Alaskan Cruise - Mariner WIFI?

[czardas]

Hi, what is the wifi like, during an Alaskan cruise on the Mariner? Just trying to decide on buying data cards to use for iPads etc or stick with wifi. 

[Travelcat2]

Regent is suppose to be upgrading their WiFi yet again so it may be better in Alaska than we have experienced in the past.  The one thing that was frustrating, but could not be helped, is when we were between mountains which blocked the signal to the ship.  

[czardas]

Yes that is exactly what I was wondering about, I’d the terrain would cause loss of signal. We leave in 8 weeks, do you know when the upgrade will be commissioned?

[rallydave]

28 minutes ago, czardas said:

Yes that is exactly what I was wondering about, I’d the terrain would cause loss of signal. We leave in 8 weeks, do you know when the upgrade will be commissioned?

The upgrade will do nothing to improve loss of signal because of mountains/buildings, etc. between the ship and the satellite.  And, buying SIM cards will only help when near populated areas with phone connections for the company you are connecting with on the purchased SIM cards.  Lots of the trip will be outside the ability to connect to phone towers.   Good luck even with the promised upgrades as they have been promised in the past as well.

[CruisetheCs]

I think the best you can say about the internet on Regent is that sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.  The mystery is always why or why not?  Indeed there are places where a satellite signal is interrupted.  But that tired excuse is not an explanation for years of abysmal internet access on Regent no matter where the ships were located.  The problems range from wifi issues within certain areas of the ships, to bandwidth issues, to ship location and satelitte issues.

 

It remains a mystery to me why Regent doesn't provide what it promises with regard to internet.  At one time the internet connection onboard allegedly had fiber-optic speeds according to Regent, then subsequently the internet became seamless.  On my last cruise in the fall of 2018 the connection was never the promised "seamless" connection that Regent described. Who knows what it is now and what it will be, doubled bandwidth or not.

 

An officer on the last Regent cruise told me that internet problems was the most frequent complaint on Regent.

And wouldn't you know it, not a single question about the internet on the old paper cruise rating form.  I wonder if the new web-based evaluation form has any questions about the internet?

 

Moral, if the internet is involved, Regent's description can't be relied on.  Sometimes it works (slowly) and sometimes it doesn't.  That's my experience.,

 

 

[Travelcat2]

In my opinion, the internet is not as bad as some posters are indicating.  We just completed a 20 night cruise on Explorer and although the system was slow at times,  it certainly did not stop me from posting on CC or responding to emails.

 

I do think that it is very helpful to let posters know where the known black-out places are in the world and Alaska is one of them.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[rallydave]

Can't say that there are any known blackout places on planet earth.  There are enough satellites in geostationary orbit to cover all of planet earth.  There are a couple of factors that can cause internet reception issues.  First of all any cruise line needs to contract for their internet services with an internet provider that owns satellites that cover all of the cruising areas.  Not all internet satellite companies have the entire planet covered with their own satellites and may not have "spare" satellites already in orbit ready to move into the locations of satellites at the end of their useful lives.

 

Then, anyplace where line of site between the cruise ship satellite receiver is blocked by any solid object is a location where coverage is gone for the time the blockage occurs.  This cannot be identified or predicted due to the locations of cruise ships being so varied as well as new construction that might block a ships coverage while docked that wasn't there before.

 

One more issue that occurs from time to time is ships at high latitudes meaning the signal has to pass thru more of the earth's atmosphere and when atmospheric conditions are not conducive for receiving the satellite signals.

 

So, to think there are known blackout places is a misnomer, they come and go and cannot be predicted as cruise ships come and go.

 

[Travelcat2]

Not sure what else you would call an area surrounded by mountains on three sides where the ships that we have sailed on in Alaska (Mariner, Navigator, Silver Shadow) could not get internet for hours.  There are areas northern Norway where the signal is always difficult.  

 

There are areas that are mentioned over and over that have poor internet, so, call them what you like but they exist and when we sail in Alaska again this year, I can "predict" that there will be no internet in the same places.

[ronrick1943]

Why worry about it.  You're on a cruise, you're in Alaska with beautiful mountains, glaciers and wild life-Are you telling me you can't do without internet for a few hours a day?  Something is wrong with that picture...........Sorry, but even though we do use the internet on the ship, it's the lease important item on the cruise for us.  

[Travelcat2]

3 hours ago, ronrick1943 said:

Why worry about it.  You're on a cruise, you're in Alaska with beautiful mountains, glaciers and wild life-Are you telling me you can't do without internet for a few hours a day?  Something is wrong with that picture...........Sorry, but even though we do use the internet on the ship, it's the lease important item on the cruise for us.  

 

Agree with you 100%!

[czardas]

Crikey I’m simply asking a question to prepare for my travels. Coming from Australia, I won’t just be able to pick up my phone/iPad and use it unless I know what to expect. 

Please don’t assume you know what my needs are and why I asked about this, everyone has different requirements. Some people need to run a business, others might have ill family members and others are retired and can totally relax and forget about the outside world. 

I can assure you I will be definitely be enjoying my surroundings and where I am, thanks.  

[jeb_bud]

As you’ve probably gathered, Regent’s claims about WiFi and internet connectivity are not to be trusted. That said, when we cruised Vancouver to Seward last year on Mariner we usually had WiFi and internet on board and it was sufficient to check CC and email. There was also generally enough bandwidth to post the occasional photo to Instagram. 

 

On the land land portion of our trip we had reasonable coverage with our ATT cell phones. Hotel WiFi tended to be spotty, and we usually used my iPhone as a WiFi hub. 

[Gcto]

It really depends on what you need wifi and the internet for. In all the years traveling on Regent, I've never had "problems" with the internet for "critical" parts. Email and text always worked and that's what I counted on. Yes, speed can be sometimes slow depending on location and time of day, but only impacted large downloads (like cute videos of grand daughter :-) ). With all of us connected with more than one device and leaving it on (phones in particular), the bandwidth is limited. Especially when our phones constantly use data in the background whether we know it or not. 

A recent discussion with the Regent "Helpdesk" indicated that they are trying their best to improve the bandwidth, but each time they do, people will fill it up immediately. 

 

[CruisetheCs]

1 hour ago, czardas said:

Crikey I’m simply asking a question to prepare for my travels. Coming from Australia, I won’t just be able to pick up my phone/iPad and use it unless I know what to expect. 

Please don’t assume you know what my needs are and why I asked about this, everyone has different requirements. Some people need to run a business, others might have ill family members and others are retired and can totally relax and forget about the outside world. 

I can assure you I will be definitely be enjoying my surroundings and where I am, thanks.  

 

I agree with your observations.  I have no idea what precipitated the assumptions and criticism for simply asking a question. 

 

 I don't see any real difference between asking a question about the internet versus questions about onboard food, alcohol, clothing, entertainment, excursions, etc.  The assumptions that someone is going to be on the internet all day makes as much sense as assuming someone who asks about wine will be drinking all day and miss all the beautiful scenery--or someone asking about what dress is appropriate will be assumed to be obsessing in front of a mirror all day over clothing options.

 

[ronrick1943]

Sorry if you feel that way, that wasn't criticism--I was only stating that it's not important to me and it's the last thing "I" would think about when taking a cruise.  I didn't assume anything about her.  Please read by post before you write. If someone is worried about sick family members, or older persons I wouldn't be using the inter-net, I'd be using the phone on the ship. 

[czardas]

1 hour ago, ronrick1943 said:

Sorry if you feel that way, that wasn't criticism--I was only stating that it's not important to me and it's the last thing "I" would think about when taking a cruise.  I didn't assume anything about her.  Please read by post before you write. If someone is worried about sick family members, or older persons I wouldn't be using the inter-net, I'd be using the phone on the ship. 

 

Wow there you go again. Ok let’s just forget I asked........

[liptastic]

Czards our first cruise to Alaska was in 2003, and I don’t remember us using the WiFi apart from the usual pre flight boarding pass situation.

We have been back 3 times since all different itineraries and will be back on Mariner again next month in Alaska. Last time was in 2016 and we had no issues at all. I hardly use internet I am not on Face Book or anything like that but I do email friends and send photos with no problems whatsoever, but this was infrequent. My husband has used it for work enquires and Face Book and never seemed to have an issue.

We have used the free phone time in the cabin successfully to home here in Scotland and to family in Canada .

Have a great cruise, Jean.

[mikenbob]

Just off Mariner and posting while flying at 33,000 feet about halfway between Tokyo and Anchorage.  Internet service is great!  All satellite based while moving.  Same conditions, with exception of altitude, as a cruise ship and the fact that we are traveling at 610 mph vs. 17 knots/hour.  Mountains and terrain are irrelevant when the service relies on satellites (not land-based towers).  The reality is that the internet service on Regent is horrible and it is based purely on their decision to not upgrade equipment and satellite bandwidth.  While many (perhaps most) guests are retired with little need for connectivity, that certainly does not apply to all.  We are younger cruisers who need to conduct business while on board.  We are encouraged with the recent announcement of upgrades and applaud the investment.  It is not acceptable to have to leave the ship looking for a Starbucks or other provider of free internet when we are paying $2,000/night for a luxury experience.  

[Mjflowers]

20 hours ago, Travelcat2 said:

Not sure what else you would call an area surrounded by mountains on three sides where the ships that we have sailed on in Alaska (Mariner, Navigator, Silver Shadow) could not get internet for hours.  There are areas northern Norway where the signal is always difficult.  

 

There are areas that are mentioned over and over that have poor internet, so, call them what you like but they exist and when we sail in Alaska again this year, I can "predict" that there will be no internet in the same places.

I find that the tunnels are especially anoining for the internet.

 

[UUNetBill]

I'm still having a hard time loading up my AOL disk (one of the 14,562 they sent me over the years) and those dang newfangled square telephone handsets on board don't fit well in my 300 baud acoustic modem I bring with me.  It takes me 20 minutes of modem screeching to get logged on but it's all worth it when I hear that soothing "You've Got Mail!" voice...

[Travelcat2]

I have many comments but will only address a few things.

 

1.  Regent is not lying - as Gcto posted, as soon as bandwidth is increased, passengers (and crew) fills it up again.  From what I have heard from good sources, a lot of money continues to be spent to increase Regent's internet speeds.  Maybe they need to go back to automatically logging you out when your system isn't used for an hour (or only allowing only 2 logins instead of 4 per person). 

 

2.  I do not see what is wrong with some people not caring much about the internet (especially on vacation) while others need it for various reasons.  There is little truth to the notion that retired people do not use/need the internet.  Since retiring, I've been online more than I have been - ever.  

 

3.  A different issue are the passengers that are working onboard - spend hours on the internet - downloading, uploading, printing volumes, etc.  Would like to see faster internet (for a cost - after all, if you are working, the cost of internet would be a business expense).    This would allow passengers that need to work to do so and the rest of us to the the internet.

 

During my last two cruises (Voyager and Explorer), I had no difficulty whatsoever posting photos on Cruise Critic.  

[flossie009]

17 hours ago, Gcto said:

A recent discussion with the Regent "Helpdesk" indicated that they are trying their best to improve the bandwidth, but each time they do, people will fill it up immediately.

 

I can just imagine guests' reaction if Regent ships kept running out of alcohol and the excuse given was "We are trying our best but every time we load more cases, people drink it" 🤨

 

IMHO, it was a very poor management and marketing decision to offer included internet access for all without first forecasting demand and properly researching & investing in systems that could cope.

 

During our last few Regent cruises, internet access has been very poor; with our experience on Seven Seas Explorer seemingly the worst despite being the most modern ship in the fleet. 

@czardas, I am glad to report that Wi-Fi access on Mariner was some of the best we have experienced, albeit on our cruise we were not completely surrounded by mountains ......... or cruising through a tunnel  😉

[Travelcat2]

One cannot really compare running out of food or alcohol with Wi-Fi that gets their signal from satellites that are not owned by Regent.

 

And, as has been explained, cruises are not all the same.  Apparently the internet on Explorer on one cruise was "very poor" and our Explorer Cruise (February 17 - March 9th, 2019), wasn't bad at all (except for a few glitches while we were docked).  

 

If anyone thinks that Regent management "very poor", fortunately there are three other very good/excellent luxury cruise lines that you can try (Crystal, Seabourn and Silversea).  No one has to put up with things on Regent that bothers them.  And, bashing Regent will not fix anything.  Instead, let's look at ourselves and see what we can do to stop hogging the internet - especially when we aren't even using it but stay logged in.

 

As an aside, Regent obviously can run out of a specific brand of wine - especially when they are not in an area where it is easy to obtain.  There are always other choices of wine and Regent will restock it just as soon as they get to a port where they can get a delivery of the product.  In our case, they ran out of Sterling Cabernet but were able to restock in a couple of days - no big deal.

 

Obviously with the internet, such easy fixes are not possible. Both computer guru's onboard Regent have said that there are more passengers online at the same time recently than there has been in the past.  "We" (all of us) seem to breaking all records......... staying online with four log-ins and not signing off is likely a contributing factor.  

 

 

[CruisetheCs]

21 hours ago, ronrick1943 said:

Why worry about it.  You're on a cruise, you're in Alaska with beautiful mountains, glaciers and wild life-Are you telling me you can't do without internet for a few hours a day?  Something is wrong with that picture...........Sorry, but even though we do use the internet on the ship, it's the lease important item on the cruise for us.  

 

12 hours ago, ronrick1943 said:

Sorry if you feel that way, that wasn't criticism--I was only stating that it's not important to me and it's the last thing "I" would think about when taking a cruise.  I didn't assume anything about her.  Please read by post before you write. If someone is worried about sick family members, or older persons I wouldn't be using the inter-net, I'd be using the phone on the ship. 

 

I did read your post before I wrote, actually I read it several times because I was surprised by the wording.  It says "Are you telling me you [in reference to the OP] can't do without internet for a few hours a day?"   Conjuring up that the OP might not be able to do without internet for a few hours a day sounds like an assumption to me. If not, then what is it?  Then your post said "something is wrong with that picture".  That sounded like criticism to me.   As best I can envision the picture that was referred to, it is one of someone who can't really enjoy a cruise because internet isn't available for a few hours a day.  How the OP's simple 12 word question about the state of wifi on the Mariner in Alaska evolved into that picture is still a mystery to me. 

 

I have no way of knowing what was intended. I'm sure all of us have written things  that don't really reflect what we intended to say.  But it does appear that the OP and I both had similar interpretations of the post.

[Travelcat2]

I do not feel that Ron's posts were a criticism.  On the other hand, I found plenty of criticism in other posts.  The TS was not asking for criticism - they were asking about the Wi-Fi in Alaska.  I responded to that and then the TS wanted to know when the upgrade would be done and I did not have an answer (and apparently no one else did either).

 

So, most of what is on this thread, IMHO, is criticism of Regent rather than simply answering the TS's question.  

 

P.S.  I did a quick search and found the answer.  Here you go czardas:

 

• The cruise line is nearly doubling internet bandwidth size across its fleet by January 2020. Significantly increasing bandwidth compared to 2018 will make free internet surfing more enjoyable for Regent guests as the internet will be faster and even more reliable on all devices. Guests will begin to benefit from bandwidth expansion starting April 2019. Signing on to Wi-Fi will be smoother through a log-in webpage that appears when guests connect to the ship’s network, and guests will have a more streamlined log-in process enabling unlimited complimentary and effortless web surfing.”

 

 

Edited April 15, 2019 by Travelcat2