Live...Lovely time aboard Mariner, but internet is awful!

[MTnesters2014]

So we were told when we boarded that the internet is free for everyone...cool!

 

On our previous 3 voyages on this ship we were allowed one login (my wife and I shared) and the internet was sooo good. We were in Horizon and Seven Seas suites as we are now...never a problem... I even followed fellow travelers 'Live' posts right here on CC with high def pictures that were clearly uploaded from the ship

 

BTW...I'm able to post this thread since its prime dining time and not everyone onboard is using the bandwidth.

 

I regularly spend 20-30 minutes trying to connect/reconnect to get to email and its super frustrating...

 

I did a bandwidth test really early this morning when very few users were probably online and got 1.5MB down and about .65MB up...that's just not going to sustain 100s of users

 

If the internet is going to be free for everyone, someone needs to investigate how to get more bandwidth...

[Kamloops50]

So we were told when we boarded that the internet is free for everyone...cool!

 

On our previous 3 voyages on this ship we were allowed one login (my wife and I shared) and the internet was sooo good. We were in Horizon and Seven Seas suites as we are now...never a problem... I even followed fellow travelers 'Live' posts right here on CC with high def pictures that were clearly uploaded from the ship

 

BTW...I'm able to post this thread since its prime dining time and not everyone onboard is using the bandwidth.

 

I regularly spend 20-30 minutes trying to connect/reconnect to get to email and its super frustrating...

 

I did a bandwidth test really early this morning when very few users were probably online and got 1.5MB down and about .65MB up...that's just not going to sustain 100s of users

 

If the internet is going to be free for everyone, someone needs to investigate how to get more bandwidth...

 

What you measured isn't system speeds but the speed of your machines Internet. That is the speed I would expect on most ships.

You did a speed test not a bandwidth test.

[UUNetBill]

What you measured isn't system speeds but the speed of your machines Internet. That is the speed I would expect on most ships.

You did a speed test not a bandwidth test.

The terms speed and bandwidth are often used interchangeably (and incorrectly) - but effectively you are testing the "practical bandwidth" available to your device. Of course, many factors affect your connection speeds, but the bottom line is that the internet blows on all of Regent's ships.

 

The 1.5 MB D/L speed the TS posted is actually much better than what I got last month on Explorer but it's i,poetant to note that the ship's overall bandwidth will be significantly more than what the TS measured. The speed vs. bandwidth discussion is very similar to the old discussions we used to have about voltage vs current...

[Kamloops50]

The terms speed and bandwidth are often used interchangeably (and incorrectly) - but effectively you are testing the "practical bandwidth" available to your device. Of course, many factors affect your connection speeds, but the bottom line is that the internet blows on all of Regent's ships.

 

 

 

The 1.5 MB D/L speed the TS posted is actually much better than what I got last month on Explorer but it's i,poetant to note that the ship's overall bandwidth will be significantly more than what the TS measured. The speed vs. bandwidth discussion is very similar to the old discussions we used to have about voltage vs current...

 

 

In the practical world the speed is normally half the bandwidth. I spent over 30 years in industry dealing with bandwidth and speed. If your 1.5 MB D/L your doing good on a satellite link.

 

 

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[MTnesters2014]

I understand the difference between speed and bandwidth (my OP didn't mention speed). Speed is affected by lots of things including latency and packet loss (among others), but no available bandwidth means 100% packet loss.

 

This is clearly a shared connection like cable, because the test won't even run (the upload always fails) during peak usage times...1.5MB/.65MB is when everyone is sleeping.

 

I'll stand by my original statement that they need more bandwidth to support hundreds of concurrent users.

[Kamloops50]

He gave up and down figures. Bandwidth is always the same both directions never different one way from the other. You can't measure transmit bandwidth unless you can look at the other end. Usually requires two people to measure bandwidth both ways.

 

 

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[UUNetBill]

And we're getting bogged down in semantics - I'm pretty sure the OP (or TS in the new parlance) was only trying to make the point that the internet access sucks on Regent's ships - and I agree 100%. Whether it's 'insufficient bandwidth' or 'low speeds' is irrelevant when you're trying to check in with the office and can't even view your email...barely usable is barely usable, whatever the cause.

[PaulaJK]

I'm totally non tech but was on Mariner [in the Caribbean] in April and the internet was very, very poor.

[Travelcat2]

IMO, until the internet issues are resolved, Regent should revert back to their old policy (included internet for "Gold" Seven Seas Society members and above. )

 

That way people that need the internet for work will have easier access (even if you have to pay for it and can get reimbursed from your company)

 

With included internet, passengers do not bother to log out and no one is able to get reasonable connectivity.

[irishwitchy]

I'm no longer working, but when I did unless I was on company business (a cruise would never count) they weren't going to pay for internet charges even if I was doing work for them.

 

Also, these days having a working reasonably fast internet connection is like having a phone, tv, etc. Everyone expects it and those millennials will go to a line that has it.

 

They should be able to log folks off after 30 minutes of inactivity - that doesn't happen?

[fizzy]

I'm totally non tech but was on Mariner [in the Caribbean] in April and the internet was very, very poor.

We had the exact same experience and although we very rarely bother with the computers while on vacation, it seemed like a lot of people who do need the internet for work were pretty ticked off.

[Travelcat2]

 

They should be able to log folks off after 30 minutes of inactivity - that doesn't happen?

 

Regent no longer logs people off after 30 minutes which is part of the problem. On the other hand, when they were logging people off, whatever you were working on was lost.

 

In terms of being reimbursed by a company, I am surprised that you could not be reimbursed for work that you were doing (and paying money for) when not in the office.. My last company reimbursed me for faxes, internet or anything that cost me money out of pocket. I would think that most employers would reimburse employee for internet - whether at sea, on an airplane or anywhere else.

 

Obviously, Regent needs to step up its game - even if that means that the internet is not "free" for everyone.

[Kwaj girl]

Regent no longer logs people off after 30 minutes which is part of the problem. On the other hand, when they were logging people off, whatever you were working on was lost.

 

Obviously, Regent needs to step up its game - even if that means that the internet is not "free" for everyone.

 

I think if they log you off after "x-number-of-minutes" of INACTIVITY then that should not be a problem for those of us relying on the internet for work reasons (such as myself & DH). Had a terrible problem on our recent Explorer Miami-Rome trip. Even if we tried to do our work during hours when people would be at dinner - well, it was still sketchy access.

[UUNetBill]

Bearing in mind, of course, that an 'inactive' connection really doesn't affect the bandwidth at all. It's idle.

 

What can cause the problems is automatic updates or staying on pages that refresh or otherwise consume bandwidth. And of course, the streaming hogs - audio, video, etc. - those should be blocked, or at the very least there should be a charge for higher bandwidth content.

[Travelcat2]

<p>

Bearing in mind, of course, that an 'inactive' connection really doesn't affect the bandwidth at all. It's idle.<br>

<br>

What can cause the problems is automatic updates or staying on pages that refresh or otherwise consume bandwidth. And of course, the streaming hogs - audio, video, etc. - those should be blocked, or at the very least there should be a charge for higher bandwidth content.

</p><br><p>Agree 100%.  Charge passengers that utilize higher bandwidth!  Or, we could go back to my original idea of taking a suite .... turn kit into a Business Center and provide higher speed internet, a private cubicle and shared printer.  Charge by the hour and have it equal the cost of spending one night in the suite (divided by the number of stations and the hours they will likely be booked).   </p>

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

Just my recent experiences---

Explorer- transatlantic- November 2016- the Internet was great. Very few problems. I used my iPad the whole trip.

Mariner- Caribbean- April 2017 - finally gave up on trying to use the Internet. It just did not keep me logged in for more than two minutes. Fortunately, it was only a one week cruise.

So, what was the problem???

Technical information doesn't help me. And, why should we pay for Internet use, as suggested by TC, when when RSSC is an upscale, expensive cruise line?

Just asking - why was there a difference?

[Travelcat2]

Firstly, there must be more going on than what is being discussed. Our March transatlantic cruise had good internet at times and miserable internet other times (Explorer). Agree that the connectivity seemed better on the November crossing. Now I am wondering if the ship took the same route or a different route. Also wondering if atmospherics affects the signal from the satellite.

 

There have been many complaints about the internet in the Caribbean (not only on Regent but on Oceania ships as well) which brings up yet another question........ why? I understand the black-outs (places where there is no internet whatsoever) when sailing in Alaska - especially when sailing places like Tracy Arm when there are large mountains on both sides of the ship which I assume is blocking the signal.

 

Why pay for internet? Because the majority of passengers use the internet for searching the web and emailing. which should be included in their fare. They are not hogging bandwidth. Folks that need to work while on vacation should be able to either get reimbursed for what they pay for internet or can do tax write off. Yes - Regent is a luxury cruise line but is not a luxury business office. If possible, I would love to see higher speed internet for those willing to pay for it and let the rest of us have the internet to keep in touch with family, petsitters, etc.

[Dolebludger]

I don't know anything about speed and bandwidth. But I do know that, on our Mariner Caribbean cruise 3/29 to 4/8 there were times when the internet just wouldn't work from our iPads. I don't know why this was the case, and probably wouldn't understand it if somebody explained it to me. But that's the way it was.

[sanne]

We were on the Mariner March 2016 for a month. The internet was the best I've ever experienced in all our years of cruising Regent. Any time of the day, no problem.

 

Our cruises after that, the internet has been appalling.

 

What is going on?

[mrlevin]

Firstly, there must be more going on than what is being discussed. Our March transatlantic cruise had good internet at times and miserable internet other times (Explorer). .

 

I strongly disagree. For the first time in 22 Radisson/Regent cruises i was not able to connect via VPN to the office; never once between Miami and Venice. I have always been successful on all other cruises albeit better at night and during port days. This time, i had to go ashore at Funchal and use a cafe to connect.

 

Marc

[ronrick1943]

Let's be real, if Regent is going to offer internet-then it should work period. I've never had a problem on "O" the sister line. True I never do work, just connect with friends and family. Work (I'm retired) isn't part of any vacation/holiday I take-even when I worked. I always told my staff-if I get a call or e-mail while on a cruise or vacation-it has to be something that's not going to make me happy so it better be a good one. And I made it a policy never ever bother an employee while on vacation-it's their time to recharge. You know if you get hit my a bus and you don't make it-the company is going to do just fine without you-so take your time and enjoy your cruise with that special someone and enjoy your time together.

That said, if Regent is going to offer what they say-they should keep that promise or take it off the list.

[Travelcat2]

Rick, agree with what you say but want to add that there have been reports on CC from Oceania's Riviera that the internet in the Caribbean was terrible. I've heard this more than once and it always seems to be in the Caribbean. Keep in mind too that Oceania does not have unlimited included internet for everyone. Also, those of us who are Gold and above have internet for two people - not just one.

 

I suspect that many Regent passengers (that are still working) own their own company and need to keep tabs on things (I agree that a vacation would be a vacation). My thought is that these people should pay for a level of internet where they can do their uploads, downloads, etc. which may hog bandwidth. If this were done, I believe (not sure but have spoken with the internet guru's onboard) that the "free" internet would be fine for the rest of the passengers (as long as they are not in an area like Alaska where no one can do much about connectivity when the ship cannot "see" the satellite).

[ronrick1943]

Simple and agree with you.

[Dolebludger]

We are Gold on Regent so we have unlimited internet for two people logging in from the same suite, It did not always work for us in the Caribbean six weeks ago. It did not always work for us in the pacific ocean a year ago, It certainly did not ruin these cruises, as in Gold status we have the ability to use the phone for more time than we need. We have been on leser lines for music cruises, like MSC and NCL (UGH!) and their internet service was far from reliable. I don't think internet on any cruise ship is fully developed, and I believe cruise line advertising should stay this, there may be complications with ships being able to pick up internet in certain locations. If that is the case, we guests should be told of it at time of booking.

[PaulaJK]

I want to clarify that during our April/Mariner cruise there were not only blinking connectivity issues but the internet was completely down for several days...so changes in charging,etc. would not have mattered. The computer guru said that they were boarding service personnel in Miami.