Queen Victoria wifi/internet service

[renji]

anyone have experience with the Queen Victoria premium internet plan?  I am considering the transatlantic or another cruise but would need to be able to make calls and occasional Zoom meetings.  I haven't done the QM2 transatlantic because I know the wifi doesn't work well.   

 

I wonder if Queen Anne will be better?

[Camgirl]

18 hours ago, renji said:

anyone have experience with the Queen Victoria premium internet plan?  I am considering the transatlantic or another cruise but would need to be able to make calls and occasional Zoom meetings.  I haven't done the QM2 transatlantic because I know the wifi doesn't work well.   

 

I wonder if Queen Anne will be better?

We got off QV a week ago. We used both Internet plans. To be honest, there is not a noticeable difference between the two. Both slow and tended to drop out every now and then. 

 

As for Queen Anne, we were on Enchanted Princess earlier this year. Still in its maiden season and with "the best wi-fi at sea". It was certainly no better than on Cunard and was virtually useless a lot of the time. Our cruise was to northern Europe. I wouldn't be holding out too much hope for better on Queen Anne.

[Host Hattie]

I'm currently on Queen Victoria and have been using the basic plan on sea days. I haven't tried to make any calls and it can be very device/location dependent. My Android phone won't connect in the cabin but is fine in the public areas, my Chromebook will work in the cabin but it tells me the signal is weak.

 

[Camgirl]

We tried using the premium plan to view video from a camera at home. It worked some of the time. We also used it for a WhatsApp video call to one of our sons, but had to change to audio as it kept breaking up. 

As Host Hattie says, the signal does vary a lot around the ship. 

I hope that is of help to you.

[Jomtien]

On QV now (Centenary World Cruise) Premium Wi-Fi is cr*p hard to get on drops out every time. Useless on stateroom so have to go to Grand Lobby $1100+ for complete cruise. Pursers desk always has a queue of passengers complaining cannot get on Wi-Fi.

but then there is no alternative 🤬

[majortom10]

50 minutes ago, Jomtien said:

On QV now (Centenary World Cruise) Premium Wi-Fi is cr*p hard to get on drops out every time. Useless on stateroom so have to go to Grand Lobby $1100+ for complete cruise. Pursers desk always has a queue of passengers complaining cannot get on Wi-Fi.

but then there is no alternative 🤬

There is tell them its not fit for purpose and demand a refund. Tewll them they are ripping customers off.

 

[Victoria2]

21 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

There is tell them its not fit for purpose and demand a refund. Tewll them they are ripping customers off.

 

I think this is a bit strong. I seem to recall my  description of the WiFi on Victoria last August was ''fickle'' at times but no way could I call it the ''c'' word as mentioned in  #5.

In fact, apart from the first couple of days, it worked  well for us, both in the cabin and around the ship.

[majortom10]

4 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

I think this is a bit strong. I seem to recall my  description of the WiFi on Victoria last August was ''fickle'' at times but no way could I call it the ''c'' word as mentioned in  #5.

In fact, apart from the first couple of days, it worked  well for us, both in the cabin and around the ship.

It isnt a bit strong at all if people do not complain forcefully but with respect then Cunard will carry on charging the rip off prices that they do for an inferior or no service at all. 

[Victoria2]

8 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

It isnt a bit strong at all if people do not complain forcefully but with respect then Cunard will carry on charging the rip off prices that they do for an inferior or no service at all. 

Ripping customers off isn't  a bit strong?

 

If there's no signal, and there wasn't for a day for us AND the Grill's concierge on her system too, then a proportionate rebate is in order and we were offered that,  and although I really dislike the new method of paying for it and far preferred the allotted CWC ''free'' minutes, if the system works for most of the time as it did for us, then ''ripping off'' is too strong.

 

[Host Hattie]

It varies by device, location on ship and the ship's position. Queen Victoria has been crossing Atlantic where most ships have difficulty. Hope it improves for you by the time you can stop paying for it.

[majortom10]

 

1 minute ago, Victoria2 said:

Ripping customers off isn't  a bit strong?

 

No it isnt when Cunard are charging a considerable amount for something that they are not providing for what the cost is for.

[Victoria2]

7 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

 

No it isnt when Cunard are charging a considerable amount for something that they are not providing for what the cost is for.

Cunard provided the connection for us and a rebate was offered for the day they didn't/it didn't work.

 

My Cunard glass is half full  so we will agree to differ.

Edited January 22, 2023 by Victoria2

[ballroom-cruisers]

There was an announcement recently that Carnival has signed a contract to install the Starlink (low earth orbit satellite) internet system on a number of its lines, and the list that was published included Cunard.  Hopefully if the Starlink system does get installed on all of the Cunard ships, before too long, then the speed and availability of internet connection will be transformed to a very capable and functional, and pretty much continuous, service that will allow fast video upload as well as live video connection most of the time across most of the locations during most voyages.  It would be nice to see the plan of when this will happen on each of the Cunard ships though.

[TheOldBear]

The current Starlink service requires the satellite to be visible to both the ground terminal (e.g. the ship) and a fixed service point.

This would not be true mid ocean [e.g. a QM2 crossing].

A later generation satellite is planned, with orbit to orbit links. Until that is deployed, the geosynchronous satellite links are the only viable mid ocean option.

[ballroom-cruisers]

Is it not the case that the new Starlink Maritime service 'will' work anywhere across the Atlantic? The Starlink Maritime web page shows a connectivity map that has the whole north Atlantic covered across latitudes that include the Transatlantic crossings. The map shows the Transatlantic oceanic sector covered from Q4 2022, and the rest of the world from Q1 2023.

Edited January 22, 2023 by ballroom-cruisers
add sentence

[Omax4]

On 1/22/2023 at 1:20 PM, TheOldBear said:

The current Starlink service requires the satellite to be visible to both the ground terminal (e.g. the ship) and a fixed service point.

This would not be true mid ocean [e.g. a QM2 crossing].

A later generation satellite is planned, with orbit to orbit links. Until that is deployed, the geosynchronous satellite links are the only viable mid ocean option.

I do not believe this is correct. 

[Omax4]

On 1/22/2023 at 1:38 PM, ballroom-cruisers said:

Is it not the case that the new Starlink Maritime service 'will' work anywhere across the Atlantic? The Starlink Maritime web page shows a connectivity map that has the whole north Atlantic covered across latitudes that include the Transatlantic crossings. The map shows the Transatlantic oceanic sector covered from Q4 2022, and the rest of the world from Q1 2023.

You are correct. Starlink should work on transatlantic crossing. Otherwise why would Cunard and so many cruise lines be moving to them? I also looked on their website on see the same map you did. By switching to Starlink, the internet should be much improved on Cunard, although unfortunately we don’t have a timetable right now. 

[Jomtien]

On 1/22/2023 at 9:02 AM, Victoria2 said:

I think this is a bit strong. I seem to recall my  description of the WiFi on Victoria last August was ''fickle'' at times but no way could I call it the ''c'' word as mentioned in  #5.

In fact, apart from the first couple of days, it worked  well for us, both in the cabin and around the ship.

If the Cr*p word is too strong for you then I will use’fickle’. Today I am in St Maartin and the system is still ‘fickle’! So ‘fickle that it has taken me 40 minutes to get a constant signal to send this reply😠. I have logged in at least six times and the ‘fickle’ system has not responded, cut me off or sent me around in circles!

So maybe a will go back to the more apt and descriptive word cr*p🤪

As a secondary - not surprisingly we have a number of COVID cases on board so management have reached the, not very scientific or medically based decision, that the passengers can sit with strangers at the dining tables, mingle in the bars, dance and exercise together, sit together in crowded rooms etc but we must wear a mask when we ‘transit’ the mainly empty corridors!

Still enjoying my cruise🤪🙏🙏🙏🙏

[canoncruiser]

I’m on QV and things are OK if I prop open my cabin door🤔

[Jomtien]

Lucky you! Your cabin must open onto the Grand Lobby as that is the only place where my Wi-Fi works constantly 😸

I will say though that it is better than the first few weeks and I imagine that with the large number of complaints and requests for refunds they have amped up the service level.