Updated internet on Carnival Magic

[jonshannon]

Hello,

 

Question re the updated internet service on Carnival Magic. Anyone have experience w the $40 basic internet plan? We're taking our kids and their friends 8/2 out of Galveston and want to be able to touch base via text periodically while on the boat. Girls are 13/14 and boys 18/17 which we don't worry about but want to be able to reach the girls if doing their own thing. We all have our own staterooms though all near each other on same deck.

 

Anyone have experience with this or tips?

 

Thanks!

[LCTXcruiser]

That's a good question. I'd like to know this as well (that's the reason I'm writing on your post.... to move it back up to the top so it will be seen).

 

Anyone out there that can answer this??

[jonshannon]

Thanks LCTX...hope we hear from someone on this.

[wbond01]

Good question. I too, am interested in reading any responses. BUMP

[TNRunnerGal]

Here's another BUMP.

 

Really curious as to when the Magic will get the new Internet service. We had it on the Fascination this past May and loved the price.

[cheriisaacs]

We'd like to know, too. Hubby has to stay in contact with work and, while texting/calling is preferred, the phone and data plans are wayyyyy too expensive to justify the cost. Access to e-mail would be a decent second choice.

[coevan]

All ships are to be updated by 2016, at least that is what CCL says

[moongal]

The new internet pricing packages are NOT available on the Magic at least it wasn't when I sailed not even 2 weeks ago.

 

The only Internet available was the old plans:

480 mins for $159

240 mins for $89

120 mins for $59

45 mins for $29

Pay as you go .75 cents a minute

 

If you do purchase one of these plans, I recommend that you only attempt using it while down on deck 3 near the guest services. That seemed to be the only place I could get internet.

 

If I tried using it in my room or at the fun hub, I wound up wasting too many minutes just watching the spinner go around and around waiting for a page to load. I burned through almost half my minutes the first night trying to get out, to check emails as I had left my 17 year old son home with his grandparents and I was wanting to keep in touch with him.

 

To me the Internet seemed mostly non existent and I felt like they shouldn't even be selling or advertising that it was available as it didn't work most of the time and I figured it out finally by accident that it was semi reliable on deck 3 near guest services.

[Daycare_98]

Just got off the Dream yesterday. During the cruise director Q&A we asked when the Dream would get Guys burgers and other upgrades and when it would get newer internet package. We were told internet package should be ready to go first part of August and refurb for the Dream would be during 2017. Considering Magic is a little newer then Dream, I would think Magic would be very close to that on both.

Edited July 13, 2015 by Daycare_98

[JennSTX]

Thank for this post. I work from home and therefore am always expected to be at work and am trying to figure out about internet. Thanks for the response but bummer it's not the new upgraded internet.

[tlsearay]

This was recently posted on our Carnival Magic - September 6 Facebook page:

 

John Heald

The following ships are offering the NEW internet plans. We aim to complete the rest of the North American fleet by the end of 2015. Other ships not listed here still have 'by-the-minute' plans.

Carnival Breeze

Carnival Conquest (starting July 25th)

Carnival Ecstasy

Carnival Elation

Carnival Fascination

Carnival Freedom

Carnival Glory (starting July 11th)

Carnival Imagination

Carnival Inspiration

Carnival Paradise

Carnival Pride

Carnival Sensation

Carnival Sunshine

Carnival Victory

Carnival Miracle sometime in July

Carnival Dream 8/2

Carnival Magic 8/16

Carnival Spirit 8/16

Carnival Triumph 8/29

Carnival Splendor sometime in September

Carnival Valor 9/12

Carnival Fantasy 9/19

Carnival Legend Oct/Nov

Carnival imagination Oct/Nov

Carnival Inspiration Oct/Nov

Carnival Liberty Nov

[AmandaV]

tlsearay, thank you for sharing! We sail on the Valor on Sept 19 so works out great for us!

This may be a dumb question but I just don't know...I do not have an international plan on my phone- I would like to get the social media package mostly to be able to message my boyfriend and my parents (they are watching my dog) while we are on our 7 day. If I buy this social media package, will I be able to get on Facebook, etc during cruise without a charge from verizon?

And another one- my sister would like to be able to talk/text her non social media using boyfriend during cruise- would she need to get an international plan through verizon or by her buying an Internet plan that would cover her texts?

I've never even considered buying internet on prior cruises, but with new pricing and plans, it would be nice to check in....

Thanks!!!

[iewe]

Magic goes into dry dock next year before reposition for her 2.0 upgrades. She's never been dry docked before. Dream dry docked a couple years ago for upgrades, which is why she won't be until 2017...

[blubonnet]

We set sail Sunday. As my hubby works from home we have to stay somewhat connected. I'll keep you all posted on the internet situation. :)

[texasmcse]

any updates on this? sail on 8/2. how bad/slow is the pay per minute service?

[estesrd]

Just got off the Magic last Sunday and I did buy the 240 minute internet plan for $89. My plan was to be able to video Skype with my kiddos, but come to find out the service cannot support the bandwidth that video requires. I was, however, able to make phone calls via Skype and talk to them. I purchased the $10 plan and used only about $3 of it, but was able to talk to them for many minutes. I was also able to look at Facebook and posted a couple of times, but wasn't able to upload pictures. If you keep your phone on airplane mode and just use wifi, then you will not incur any charges from your carrier. However, if you turn on your data service, you may incur a fee as it will try to connect automatically. My wife turned her data on and she received several texts which did cost us less than a dollar. Also, remember to follow the instructions and log off each session. Turning off the wifi does not work, you MUST log out each time!

[Shadowdancer604]

New Internet Plans will be available on the Magic as of August 16, 2015

 

$5/Day

$25/Cruise Social Media Package

 

I am not sure if this includes WIFI for personal devices or just in the HUB

[SellN4U]

New Internet Plans will be available on the Magic as of August 16, 2015

 

$5/Day

$25/Cruise Social Media Package

 

I am not sure if this includes WIFI for personal devices or just in the HUB

 

Does anyone know what the $5/day includes? I am self employed and will need to check email for contract/client updates throughout the day. Anyone know where I can find more details on it? TIA.

[Riley's Mom]

Does anyone know if the new wifi did actually roll out in August?

Thank you,

[robtoby]

August 16th will be the rollout date

[SellN4U]

Does anybody know what the $5/day covers or where to find more info?

[robtoby]

Carnival FAQ's

 

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1152

[LisaZG]

The new wifi plan was available on the August 16 cruise. My niece bought the $99 plan so she could work with her clients back home - she skyped and used her phone with wifi. She said it worked fine, it was a little slower on sea days but she was able to do her work (she's self employed, so she can't afford to ignore a client, they might go elsewhere)

[dioxide45]

Does anybody know what the $5/day covers or where to find more info?

 

tlsearay, thank you for sharing! We sail on the Valor on Sept 19 so works out great for us!

This may be a dumb question but I just don't know...I do not have an international plan on my phone- I would like to get the social media package mostly to be able to message my boyfriend and my parents (they are watching my dog) while we are on our 7 day. If I buy this social media package, will I be able to get on Facebook, etc during cruise without a charge from verizon?

And another one- my sister would like to be able to talk/text her non social media using boyfriend during cruise- would she need to get an international plan through verizon or by her buying an Internet plan that would cover her texts?

I've never even considered buying internet on prior cruises, but with new pricing and plans, it would be nice to check in....

Thanks!!!

 

Keep in mind that if you buy the Social Media Internet Package, that you have to access Facebook via the website, the app doesn't work. Or at least it didn't earlier this year on the Paradise.

 

The internet packages work through the ships WiFi, so there will be no charges from your cell provider as long as you keep the cell part turned off (Airplane Mode).

 

Good to know that the Magic was upgraded to the new packages this month, we sail on her in November and will likely buy the Social Media package.

Edited August 30, 2015 by dioxide45

[Mommabear2Five]

The social media package was fantastic on our Sunshine cruise this May. $25 for 7 day cruise and, because I have an iPhone and iMessage works on wifi, I was able to iMessage as well. We purchased one package but my husband and my son were allowed to sign in as well imposing my folio number. Only one device at a time though; if you sign in and someone else is using it, it kicks then off.