Wirelss Internet - Use of Ship Computers

[Tennessee88]

Hi- I will be on the Caribbean princess 12/17-12/24 and I was going to take my lap top- does anyone know how much the wireless access cost? and also does anyone know if you can use programs like skype or AIM or MSN messanger from the computers in the computer lab?

Thanks in advance

[Kerberos]

I just cruised on the Star and the price was 50 cents per minute in the internet cafe. The speed is comparible to dialup so it is a little slow. The "internet cafe" had MSN already on it (the web version). I would assume you could use msn if you used the wireless internet. Becareful though, it ads up very fast considering a lot of it is waiting for the pages to load.

[stormy75]

If you bring your laptop, you'll probably be disappointed, I was.

 

First, the smtp (outgoing email) has not been working for over 4 weeks. Thus, you cannot use Microsoft Outlook to send emails. I've always taken my laptop on other cruises, uploaded and downloaded emails, then written responses off-line. Not possible on Princess. The pop3 (incoming email) does work; however, if you use gmail, the smtp and pop3 have never worked, and you must use web-based email.

 

Because I must conduct business and respond to emails, Princess internet access was a big disappointment to me. My internet usage bill is as large as my dissatisfaction with the internet service.

 

Oh yes, you can't beat the system by opening up two Explorer windows, because the screen just shows "Done" with nothing showing, and you must refresh.

 

The cost? Unlike the Star (which is $.50 per minute), the CB charges are packages as follows: (1) .75 per minute if you don't choose a package; (2) $100 for 250 minutes; and, (3) $50 for 100 minutes. There is also a $3.95 setup charge for email under all 3 options. And, with the internet connection so slow, you'll go through lots of minutes.

 

With a day or so left on the cruise, they'll offer short term packages, something like $12 for 30 minutes, or $8 for 15 minutes.

 

I found a great internet cafe in St. Thomas, $.10 per minute. You can use your laptop there, and the pop3 and smtp works. Its located in something like the "Royal Crown Mall" which is about 2 blocks away from the Post Office. Everybody knew of this place when I asked if there were any internet cafes. Only other port of call was St. Martens, and I saw no internet cafes there.

[stormy75]

After my most recent cruise, and my frustration with not only slow service, but glitches in the system known to the company, I asked the internet room manager if I could just bring my own satellite dish.

 

It takes me about 15 minutes to align and setup my DirecWay satellite internet access. Must have view of southern sky, so could only use in ports if I had southern view.

 

He wasn't sure if I'd be allowed to bring my satellite dish with me -- its about 4' x 2'. But, I'd have been much happier.

 

Other than the internet, I enjoyed Princess immensely, and its now my favorite cruise line. I took back to backs, so maybe I could take 3 - 3 day cruises, and then I'd have free internet!!!

[Pam in CA]

He wasn't sure if I'd be allowed to bring my satellite dish with me -- its about 4' x 2'. But, I'd have been much happier.

Don't forget to bring your gymbal.

[bottomline]

Hi,

I would be very interested to hear

more about your satellite dish.

Thanks

[fti]

First, the smtp (outgoing email) has not been working for over 4 weeks. Thus, you cannot use Microsoft Outlook to send emails. I've always taken my laptop on other cruises, uploaded and downloaded emails, then written responses off-line. Not possible on Princess. The pop3 (incoming email) does work; however, if you use gmail, the smtp and pop3 have never worked, and you must use web-based email.

 

Because I must conduct business and respond to emails, Princess internet access was a big disappointment to me. My internet usage bill is as large as my dissatisfaction with the internet service.

 

I assume you don't know about EMail relay services such as dnsexit.com that allow you to send EMails from any internet connection with ease. I pay $1.25/month and can send outgoing EMails from my software such as Outlook Express, Thunderbird Mozilla, etc.

 

I also must conduct some business and respond to EMails while traveling. I generally used the internet in the ports, but I also bought wireless internet access on the ship for the times I really needed to connect on board. I was on the Diamond and though it was slow, it worked fine.

 

John

[il professore]

Unless you're doing business, it's probably cheaper to use the ship's internet cafe to check e-mail and clearing spam messages. Why else would you want to use the internet on vacation?

[turbo46032]

Has anyone looked into the possibility of using GPRS over cellphone and a laptop with Bluetooth or wired connection to the phone? :confused: Cingular claims that data service is available most anywhere in the Carribeans, pricey, but a lot better than 50c/minute for sub-dial-up speeds...

[Marque]

On one trip on the Regal Princess roundtrip from Los Angeles to Hawaii, we used the modem function of my wife's cell phone and dialed a local access number in every island we visited. We went up to the card room next to the casino and dialed the local access number. Then the person who was not using the laptop assumed the "Statue of Liberty" position holding the cell phone aloft while the other person downloaded or sent email as the case may be. Then we switched position. It was a little slow but it worked great, and the charge was a lot less than at the Internet Cafe. Princess did not have any wireless connection in those days.

 

I've considered my own dish but the connect time was too pricey for me back then.

[rjack22]

That would probably work in Hawaii just fine as that is US. But I doubt you would have much luck in the Caribbean for example. You have to have a workable cell phone signal first. Also with todays cell phones the carriers have them disabled from many features that you used to be able to use.

 

I can speak for Verizon that they do this. If you have a older phone you still might be able to do this. But they cripple the newer phones now. There are ways to enable those features again, but it involves some editing of your phones software and has a risk if you are not careful.

 

But as you found out, it is great if you can do it!

[CrusinAgain]

Hi- I will be on the Caribbean princess 12/17-12/24 and I was going to take my lap top- does anyone know how much the wireless access cost? and also does anyone know if you can use programs like skype or AIM or MSN messanger from the computers in the computer lab?

Thanks in advance

 

I have been on that ship twice this year and both times the programs were different. However, neither time could I use an instant message program. Using your own computer cost .75 a minute and it was generally only around the atrium area where the best reception was from others I saw using it. In October the cost was .35 a minute in the internet cafe, however I just read where another cruiser said it went up to .75 a minute. The internet satellite was on the slower side as I was told it is constantly trying to find the satellite as the ship is moving so don't expect fast speeds.

[hinkley]

W e have just returned from our cruise to Hawaii on The Island Princes, I took a laptop & was able to use Skype , ( Skype is not accessable from the ships PCs as downloads are not possible) I was able to talk a Skype contact in UK, I also made a phonecall via Skype to UK , which cost 52 cents a min as opposed to the ships $4 .00 per min. I have Yahoo e-mail I received & sent OK. The service seeme slow sometimes I had spent $1.50 befor I accessed a websire.