Wifi in Caribbean ports - Caribbean Princess 2 week

[MtnBikerChk]

Hi.

 

My mom is going on the Caribbean Princess next week and is concerned with being able to communicate back home.  On board they want $99 for the 2 week cruise for wifi.  I'm hoping she can find wifi in ports.  If you know of a specific location in any one (or more) of these please let me know - I would appreciate it :)

 

St Thomas

Antigua

St Kitts

Martinique

Barbados

Trinidad

Curacao

Aruba

 

Thank you!

 

[1025cruise]

You might wish to ask on the appropriate ports of call boards.

[MtnBikerChk]

thanks

[Essiesmom]

St. Thomas is part of the US and she will have cell service just as at home.  And tell her to look for the crew members carrying laptops and follow them.  Or where they are sitting outside a building.  EM

[Reina del Mar]

MacDonald's, Subway or Starbucks..often available in terminal buidings

[WisconsinFan]

2 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

St. Thomas is part of the US and she will have cell service just as at home.  And tell her to look for the crew members carrying laptops and follow them.  Or where they are sitting outside a building.  EM

 

That depends on your carrier. We have US Cellular and we do not get the US Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico as part of our network. My parents however have Verizon, and they do get cellular/data while in those ports.

 

My mom has been known to frequent Senior Frogs for the Wi-Fi sipping a coke 🙂 just to get the code for the Wi-Fi! Good suggestions to follow/ask crew about free Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi with a small purchase.

[CruiserBruce]

Phone plans can be pretty cheap for covering those areas. AT&T is $10 per day (I think they have a $60 plan for a 30 day period, as well.), but the $10 per day is only if you use it that day, and good for 24 hours. So you could use it at 3pm one day in port, and before 3pm the next day in port, for one $10 fee.

 

As mentioned, San Juan is part of the US on may phone plans, like AT&T.

[jlp20]

As stated, there should be hot spots everywhere. Back in the day, the individual cruise centers would have private companies offering phones and computers for a price. I'm sure they have adapted and offer WIFI.

[CruisingAlong4Now]

Mom should not access any secure sites at a free wifi spot. Your login credentials can be hacked unless you ensure your data is encrypted. Definitely don't access financial sites.

[davekathy]

6 hours ago, MtnBikerChk said:

Hi.

 

My mom is going on the Caribbean Princess next week and is concerned with being able to communicate back home.  On board they want $99 for the 2 week cruise for wifi.  I'm hoping she can find wifi in ports.  If you know of a specific location in any one (or more) of these please let me know - I would appreciate it 🙂

 

St Thomas

Antigua

St Kitts

Martinique

Barbados

Trinidad

Curacao

Aruba

 

Thank you!

 

Follow the crew members that are leaving the ship. They will know all the free hot spots. 

[FlyerTalker]

Mom needs to have a VPN installed and running before she should use any of the "free" wifi spots.

 

Unsecured data traffic there is just asking to be stolen.

[davekathy]

Sounds like mom needs to get the VPN downloaded before her cruise if she doesn't want to pay for the ships wifi. 

 

Edited November 21, 2018 by davekathy

[John Bull]

I don't bank on-line, and I wouldn't dream of even opening any financial or other confidential details anywhere other than at home.

But I do use free wifi in ports, hotels & such for googling news & sports results, and for e-mails & skype*, 

Plenty of bars & cafes offer free wifi, usually accessed by a password obtainable from the staff.

The quality of signal is extremely variable - do check that other customers are happily tapping away before ordering a drink.

 

As plenty of CC members know, I'm a technology doombrain - I'm saying what I do & not necessarily what you should do.

 

JB  

* OK, I lied about skype. It's one of the technocological things for which I rely on my gf. 

[Heidi13]

7 hours ago, davekathy said:

Follow the crew members that are leaving the ship. They will know all the free hot spots. 

Having actually worked on cruise ships, this is the best advice you have received.

[iancal]

We never buy on board wifi.  We do not really need it.  We do use i in ports and have done so in the Caribbean on many occasions.

 

We sometimes go where the staff go.  We never go to the port waiting room or any of the places adjacent to the port.  Wifi is available but it is often slow because so many others are there.  So if we see lots of people on their phones, we walk.

 

We typically look for a place one or two blocks in , and one or two blocks over so to speak. Somewhere with few customers.   Bars or cafes on the second floor of a building seem to work best for us.  Not certain if no one notices them or is too lazy to go up the stair or bother to look.

[zqvol]

On 11/20/2018 at 9:34 AM, MtnBikerChk said:

Hi.

 

My mom is going on the Caribbean Princess next week and is concerned with being able to communicate back home.  On board they want $99 for the 2 week cruise for wifi.  I'm hoping she can find wifi in ports.  If you know of a specific location in any one (or more) of these please let me know - I would appreciate it 🙂

 

St Thomas

Antigua

St Kitts

Martinique

Barbados

Trinidad

Curacao

Aruba

 

Thank you!

 

 

WiFi is findable in all those port, but why do you want to have to fool with carrying a device around. $99 for 2 weeks is dirty chaep for connectivity.

[mef_57]

St. Thomas has a Tourist Information office in the middle of Havensight Mall (right by the dock).  It has good free wifi accessible.

I tried some of the hot spots in Tortola and it was a losing battle with wifi dropping on and off and never being able to get what i needed. Worse comes to worse, go to one of the bars, order a coffee or drink, and use their wifi.

[davekathy]

16 minutes ago, mef_57 said:

St. Thomas has a Tourist Information office in the middle of Havensight Mall (right by the dock).  It has good free wifi accessible.

I tried some of the hot spots in Tortola and it was a losing battle with wifi dropping on and off and never being able to get what i needed. Worse comes to worse, go to one of the bars, order a coffee or drink, and use their wifi.

Now your talking. Much better way to spend time in the ports. 🍺🍺

[CruiserBruce]

21 minutes ago, mef_57 said:

St. Thomas has a Tourist Information office in the middle of Havensight Mall (right by the dock).  It has good free wifi accessible.

I tried some of the hot spots in Tortola and it was a losing battle with wifi dropping on and off and never being able to get what i needed. Worse comes to worse, go to one of the bars, order a coffee or drink, and use their wifi.

 But St Thomas is part of the US, and covered under many phone plans. No need to use free wifi...you can call home, or use the data on your phone.

[mef_57]

6 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

 But St Thomas is part of the US, and covered under many phone plans. No need to use free wifi...you can call home, or use the data on your phone.

Well, I am Canadian and also wanted to provide further options for the OP.  It might also depend on 'Mom's phone plans and abilities, don't you think?

[CruiserBruce]

19 minutes ago, mef_57 said:

Well, I am Canadian and also wanted to provide further options for the OP.  It might also depend on 'Mom's phone plans and abilities, don't you think?

 

The OP appears to be American,  so assume Mom is also.

 

Have dealt with M-i-L transitioning into the Internet era in her later years, I have to think a simple phone call is easier than seeking free wifi.

[mef_57]

49 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

 

The OP appears to be American,  so assume Mom is also.

 

Have dealt with M-i-L transitioning into the Internet era in her later years, I have to think a simple phone call is easier than seeking free wifi.

I guess the OP can decide what is relevant for them. Never hurts to know options. Just sayin'.

[cb at sea]

Also, you can google "free wi-fi in ______"...fill in the blank!  Up will pop maps!!!

[sail7seas]

On 11/20/2018 at 9:34 AM, MtnBikerChk said:

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Quote

For all the ports, suggest she ask  her   stewards.   They  know where to go for free wifi  and we always see many on line  in various ports.  

 

Edited November 25, 2018 by sail7seas

[MtnBikerChk]

Thanks for all the help.  She's on this cruise now.  FYI her friend bought the wifi package on board and it's strong enough to support wifi calling so I've talked to them a couple of times.

 

1. I'm amazed onboard wifi supports calling and 

2. I'm amazed they figured it out!  

 

Next time I cruise, I think it would be worth it for the money to have calling capabilities!