Is it Better to Purchase Wifi in Advance of Your Cruise or Does It Matter?

[Smokeyham]

Hello,

 

Looking at the Medallion App in advance of our upcoming week long cruise I see that wifi for up to four devices is available for $70 for the week and that I can purchase it now.  Is it cheaper to purchase in advance of the cruise or might they offer a lower price once on board?

Thanks 

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, Smokeyham said:

Hello,

 

Looking at the Medallion App in advance of our upcoming week long cruise I see that wifi for up to four devices is available for $70 for the week and that I can purchase it now.  Is it cheaper to purchase in advance of the cruise or might they offer a lower price once on board?

Thanks 

Prices are higher on board.

 

1-Device

$10/day versus $15/day

 

4-Devices

$20/day versus $25/day

 

[MustangGT]

Thinking about one of us getting the 4-device plan so we can each stay logged in with our phones and iPads.  In the past we have each had our own 1-device plan.  So, we would be better off with a 4-device plan?  Would we each have our own log-in or just share one across the devices?

Hope my question makes sense because I am confusing myself! 🤣

[Thrak]

4 minutes ago, MustangGT said:

Thinking about one of us getting the 4-device plan so we can each stay logged in with our phones and iPads.  In the past we have each had our own 1-device plan.  So, we would be better off with a 4-device plan?  Would we each have our own log-in or just share one across the devices?

Hope my question makes sense because I am confusing myself! 🤣

 

The only advantage to the 4 device plan is that all devices could be logged on at the same time. With the individual plans you can use all 4 devices but not all at once. Log onto your phone and use it. Then log onto your iPad and it logs you off of the phone. I don't see any real advantage to having all devices logged on at the same time but, if that's what you want, then that's the way to go.

 

I just use one device at a time - either my phone or my tablet. I never need to have both logged on at the same time.

Edited October 17, 2022 by Thrak

[Smokeyham]

50 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 Log onto your phone and use it. Then log onto your iPad and it logs you off of the phone. I don't see any real advantage to having all devices logged on at the same time but, if that's what you want, then that's the way to go.

Thanks to @Steelers36 for the information about on board pricing being higher.

@Thrak - Our experience on a Holland America Line's ship last summer, where we decided to just share the 1-device-at-a-time plan, was that it took a bit of juggling to have the system acknowledge that we had signed out from one device and that we now wanted to sign in with another.  Perhaps Princess has a better system for this?

[Thrak]

Usually when you try to logon to the second device you get a notice that you are logged onto another device and asked if you want to log off of that one. I had zero issues in May.

[Smokeyham]

1 minute ago, Thrak said:

Usually when you try to logon to the second device you get a notice that you are logged onto another device and asked if you want to log off of that one. I had zero issues in May.

Great to hear that it worked well!

[travelin.sisters]

I like a 4-device plan so that I can have both phone & computer logged in & then share the other 2 devices with travel companions, but I really like to be connected even on a trip, so it's a personal choice for me...on our recent cruise I had so much OBC to use I decided to buy the wifi online to use some even if it cost more, as soon as I was onboard & before sailing, I went on the app & bought it & was able to get the pre-cruise discount & use my OBC. I don't know if this would work for anyone else or on another ship, but it did on the Sapphire 9/24.

[smf81]

@MustangGTOne 4-device plan is usually the same price or less than two 1-device plans, so that's what we did on our last cruise.

If you have a 1-device plan included with Princess Plus, that does change the math.  You'd need to pay extra to upgrade one of your plans to add more devices.  Then it's a tradeoff between cost and convenience.

Edited October 17, 2022 by smf81

[Mike45LC]

As SMF notes, the cost for two one-device plans and one four-device plan are the same.  So I bought one four-device plan for my wife and me to share.  We will probably not use the additional devices, but since the cost is the same, I got the extra device coverage just in case.  

 

[Wishing on a star]

Have they changed the way they used to offer a WIFI discount for Platinum/Elite guests on embarkation day?   

[Mike45LC]

1 hour ago, Wishing on a star said:

Have they changed the way they used to offer a WIFI discount for Platinum/Elite guests on embarkation day?   

Some people report that the discount is offered only pre-cruise, but that they have managed to get the discount on embarkation day by claiming Medallion issues.   I decided to avoid any hassles by buying it in advance.  

 

Some people have had issues getting the 50% discount even buying in advance, but it worked smoothly for me.

[cruzsnooze]

Last  cruise I bought the one device on board for $5 the elite tier price. I don't use the APP and it's not available in the web version so they honored the 1/2 off $5 on board.  My  cruise next month I phoned Princess and bought the one device with a charge card at $10 Per day with a 50% discount as an OBC for the $5 Per day. It works if you buy it the first day on board or via phone for the 50% off.

[rocklinmom]

So for a family of five, does it make a difference to book 5 individual $10 a day plans (so $50 a day) or to book a 4 device plan and a separate individual plan for the fifth person (so would be only $30 a day)? That would save quite a bit of money but wondering if the actual implementation and ease of use would be worth it. Or if Princess has already figured out the math like me and it isn't possible to do. 

[kywildcatfanone]

Okay, I think I missed something.  Elite gets the wifi at $5/day?  Is that new or has it always been that way?  And you have to purchase it pre cruise if you didn't book the plus package?

[cruzsnooze]

13 minutes ago, kywildcatfanone said:

Okay, I think I missed something.  Elite gets the wifi at $5/day?  Is that new or has it always been that way?  And you have to purchase it pre cruise if you didn't book the plus package?

Platinum and Elite tier get the wifi for $5 per day. I do not drink so don't ever buy an upgrade package. It has been $5 since the start up after Covid. I've sailed 4 times already and it's been $5 regardless of where I purchased the wifi.

[deepcman]

17 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Prices are higher on board.

 

1-Device

$10/day versus $15/day

 

4-Devices

$20/day versus $25/day

 

Will the lower prices be available on boarding day so I can burn up some OBC?

[kywildcatfanone]

17 minutes ago, cruzsnooze said:

Platinum and Elite tier get the wifi for $5 per day. I do not drink so don't ever buy an upgrade package. It has been $5 since the start up after Covid. I've sailed 4 times already and it's been $5 regardless of where I purchased the wifi.

Great.  We were on 10 days in the spring and I guess I didn't even notice that it was $5 instead of $10.  That is good news for sure.  Makes the plus package even worth less if you don't drink.  I will have to pay more attention, lol..

[travelin.sisters]

1 hour ago, rocklinmom said:

So for a family of five, does it make a difference to book 5 individual $10 a day plans (so $50 a day) or to book a 4 device plan and a separate individual plan for the fifth person (so would be only $30 a day)? That would save quite a bit of money but wondering if the actual implementation and ease of use would be worth it. Or if Princess has already figured out the math like me and it isn't possible to do. 

yes you can share your plan with anyone if they have your cabin number & date of birth to redeem the wifi...I buy a 4-device plan & share with the rest of our party if all your people don't need internet all the time (just want to check email once a day or...?) you could stick with the 4-device plan & switch users too

[Steelers36]

34 minutes ago, deepcman said:

Will the lower prices be available on boarding day so I can burn up some OBC?

No.  This has been covered.  Since they fixed the discount offer in the App for people to buy, you should not expect to get the pre-cruise price on the ship - even on Day 1.

[pompeii]

34 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

No.  This has been covered.  Since they fixed the discount offer in the App for people to buy, you should not expect to get the pre-cruise price on the ship - even on Day 1.

But it's not fixed.  At least not in my app.  My upcoming 15 day TA shows $149.85 for a 1 device package.  I've emailed ocean medallion twice to no avail.  Also called Princess and they insisted that I needed to pay the full price and get the refund back in obc.  

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, pompeii said:

But it's not fixed.  At least not in my app.  My upcoming 15 day TA shows $149.85 for a 1 device package.  I've emailed ocean medallion twice to no avail.  Also called Princess and they insisted that I needed to pay the full price and get the refund back in obc.  

I am going to suggest the issue is not with the offer of MedallionNet.  Rather, the issue is likely that the MC App is not recognizing your correct CC Member Level.  Many have reported this issue.  AFAIK, given the correct Member Level, the App is offering the 50% discounted rate.

 

Now, I do emphatically agree that the Princess reps ought to be able to sell the MedallionNet over-the-phone for the 50% off, so that is simply an IT issue (and we all know how competent Princess IT is).    Supposedly, all they can do is charge full price on the phone (although I have seen a couple of posts  where somehow the guest was successful in a 50% charge).

 

[Steelers36]

20 hours ago, MustangGT said:

Thinking about one of us getting the 4-device plan so we can each stay logged in with our phones and iPads.  In the past we have each had our own 1-device plan.  So, we would be better off with a 4-device plan?  Would we each have our own log-in or just share one across the devices?

Hope my question makes sense because I am confusing myself! 🤣

IMO, it's a no-brainer.  The 4-device plan costs the same as the 2-device plan - with or without the discount.  It gives flexibility if you actually have more than two devices with you.  

 

If cruising with friends, we share the 4-device plan and just don't have the luxury to use more than 1 at a time then.

 

[pompeii]

27 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I am going to suggest the issue is not with the offer of MedallionNet.  Rather, the issue is likely that the MC App is not recognizing your correct CC Member Level.  Many have reported this issue.  AFAIK, given the correct Member Level, the App is offering the 50% discounted rate.

 

I thought that, but when I just put in an order for my medallion on a different cruise, it shows black for elite.  And on that 27-day cruise as well, the app shows $269.73 for a 1 device package.  So I don't think that's the issue.  Is there a place on the app where it actually says your loyalty level?  I see a little circle next to my profile pic, but it's so small I can't tell if it's dark blue or black.   I also checked for updates for the app, and I believe I have the most current version 4.5.1

[rocklinmom]

We are elite so are supposed to get the Wifi at half off (so $5 per day vs. $10) but I read somewhere that you get that discount as half back onboard as OBC. Is this accurate? Or can you get the half off discount when purchasing it pre cruise?