Am I the only one in this day and age that feels that WIFI should be free to everyone

[LetsGetWet!]

I don't see it as any different. A certain % of your cruise fare to pay for unlimited wi-fi for the whole ship is no different from a certain % of your cruise fare being used to pay for the kids club and the arcade and the spa and the fitness center and the salon - why do I have to pay a % of my cruise fare for venues that I am never going to step foot in? There's no benefit to ME, so I don't think I should have to subsidize it for others.

 

Wifi being added to the perks of cruising is absolutely no different, IMO. They were just added to the cost of your trip at the outset, so you've never thought about them. Eventually, I believe wifi will be in that list of 'includeds' that your cruise fare will pay for, even if you never use it.

And what's the difference between that and making the exact same argument for unlimited alcoholic drinks? After all, to use your argument exactly:

 

I don't see it as any different. A certain % of your cruise fare to pay for unlimited drinks for the whole ship is no different from a certain % of your cruise fare being used to pay for the kids club and the arcade and the spa and the fitness center and the salon - why do I have to pay a % of my cruise fare for venues that I am never going to step foot in? There's no benefit to ME, so I don't think I should have to subsidize it for others.

 

Unlimited drinks being added to the perks of cruising is absolutely no different, IMO. They were just added to the cost of your trip at the outset, so you've never thought about them. Eventually, I believe unlimited drinks will be in that list of 'includeds' that your cruise fare will pay for, even if you never use it

[Jobeth66]

And what's the difference between that and making the exact same argument for unlimited alcoholic drinks? After all, to use your argument exactly:

 

None at all. I'd be perfectly fine with increasing cruise fare a little bit for everyone to get unlimited drinks. I don't drink milk, coffee or lemonade - but my cruise fare is paying for those drinks and the people who DO enjoy them get them for "free" because the rest of us helped pay for them. It wouldn't bother me a bit for the people who ONLY drink the included beverages to have to chip in to pay for the things I /will/ drink. :)

[Sitzmark]

And what's the difference between that and making the exact same argument for unlimited alcoholic drinks? After all, to use your argument exactly:

 

 

Sounds good to me, I've been to a few All Inclusive resorts and enjoyed it quite a lot.

[LetsGetWet!]

None at all. I'd be perfectly fine with increasing cruise fare a little bit for everyone to get unlimited drinks. I don't drink milk, coffee or lemonade - but my cruise fare is paying for those drinks and the people who DO enjoy them get them for "free" because the rest of us helped pay for them. It wouldn't bother me a bit for the people who ONLY drink the included beverages to have to chip in to pay for the things I /will/ drink. :)

But you see, therein lies the rub. You can make the exact same argument for ANYTHING! Unlimited WiFi, unlimited drinks, unlimited shore excursions, unlimited spa services, and on and on. You CAN get all that included in your cruise fare, but it won't be on RCI, and it won't be for anything close to the fares we pay on RCI.

[Jobeth66]

But you see, therein lies the rub. You can make the exact same argument for ANYTHING! Unlimited WiFi, unlimited drinks, unlimited shore excursions, unlimited spa services, and on and on. You CAN get all that included in your cruise fare, but it won't be on RCI, and it won't be for anything close to the fares we pay on RCI.

 

Spa services/shore excursions are different from Wifi. I've never been to a hotel where those things were included. Wifi is ubiquitous, which was the OPs point, and why many of us believe that eventually it will be included. This generation to some extent, but the next generation for certain, will have expectations that they will be able to be connected, or they will find alternate vacation choices. It's something that the cruise lines are going to have to be aware of, if they aren't already.

[BamaGuy44]

Spa services/shore excursions are different from Wifi. I've never been to a hotel where those things were included. Wifi is ubiquitous, which was the OPs point, and why many of us believe that eventually it will be included. This generation to some extent, but the next generation for certain, will have expectations that they will be able to be connected, or they will find alternate vacation choices. It's something that the cruise lines are going to have to be aware of, if they aren't already.

 

Do people really not see the difference between hotel wifi and cruise ship wifi? A hotel is sitting on land connected to phone lines, not in the middle of the ocean getting their internet from satellites. The cost of providing the service is vastly different.

 

Yes they're aware many people like to be connected on vacation, and everyone already has the ability to be connected on a cruise, it's just not included in the main cruise fare. Eventually it probably will be, but with it being an expensive option right now, I don't see the upside of including it in everyone's fare, either for RC or for the passengers.

 

RC is not looking to be an all-inclusive line, and why should they? The ala-carte, pay as you go model is working just fine for them and the other mass market lines.

[mommabean]

There's no such thing as "free" wi-fi, someone is paying the bill. Every time you buy a cup of coffee at Starbucks, or a Happy Meal at Mickey D's, you're paying for that "free" wi-fi, even if you never actually use it. I, for one, am glad that the cost of internet service aboard ship is so prohibitively expensive that it forces me to go "off the grid" for a week or so.

 

I don't think we are paying for it at any of these "free" places. The store is paying for it and not passing the cost on to us. They are writing it off as a business expense. If they want to remain competitive, they must offer it to us at no charge or we will go elsewhere. People walk into their stores and park there and buy things in order to use it.

 

The reason I don't walk into Starbucks in Sydney, Australia and buy coffee is because they charge for the wifi. I go to the Apple store there and use it for free and plan my future purchases when I see all the cool stuff before my eyes. :D

 

I did get email from uniworld river cruises today stating they now offer unlimited free wifi. As soon as one real cruise line does this, they will all have to do it in order to remain competitive. I believe it's just a matter of time. RCI's excuse for many things they do is because other cruise lines are doing it. I still think they should do better things to set themselves apart. Free wifi would be something good.

 

Gina

Edited September 25, 2014 by mommabean

[LetsGetWet!]

I don't think we are paying for it at any of these "free" places. The store is paying for it and not passing the cost on to us. They are writing it off as a business expense. If they want to remain competitive, they must offer it to us at no charge or we will go elsewhere.

Wow, that's an interesting viewpoint, but I'd argue totally unrealistic. So all the business's "business expenses" are not passed on to the customer in the product pricing? Sorry, but that's simply absurd. Yes, you're paying for it - they have to bring in enough money to PAY all those "business expenses" AND still make a reasonable profit, or they won't be in business any longer. Ah, how I wish business expenses could just be "written off" and not factor into the cost of goods sold!

[chengkp75]

I don't think we are paying for it at any of these "free" places. The store is paying for it and not passing the cost on to us. They are writing it off as a business expense. If they want to remain competitive, they must offer it to us at no charge or we will go elsewhere. People walk into their stores and park there and buy things in order to use it.

 

The reason I don't walk into Starbucks in Sydney, Australia and buy coffee is because they charge for the wifi. I go to the Apple store there and use it for free and plan my future purchases when I see all the cool stuff before my eyes. :D

 

I did get email from uniworld river cruises today stating they now offer unlimited free wifi. As soon as one real cruise line does this, they will all have to do it in order to remain competitive. I believe it's just a matter of time. RCI's excuse for many things they do is because other cruise lines are doing it. I still think they should do better things to set themselves apart. Free wifi would be something good.

 

Gina

 

Apples to oranges, here. A river cruise will use normal cell towers and then land cables to provide internet, not satellite.

 

And if you think that the Apple store isn't passing the cost on, you're sadly mistaken. Even calling it a business expense is a means to pass that cost on to the consumer, because it reduces their taxable revenues, so they pay less taxes, and the government will need to tax someone to make this up.

[LetsGetWet!]

Spa services/shore excursions are different from Wifi. I've never been to a hotel where those things were included. Wifi is ubiquitous, which was the OPs point, and why many of us believe that eventually it will be included. This generation to some extent, but the next generation for certain, will have expectations that they will be able to be connected, or they will find alternate vacation choices. It's something that the cruise lines are going to have to be aware of, if they aren't already.

Do people really not see the difference between hotel wifi and cruise ship wifi? A hotel is sitting on land connected to phone lines, not in the middle of the ocean getting their internet from satellites. The cost of providing the service is vastly different.

 

Yes they're aware many people like to be connected on vacation, and everyone already has the ability to be connected on a cruise, it's just not included in the main cruise fare. Eventually it probably will be, but with it being an expensive option right now, I don't see the upside of including it in everyone's fare, either for RC or for the passengers.

 

RC is not looking to be an all-inclusive line, and why should they? The ala-carte, pay as you go model is working just fine for them and the other mass market lines.

I have to believe that they do see the difference, but would simply rather not acknowledge it, because it kind of messes up their argument that if its free at hotels it should be free on cruise ships!

[mommabean]

Apples to oranges, here. A river cruise will use normal cell towers and then land cables to provide internet, not satellite.

 

And if you think that the Apple store isn't passing the cost on, you're sadly mistaken. Even calling it a business expense is a means to pass that cost on to the consumer, because it reduces their taxable revenues, so they pay less taxes, and the government will need to tax someone to make this up.

 

Then everyone is paying it even if they never set foot in that store. :rolleyes: I think you are stretching it here.

 

Gina

[time4u2go]

I don't think we are paying for it at any of these "free" places. The store is paying for it and not passing the cost on to us. They are writing it off as a business expense. If they want to remain competitive, they must offer it to us at no charge or we will go elsewhere. People walk into their stores and park there and buy things in order to use it.

 

 

Do you even know what it means to write something off as a business expense? It doesn't mean the business doesn't have to pay for it. They do have to pay for it. And just where do you think they get the money to pay for it?

[chengkp75]

Then everyone is paying it even if they never set foot in that store. :rolleyes: I think you are stretching it here.

 

Gina

 

Oh, I don't know. Kind of like how everyone is subsidizing your cruise because the cruise lines use foreign flag ships and are incorporated overseas; no payroll taxes and very little corporate tax for a business that bases out of the US, and gets a significant amount of its revenue from US citizens. But hey, you've got your economics model, I've got mine.

[chengkp75]

Do you even know what it means to write something off as a business expense? It doesn't mean the business doesn't have to pay for it. They do have to pay for it. And just where do you think they get the money to pay for it?

 

Or do they just pay it out of the revenues, so that profit goes down (revenue-expense), so that they are less profitable, and less attractive to investors, or make less money for their owners, just to be "competitive"?

[time4u2go]

Or do they just pay it out of the revenues, so that profit goes down (revenue-expense), so that they are less profitable, and less attractive to investors, or make less money for their owners, just to be "competitive"?

 

Lol apparently! :rolleyes:

[nelblu]

Hey, I'll take a different tact. Lower the cruise prices and charge for goods & services on a-la-carte basis.

 

I wish the cable companies would do this as it would rid of a lot of garbage that I don't watch.

[Doug S]

Not trying to be overly negative or argumentative, but my mind just won't wrap around some of these statements. I can understand that some really want free wifi, but that doesn't change the current reality... It is an idea ahead of its time.

 

I don't think we are paying for it at any of these "free" places. The store is paying for it and not passing the cost on to us. They are writing it off as a business expense. If they want to remain competitive, they must offer it to us at no charge or we will go elsewhere. People walk into their stores and park there and buy things in order to use it.

 

Not to pile on, but that makes no sense at all. Every expense a business adds to the ledger obviously decreases their bottom line UNLESS they do something to increase revenues like charge for special services. Just because they don't call it a wifi fee doesn't mean you are not paying it.

The reason I don't walk into Starbucks in Sydney, Australia and buy coffee is because they charge for the wifi. I go to the Apple store there and use it for free and plan my future purchases when I see all the cool stuff before my eyes. :D

 

That particular Starbucks would probably rather have people come in, buy coffee and a snack, and maybe spend a short while chatting with someone before moving on and making room for other customers. Nursing that one small Latte while you take up a table for an hour to write your CC review is not in their best interest. The I-Junk store has a totally different business model. They are not trying to turn tables.

 

I did get email from uniworld river cruises today stating they now offer unlimited free wifi. As soon as one real cruise line does this, they will all have to do it in order to remain competitive. I believe it's just a matter of time. RCI's excuse for many things they do is because other cruise lines are doing it. I still think they should do better things to set themselves apart. Free wifi would be something good.

 

If RCI does offer it free, we can all expect notably higher fares, and we know how that will go over. There is no free lunch, so you can just tack on the current price for a good chunk of minutes to everyone's fares. Then we will all feel obligated to get our money's worth and then you could probably get faster service with carrier pigeons. Things may change as technology advances in the future, but to turn your analogy around a bit, "If it was financially feasible for an OCEAN cruise line to do this, they probably already would have.

 

Edited September 25, 2014 by Doug S

[DirtyDawg]

Oh, I don't know. Kind of like how everyone is subsidizing your cruise because the cruise lines use foreign flag ships and are incorporated overseas; no payroll taxes and very little corporate tax for a business that bases out of the US, and gets a significant amount of its revenue from US citizens. But hey, you've got your economics model, I've got mine.

 

LOL That's why these 'I hate subsidizing my fellow cruisers' debates that pop up around here from time to time are a hoot! Most people here on CC are addicted to an industry that is heavily subsidized by all U.S. taxpayers. Each and every cruise fare that everyone of us has paid would have been much higher had the industry had to pay payroll taxes and the average Corporate income tax rate. We all like to be subsidized but some of us don't like to subsidize anybody else.

 

And as a Canadian, I would like to formally thank all U.S. taxpayers who have subsidized my cruises over the years. ;) I really should send your treasury a cheque. :D

Edited September 25, 2014 by DirtyDawg

[Jobeth66]

Do people really not see the difference between hotel wifi and cruise ship wifi? A hotel is sitting on land connected to phone lines, not in the middle of the ocean getting their internet from satellites. The cost of providing the service is vastly different.

 

Yes they're aware many people like to be connected on vacation, and everyone already has the ability to be connected on a cruise, it's just not included in the main cruise fare. Eventually it probably will be, but with it being an expensive option right now, I don't see the upside of including it in everyone's fare, either for RC or for the passengers.

 

RC is not looking to be an all-inclusive line, and why should they? The ala-carte, pay as you go model is working just fine for them and the other mass market lines.

 

I understand the difference /today/. I understand that RCI isn't going to start offering free wifi to its customers starting with the next ship out of port. But my point is that at some point in the not-to-distant future (I would say in the next 20-30 years, max) free wifi will be a fact of cruising, because they'll have to offer it to keep people signing up. There's no doubt in my mind that the tech will become more pervasive and the costs will come down precipitously.

 

Just like how 30+ years ago when I was programming computers, we coded on punch cards and had rooms with big cabinets full of platters storing less data than I currently have on a flash drive that fits on my key chain and that sales people give me for free as a promo item.

[BND]

LOL That's why these 'I hate subsidizing my fellow cruisers' debates that pop up around here from time to time are a hoot! Most people here on CC are addicted to an industry that is heavily subsidized by all U.S. taxpayers. Each and every cruise fare that everyone of us has paid would have been much higher had the industry had to pay payroll taxes and the average Corporate income tax rate. We all like to be subsidized but some of us don't like to subsidize anybody else.

 

And as a Canadian, I would like to formally thank all U.S. taxpayers who have subsidized my cruises over the years. ;) I really should send your treasury a cheque. :D

 

Huh? Do you know what subsidize means? US taxpayers are not subsidizing the cruise line anymore than Canadians are.

Edited September 26, 2014 by BND

[DirtyDawg]

Huh? Do you know what subsidize means? US taxpayers are not subsidizing the cruise line anymore than Canadians are.

 

Yes I do. Obviously you don't.:rolleyes:

[John&LaLa]

Yes I do. Obviously you don't.:rolleyes:

 

Cute reply, idiotic, but cute. :D:beer:

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

[mommabean]

Oh, I don't know. Kind of like how everyone is subsidizing your cruise because the cruise lines use foreign flag ships and are incorporated overseas; no payroll taxes and very little corporate tax for a business that bases out of the US, and gets a significant amount of its revenue from US citizens. But hey, you've got your economics model, I've got mine.

 

And most crew pay no income tax either.

 

All I really said is that when the competition starts doing it, RCI will do it, too. That has oftentimes been their excuse for a change in policy. That's how the free market works.

 

Gina

[mommabean]

Hey, I'll take a different tact. Lower the cruise prices and charge for goods & services on a-la-carte basis.

 

I wish the cable companies would do this as it would rid of a lot of garbage that I don't watch.

 

Isn't that the truth. We decided to just go ahead and cancel cable. We now have a good old fashioned antenna. Paid for it once - the cost of 2 months of cable. And we like the programming better. For movies, which I rarely watch, we can use Amazon prime which we already had.

 

Although it seems as if they are getting to a-la-carte pricing and the base cruise price is still going up.

 

Gina

[mommabean]

Do you even know what it means to write something off as a business expense? It doesn't mean the business doesn't have to pay for it. They do have to pay for it. And just where do you think they get the money to pay for it?

 

Read what you highlighted.

 

I said they ARE paying for it and writing it off. Having had a business for over 3 decades, yes, I know what it means. :rolleyes: The business pays for it AND writes it off. Easy concept.

 

I said the customer isn't paying for it.

 

Gina

Edited September 26, 2014 by mommabean