Satellite Service Onboard in South America?

[Saga Ruby]

Throughout your cruises around Cape Horn, did you consistently have satellite service for phones, internet service, television and radio service?

 

I recently cruised to polar North and, after we crossed the Arctic Circle, our television channels went out and internet service was a random event. We all wound up rushing to the Library onboard and checking out DVD movies for in-room entertainment. This condition persisted until we were almost back south to the Arctic Circle.

 

Also - is there radio service in the cabins? Is it thru the TV? So if the TV channels are out, there would be no radio? I'll pack a CD player depending on your answers. Thanks.

 

Ruby

[ClaudiaF]

music comes through tv unless you are in os or vs where there are cd players and radios ( never did get reception on the radios)..

in os and vs bring own cds from home

so in answer to your "q " re: music, Ruby, unless you are in one of those bring your own music

[phlewt]

We were on the first South America cruise that Insignia did (December 2004) -- on that cruise, the ship went to Antarctica, and I recall that the satellite TV was intermittent at times when we were in the Antarctic region. We never quite reached the Antarctic circle, however. I remember people saying that e-mail service was often very slow or not available at all during that time as well.

 

None of the subsequent cruises have gone anywhere near that far south, so I would not expect them to experience much trouble maintaining contact with the satellites.

[mike35]

We were on the 1/3/06 Insignia South America cruise. Satellite service was VERY intermittent the further South we sailed, and we lost CNN for several days. Internet service was equally intermittent, as it uses the satellite for connection. Naturally, locally produced entertainment (music channels, movies, sitcoms, etc) weren't affected.

 

Mike

[digby]

The CNN signal would go out from time to time on the Nautica Asian cruise I just left on the 31st of March.

[Saga Ruby]

Y'all have indicated that you lose signals sometimes which is to be expected at extreme points on the globe. Do the steerage cabins have in-cabin entertainment like music and movies and you occasionally lose a specific channel or does the whole magilla blink out? Do inside cabins have DVD players? I had them on Saga and it saved my sanity because I could play movies from the ship's library.

 

Sorry to keep bringing up this point but I don't like silence in my room so packing a CD player and discs is fine but heavy to haul around in South America.

 

Just wanted to make sure I understand.

 

Thanks,

Ruby

[mike35]

Ruby,

The only cabins with DVD players are concierge level and above (go figure - when one can buy a DVD player for under $50). We love Oceania, but if we had to single out one thing that makes little sense to us, it's the lack of DVD players AND refrigerators below concierge class.

 

Mike