To bring computer or not??

[Fairsky]

Does anyone know if the Zuiderdam has computers for use by passengers or do we have to bring our own to access the internet??? Also has anyone tried to play games on facebook using the internet on the ships???

 

Thanks

[colonialinnkeeper]

All the ships have computers. The internet on board is very expensive and slow and you cannot write emails offline and then post. We take our iPad to compose emails and then send them through the ship internet system. We don't play games on the computer so I can't tell you anything about this.

[Darrell6t]

Using the Internet is quite expensive. And on most ships, quite slow compared to what you probably have at home. I usually use a cruise, where there is lots to do, as a break from the online world.

[Caribbean Chris]

HAL's Explorations Cafe on all ships has computer terminals for passenger use. I believe when we used them, you could access the New York Times and the HAL website for free.

 

The terminals are handy for a quick check of email, and we've been able to print out boarding passes for flights for free or a small fee depending on who was on duty in the Explorations.

 

Going online requires a purchase of an internet package, and service is pricey and slow. You could probably play Facebook games but it will gobble up your minutes fast.

 

You buy your minutes, login with an account password you set up, and use the password on a laptop, ipad, etc. you brought from home, or when you want to, use it on the terminals in Explorations. HAL always cautions you to be sure to sign out so the clock stops ticking.

[jhannah]

It is not worth hauling your own computer, IMO. I have used the computers in Explorations Café ... but I prefer finding an Internet café on shore and using that. Very inexpensive when compared to the ship's charges. I do that while DW goes shopping. ;-)

Edited November 11, 2015 by jhannah

[Fouremco]

Internet access will be the same speed and same cost using the ship's computers or your own, it's just a question of convenience. I always bring a laptop so I can use it in my cabin.

[3rdGenCunarder]

If all you want to do is check email and your usage is light, you'll be fine with the ship's computers. Internet at sea is slow whether it's their computer or your own. I don't know about facebook games, but if it's anything that involves a lot of graphics, the ship's internet will probably be too slow.

 

I take a laptop because I take a LOT of pictures and like to be able to review them and delete duds each day and make a backup copy. Having my laptop means I can compose offline and just log on to send, so I use fewer minutes.

 

You cannot use any external media on the ship's computers. No thumb drive, no memory card. So if you wanted to email a photo, the only way you could do it would be from a smartphone working on the ship's wifi.

Edited November 11, 2015 by 3rdGenCunarder

[take us away]

I take a laptop because I take a LOT of pictures and like to be able to review them and delete duds each day and make a backup copy. Having my laptop means I can compose offline and just log on to send, so I use fewer minutes. QUOTE]

 

Exactly what I do and bring flash drives as additional back-up for photos. Did a world cruise on 100 minutes internet time and sent "Tales from..." with a few photos in the document every few days. Copy and pasted longer emails into Word from the family and read these at leisure to save minutes. Have some games on the computer that do not use the internet so sometimes play these. Oh, and I totally ignore Facebook unless in a free internet zone.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I take a laptop because I take a LOT of pictures and like to be able to review them and delete duds each day and make a backup copy. Having my laptop means I can compose offline and just log on to send, so I use fewer minutes. QUOTE]

 

Exactly what I do and bring flash drives as additional back-up for photos. Did a world cruise on 100 minutes internet time and sent "Tales from..." with a few photos in the document every few days. Copy and pasted longer emails into Word from the family and read these at leisure to save minutes. Have some games on the computer that do not use the internet so sometimes play these. Oh, and I totally ignore Facebook unless in a free internet zone.

 

Wow, you're fast!! I think I'm pretty good at the log-in-paste-and-send-log-out process, but I couldn't do a world cruise on only 100 minutes of internet!

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

They have , But yours will be faster ..

[WeLoveCruising]

The internet is much to slow and expensive to play games on Facebook.

 

I bring my iPad and use that. I like to play games, too, but only play the offline ones - never online while on a cruise. In fact I keep my wireless off unless I'm specifically connected for email or to go online briefly.

[SeaBands]

to read the times in my cabin and sometimes take it on shore to use the internet free or at a nominal fee. The ships service is too slow and too expensive and nothing is urgent that requires me to use it.

[xlxo]

When I cruised on the Zuiderdaam in 2013... The ships computers were rarely busy when I walked by. Yep likely because of the cost to connect.

 

I recommend bringing your own device....

• tablets are so portable. Map.Me means I can run my downloaded maps to see where the boat is and what island is in the distance.
  
• you can use in your room or around the ship... so convenient
  
• you own device means you don't need to worry about malware as much. However ship wifi is too slow to use a VPN.
  
• in addition to the tablet.... I also pack a 17" laptop with a Blu-Ray player to watch home movies. yah... I also pack a usb medium sized soundbar. :D
  http://www.thesource.ca/estore/Product.aspx?product=8000636
  

[serendipity1499]

Does anyone know if the Zuiderdam has computers for use by passengers or do we have to bring our own to access the internet??? Also has anyone tried to play games on facebook using the internet on the ships???

 

Thanks

 

As others have said Internet service is very expensive & very slow on board.. We normally don't purchase internet packages if our cruise is only two weeks to three weeks..We had to purchase a plan on our longer cruise, only to keep in touch with those at home...

 

Sometimes they have Special Internet Time PLans...On our last cruise they had a special 15 minutes for $8.25 (55 cents a minute) or 30 minutes for $12.00. (40 cents a minute)...It's normally more expensive.. On one of our cruises they gave 20 extra minutes if we purchased a 250 minute plan..Can't remember the price, but I did purchase one for our long cruise..

 

Don't believe you would want to play games at that rate unless you have unlimited funds..LOL

 

We are bringing our IPad Mini on our next cruise & possibly to play games Off-Line, but never on-line..

 

At those prices we get used to not having Internet on board, believe me..

[SonarSonarSonar]

1. Forget about playing games on board.

2. I always have my MacBook Air, iPad, and iPhone. They don't take up much room and I do use them especially before and after boarding.

3. I do buy minutes to use on board but am very frugal with them as they are expensive.

4. I am able to write emails offline and quickly cut and paste once logged in.

 

 

 

 

.

[Scrapnana]

As slow as the internet is on most ships, you would probably lose interest in an on-line game even if you wanted to invest the $$$ that it would cost.

 

I loaded a number of games on my iPad before a world cruise and seldom played them - there was too much else to do.:D

[Krazy Kruizers]

Playing games on Facebook -- it is going to cost you a fortune whether you take your computer or use the ship's computers.

[POA1]

I always bring a computer, and have since the 1990s. It's a work thing. Online games will be wicked expensive, but the onboard Internet is much, much faster than it was a few years ago. Odds are that it will still be slower than home though.

[Fairsky]

thanks everyone for your advice I do have a kindle and will bring that for books and music....will skip internet