Allure of the Seas, Internet service and World of Tanks gaming.

[serialcruiser48]

Internet service for me is very important and the Allure of the Seas delivered. This review is about Internet service only since I was not able to find out anything through searches on the subject (i.e. Internet service while cruising). RCCL is the only cruise line using the new O3b low orbit satellite service which delivers almost like being at home Internet experience. While cruising I found I was getting 285 ms ping rates. This was fast enough for me to enjoy online gaming, specifically World of Tanks Blitz. You can actually stream video as well. I could have set my Slingbox to view recorded TV from the house, but forgot to turn it on. Most likely Xbox games would work as well. Internet service for this cruise was 15 US dollars per day. A great price for this level of service. Currently on a transatlantic cruise on the Allure and Internet service is still great. Also, I'm Diamond Plus with RCCL and have sailed on 87 cruises total. I'm top tier on every cruise line and once you hit Diamond level (80 cruise nights) with RCCL you get free drinks at the Diamond Club 3 1/2 hours every night. The Diamond Club is very important to me since I can get free specialty coffee all day as its open 24/7. Diamond Plus and Diamond level use the same club on deck 11. On the crossing the ship opened Blaze, Dazzles and Jazz since there were so many of us on the crossing. By comparison, all of the other cruise lines use High Orbit Satellites so ping rates are over 1,000 ms so your Internet service is going to suck. Regardless if it's Princes, Holland America, Norwegian or Carnival Internet service is slow and expensive costing $100 for 250 minutes. So if you want to cruise and demand good Internet service, bring you IPad, controller or Xbox and cruise Allure of the Seas.

[Koohiichan]

Thanks for the review. We will be purchasing this for my teenager and her friend (so the friend can keep in touch with parents) on our Allure cruise in January. Dh and I probably won't use it too much as we cruise to get away from this sort of thing, but it is nice to know it is available. So, glad to know it works great.

 

Cheers,

 

Koohiichan

[larwilski]

Great review! Thank you so much! We are traveling with 4 teens and were trying to figure out how to keep tabs on them during the week....I can't imagine that we'd be able to get them to update a dry erase board on the room door like some had suggested. Knowing this, we can get wifi so they can text us and keep us up to date in real time! Might not be cheap, but the convenience and peace of mind will be priceless!

 

Thanks again!

[rtazz17]

Good to know.Leaving on allure next sunday.I wont be gaming though.I can do that at home...

[mil76]

All I can say is don't buy internet on the upgraded ships before you board. Wifi on Oasis last week was $10/day for 1 device, $15/day for two devices when purchased on-board. We waited until day 4 and used our $30 diamond discount and got it for $10 for the remainder of the cruise. Then the next day we used our other diamond discount to get it free for a second device. However, my brother-in-law bought the plan before we embarked for 2 devices and it was something like $150.

[larwilski]

All I can say is don't buy internet on the upgraded ships before you board. Wifi on Oasis last week was $10/day for 1 device, $15/day for two devices when purchased on-board. We waited until day 4 and used our $30 diamond discount and got it for $10 for the remainder of the cruise. Then the next day we used our other diamond discount to get it free for a second device. However, my brother-in-law bought the plan before we embarked for 2 devices and it was something like $150.

 

Great tip! We leave on Sunday, and we have not purchased the internet packages yet. But right now, they are $15 per day for one device and $22.50 for two devices....so yes, we will definitely wait until after boarding! And possibly just add devices as we really need them....since there clearly isn't an advantage to buying early!

[TheTruthCanHurt]

All I can say is don't buy internet on the upgraded ships before you board. Wifi on Oasis last week was $10/day for 1 device, $15/day for two devices when purchased on-board. We waited until day 4 and used our $30 diamond discount and got it for $10 for the remainder of the cruise. Then the next day we used our other diamond discount to get it free for a second device. However, my brother-in-law bought the plan before we embarked for 2 devices and it was something like $150.

 

While it is true that the internet gets cheaper each day BECAUSE IT IS PRICED DAILY. it's just math!

 

However, since you dont leave until 5 or 6 pm and you typically get local cell service for a couple three hours, I would suggest ( if you really nickle and dime yourself) wait until day two and you can save 20 or 30 bucks..

[mil76]

While it is true that the internet gets cheaper each day BECAUSE IT IS PRICED DAILY. it's just math!

 

However, since you dont leave until 5 or 6 pm and you typically get local cell service for a couple three hours, I would suggest ( if you really nickle and dime yourself) wait until day two and you can save 20 or 30 bucks..

 

The waiting until on board math still works out cheaper even for the entire cruise. $10/day on-board is cheaper than the $15/day if you buy ahead of time. That's for one device. Two devices on-board was $15/day and pre-paid I think was $22.50/day.

 

I was just pointing out that if you get the diamond discount and can wait a few days you can get it for next to nothing, which comes in handy since it covers two sea days.

Edited November 3, 2015 by mil76

[serialcruiser48]

I purchased my plan weeks before I boarded and received my $60 D+ discount during the cruise. The big difference, I was handed a code during the checkin at the pier. Once aboard, just entered the code and was good to go for the entire cruise. No logging in or out, so I enjoyed the convenience of staying nailed up all the time just like being at home.

[tunisbridal]

Verizon wireless pkg is 40 for 100 minutes and 100 text sent and some daya

[serialcruiser48]

Just to update. Now we are only a day away from FLL and the ping rates are 100ms less than in BCE and the crossing. Ping rates are now in the 190's and delivers a very smooth performance. I was amazed Internet service was consistent during the crossing and was able to enjoy WOT every day. Well done Allure and RCCL.

[BillOh]

All those dime a dozen Diamond, D+ and Pinnacle members on board aren't hogging all the bandwidth? :D While I go on a cruise to get away from the internet and connectivity, I could see where a few hours on a TA might not be bad.

[serialcruiser48]

All those dime a dozen Diamond, D+ and Pinnacle members on board aren't hogging all the bandwidth? :D While I go on a cruise to get away from the internet and connectivity, I could see where a few hours on a TA might not be bad.

 

O3b seems to have a 40 Mbps burst speed and a throughput of 25 Mbps. So far it's been very good as I have no issues.