internet access on the Jewel

[topekacruiser]

Does anyone know about internet access on the Jewel? Is there wireless available in the cabins? Cost? We want to be able to communicate with our kids while we're gone...one will be at camp in Minnesota and our 16 year old will be flying to a leadership conference in Washington DC.

[garycarla]

Yes, you can. See the FAQ here on the NCL.com site.

 

If you have Cingular, your phone will work as well.

[Audiocracy]

Just so you know, Cingular will charge you roaming rates onboard the ship. Here is the rate structure.

[topekacruiser]

The NCL info states:

To use the wireless Internet Service all you need is your laptop to get connected in the Internet café or you can use it around the ship in the wireless coverage areas. Please see the Internet Café Manager onboard for the selected areas.

 

My question is: does anyone know where the "wireless coverage areas" are? Apparently, it's not in all cabins, but I'm hoping maybe it's in some. We're on deck 9 in a balcony cabin (9120).

[garycarla]

Even if you have wireless in your cabin, it most probably will be a weak signal. Since you are paying by the minute ($.50), you should walk around until you can find the strongest signal you can get to reduce your time online, and then your costs. On my last few cruises on various ships, I would walk around and watch the signal meter and then know where I should be.

 

(unless of course $$ do not matter)

[garycarla]

...

Something else to keep in mind. If you are on the DOCK side in any of the ports, you MIGHT pick up a signal from a local store,etc. This happened to me in Alaska. Good signal, but did have to sign up. Was not too expensive for a day and way stronger than the ship, and of course I could sit in the room - with a glass of 'pop' while doing email, etc.

[MidtheNight]

Jewel cabins are not wireless. Some of the public areas are though who wants to be lugging a laptop around the ship with them? Remember, this is a vacation. We just left the laptop in the room and plugged in at night on our last trip...it worked like a charm. Just run out to the store and buy a 25' ethernet cable to plug into the jack in your room. You'll have more than enough cable to sit on the bed, sit on the balcony (if you have one), etc.

[hencoll]

Jewel cabins are not wireless. Some of the public areas are though who wants to be lugging a laptop around the ship with them? Remember, this is a vacation. We just left the laptop in the room and plugged in at night on our last trip...it worked like a charm. Just run out to the store and buy a 25' ethernet cable to plug into the jack in your room. You'll have more than enough cable to sit on the bed, sit on the balcony (if you have one), etc.

 

I am not sure about other cabins but the A4 Courtyard Villa we were in during our May 21st Jewel cruise had wireless internet service. DH was having trouble logging on through the ethernet connection, Ruth sent up the Computer guru and he told us we did not need the ethernet connection because we had wireless. Sure enough we did, we had a strong wireless signal from each room of our suite all week. Also we got a pretty strong signal from the Courtyard on deck 14.

[LAXCRUISER]

Ncl Gives Prices For Itv Service As Well. Does Anyone Know What That Is? Does It Mean You Can Access Internet Through Your Television Set In Room?

 

Did Anyone Rent Laptop From The Ship For The Week (to Keep In Your Room)?

 

So Looking Forward To The Trip, But Do Want To Keep In Touch Back Home.

[Paul&Karen]

We'll be on the Jewel 7/23 to 7/30 in the western Med. Does anyboby know if the NCL Jewel has internet access in any of the cabins. If so, is it wireless or a Cat-5 plug in? Thanks in advance for any info.

[shoreguy]

We'll be on the Jewel 7/23 to 7/30 in the western Med. Does anyboby know if the NCL Jewel has internet access in any of the cabins. If so, is it wireless or a Cat-5 plug in? Thanks in advance for any info.

 

Cat 5 all cabins - WiFi in public areas

[shoreguy]

Does anyone know about internet access on the Jewel? Is there wireless available in the cabins? Cost? We want to be able to communicate with our kids while we're gone...one will be at camp in Minnesota and our 16 year old will be flying to a leadership conference in Washington DC.

 

General rule wifi in all public areas. Cat 5 in all the cabins. Cost depends on the plan you select

 

http://www.ncl.com/more/internet_cafe.htm

 

Time Package Plan:

250 minutes for $100 ($0.40 per minute)

100 minutes for $55 ($0.55 per minute)

Pay as you go $0.75 per minute

Wireless card - $10 per day (if required)Wireless card Insurance - $3.00 per day (optional)*

 

Laptop rental – Complimentary with the purchase of a Time plan.

Laptop insurance - $3 per day

[Paul&Karen]

Thanks Shoreguy. I enjoyed your transatlantic Jewel blog also.

[garycarla]

...

Wireless card - $10 per day (if required)

Wireless card Insurance - $3.00 per day (optional)*

 

If they have inroom ethernet (cat5) connections, I wonder why in the world anyone would spend $10 per day to rent a wireless card. And, the connection in most (not all) cases would be slower via the wireless. And, if cards only cost $40 or so these days, it makes even less sense. Wonder how much they charge to buy or rent a cable if somebody forgot it? Yikes.

[shoreguy]

If they have inroom ethernet (cat5) connections, I wonder why in the world anyone would spend $10 per day to rent a wireless card. And, the connection in most (not all) cases would be slower via the wireless. And, if cards only cost $40 or so these days, it makes even less sense. Wonder how much they charge to buy or rent a cable if somebody forgot it? Yikes.

 

Nobody does - most have a wireless equipped laptop and if not they can by a card for $30 before they go. As far as speed all connections share the same up-link which is the choke point no real difference in speed wire or wireless.

 

Don't expect the same performance as your dedicated broadband home or office connection ;)

[sjbdtz]

Nobody does - most have a wireless equipped laptop and if not they can by a card for $30 before they go. As far as speed all connections share the same up-link which is the choke point no real difference in speed wire or wireless.

 

Don't expect the same performance as your dedicated broadband home or office connection ;)

 

The reason some people prefer wireless, is when more than one person in a cabin needs to connect at the same time (and each has their own computer).

 

This is the case for us.....does anybody know if suite 9500 would have wireless coverage (maybe drifting down from the bridge?)

 

 

Thx.

[TITISSA]

Shoreguy and fellow cruisers,

 

We are booked on the Norwegian Jewel for Christmas this year. We have a Courtyard Villa. Does it come with a concierge and a butler and if yes what should we expect from them? Thanks.

[garycarla]

The reason some people prefer wireless, is when more than one person in a cabin needs to connect at the same time (and each has their own computer).This is the case for us.....does anybody know if suite 9500 would have wireless coverage (maybe drifting down from the bridge?) Thx.

 

As I understand it (not positive), but the normal shipboard communications use a different link than that offered for passengers, so any bridge signal might not be of any help.

 

At $.50 per minute, I would not expect you to be online that often, and causing conflicts. I thought I was a computer nut, but bringing two computers?

 

I have set my pop mail up to also pull email for my wife, leaving her computer at home. I am close to leaving mine, but then we would risk being stuck some airport for a day or more, and being able to watch movies is really nice.

[Dorothy]

I wanted to communicate with my daughter via email, too. I purchased a block of time ( I think an hour) on the computer. It is very simple to do and I never used it all up. The only thing......the best time to get a computer, was early, late or while everyone was in port. The teenagers dominated the computers the rest of the time.

[Froggitt]

The Wireless Access Points are in the corridors outside the staterooms on each deck.

[shoreguy]

The Wireless Access Points are in the corridors outside the staterooms on each deck.

 

Unlike the Dawn and older ships (limited areas) the Jewel and POHI are listed as having wireless access in all public areas.

 

http://www.ncl.com/download/internet_info.pdf

 

I found using the connection in my cabin faster and easier to do my daily upload and downloads. Normally took a quick peak here while the normal 10-20 mb of mail downloaded.:)

 

It is nice to able to go to any public area - java cafe, library, game room etc to check in and relax.

[sjbdtz]

As I understand it (not positive), but the normal shipboard communications use a different link than that offered for passengers, so any bridge signal might not be of any help.

 

At $.50 per minute, I would not expect you to be online that often, and causing conflicts. I thought I was a computer nut, but bringing two computers?

 

I have set my pop mail up to also pull email for my wife, leaving her computer at home. I am close to leaving mine, but then we would risk being stuck some airport for a day or more, and being able to watch movies is really nice.

 

VPN's..... :( :eek:

 

We're away for almost 4 weeks, with our pre & post travels....so the laptops are a requirement.

 

Plus, gotta program the pvr through the slingbox... :rolleyes:

 

 

I suppose we can live with cat5.....but wireless would be nice.

[shoreguy]

VPN's..... :( :eek:

 

 

No problem for me. VPN and token authentication worked fine on every cruise.

[garycarla]

Just remembered a problem I have run into a few times... forget which ships where I could receive email, but could not SEND POP mail. I think the outgoing mail server is the issue. I got around it my using webmail, but that is a pain.

[sjbdtz]

No problem for me. VPN and token authentication worked fine on every cruise.

 

 

Nor me....I was expliquing (pardon my french) to garycarla why we needed two laptops....because we each have work vpn's, and are not allowed to load the vpn software on machines other than the work machine.

 

 

thx!

 

Stephen