Any updates on the Grand Princess unlimited internet experiment?

[brt49]

There have been a few posts regarding the unlimited internet plans being offered on the Grand Princess. Any been on recently with an update?

 

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[brt49]

Anyone?

 

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[tcdcruiser]

Can anyone explain the actual difference between internet packages (Premium vs Social vs Surf) ?

 

See attached JPEG from upcoming Grand Princess Cruise Personalizer.

 

I understand you can sell access by the minute or by download size, but these options are not clear. Thanks

[moki'smommy]

The difference in the packages is how much bandwidth you will have available--thus, what you can do and to some extent how long it takes to do it. On ships that have the unlimited packages, people who qualify for "free" internet are getting the middle package. It can be upgraded to the top package for $9 per day....or at least that's what the deal was a few months ago.

 

Bottom line--if all you want to do is check your e-mail occasionally, the low end package should be fine. If you (or your teen) spends a lot of time on line, you'll want something a little better.

 

FYI, we were not on a ship with unlimited, but our April 1, Caribbean Princess was the worst internet speed we've had on a Princess ship.

[brt49]

I forgot I started this thread. On our 3/23 - 4/7 Hawaii cruise, I choose the middle tier. The speed was good, but certain sites were blocked. YouTube and a few other streaming sites. Unless you need to watch videos, the middle tier should be good.

 

If you purchase prior to sailing, they leave a card in your cabin and you must go down to the internet cafe to activate your package.

 

This is so much more convenient than counting minutes. You can easily switch from device to device and don't have to worry about logging out.

 

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[gbldcl]

I forgot I started this thread. On our 3/23 - 4/7 Hawaii cruise, I choose the middle tier. The speed was good, but certain sites were blocked. YouTube and a few other streaming sites. Unless you need to watch videos, the middle tier should be good.

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Was the middle tier good for posting pics to Facebook?

[Thrak]

FYI' date=' we were not on a ship with unlimited, but our April 1, Caribbean Princess was the worst internet speed we've had on a Princess ship.[/quote']

 

We were on the cruise just before yours. Our Internet speed and access was not at all good. The last two days of the cruise there was no Internet or even intranet access at all.

[villauk]

I forgot I started this thread. On our 3/23 - 4/7 Hawaii cruise, I choose the middle tier. The speed was good, but certain sites were blocked. YouTube and a few other streaming sites. Unless you need to watch videos, the middle tier should be good.

 

If you purchase prior to sailing, they leave a card in your cabin and you must go down to the internet cafe to activate your package.

 

This is so much more convenient than counting minutes. You can easily switch from device to device and don't have to worry about logging out.

 

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Would you be able to view emails on the lowest package? Don’t want to stream or use YouTube, just want to be able to read emails.

[Cruise Raider]

Just off the Grand last week and I inquired about the unlimited internet. I asked someone who was helping out in the internet cafe about the ability to stream movies using the unlimited option. He indicated, very subtly, 'don't waste your money'....at least not until they got the upgrades to their system in place.

The internet for checking emails was decent but there were times and places on the ship where I could not log on at all. Our cabin was located on pretty near the internet cafe and rarely had any trouble there. Up near the sanctuary is where I couldn't get any service.

We did the Pacific Coastal so think this may have contributed to us getting decent connections. We've done the Hawaii and Alaska itineraries on the same ship and the internet was really really bad.

[villauk]

Just off the Grand last week and I inquired about the unlimited internet. I asked someone who was helping out in the internet cafe about the ability to stream movies using the unlimited option. He indicated, very subtly, 'don't waste your money'....at least not until they got the upgrades to their system in place.

The internet for checking emails was decent but there were times and places on the ship where I could not log on at all. Our cabin was located on pretty near the internet cafe and rarely had any trouble there. Up near the sanctuary is where I couldn't get any service.

We did the Pacific Coastal so think this may have contributed to us getting decent connections. We've done the Hawaii and Alaska itineraries on the same ship and the internet was really really bad.

 

Ours is an Alaskan itinerary, but I really wanted to be able to view emails (DS starting uni in the autumn and no doubt they’ll be last minute correspondence) and wondered if the lowest internet package option would suffice (currently $69 on our cruise personaliser)? We have a large time difference anyway so it’s more about checking correspondence and keeping up-to-date with replying to emails regarding his new university adventure ;).

 

Btw, great review of your WS - has really made me consider this option for the future ;).

[voljeep]

since it is Alaska , can't you just check and respond to emails with your cell phone service??

[IECalCruiser]

since it is Alaska , can't you just check and respond to emails with your cell phone service??

villauk is from the UK and would need some sort of roaming plan from their provider.

 

 

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[brt49]

Was the middle tier good for posting pics to Facebook?

Yes. It was quick.

 

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[Thrak]

Any package will be fine for checking email. Large attachments may be an issue. Just think of dialup speeds and be aware you may get dropped at times. If it's something important and you are having issues with spotty service in your cabin then go down to the atrium area and you should be fine. Also people report that propping the cabin door open with the wastebasket sometimes helps if they are having connectivity issues.

[villauk]

Thank you to all those that replied to my question :*.

[Cruise Raider]

Ours is an Alaskan itinerary, but I really wanted to be able to view emails (DS starting uni in the autumn and no doubt they’ll be last minute correspondence) and wondered if the lowest internet package option would suffice (currently $69 on our cruise personaliser)? We have a large time difference anyway so it’s more about checking correspondence and keeping up-to-date with replying to emails regarding his new university adventure ;).

 

Btw, great review of your WS - has really made me consider this option for the future ;).

 

Awe ... thank you! I hesitated writing a good review about those window suites ... it is already so difficult to secure a reservation for one. teehee!! ;)

The basic package (actually free minutes for being elite) was sufficient for checking emails except for those few times I mentioned...like on the top deck out by the Sanctuary. We did see quite a few people with their own devices work on them near the internet cafe ... so maybe the signal is stronger there. Also, I've sailed up to Alaska about a dozen times in the past and there are areas where I can say that it just won't work ... namely, when sailing up to the glacier.

[Go-Bucks!]

Which level does a Platinum passenger get for their free minutes? If it's the lowest or middle, is there a discount to upgrade?

[Cruise Raider]

Which level does a Platinum passenger get for their free minutes? If it's the lowest or middle, is there a discount to upgrade?

 

For Platinum and Elite, the free minutes are for the basic package and when I called to inquire about upgrading to the unlimited a couple of months ago, there is no discount to upgrade.

However, there was a discount available online at that time to purchase the unlimited packages ... available to everyone.

[suekel]

For Platinum and Elite, the free minutes are for the basic package and when I called to inquire about upgrading to the unlimited a couple of months ago, there is no discount to upgrade.

However, there was a discount available online at that time to purchase the unlimited packages ... available to everyone.

 

so, platinum/elite get unlimited minutes of the basic package? sweet!