Wifi/Communications onboard

[tmunson]

We're traveling on Brittania in August with a 12 year old. He's pretty independent so will likely want to do his own thing on board. We were thinking about getting the family wifi package so we can stay in contact with him when on sea days but it's quite expensive so was wondering if anyone has any advice on how to stay in contact on the ship? Is it best just to get the wifi package? Do walkie-talkies work?

 

Thank you in advance for your advice.

[Cloudyrain]

It's cheaper to get a 2/3 device package than the family one I think from memory: one person can have WiFi set on multiple devices. 
 

Alternatively, when we travel with extended family and friends we tend to find we settle quite easily in to a routine: e.g. agreeing to meet in certain places at rough times, or leaving each other notes. There are set times of shows/events/activities, and its quite easy to plan but be flexible. Like "we will be eating at X and then having a drink at Y" so if you aren't at one place, you are at the other. We haven't ever needed internet to communicate, even when we have been in big groups. However, internet for your son to communicate with home and friends he meets onboard is possibly a good option 😊

[AchileLauro]

Walkie talkies are not permitted on the ship.

[Harryjacobs]

I just think back to how we did it in the days before mobile telecoms.  Believe it or not but somehow we seemed to manage.

Just arrange a time for your son to be at a certain point at a certain time.  

[9265359]

9 hours ago, AchileLauro said:

Walkie talkies are not permitted on the ship.

 

They are allowed as they are not listed as a prohibited item - https://www.pocruises.com/frequently-asked-questions?categoryId=life-on-board&questionId=What-am-I-not-allowed-to-take-on-board.summary 

 

However it is probably pointless as they won't work very well on the ship and taking them onshore in certain countries is likely to get you spending time with some very cross police/military.

 

 

[AchileLauro]

I'm sure I had seen them listed as prohibited items as were drones. There again possibly I may be confusing it with other cruise lines.

 

[david63]

If I am not mistaken there are different types of walkie-talkies. The ones that you can buy from the "corner shop" are probably OK but the "professional" ones, as used by the crew, are not OK.

[9265359]

1 hour ago, david63 said:

If I am not mistaken there are different types of walkie-talkies. The ones that you can buy from the "corner shop" are probably OK but the "professional" ones, as used by the crew, are not OK.

 

To quote from the P&O FAQ the prohibited items in that category are -

 

Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB) ham radios, communication scanners, wide-band receivers, satellite phones, transformers, lasers and laser pointers

 

So all types of walkie-talkies are permitted, although interestingly Apple iPhone 14s and 15s are prohibited as they have the ability to communicate with satellites.

 

[david63]

1 minute ago, 9265359 said:

 

To quote from the P&O FAQ the prohibited items in that category are -

 

Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB) ham radios, communication scanners, wide-band receivers, satellite phones, transformers, lasers and laser pointers

 

So all types of walkie-talkies are permitted, although interestingly Apple iPhone 14s and 15s are prohibited as they have the ability to communicate with satellites.

 

Based on that definition, which needs updating, all mobile phones are prohibited as they communicate with satellites when using the ship's wi-fi and so do all other devices that are connected to the ship's wi-fi

[9265359]

2 minutes ago, david63 said:

Based on that definition, which needs updating, all mobile phones are prohibited as they communicate with satellites when using the ship's wi-fi and so do all other devices that are connected to the ship's wi-fi

 

Seriously?

[CCFC]

25 minutes ago, david63 said:

Based on that definition, which needs updating, all mobile phones are prohibited as they communicate with satellites when using the ship's wi-fi and so do all other devices that are connected to the ship's wi-fi

 

Its the ship that is connected to the satellite not the phones.

[Harryjacobs]

17 hours ago, CCFC said:

 

Its the ship that is connected to the satellite not the phones.

Correct.  Your phone does not connect to a satellite, rather the ship connects to the Starlink system then it re-broadcasts the signal throughout the ship.  Your phone connects to this signal.

 

[CountryStyleMe]

on P&O Wifi Package website page it states the following

 

Ultimate Wifi is £18.00 per day for the entire cruise (£108.00 for 6 nights on a 7 day cruise as you don't count the day you arrive back into port as they cut the wifi off from your devices that morning)

 

or Ultimate Wifi at a cost of £24.00 per day pay as you go(£144.00 for 6 nights on a 7 day cruise as you don't count the day you arrive back into port as they cut the wifi off from your devices that morning) 

 

Essentials Wifi they wanted £12.00 per day for the entire cruise(£72.00 for 6 nights on a 7 day cruise as you don't count the day you arrive back into port as they cut the wifi off from your devices that morning) or £18.00 per day pay as you go £108.00 for 6 nights on a 7 day cruise as you don't count the day you arrive back into port as they cut the wifi off from your devices that morning)

 

when I logged on this morning to my pocruises website page personaliser they wanted £107.10p for singles ultimate wifi package for 6 nights) or £71.40p for the singles essential wifi package or £214.20p for the ultimate multiple devices wifi package or £142.80p for the essentials multiple devices wifi package. 

 

it does not even cost them more than £10.00 a day in electric running the wifi hubs which provide the starlink internet on board. 

 

[tring]

On 6/9/2024 at 9:52 PM, tmunson said:

We're traveling on Brittania in August with a 12 year old. He's pretty independent so will likely want to do his own thing on board. We were thinking about getting the family wifi package so we can stay in contact with him when on sea days but it's quite expensive so was wondering if anyone has any advice on how to stay in contact on the ship? Is it best just to get the wifi package? Do walkie-talkies work?

 

Thank you in advance for your advice.

 

We do not use a lot of WiFi on the ship, but it can be useful for a while.  We have done that by buying 24hr access occasionally, often starting it in the middle of a day, so we get an afternoon, followed by a morning, which works well.  

 

Using a standard package (not family) does work on more than one device but I do not think you can do that at the same time, so one has to log out, before the other logs in.  Considering there would be little need for onboard WiFi on port days, a whole cruise package is a pretty poor deal by comparison in our opinion, unless it is needed for work purposes or to keep in close contact with someone at home.

 

[CCFC]

Anyone know if you can reach the ships wifi from their terminal (in our case Ocean), we have a very late boarding time and I suspect the cookery club will book up fast and wondered if I can book it while waiting to board.

[david63]

Although it comes over the wi-fi network to use the P&O app you use the intranet (local internet service) which almost certainly will not reach outside of the ship - maybe if you are very close.

[CCFC]

I'll let you know after Friday!