How Do I Use My Own Laptop?

[Lacoop]

I am going on the Explorer of the Seas soon and have read that I can bring my own laptop to use instead of their internet cafe. How do I do this? Do I have to request permission ffrom RCCL first, do I use it just in my room, do I need to bring an ethernet cable, do I connect through their telephone line or is it wireless? How much is it? Where do I register Etc. Please anyone that can help me I would truly appreciate it.

[SRQfireman]

I am going on the Explorer of the Seas soon and have read that I can bring my own laptop to use instead of their internet cafe. How do I do this? Do I have to request permission ffrom RCCL first, do I use it just in my room, do I need to bring an ethernet cable, do I connect through their telephone line or is it wireless? How much is it? Where do I register Etc. Please anyone that can help me I would truly appreciate it.

 

You get a "kit" from the pursers desk....there are X-amt of them...1st come /1st served.There is an ethernet cable in there....there is a data port by the telephone.It's probably's still $100/week/unlimited access...they will give you instruction on how to log in when you get the kit

[alexkrn46]

You need a wireless card or you can rent one for $50/week. you can get a cheap card on ebay if you don't have one. You can buy minutes like a phone card. The library, the internet center, and many of the bars are hotspots. My kids Promenade room had a great signal ( right over the purser's office).

The speed is slow and cuts off, but you can get you email and do simple things on the internet.

The kit is something they still have available, it is slower, harder to connect and is dial up.

Enjoy your cruise.

[SRQfireman]

$50/week to rent a card??....holy smoke...you can buy them now for $20-$25 brand new !! For wireless, you buy packages....of course the more minutes you buy, the cheaper it is per minute

[ladylawyer]

If anyone has used their wireless laptop on board an RCI ship, can you please tell me if the connection was faster than the dial up they have in the computer stations using the ship's computers? Don't get me wrong, I'll be there, even if it's the same excruciatingly sloooooooow connection. I'm just curious (and hoping :) ). Thanks!!!

[Lacoop]

No w I am really confused. When I pay $100 to RCCL for the week, does that include access from the room and wireless from the ship? My laptop is wireless and I also have my own ethernet cable. I just don't want to have to pay two times to do anything either way.

[arrow3]

Here is what you do plain and simple:

 

*Either buy your own wireless card for your laptop if you don't already have one, or go to the desk and rent one for the week.

*Go to the RC Online (Internet Cafe) and register to use the internet there by creating a username and password.

*Go back to your room and open your browser. You will see a welcome screen asking for your username and password that you created at the internet cafe.

*After it accepts your name and password, you will see the pricing. On port days, it was 25 cents a minute. While not in port it was 50 cents a minute. Or you can buy some of the package deals they have if you'd rather do that.

 

The connection was very good considering that I was on a ship. The speeds were not DSL but they were much better than dial-up. The speed changed as the week went on, I guess certain positions had better reception than others.

[alexkrn46]

The cybercabin is unlimted, but you will spend hours a day connecting, the connection is slow and cuts out often.

Personally on my vacation I rather be enjoying it then using the cybercabin.

( When was the last time you used dial up? You have to have all the right drivers and connections set. I haven't used dial up in years. I would suggest if you want to use your cybercabin bring your windows diskl since you will have to install drivers you may or may not have.

If you think you can just dial in and walk away while you send a file ...forget it you have to sit there and babysit it.

 

Last cruise I tried the cybercabin, I have used successfully on the Serenade, AOS, NOS, and VOS. I was on the VOS and they are not supporting the cybercabin meaning if you have an issue you are on your own.

Wireless, I was able to connect do my business and overall it only cost $60 week, more importantly to me less time and aggravation.

[alexkrn46]

The cybercabin is unlimted, but you will spend hours a day connecting, the connection is slow and cuts out often.

Personally on my vacation I rather be enjoying it then using the cybercabin.

( When was the last time you used dial up? You have to have all the right drivers and connections set. I haven't used dial up in years. I would suggest if you want to use your cybercabin bring your windows diskl since you will have to install drivers you may or may not have.

If you think you can just dial in and walk away while you send a file ...forget it you have to sit there and babysit it.

 

Last cruise I tried the cybercabin, I have used successfully on the Serenade, AOS, NOS, and VOS. I was on the VOS and they are not supporting the cybercabin meaning if you have an issue you are on your own.

Wireless, I was able to connect do my business and overall it only cost $60 week, more importantly to me less time and aggravation.

[arrow3]

There was never a wait to connect, and there was no "dialing-in". Simply open your browser, type your username and password, and you are in. There may be drivers to install if you rent their kit but my laptop already has a wireless card so there was no problem. The connection was fast and I was happy with it.

 

Maybe it depends on what ship you were on. My experiences are from Mariner so maybe it has more updated systems since it's the newest.

[steve20832]

Most laptops built within the past 2 years have wireless built into them. Check with your computer manufacture to see if yours has one. Or if you know your way through Network connections in control panel, this will tell you if you have wireless or not.

[Jarronwood]

Hi everyone

 

ANyone know the form on Legend of the Seas. Thinking of taking my wifi laptop and wondering whether I can get connected?

 

Taking the laptop is handy anyway cos I can download my digital pictures regularly (handy when going on a 14 nights cruise)

 

Josie

[Elizanessie]

I have wireless on my laptop...but I use AOL....on Med and Baltics cruises..RCCI has sign up saying AOL doesnt work on their ships...is this true also for the Caribbean...going on the Mariner next month...oh heck..."next month"....:eek:

Can someone help me out here please with the best way to go about staying in touch via my laptop.:D

Thanks

Liz

"Next month...ooh...where are the suitcases someone!!!"

[madforcruising]

Hi Liz,

 

I´m not on AOL but as I know from others I talked to on my cruises and from reading RCCL´s informations I can tell you the AOL problems are fleetwide regardless of destination. However sometimes it works but there seem to be more problems with AOL than with other provider.

[Elizanessie]

Thanks Gunnar:D

 

So if I cant connect properly with AOL...can you maybe suggest what I do?....do I just go through Explorer or something?

Would I be better paying the $100 for cybercabin or doing wireless package?....och heck this is confusing me now:confused: I really want to be able to stay in touch with those back home...and be able to drop in to CC :D

Appreciate you help and advice

ps Gunnar-mum going on QM2 this month:D

Liz

[cruisinisforme]

I have been on both the explorer and the mariner, I bring my laptop with my on every cruise. The laptop has a wireless connection built in, and while I was on the Mariner in June, it seemed to pick up a wireless connection but it was sporatic and you couldnt count on it. I purchased the cyber cabin, I have AOL and I had no problems with either. Its certainly not fast as it is a dial up, but what do you expect? It was good enough for me to email, etc in the mornings, but if you are trying to upload or download anything it will take you a long time.

[Elizanessie]

Janet:D

 

Thank you so much for your reply...it is great to hear that AOL does work on the Mariner...phew...thats another thing I can tick off my to do list:D

Many thanks

Liz

(now where did I put the case for the laptop?;) )

[luv4trvl]

Ok, so I'm in an aft cabin on the 8th deck on the Mariner. I was planning on using their kit, but it's sounding like it's not very fast. We have a wireless card, would we get better connection, faster connection using it? And would I be able to just use it in the cabin?

 

If there's any travel agents who have accessed SABRE on their laptop while on the ship I especially want to hear from you. I don't expect to have to do much as I've let clients know ahead of time, but don't want to get into a bind.

 

You can email me at SRussellTN@comcast.net if you want to give me the full scoop.

 

Thanks

[cruisinisforme]

Liz, I even used AOL at the cybercafe on the last cruise. Last night I had turned in the cybercabin and I needed to print my boarding passes so I went down there and no problem. Like I said I picked up that wireless network but never really got a good connection, seemed like when we were in port was when it worked best, so I go with the cybercabin, I dont spend my vacation on the laptop, just early mornings to reply to my office, but I prefer sitting in my room with a cup of coffee and answering the getting dressed and going to the cybercafe, so I dont mind the slow thing, gives me a chance to wake up, lol.

 

Liz, you are on the week after me correct? We are all getting quite close now.

[cruisinisforme]

Liz, I even used AOL at the cybercafe on the last cruise. Last night I had turned in the cybercabin and I needed to print my boarding passes so I went down there and no problem. Like I said I picked up that wireless network but never really got a good connection, seemed like when we were in port was when it worked best, so I go with the cybercabin, I dont spend my vacation on the laptop, just early mornings to reply to my office, but I prefer sitting in my room with a cup of coffee and answering the getting dressed and going to the cybercafe, so I dont mind the slow thing, gives me a chance to wake up, lol.

 

Liz, you are on the week after me correct? We are all getting quite close now.