Ship Internet Access Question

[JPH814]

We will be on the Zuiderdam in the Caribbean for 12 days in a few weeks. Our package includes 100 free minutes of internet usage. I understand that I can purchase additional minutes after that is used up.

 

My question is this: will I be able to track how many minutes I have used? Is their some kind of accounting feature that lets me know how many I have used and/how many minutes I have left before I have to purchase more?

[shrimpboat123]

When you finish your session, you need to log off. Very important or your minutes will continue.

 

You should see a screen that says you're logged out and it will give you a summary of your session. Time logged in, time logged out, and minutes used. Also minutes left.

 

I take a screen shot of that and save it. That way I know how many minutes I have left.

[taxmantoo]

Hi Joe,

Every time you log off the system, a screen message will show you that you have just logged off, show you the minutes you just used in the current session and the total minutes you have left.

[catl331]

I think it also also tells you when you begin to log in how much remains, in case you want to buy more before you start. In any case, don't worry, it isn't hard to keep track. :)

[shrimpboat123]

I think it also also tells you when you begin to log in how much remains, in case you want to buy more before you start. In any case, don't worry, it isn't hard to keep track. :)

 

I don't think you can add minutes to your account if there is any time left. You have to wait till you run out of minutes to add more. At least that was the way it used to be. Hopefully they changed that capability.

[POA1]

When you direct your browser to the login screen, you'll see your remaining minutes. You don't have to login or log out to see them as they're on the status screen that you see before you log in.

[JPH814]

Thanks everyone!

 

Good thing to know that we need to remember to log out.

 

I do not think I will be on much - maybe just to send a few postings/pictures to friends back home on Facebook. Kind of like a real-time postcard. But my wife wants to keep up her Duolingo work - getting reading for a European trip in a couple of months. So she plans to be on-line for a bit every day.

[xlxo]

Another tip... if it's anything like my experience on the Ruby Princess. Use the internet in the late evenings or early mornings. It works much faster during off peak times.

[Petunia1950]

The way it worked on the Westerdam, from which I just returned, is that you didn't really get "minutes". You got a $55 credit on your account and you then had to buy an Internet package, which would be applied against that credit. You could buy either a daily or weekly package and each offered three plans (social for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., only; regular for all access except video conferencing; and premium including video conferencing). My recollection is that all of the weekly packages were well over the $55 credit, so we chose to wait until late in the week and purchased the premium daily package for $29.99. The unused $20 remained on our account.

 

So the only real reason to sign off each time is to be able to log on using a different device, as only one log on is allowed at any one time. Since we had a 24-hour package, that 24 hours was going to expire exactly 24 hours later, no matter how many "minutes" we used.

[Boytjie]

The way it worked on the Westerdam, from which I just returned, is that you didn't really get "minutes". You got a $55 credit on your account and you then had to buy an Internet package, which would be applied against that credit. You could buy either a daily or weekly package and each offered three plans (social for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., only; regular for all access except video conferencing; and premium including video conferencing). My recollection is that all of the weekly packages were well over the $55 credit, so we chose to wait until late in the week and purchased the premium daily package for $29.99. The unused $20 remained on our account.

 

Those tiered internet plans are only available on the Westerdam.

[POA1]

Another tip... if it's anything like my experience on the Ruby Princess. Use the internet in the late evenings or early mornings. It works much faster during off peak times.

Always an excellent tip. You're on a shared pipe. Your speed will almost always be better in the off hours - unless you bang into the times when the ship is doing a big data manifest transfer.