Free Wi Fi

[Z'Loth]

Look, I spend 50 weeks a year being constantly connected to the Internet and ensuring that other people are connected to the Internet. It's a thankless job, but people do not call tech support to say "Everything is working fine! No problems here!" The job requires that I be available to answer occasional questions even when I'm off-shift. Please allow me one or two weeks a year where I can disconnect and someone else can save the world.

 

WiFi package? Nice to have, but if I have the need to be connected, my employer had better be prepared to pay for it.

[maybr]

Does anyone know if wi-fi is free to use if all you access is the Celebrity app? It seems to imply the app will connect to wi-fi for free while on board (the same way American Airline app is free on their flights).

 

I believe it is free to use the Celebrity app.

[bEwAbG]

I think eventually they're going to have to offer something for free for everyone. We know the app is in development now, and that will need to use the ship's system to function effectively. But, they could also add a "email and social media is free" option to go with it (or perhaps an option that is relatively low-price). Spreading those costs out among all the passengers makes sense: even those who don't live on their phones generally want to check their email at least every few days without having to pay hundreds of dollars for the privilege. Those who want to stream music or watch movies or use the regular internet could pay for the higher data packages. I understand they're going to go after the golden goose as long as they can, but their competitors are already using technology as a selling point.

[footer6]

How does anyone feel about the internet packages and charges?

Should it not be free to all guests?

 

Just off the Equinox. The internet packages for this 8 day cruise were:

Unlimited - $249 (one device); One day continuous service -$49; One hour continuous service -$25.

That was it. No packages of minutes that could be used any day. For someone like me, who only needs to check emails every day or two, none of these packages was useful. Now, the internet is much faster than it used to be, which probably explains the cancellation of the "by the minute" packages. Because it doesn't take forever to open every website, a 90 minute plan would have been enough for me.

[markeb]

I suspect it will get much less expensive, or free, down the road. The cruise industry is in 1999 hotel land where the hotels charged everyone for internet access in their rooms (most wired; remember that!). The odd exception being that the less expensive hotels in most chains were free.

 

Today, I doubt that anyone, or certainly very few, customers pay for internet at hotels. It's a loyalty perk. Basic service is usually free if you're a loyalty member and book through the hotel chain; enhanced service is free if you're an elite member in the chain's program. Charging for internet access simply became an unsustainable model.

 

Yes, there are greater costs in maintaining satellite connections at sea versus on land, but you'll see the same thing on cruise ships. But, since they're 25 years behind hotels on land on this one, I won't predict when...

[telutel]

On 4/14/2018 at 4:27 AM, Alakegirl said:

Why?

 

Not everyone wants it but everyone would be paying for it in increased prices for the cruuse

Why not?  Not everyone likes free coffee and juices and tea...  you don't see me complaining about the increased costs for that, when I don't use them....

[bigbeergut]

On 4/14/2018 at 7:58 AM, cruisestitch said:

Shouldn’t sushi be free to all? Shouldn’t massages be free to all? Shouldn’t photos be free to all? The list goes on and on

You can have my free sushi for your free wifi

[itzmered]

6 hours ago, telutel said:

Why not?  Not everyone likes free coffee and juices and tea...  you don't see me complaining about the increased costs for that, when I don't use them....

I drink coffee and juice for free everyday on my cruise 

[phoenix_dream]

I am admittedly not a tech guru, but it seems to me adding free wifi would cost very little on a per passenger basis.  And as a 'modern luxury' line I would indeed expect it would include wifi either free or at a very nominal price, as do hotels. But it will not change any time soon at it is a huge money maker for Celebrity.  As to paying for other people's wifi - we all pay for many things onboard that we may or may not use.  I personally think wifi should be one of them.  Consider in particular that Celebrity is targeting well-to-do millennials.  If any group would want/need/expect great technology onboard it would be that group!  Of course few people 'need' wifi.  But the vast majority of us use it regularly in our private lives and don't like paying a small fortune to get it on a cruise ship in the 21st century!  Those who argue against it being needed are really putting a target on your backs identifying yourself as one of us old folks (and I am one😊) that they really don't want on their ships anymore anyway.

[Fouremco]

An interesting thread, particularly following on the heels of the TV movies kerfuffle. I'm quite surprised that, based on the comments on both subjects, the vast majority of posters seem to prefer free movies over free internet. As @phoenix_dream says, "few people 'need' wifi", but I would think that even fewer "need" movies. Given the choice between a couple of hours of free movies every day and a couple of hours of free internet, I know that I'd certainly opt for the latter. That said, I fully appreciate the fact that the profit margin for internet is significantly higher, so Celebrity is unlikely to change direction at any point in the near future.

[TeeRick]

I would choose free Wifi then stream movies for free.  win-win

[Covepointcruiser]

There are cruise lines that include basic WI-FI, the Royal Cruise lines do not.   If it is that important to you and you don’t want an extra charge book one of those lines.   Crystal and Regent come to mind but they are not mainstream cruise lines.   You will find the cruise fares are quite a bit more expensive unless you book suites on Celebrity.

[ericosmith]

Can you imagine how slow the internet would be if wifi were free?  Twice as many people using the same limited bandwidth.  

[GateGuardian]

It will eventually free, but we don't have the technology to make it economical for a cruise line to offer it for free.

[Beanb41]

On ‎4‎/‎14‎/‎2018 at 11:58 PM, cruisestitch said:

Shouldn’t sushi be free to all? Shouldn’t massages be free to all? Shouldn’t photos be free to all? The list goes on and on

Sushi used to be free. It was available every day in the buffet

 

[hcat]

The more people who are online, the slower it becomes. 

 

  Maybe they could give 1 hr free anytime use...to check in at home and for boarding passes .  Those who need more for work or play, should buy a package, like alc options.

 

We never use our Elite + allotment...because we prefer to disconnect at sea.  Not always possible but we try!