What can you access with unlimited WiFi?

[Artmom29]

I am sailing on Norwegian Bliss in a few weeks through the Panama Canal and have upgraded to unlimited WiFi (not the premium streaming option) and I am wondering what I am able to access. For example, if I click on a link in an email to a website, will I be able to access it? Can I browse all of internet? And lastly, I have online learning sites I would like to listen to on the cruise that have video’s posted on their website platforms. Will I be able to listen to them or is that considered “streaming”? Many entities categorized “streaming” differently. 

 

Thanks for any feedback you have from other Norwegian cruises or maybe even from those who have sailed on Norwegian Bliss.

[Asawi]

There is a risk the learning videos won't work. For me my favourite Swedish news site is blocket, probably because it has video material mixed with text. On the other hand, videos on Facebook seems to work. Your site may or may not work. Clear as mud wouldn't you say? 😉 

[cruiser2015]

1 hour ago, Artmom29 said:

I am sailing on Norwegian Bliss in a few weeks through the Panama Canal and have upgraded to unlimited WiFi (not the premium streaming option) and I am wondering what I am able to access. For example, if I click on a link in an email to a website, will I be able to access it? Can I browse all of internet? And lastly, I have online learning sites I would like to listen to on the cruise that have video’s posted on their website platforms. Will I be able to listen to them or is that considered “streaming”? Many entities categorized “streaming” differently. 

 

Thanks for any feedback you have from other Norwegian cruises or maybe even from those who have sailed on Norwegian Bliss.

From what I understand, you should be able to access just about anything you like on the web, except streaming content. For that you need the premium version.

Your classes sound like streaming; there's a chance it might work. I suppose you could try it out on day one and if it's a no go do another upgrade if you need to.

I'm on the Bliss on 1/12. Upgrading to unlimited like you. No need for streaming.

[FLAHAM]

Leave the internet devices at home.  Bring books or a Kindle.

[emknott0711]

Does Texting work with unlimited wifi?

[The Other Tom]

"Unlimited" means your time on the internet is not restricted.  If you have, say, 100 minutes, then you can be connected to the internet for 100 minutes.  Bandwidth is the issue.  If a lot of people are using the internet, then watching videos will be slow to nonexistent even if you have unlimited internet.  And if you have 100 minutes, it gets used up fast because the internet is so slow (you'll be waiting a long time for the video or website to load).  If not many people are using the internet, like late at night or early in the morning, then you should be able to watch videos.   Same is true for going to any website (or clicking on a link, etc).

Edited December 23, 2023 by The Other Tom

[magiccruiser1]

Has anyone been able to use Discord? I've tried searching but cannot find anything. I got the upgrade from the included 75 minutes.

[Artmom29]

12 hours ago, cruiser2015 said:

From what I understand, you should be able to access just about anything you like on the web, except streaming content. For that you need the premium version.

Your classes sound like streaming; there's a chance it might work. I suppose you could try it out on day one and if it's a no go do another upgrade if you need to.

I'm on the Bliss on 1/12. Upgrading to unlimited like you. No need for streaming.

Thanks for reply. I did get thru to an agent who said all normal web browsing can be done and that I should be able to access video content on websites. However, it may have issues downloading/buffering for viewing content due to limitations of ships WiFi. Stated WiFi strength may improve in certain areas, which I know to be true from past cruises. I have no desire to stream any TV when there will be so many better things to do! And we may run into each other. We sail on the 12th too!

[Artmom29]

5 hours ago, The Other Tom said:

"Unlimited" means your time on the internet is not restricted.  If you have, say, 100 minutes, then you can be connected to the internet for 100 minutes.  Bandwidth is the issue.  If a lot of people are using the internet, then watching videos will be slow to nonexistent even if you have unlimited internet.  And if you have 100 minutes, it gets used up fast because the internet is so slow (you'll be waiting a long time for the video or website to load).  If not many people are using the internet, like late at night or early in the morning, then you should be able to watch videos.   Same is true for going to any website (or clicking on a link, etc).

Thanks. See my reply to another post below. Would seem weird to retype all I just wrote. I am familiar with what unlimited means. And yes, I know that usage will be impeded during peak times when everyone may be trying to be online. I guess I will have to deduce the sweet spots during the day or evenings. I’m certainly not going to make that my focus while getting to be on and enjoy the Bliss!

[mking8288]

Here are some of the official info - look for the latest guide onboard, available at the ship's iCafe center. 

 

 

[cruiser2015]

5 hours ago, Artmom29 said:

Thanks for reply. I did get thru to an agent who said all normal web browsing can be done and that I should be able to access video content on websites. However, it may have issues downloading/buffering for viewing content due to limitations of ships WiFi. Stated WiFi strength may improve in certain areas, which I know to be true from past cruises. I have no desire to stream any TV when there will be so many better things to do! And we may run into each other. We sail on the 12th too!

Hey, it's a small world.

The Bliss - not so much, LOL

[Liljo22]

13 hours ago, emknott0711 said:

Does Texting work with unlimited wifi?

FYI…if you have iMessage and are texting someone else with iMessage, it will go through even on the free Wi-Fi.  My kids were texting their friends while onboard.  I thought they were using ATT cruise data and I was going to get a huge bill but they showed me they were on airplane mode and texts were going through.  

[Liljo22]

On the Prima this week with Starlink, it was painfully slow at the start of the cruise.  Was getting only 1mbps down and a fraction up.  I had to do a few things for work and it wasn’t happening so I upgraded to premium for $50.  Still only 3 down and 1 up.  As the cruise went on and people used up their minutes, the connection got better.  So much so that I was able to get into my outlook email server and get into my remote connection.  

[fredflint]

Always it will depend on many factors, streaming to me means a streaming service like Netflix or Youtube.

 

You might want to see if you can download the videos/audio ahead of time.  There are extensions and plug is for Chrome and FireFox that allow all sorts of downloads.

https://www.wired.com/story/10-browser-add-ons-extensions-download-videos-photos/

 

If it does not work for you then you might want to upgrade aboard the ship.  This does not mean that site will work, if it is a free site you might want to reach out to someone that is on your ship now and have them try it. You could find them by the roll calls and see if anyone is posting or just port to the roll call.  https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/20-roll-calls/

 

I know if I was on a cruise I would be more than happy to answer ship specific questions and be able to provide a current answer.

[coscab]

19 hours ago, emknott0711 said:

Does Texting work with unlimited wifi?

I just got off the escape today, I thought I would be able to text but the wifi was just for email, internet browsing.,that sort of thing, not texting, I was told I would have to use whatsapp or something like that to text, I dont use that so just logged on and emailed my cat sitter and then logged off (only had the 150 free minutes) then I would log on later in the day to see if cat sitter had emailed back.

[BirdTravels]

20 hours ago, emknott0711 said:

Does Texting work with unlimited wifi?

SMS texting does not use WiFi. So that would not work. 
 

Internet based messaging like iMessage is Internet based and would work. 

[CruiserEK]

21 hours ago, emknott0711 said:

Does Texting work with unlimited wifi?

SMS texting over Wi-Fi appears to work as long as your carrier and phone is capable and enabled to send texts and calls over Wi-Fi. I was able to send some texts over the ship's Wi-Fi. However, calls over Wi-Fi don't appear to fully work at least under the basic internet. It only managed to ring out but there was silence after that.  I tried this with the Free At Sea 150 minute plan using Google Fi. YMMV. 

[Artmom29]

On 12/22/2023 at 2:42 PM, FLAHAM said:

Leave the internet devices at home.  Bring books or a Kindle.

I have books and kindle…. But I am also previously obligated to complete online trainings the unfortunately coincided with dates of cruise.

[Artmom29]

22 hours ago, fredflint said:

Always it will depend on many factors, streaming to me means a streaming service like Netflix or Youtube.

 

You might want to see if you can download the videos/audio ahead of time.  There are extensions and plug is for Chrome and FireFox that allow all sorts of downloads.

https://www.wired.com/story/10-browser-add-ons-extensions-download-videos-photos/

 

If it does not work for you then you might want to upgrade aboard the ship.  This does not mean that site will work, if it is a free site you might want to reach out to someone that is on your ship now and have them try it. You could find them by the roll calls and see if anyone is posting or just port to the roll call.  https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/20-roll-calls/

 

I know if I was on a cruise I would be more than happy to answer ship specific questions and be able to provide a current answer.

Thanks for the link. I will check that out since the videos on site I need to access don’t have a permanent or temporary download option.