Internet Rip Off

[BernieB]

Foe those of you that are not aware, Celebrity has out-sourced its on board Internet service and the prices are through the roof. The CHEAPEST you can go, if you buy 500 minutes is 50 cents a minute. If you want to use your own computer you save nothing, and if you want to wire up, you need to rent a $2 patch cord for $10 per day (it used to be free with a deposit). I know many of us who cruise need to be in touch with friends or our business and this ridiculous scheme will certainly make me reconsider using Celebrity. I'm going on a 14 night cruise to South America next month, and I can see spending $400 on the Internet. That's what I pay for about 3 years of access at home!!!

 

Let's all write to Celebrity and complain.

[DougB]

I agree with you about the cost for renting the patch cable - seems excessive.

 

The internet charges themselves, while pricey, are largely the result of the cost associated with satellite internet access. There are only a couple of satellite networks which have truly global coverage, with Iridium being the main one. If you think .50-.75 is expensive, look at Iridium's retail pricing for voice and data, which runs well over $1 per minute. There aren't many options for getting internet access in the middle of an ocean, so costs are quite high.

 

And Celebrity's pricing is not really out of line with any other cruise line:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/cruiseplanning/articles.cfm?ID=45

 

So, yeah, it's expensive, but I don't think they are out to rip people off, and thier margin on it is probably a lot less than you think. (and certainly much less than thier margin on, say, liquor)

[Outlanderssc]

That's what I pay for about 3 years of access at home!!!

 

If you have a laptop, just write all your letters on board, then go to one of the internet kiosks that have sprung up at nearly every port. Have a cup of coffee, send your email and drop about $5, which goes to help the local economy.

 

True, you won't be able to send email AT SEA, but you'll still be able to communicate just fine at a reasonable rate.

 

BTW - if there is more than one internet provider in port the one farthest from the ship is almost always cheapest.

[Danno]

Sorry, I won't be writing...it's a service I can use or not use...I get some peace of mind knowing our son/dogs/family are ok, and I keep in touch with this board...what it costs, it costs.

 

Consider it like the casino or bingo...it costs you a large amount of money, and at the end of the cruise you have nothing to show for it.

[Danno]

oopps....

[Danno]

double post...darn it!!

[waltd]

If internet is important in your life and you cruise a lot switch to Princess. If you are a platinum member it's free.

[gracecarmo]

Does Celebrity still have the computer service...E Mail only? On our last cruise, I was able to send an e mail (no matter how long) for $2.00. Incoming e mails were also $2.00. I would write one long e mail to my family and have my son forward it to several addresses. I was hoping that it is still in effect for our Hawaii cruise on the Summit in Feb.

[BernieB]

Celebrity does have E mail service at $2 per 100K or less and $1 for each 100K over that. A 2 meg E mail is $19 and a 2 word Email (incoming like "Thank You" or outgoing "Got it") is also $2.

 

I just returned from an NCL cruise and, in blocks, the cost was about 30 cents a minute. On RCCL, my last cruise had a flat rate, that if you booked for the whole cruise was about $10 per day.

 

The prices for Iridium (or satellite) calls have not gone up much in the past 3 years. They have, if fact, come down. There is no reason why Celebrity has just about quintupled their charges except that they have outsourced the service.

[djammons]

I had planned on bringing my laptop to keep in touch with business dealings and friends but was shocked to see that someone mentioned that for one weeks access from their cabin it cost $250.00

 

My last cruise was three years ago on RCCL's Brilliance and one weeks unlimited access from my cabin was only $99.00

[Barry ATL]

Our Princess cruise last fall the cost was 35 cents a minute. Hurricane Ivan was bearing down on two of our businesses, so I became very well aquainted with ship-to-shore costs and internet costs. Celebrity's ship-to-shore costs are almost DOUBLE what Princess charges. We just got back from a 12/3 cruise on the Zenith and they have changed the prices. Now, you are charged 50 cents a minute for using the termial whether offline or online. So, to write the letter in Word is still 50 cents a minute.

 

I have only had experience with Princess and Celebrity, but it appears to me that Celebrity either has a really, really bad contract or they have a hefty mark-up compared to Princess.

[Nitemare]

$400 = 800 minutes = 13+ hours on the computer on your vacation.

 

To each his own, I guess, but that seems like a LOT of time on the computer, even for me!

[zqvol]

Can't help with the per minute costs, but the cable is easy.

 

Go to a retail establishment that sells computers and buy one. I have four or five that I haul around. They are all the same because the standards orginization dictates how the connectors have to be configured.

 

Drop me an e-mail and I'll point you in the direction of a couple of tricks that will allow you to handle all of your e-mail off line and only connect long enough to upload and download.

[BernieB]

$400 = 800 minutes = 13+ hours on the computer on your vacation.

 

To each his own, I guess, but that seems like a LOT of time on the computer, even for me!

 

Not on a 14 night cruise.

[Mr_Cruise]

Regardless of each persons priorities (ie: duration intended to be spent "plugged in" while on a cruise)... the monetary price charged reflects the opportunity cost to do so while on a beautiful cruise ship.

 

Comparing the cost of satellite internet access on a cruise ship to that of a home based connection is really a ridiculous comparison. Each uses vastly different technology to function, both with very different operating costs.

 

It's not a secret as to what's charged for internet access on board... so for those that must connect while cruising, plan your budget accordingly and all will work out just fine.

[Arubalisa]

Regardless of each persons priorities (ie: duration intended to be spent "plugged in" while on a cruise)... the monetary price charged reflects the opportunity cost to do so while on a beautiful cruise ship.

Excellent point. Suppy and demand rules the price.

[tadjr]

I didnt even check email on the last cruise and I had 10 free minutes. On the last two transatlantics I checked email once or twice on the ship and when in port found an internet cafe to do the majority of email. Could spend an hour or so online for under $5 in most places and it was fairly easy to find. If in doubt, I'm sure someone on the crew can advise of a place in most ports to check. True, I wasnt conducting business while on the ship, but I was on vacation so there was no reason to do more than casual hellos.

[senior lady]

I just get off the ship in every port and there is usually a internet cafe close. We just did a 10 day Mexican cruise and it never cost me more then $1.00 for 1/2 hr.

 

We're going on Princess in May and as I'm a platinum member, it should be free.:D

[F5Loar]

Whatever the price is the rip off comes from the slow speed. It takes you twice as long as it should. Maybe not quite as bad as dial up but at times it can get real slow and yet it cost the same. I had one to just lock up one time and the clock kept ticking. I did get a credit but only for half. I can't believe they are now charging for off line service. So I learned to not use the ship's overrated, overpriced internet service. I use port cafes and get all I need done in less than 15 or 20 min. because they have high speed. If a town has a public library it's free! I can pretty much clean out my emails in that time so I don't have 1000 junk mails when I get back. The last few cruises I went on the internet terminals was not a popular place to be.

[leerobbs]

The thought never occurs to me to go get on the computer when I am on a cruise. So to use the computer for 13 hours on a 14 day cruise seems a little bit extreme to me. Just my opinion though.

[Susa]

This was Century's price last week when we were onboard. The problem is it's slow dial-up speed so it takes time to load and get into your email.

Cost me $6 to write one line to son, just checking in to let him know we were all fine.:mad: