed with having wifi just so that that can spend all their cruise on Facebook or whatever looking at what's going on at home?!

 

I totally respect everyone is different and am not attacking them personally, but why get so stressed? I've been on 2 cruises so far and loved both and can't wait to do my next one. But my big policy is when I'm on holiday/a cruise, I'm ON HOLIDAY. I'm there to be somewhere relaxing, enjoyable and to get away from my daily life routine and I've only once had the temptation to go online, which was when my girlfriend (now wife) went to the cafe to check some things out and I wanted to research something on our cruise quickly. Other than that I've never had any temptation to be 'hooked up'

 

Does anyone else feel like this?

 

If you mean does anyone feel the same way that you do, absolutely. My vacation officially begins when I power the cell phone off and put it in the safe.

[Keith1010]

There is a saying.........It's hard to please all of the people all of the time.

 

Keith

[Krazy Kruizers]

There was a time when I took my laptop and did "Live" reviews. I don't do them anymore. Took too much time to write them up each evening. Don't even take a laptop anymore.

A few times I have had to buy a package on the ship as we needed to keep in touch with our stockbroker and CPA over a couple of matters.

[Extra Kim]

 

The Paddock on Aruba, might be the best sign ever.. :D

[Illyria]

I feel the same way. I do not use the ship's internet, ever. Sure, I bring gadgets like Kindle and a tablet, but they remain offline. If there's a family emergency - I can't help them while at sea, so I don't need to know about it. If there's a work emergency - it's not my problem, I'm on vacation.

 

I agree that there are very valid exceptions (like the one a couple of posts above mine), when you run into unfortunate scheduling with an ongoing time-sensitive matter. But the whole point of an exception is that it rarely happens. Reading some posts in other threads, you would start wondering how people ever went on vacation before internet (because apparently they just "have" to check email every day, and check Facebook every day, and post pictures every day...)

[Antonintassie]

Hi

 

I am self employed and try to run my business whilst taking a break with my family ,I do wish I could just cut myself of but no work ,no income ,no cruise ,I really only use email whilst on board and whilst slow it gets the job done .I have no problem with paying for internet access as I have a satelitte phone also and am aware of the high costs of bandwidth for this type of service.

The real killer is generally the fact that my calls and work emails are in the middle of the night due to the time difference between Tasmania and the Northern Hemisphere buts that ok I rest when I can and enjoy the time away.

[telken22]

I'm glad it's not just me, and I can respect that some people have to for business reasons. But I pity these people who have to check their facebook or post updates. I'm gladly no longer on Facebook anymore!

[dorisis]

i have high past passenger status on a few lines and rarely use up my free minutes. Where I have no status, I don't use internet.

[Doug R.]

Just because the OP is puzzled as to why people like me utilize wifi on board does not mean I am compelled to justify myself. Do your thing I will do mine. I find the implied presumption that one cannot be relaxing when one is doing something another doesn't care to do preposterous.

Edited July 9, 2014 by Doug R.

[Calgon1]

. . . My vacation officially begins when I power the cell phone off and put it in the safe.

 

Probably one of the best feelings in the world!

My wife though, feels she has to connect, check mail, etc. . . . Sorry, but I don't cruise so I can sit in the cabin while she goes on-line and checks the bank/CC account(s), the kids FaceBook page(s) and our e-mail . . .

Now, I just grab the dry erase marker and post a note on the vanity mirror, telling her where I'll be . . .

[Karysa]

I love being unplugged while on vacation but I can see many reasons why others would want free wifi.

 

If one spouce was retired and the other worked from home why not make a cruise ship your home for as many days as possible.

 

FaceTime a couple of times a day with a toddler left at home with their grandparents :) or teenagers left alone being checked up on.;)

 

Catching up with friends and family because life has been really busy and will be again when you return from holiday.

 

Personally though I can't ever see myself wanting free wifi unless I retire first and DH wants to do Internet consults as he gradually retires. :D

[telken22]

Just because the OP is puzzled as to why people like me utilize wifi on board does not mean I am compelled to justify myself. Do your thing I will do mine. I find the implied presumption that one cannot be relaxing when one is doing something another doesn't care to do preposterous.

 

Easy tiger, I never demanded, or even asked anyone to 'Justify themselves'. It sounds to me like you are quite uptight, go on a cruise and relax ;)

 

My point wasn't one about relaxing. But the point of a cruise or holiday is to change your suroundings or relax or enjoy yourself. I don't want to spend my free time doing the same thing I might be doing when I'm not on holiday.

[Doug R.]

Just because the OP is puzzled as to why people like me utilize wifi on board does not mean I am compelled to justify myself. Do your thing I will do mine. I find the implied presumption that one cannot be relaxing when one is doing something another doesn't care to do preposterous.

 

Easy tiger, I never demanded, or even asked anyone to 'Justify themselves'. It sounds to me like you are quite uptight, go on a cruise and relax ;)

 

My point wasn't one about relaxing. But the point of a cruise or holiday is to change your suroundings or relax or enjoy yourself. I don't want to spend my free time doing the same thing I might be doing when I'm not on holiday.

 

Not uptight at all. Just tired of hearing people boasting that they are "unplugged" while on vacation and then look down on those of us who chose to remain "plugged in" as if we are not having a nice relaxing vacation. Do what you want and don't question what others do.

[Warm Breezes]

Hi All :)

 

I got my latest CC newsletter today and as always it was a good read. There was an article about saving money and one of the tips was to limit or not use internet cafe's on board, and not the buy the wifi package.

 

In the comments section there was a lot of contreversy about this with people getting quite agitated that WIFI isn't free on all cruise ships. Ignoring the fact that internet via satellite will always cost more than hard wired from your average hotel, why are people so obsessed with having wifi just so that that can spend all their cruise on Facebook or whatever looking at what's going on at home?!

 

I totally respect everyone is different and am not attacking them personally, but why get so stressed? I've been on 2 cruises so far and loved both and can't wait to do my next one. But my big policy is when I'm on holiday/a cruise, I'm ON HOLIDAY. I'm there to be somewhere relaxing, enjoyable and to get away from my daily life routine and I've only once had the temptation to go online, which was when my girlfriend (now wife) went to the cafe to check some things out and I wanted to research something on our cruise quickly. Other than that I've never had any temptation to be 'hooked up'

 

Does anyone else feel like this?

On our first 9 cruises I would pay by the minute just to check my e-mail a couple times during the cruise in case work needed anything. On that 9th cruise I could see that DS(17 at the time) was getting pretty bored during the sea days. On our 10th cruise DD brought a friend along so I told DS I would get them the internet package so the BFF could keep in touch with her family and he would have something to do on those slower sea days. It was a good thing I did that because he got an e-mail from the University while we were gone regarding a potential internship that he was able to respond to and was able to get by providing a sample of his writing (he wants to be a sports writer and this was for a sports website) while we were on our cruise. On our 11th and 12th we left the kids home alone. I purchased the internet package to keep in touch with them for a few minutes every night. My biggest complaint, especially on Princess, was the wasting of minutes because the internet was so slow.

 

I'm sure everyone who purchases the internet package has different reasons for doing so. It is there choice afterall how to spend their money. Whats the difference if you blow $100 in the slot machines or a $100 on the internet? It's all in what that person prefers to do with THEIR money.

[Zach1213]

Just because the OP is puzzled as to why people like me utilize wifi on board does not mean I am compelled to justify myself. Do your thing I will do mine. I find the implied presumption that one cannot be relaxing when one is doing something another doesn't care to do preposterous.

 

Ding Ding. Some people think using the Internet on vacation isn't relaxing. Others do. To each their own with provolone. If we were all the same, the world would be a damn boring place.

 

I'm one of those people who likes the WiFi. If you think I'm not enjoying my vacation as a result, you're dead wrong. I don't use it all the time, but I do use it sometimes. I fail to see how it impacts those of you who don't in the slightest. And vice versa.

[telken22]

The thread was more aimed at the 'addicted' users really. We all know them, the types that even in social occasions are too busy texting a friend or snapchatting or whatever you can get on smartphones these days to actually embrace the surroundings they are in (i.e on a cruise ship and not in their living room).

[Hlitner]

We do agree with some of what the OP says, but we also think their is a lot of naiveté in the message. For us, the internet on a ship is something we might use a few minutes a day to check our e-mails. On long trip (and we take several 2 month trips a year) the internet is how we pay bills, keep in touch with family, and often make reservations (or do some planning) for the remainder of our trip.

 

But for many folks in the 21st century, the being "connected" and available is a necessary part of their job. Our DD and her BF both have management jobs with large companies, and they are required to be reachable by their staff and superiors. Although I do not think it is proper that folks can never be truly on vacation (holiday for you Brits) we do understand that it has become the norm in many work environments.

 

Some folks need to be a bit more tolerant and understand that not everyone views things the same way. DD loves her job and is willing to take on the responsibility of keeping in touch. Her BF works in a very high profile financial industry job where 10s of millions of dollars (or more) can be made or lost in minutes, and if one is not "connected" they quickly become irrelevant.

 

Hank

[gooch47]

On a recent cruise we learned via email that my husband's brother had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and was facing dangerous, extensive surgery. We made arrangements via the internet to cancel our post-cruise vacation and fly home to be here in time for the surgery. Yes, I know that the family could have contacted us by other means, but the email route was easiest and less stressful for them.

 

My husband checks his email daily but that is about it.

[Beachdude]

Some folks need to be a bit more tolerant and understand that not everyone views things the same way. Hank

 

That can be said for most of the discussions on Cruise Critic these days.

 

Burt

[spookwife]

the ones who insist they need it for work purposes should be requiring said work to pay for it.. hence no need for 'free' wi fi.( and yes this inlcudes the self employed.. tax write off if nothing else)

 

for emergencies, you suck up the cost

 

everything else is a CHOICE and thus you need to expect to pay for that choice.

 

and I speak as one of those addicted to my interwbes.. I hate losing all the progress or daily bonuses on my facebook games, but it is what it is.

[MtnBikerFallDown]

I'm on call 24/7 for work (I am the medical director for a large county jail). I get someone to cover the majority of it while I'm gone. So, I get to turn off the phone (that I normally sleep with, carry to the bathroom, etc., every single day. Oh, what a wonderful feeling!). But, I do have to check emails to make sure there isn't something they've gotten stumped on or any kinks. Obviously, they can just ship someone to the ER in an emergency, but if it's something a little odd and not life threatening, it's easier to shoot me an email and let me shoot them one back when I have time. Being able to spot check like that, and know everything is running smoothly actually makes me far more able to relax than if I was wondering how dialysis was going for one we'd had transport issues on, etc.

 

It takes maybe 5 minutes a day, and gives me peace of mind.

 

As far as Facebook, etc., I'm a junkie at home, but turn it off on vacation and do a bunch of bragging when I get back. ;)

[srlafleur]

I feel the same way. I do not use the ship's internet, ever. Sure, I bring gadgets like Kindle and a tablet, but they remain offline. If there's a family emergency - I can't help them while at sea, so I don't need to know about it. If there's a work emergency - it's not my problem, I'm on vacation.

 

Exactly! And the phone gets turned off and put in the safe.

[crzndeb]

Hey, I'm retired, and everyday is a vacation for me. My cruises now are usually 14+ days, and I might send a couple of emails to my daughters to just say Hi.

 

We all have our differences, as people have stated. We could question a lot of things that others do, that we don't. Personally, using the internet on a ship is not hurting anybody else, and as far as I know, won't kill me.

 

I don't gamble. Thats how I save money, but I sure don't question why other people do. It's their money. They earned it, and are free to spend it anyway they like.

[cruiserjt]

I know that if Wifi was free - I would probably be carrying my phone with me and checking it now and then. Just imagine dinner with everyone plugged in - the cost of wifi kind of supports the desire to disconnect. I don't mind a bit paying for the internet time and have learned how to be quick. My DH often wants to check the financial news markets (especially at the end of the year). One cruise - we had an offer made on our house 2 days before we left. We spent hours closing the deal through e-mail and scans. Last year a couple sat next to us at dinner both staring at their phones - every night. Never a smile or conversation. Almost sad!

 

There is a video floating around the internet - when you go to dinner - Everyone puts their cell phone in the middle of the table - the first one to pick theirs up and check it has to pay the check. :)

 

I hope wifi continues to cost money - I enjoy being 'forced' to disconnect.