Internet cost - purchase ahead vs. onboard?

[DaisyFire]

For our upcoming 14 night cruise, the cost to purchase unlimited internet in advance of the cruise is showing $309. Planning to wait until onboard to use or OBC -but wondering if the cost will go up significantly? I believe we get 10% discount for Captain's club. Does that apply if purchasing in advance - or only if purchasing on board?

 

Thanks for your input!

[ellasnan]

Hi Marguerite,

 

just checked what we paid this year on the Eclipse this year. I paid $139.30 which included my elite minutes. It was definitely cheaper booking on board. Using OBC was good too!

 

We were offered 50% discount off the second passengers internet as well.

 

Hope this helps.

Karen

[Charles4515]

Hi Marguerite,

 

 

 

just checked what we paid this year on the Eclipse this year. I paid $139.30 which included my elite minutes. It was definitely cheaper booking on board. Using OBC was good too!

 

 

 

We were offered 50% discount off the second passengers internet as well.

 

 

 

Hope this helps.

 

Karen

 

 

It was cheaper booking onboard in the past but recent reports indicate that Celebrity has raised the prices so that might not be the case any longer. Celebrity does not want us to wait. They have raised the onboard price quite a bit an it is more than the pre cruise online price. Read the thread Unlimited Price on long cruise.

 

 

Unlimited Price on long cruise

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2424413

 

 

 

 

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Edited November 23, 2016 by Charles4515

[johhnnyt]

I know after the Elite Plus discount it was less than $150 for the 15 night TA when booking it in advance, and did hear of others onboard that bought it for $130

[Wine-O]

Go into your "My Celebrity" and see what offers are available. It was $129 and change for my April TA, and $156 and change for my October TA. Those prices were Elite + offers of 35% off, with Elite getting 30% off. Paying $300 or more is a rip off in my opinion.

[Jim_Iain]

I booked mine on board. The CC discount was suppose to happen automatically, but mine failed and I had to go to the Internet Café to have the discount applied.

 

I spoke to a passenger on board that had booked in advance. They had a sale on the internet prior to sailing. She said she had to call into Captain's Club to purchase and have the Elite+ discount applied prior to sailing. She said it was quick. She was ranting and raving as it didn't show up and the Internet Café person was rude to her and told her she had to purchase at full price. She went to guest relations and they fixed everything up for her. She eventually got her package at the 20% discount then had an additional 35% discount applied to that amount.

[Nanny8]

For our upcoming 14 night cruise, the cost to purchase unlimited internet in advance of the cruise is showing $309. Planning to wait until onboard to use or OBC -but wondering if the cost will go up significantly? I believe we get 10% discount for Captain's club. Does that apply if purchasing in advance - or only if purchasing on board?

 

Thanks for your input!

The internet is ridiculously expensive. The price for our 7 day cruise would be $332 CDN. that is crazy. I realize that our dollar sucks but even without the exchange it is too much. We are going to try to do our work in the airport while waiting for our flights (it's free there). I can't believe how expensive it is on board.

I'm hoping they will have a deal once on board (in case we don't get all our work done at the airport)

[Charles4515]

Go into your "My Celebrity" and see what offers are available. It was $129 and change for my April TA, and $156 and change for my October TA. Those prices were Elite + offers of 35% off, with Elite getting 30% off. Paying $300 or more is a rip off in my opinion.

 

 

 

My Celebrity offers unlimited at $237 for my upcoming seven day cruise. That is hideous. This past June it was $199 before the 30% off. They are going in the wrong direction. The price should not be higher than $10 a day. No way I will buy it at $237 in advance or onboard. They already socked it to me for booking in advance. If I had waited until after final payment to book I would have paid $700 less for the cruise.

 

 

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Edited November 24, 2016 by Charles4515

[DaisyFire]

Go into your "My Celebrity" and see what offers are available. It was $129 and change for my April TA, and $156 and change for my October TA. Those prices were Elite + offers of 35% off, with Elite getting 30% off. Paying $300 or more is a rip off in my opinion.

 

I did. And that's where I got the $309 price. With the anticipated 10% Captains Club discount - that gets me to about $270 - almost $20 per day since this is a 14 day cruise. Definitely a bit higher than I'd like - but don't think my husband can be disconnected from work for 14 days so we may not have much choice. I think I'm going to take my chance and wait to book on board so I can use our OBC.

 

Thanks everyone for your input!

[caribill]

Pre-cruise price for a 12 day cruise we have booked is $282 ($23.50/day).

 

Pre-cruise price for a 15 day cruise we have booked is $309 ($20.60/day).

 

I need between 10 and 15 minutes a day. Paying close to $2/minute is not going to happen.

[thon]

Just curious. If you get the internet package, where can you access the internet? In your cabin? Anywhere?

[Charles4515]

Just curious. If you get the internet package, where can you access the internet? In your cabin? Anywhere?

 

 

 

On Summit I was able to access the internet in my cabin and most public areas.

 

 

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[uktog]

I can only pay in sterling if I booked today. Am Elite plus yet at checkout for a 14 night cruise the price as £247 which equates to c $305 at todays rate - ouch!

[Wansbrough]

I have just checked our cruise planner price and its listed as follows.

 

Enjoy a discounted daily rate for your entire voyage. It's your hassle free solution to staying connected onboard.

£225.60 ($282) for our up coming 12 night cruise

 

We are Elite but its not clear if the CC discount has been applied.

[theflake]

The price on my recent Dutch Antilles 10 nighter was $299 USD, which I thought was ridiculous. I went to the iLounge on the 3rd day, and they told me a special would come out soon. Sure enough, the next day it was $199 unlimited for the balance of the cruise, or $99 for a package of 250 mins, which is what I chose.

 

Be warned, it takes about 5 minutes to sign on each time. Can be a little frustrating!

 

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[caribill]

Be warned, it takes about 5 minutes to sign on each time. Can be a little frustrating!

 

 

Does the five minutes count against your Internet minutes?

 

Or do you start using the minutes once you are signed on?

[uktog]

Does the five minutes count against your Internet minutes?

 

Or do you start using the minutes once you are signed on?

 

I am afraid it counts :(

[Charles4515]

Does the five minutes count against your Internet minutes?

 

Or do you start using the minutes once you are signed on?

 

 

 

You will get a you are connected screen. That is when the minutes start. It shouldn't take five minutes. With the new Xcelerate log in has been snappy. 15 seconds at most. I don't know what kind of devices the others were using or how they set them up but I have been using iPhones and iPads. With those devices I put a bookmark to the login page on my home screen. If you have those and don't know how to do that they will help you at the iLounge. When I don't have an unlimited plan I log on and off many times to maximize my minutes. On some cruises I was able to make the 90 minute Elite member package suffice for seven days.

 

 

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Edited November 26, 2016 by Charles4515

[theflake]

OK, 5 minutes may be a slight exaggeration, but it is certainly a lot longer process than on land. I had everything bookmarked as well. It made logging in to check on the kids a tedious process, but not the end of the world. Just don't expect to pick up your device and check your mail in 10 seconds like at home.

 

And the minutes start counting as soon as you hit connect. You will be surprised how fast they go. I was using at least 20 per day checking emails 2-3 times with a few short responses. Don't plan on streaming a movie or doing any work. But you are on vacation, so hopefully that's not a big deal!

 

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[Charles4515]

OK, 5 minutes may be a slight exaggeration, but it is certainly a lot longer process than on land. I had everything bookmarked as well. It made logging in to check on the kids a tedious process, but not the end of the world. Just don't expect to pick up your device and check your mail in 10 seconds like at home.

 

And the minutes start counting as soon as you hit connect. You will be surprised how fast they go. I was using at least 20 per day checking emails 2-3 times with a few short responses. Don't plan on streaming a movie or doing any work. But you are on vacation, so hopefully that's not a big deal!

 

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Those who need to do a lot of work stuff or want to stream a movie will need the unlimited package. We had the unlimited package last June and I was able to stream Game of Thrones. But I would not do that on a limited package.

 

So in a week I will be on Reflection. If the prices for unlimited are the outrageous prices reported recently, $237 for the week I won't buy unlimited. I will use my free 90 minutes first. First port is Cozumel. We go to Paradise Beach. They have free WiFi. Next is Grand Cayman. Either Sea Grape beach or Royal Palms. Both have free WiFi. Then Jamaica, free WiFi at Margueritaville. That leaves Labadee and the final sea day. If my 90 minutes are used up I will buy a 24 hour package or a 90 minute package if they sell those. I don't have work stuff so I think I will get by without the unlimited package. Celebrity is only hurting themselves with their unfair overpricing of the unlimited plan because when I have unlimited I give them a lot of free publicity on social media while onboard. I will only Facebook from the ports without unlimited. Their pricing also gives me less reason to book Celebrity in the future. Heck, I have done a few all inclusives and some charged for internet but it was $10 a day. A much more fair price.

 

 

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Edited November 26, 2016 by Charles4515

[UKPete71]

I've found connectivity speeds vary depending on the time of day. Late eveninf for example has been quicker than lunchtime as an example. If time of day is not important I'd think about using the wifi either early or late in the day.

[Charles4515]

I am on Reflection now and the onboard price they have raised the cost to $249 for unlimited internet. With an Elite Plus discount the means the cost is $162. No way I would pay those prices money on my own. Since I am with a group I am working around their unfair pricing by sharing the package so the cost to me will be a reasonable $81.

 

 

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Edited December 4, 2016 by Charles4515