NCL Free wifi 150 minutes question

[Cruise Crazy Family]

Hi,

we are sailing in August and chose the free wifi. It is 150 minutes per person. I only plan on using it to check emails and check in for our flight back. I was looking at the different wifi options, and it only listed email access for one of the more expensive packages. I am assuming that I can check emails with the basic free wifi, but can anyone confirm that? My teen likes to post to Snapchat. Will they be able to do that with the basic package or will they need a purchased package? Is it cheaper to purchase a package before the departure? (On RCCL, they have sales, but I do not know about NCL).

 

Thank you!

Sonia

[DorothyB]

Yes, I have always been able to access yahoo email and gmail with the free minutes.  It is very slow, but it works.  You do need to be sure to logoff each time or it will keep "using" your minutes when you are not using them.

[DorothyB]

No clue on snapchat.  If you can wait a few days to purchase a package, it will be less expensive because it is for less days.

[2ndhoney]

I am able to check my personal & work emails on my phone, check in for flight, check weather, etc and it was fine. Not sure about Snapchat since I don't do that. 

[Asawi]

Technical you can use Snapchat. But interacting with social media (I see Snapchat as sort of social media) will pretty soon burn up your minutes. Time tend to fly and teenagers are not likely to be very careful in that aspect.

Edited July 18 by Asawi

[prov2727]

I was also able to check Facebook. I'm in the wrong age bracket for SnapChat so I don't know about that platform.

[KDebreuil]

I just finished a cruise on the NCL Star with my 17 year old daughter along. I can confirm that she used the free minutes for SnapChat posts.

 

Edit: FYI the Internet on the Star appears to be provided by Starlink.  much better performance than previous.

Edited July 18 by KDebreuil

[Cruise Crazy Family]

7 hours ago, Asawi said:

Technical you can use Snapchat. But interacting with social media (I see Snapchat as sort of social media) will pretty soon burn up your minutes. Time tend to fly and teenagers are not likely to be very careful in that aspect.

Very true. Do you know if the wifi simply stop if she goes over, or will it start charging fees?

[Asawi]

1 minute ago, Cruise Crazy Family said:

Very true. Do you know if the wifi simply stop if she goes over, or will it start charging fees?

It will stop. There will probably be some sort of offer to buy more time, but I don't know anything about that.

[fredflint]

You can also use the local free wifi at most ports.

[debenson0723]

You can pretty much do anything with the FAS wi-fi minutes other than streaming (music, videos, YouTube). Social media apps will work fine. But again, please watch your minutes as they will go fast and be sure and LogOut after every session. On a 7 day cruise it will average out to about 20 minutes a day.

 

If you do not log in on the first day, then at midnight on the 2nd day the unlimited package will go down in price. I can't tell you what that is as I buy mine before boarding so I don't have to think about it...it's always on. Again, you can do emails, social media, etc with the unlimited, the advantage is you don't need to log on or out or watch your minutes. I find it is also a good way to communicate with others on board using what's app, FB messanger or whatever you prefer. 

 

I use my wireless data when in port, not free wi-fi, unless you have a VPN on your phones.

[cruiseny4life]

My husband and I are millennials. We've cruised five times and every time (but one), we've purchased the unlimited plan. On the cruise we did not, I went crazy. I can't even imagine how a Gen Z/Alpha would do without unlimited internet. Make the cruise fun. Let them have their friends! 

 

To answer the question though, the 150 minutes will let your teen access Snap, TikTok, Insta, and any other social she may be on. 

 

If you do purchase the internet, don't use the minutes at all until day two. Then upgrade. You'll save a few bucks. 

[1bighund]

As mentioned, be sure to log out each time.  The unlimited package is heavily discounted after a couple of days.  I have no problem with the FAS time but my wife needed to get the unlimited after a few days.

[BirdTravels]

On 7/19/2024 at 5:07 PM, 1bighund said:

As mentioned, be sure to log out each time.  The unlimited package is heavily discounted after a couple of days.  I have no problem with the FAS time but my wife needed to get the unlimited after a few days.

Not "heavily discounted". If you do not use the package at all and "upgrade" to the unlimited package on Day 2, you get 1 day credit on the upgrade price. Very, very, very, very, very few people actually try to do that. But it is an option. 

[PartyPlannerLady]

On 7/18/2024 at 10:36 AM, Cruise Crazy Family said:

Hi,

we are sailing in August and chose the free wifi. It is 150 minutes per person. I only plan on using it to check emails and check in for our flight back. I was looking at the different wifi options, and it only listed email access for one of the more expensive packages. I am assuming that I can check emails with the basic free wifi, but can anyone confirm that? My teen likes to post to Snapchat. Will they be able to do that with the basic package or will they need a purchased package? Is it cheaper to purchase a package before the departure? (On RCCL, they have sales, but I do not know about NCL).

 

Thank you!

Sonia

 

I do not allow my children to go on line during a cruise or any other vacation.  They leran that there is a real world out there thay they can experience and many times may not have another chance to d so.  They are on vacation, freaking unplug for a few days!

[Asawi]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

Not "heavily discounted". If you do not use the package at all and "upgrade" to the unlimited package on Day 2, you get 1 day credit on the upgrade price. Very, very, very, very, very few people actually try to do that. But it is an option. 

Many "very" there.. Oddly enough I have talked to very many people that do this. Go figure... And FWIW, on all NCL ships  have been on (Spirit, Star, Gem, Dawn, Bliss) I have received a discounted offer EVERY time I have logged in to use my minutes. So the "do not use" part does not seem to be necessary. The price has dropped for about 2-4 days, depending on cruise length.

[vswan]

A question about wifi that is a bit different. I am cruising with my daughter (same reservation number and cabin) this fall and went in to upgrade my wifi. It looks like things have changed and I can't upgrade mine from the free at sea without upgrading hers also. (could be it's always been this way and I was able to do on a different cruise line and am just mixing them up). Can you upgrade one and not the other? What if one wants/needs premium and the other doesn't? Do you need to upgrade all others in the cabin too? If a teen is in the room and wants do you have to upgrade mom and dad also?

 

I can understand that NCL would prefer to get double the upgrade money and some will not blink feeling it is essential. For me, the wifi is more of a convenience/nice to have than needed. My Tmobile will give me free texts/browsing when in most ports and 150 minutes is probably plenty to check texts and emails when not in port. I will probably skip this next round rather than pay for two which eliminates some of the revenue NCL could be making off of me.

[GALSews]

2 hours ago, vswan said:

A question about wifi that is a bit different. I am cruising with my daughter (same reservation number and cabin) this fall and went in to upgrade my wifi. It looks like things have changed and I can't upgrade mine from the free at sea without upgrading hers also. (could be it's always been this way and I was able to do on a different cruise line and am just mixing them up). Can you upgrade one and not the other? What if one wants/needs premium and the other doesn't? Do you need to upgrade all others in the cabin too? If a teen is in the room and wants do you have to upgrade mom and dad also?

 

I can understand that NCL would prefer to get double the upgrade money and some will not blink feeling it is essential. For me, the wifi is more of a convenience/nice to have than needed. My Tmobile will give me free texts/browsing when in most ports and 150 minutes is probably plenty to check texts and emails when not in port. I will probably skip this next round rather than pay for two which eliminates some of the revenue NCL could be making off of me.

Just contact NCL. Online forces both, but you can upgrade just one person. I always call my PCC and she sets the upgrade for just me, but you could probably also do it using the chat feature or call NCL's generic phone line. (This is just a guess, though.)  Once onboard, my husband and I just share my unlimited package. The trick is that only one device is allowed on under a user's name. 

[vswan]

4 minutes ago, GALSews said:

Just contact NCL. Online forces both, but you can upgrade just one person. I always call my PCC and she sets the upgrade for just me, but you could probably also do it using the chat feature or call NCL's generic phone line. (This is just a guess, though.)  Once onboard, my husband and I just share my unlimited package. The trick is that only one device is allowed on under a user's name. 

Thanks, will contact my PCC and have him set it up.

[medicalma'am]

I have upgraded several times after midnight the second day to unlimited Premium package.  I get the discount and my Sapphire discount that way.  Totally worth waiting for me.  

[mking8288]

@Cruise Crazy Family @vswan and others - FYI   (as a # of us are pointing out & stating here)

NCL's satellite WiFi inTRAnet and inTERnet users here since 1999-2000 dating back to the RJ-45 a/k/a ethernet wired days where it was pure sluggish.  We SELDOM opt to "upgrade" or "buy" NCL's WiFi package on Day 1 as it's mostly a waste unless the "users" must/need to stay connected at all times while on a cruise & enjoying vacation at sea (typically sailing on a weekend if it's a 5, 6, 7 or 8 nights sailing) - especially when NCL ships are now remaining docked until later in the afternoon and/or not sailing until the (early) evening hours, while most passengers are either in the (Haven) MDR or going thru the MDR, Garden Cafe (buffet) or what not until probably past 7:30 to 9 PM while - probably, likely, possible - to still pickup a cellular signal from one's home carrier sailing out to international waters in open seas.  

 

For a typical 7 nights cruise, just wait until midnight and at 00:01 hour (it's then Day 2 - and you will be charged for 6 days worth of WiFi upgrade).  Calculated on the following $30 per day for basic unlimited WiFi x 6 days = $180, less the $100 trade-up allowance - if one pax in the cabin has that 150 free WiFi minutes, for a net "cost" of only $80.  If you have any non-refundable OBC associated with the cabin or stateroom, this will reduce your cost to zero and further.  This is good if Day 2 is a full sea day, and you can go online at 00:02 during the overnight hours and stay connected until disembarkation.  

 

If you wait until Day 3, the (probable) applicable charge is for 5 days or $150, less $100 trade-up = "net" cost of $50 only - before any available OBC to offset it. 

 

As long as you have as little as 5 minutes worth of limited WiFi remaining, you can accept to the pop-up offer to upgrade on Day 2 or Day 3 ... the prices for the remaining days, I believe (not personally verified or confirmed, others that did - can help to confirm) doesn't go any lower.  But if NCL's system does allow you to buy the remaining 4 days, it's just $120 less the $100 trade-up, for a net of $20 ... LOL (then, just do it - for the price a "single" premium alcoholic drink onboard or about 3 Starbucks)  

 

The price offered online, pre-cruise is the same as the onboard price, where you can and only need to upgrade to unlimited WiFi for just one pax in the stateroom; and, you can used any available OBC instead of being charged immediately against your credit card.  Furthermore, the onboard process is fairly easy & simple, DIY and you do NOT have to stand in a long time to speak to the iCafe manager unless there is an issue or problem with the upgrade & charging transaction - and; you get to do trials & see how fast / slow the satellite WiFi broadband using Starlink is really like.  The fleet of NCL ships converting fully to Starlink should be completed by now, if not already.  

 

Informed sources (friends) that sail Princess, Carnival & other lines that also adopted Starlink technologies have found NCL's Starlink to be slower but on the whole, works for how it is configured - it isn't the fastest satellite communications at sea.  

[julig22]

2 hours ago, medicalma'am said:

I have upgraded several times after midnight the second day to unlimited Premium package.  I get the discount and my Sapphire discount that way.  Totally worth waiting for me.  

Yes to the upgrade after midnight, but you do not get any latitudes discount. That only applies if you are buying a wifi package, not upgrading your FAS.

[julig22]

32 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

The price offered online, pre-cruise is the same as the onboard price, where you can and only need to upgrade to unlimited WiFi for just one pax in the stateroom; and, you can used any available OBC instead of being charged immediately against your credit card.

Are you certain the prices are the same? I've never upgraded prior to the cruise, usually wait until day 2/3 but I thought I'd been told that if you upgrade prior to the cruise, you do not get the FAS discount/credit?

[DorothyB]

6 minutes ago, julig22 said:

Are you certain the prices are the same? I've never upgraded prior to the cruise, usually wait until day 2/3 but I thought I'd been told that if you upgrade prior to the cruise, you do not get the FAS discount/credit?

I would love to be sure of the answer to this.  If prices don't increase, I may be able to tell at the end of October.  I had purchased the unlimited premium so have record of the "pre-cruise" price.  Then I cancelled it because I should have shareholder OBC so want to use that to pay for part of the internet package.

[vswan]

49 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

Furthermore, the onboard process is fairly easy & simple, DIY and you do NOT have to stand in a long time to speak to the iCafe manager unless there is an issue or problem with the upgrade & charging transaction - and; you get to do trials & see how fast / slow the satellite WiFi broadband using Starlink is really like.  The fleet of NCL ships converting fully to Starlink should be completed by now, if not already.  

I consider myself technically challenged and would have no idea how to do trials to see how fast/slow internet is. I have read your past posts with awe that anyone knows how to do these things and can understand all of the jargon.

 

And no, I'm not as bad as some I know - having worked with software most do not use on Mac computers and having to figure out a lot of work arounds and fixes myself - but I just want things to work and not have to do things to get them to work. When you say DIY, is this done on the app? On the website when I attach to their internet?

 

Thanks for your expertise and help.