Internet access needs attention

[dwelsh]

Please FDR take note and reduce the steepest rates at sea on board "O"

 

 

Staying Connected at Sea

 

Using the cabin telephone on a cruise vacation is now as passe as the midnight buffet. For that matter, $10 a minute satellite phone calls are also nearly extinct, thanks to the cruise industry's efforts to embrace the very latest satellite and wireless communications technologies.

 

Personal cell phones, BlackBerries and other digital communications devices keep people connected with home and the office on many of today's cruise ships. The cruise lines have made this possible by teaming with Wireless Maritime Services (WMS), which has roaming agreements with more than 300 carriers in 180 countries, to provide this service. These include U.S. carriers AT&T (Cingular), Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and Alltel. SeaMobile, a WMS competitor, also provides this service to the cruise industry.

 

International roaming charges apply when calling or text-messaging from sea, ranging from $2-$5 per minute. But, this still beats what one pays if the stateroom telephone is used – up to $25 per minute on some cruise lines. Once a ship comes within 12 miles of shore, local land-based cellular operators with their own roaming charges and airtime rates take over.

 

For those guests who want to stay connected with the outside world via the Web, Internet cafes are now considered standard on ships and a great place for grabbing a coffee, checking e-mail and mixing with other passengers. Today, most ships also offer Wi-Fi access for guests bringing their own laptop computers or renting them from the cruise line.

 

Onboard wireless Internet locations typically include lounges, bars, clubs, cafes, atriums and select open decks, including poolside locations. Some ships offer Wi-Fi access in the staterooms. Guests can pay up to 75 cents per minute for wireless access, or they can pre-purchase minutes in bulk at lower rates, typically $40-$55 for 100 minutes; $75-$100 for 250.

[raf411]

Please FDR take note and reduce the steepest rates at sea on board "O"

 

 

Staying Connected at Sea

 

Using the cabin telephone on a cruise vacation is now as passe as the midnight buffet. For that matter, $10 a minute satellite phone calls are also nearly extinct, thanks to the cruise industry's efforts to embrace the very latest satellite and wireless communications technologies.

 

Personal cell phones, BlackBerries and other digital communications devices keep people connected with home and the office on many of today's cruise ships. The cruise lines have made this possible by teaming with Wireless Maritime Services (WMS), which has roaming agreements with more than 300 carriers in 180 countries, to provide this service. These include U.S. carriers AT&T (Cingular), Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and Alltel. SeaMobile, a WMS competitor, also provides this service to the cruise industry.

 

International roaming charges apply when calling or text-messaging from sea, ranging from $2-$5 per minute. But, this still beats what one pays if the stateroom telephone is used – up to $25 per minute on some cruise lines. Once a ship comes within 12 miles of shore, local land-based cellular operators with their own roaming charges and airtime rates take over.

 

For those guests who want to stay connected with the outside world via the Web, Internet cafes are now considered standard on ships and a great place for grabbing a coffee, checking e-mail and mixing with other passengers. Today, most ships also offer Wi-Fi access for guests bringing their own laptop computers or renting them from the cruise line.

 

Onboard wireless Internet locations typically include lounges, bars, clubs, cafes, atriums and select open decks, including poolside locations. Some ships offer Wi-Fi access in the staterooms. Guests can pay up to 75 cents per minute for wireless access, or they can pre-purchase minutes in bulk at lower rates, typically $40-$55 for 100 minutes; $75-$100 for 250.

 

Just learned that Oceania get $80 for 100 minutes, i.e., 80¢/min. Just copied this from their website:

Rates:

• $.95/minute with no package

• 100 minutes for $80. Extra minutes are .80/minute

• 200 minutes for $140. Extra minutes are .70/minute

• 500 minutes for $300. Extra minutes are $.60/minute

 

Ruth

[mike35]

FDR is, I'm sure, well aware of the issue of internet pricing, which is the highest at sea. This has been discussed for the past few years, and it remains the same; and probably will do so in perpetuity. Live with it, or do as I do - use internet cafes in the ports, which are usually less than USD$5 per hour.

[hondorner]

It's my understanding that Oceania has SeaMobile available. I have not heard what users are paying for typical rates. I believe those rates are set by SeaMobile. I don't know if the cruise line gets a kickback. I will have my Sprint phone and my laptop with Sprint AirCard with me on our upcoming trip. I may try them out, briefly, just to see what the rates are like. I won't use them a lot, however, because I don't want to ruin my reputation as a mise...thrifty person.

[29pearls]

We just got back from our first Oceania cruise (Nautica, Athens to Rome, 11/05/07 sail), and although we had an outstanding time, and highly recommend Oceania on most accounts, especially for the service and food, we were quite disappointed with the internet services.

 

As if being extraordinarily expensive was not enough, the connection was painfully slow, so the minutes were used up much faster than if at high speed. This is completely unacceptable in this day and age, compared with other cruise lines. I'm sure most people believe that a vacation should be computer-less, but we needed internet to webcam with our young children that had school work to keep up with while we were gone. We managed to keep in touch, but it was more difficult and expensive than it had to be, IMO.

 

I hope Oceania does something about this. Please no bashing, I think Oceania is a superior cruise line otherwise!

 

Silvia

[tgg]

To find internet access ashore, just ask some crew members. They know the least expensive internet cafes in every port and they'll also give you great directions.

[Aussie Gal]

To find internet access ashore, just ask some crew members. They know the least expensive internet cafes in every port and they'll also give you great directions.

 

That is all very well, but when in Port we want to see and do as much as possible and usually haven't the time to be spending in internet cafes, whereas when we are at sea we do have time to send our emails etc. especially when on a long cruise.

 

Jennie

[derricj]

That is all very well, but when in Port we want to see and do as much as possible and usually haven't the time to be spending in internet cafes, whereas when we are at sea we do have time to send our emails etc. especially when on a long cruise.

 

Jennie

 

This may help. If all you want to do is send and receive e-mail you can do so rather inexpensively. O gives you a logon name and you select either e-mail or internet access. The charge for e-mail is $2 per address. No matter how many pages or how long it takes to write it. $2.00. So, write one note to one person and have them relay to other people. If they send you a return note it also costs $2.00.

 

The only time you are charged by the minute is when you access the internet.

 

jd:D :D

[Aussie Gal]

I would prefer to bring my own laptop, write my emails in word off line and then send them when we find the WiFi access on board the ship. I daresay doing it that way, I shouldn't run up hundreds of dollars in the 35 days we will be on board. I hope not anyway, otherwise I won't have a husband at the end of the cruise!

 

I know that on HAL you get cheaper packages, and you can get specials if you sign up early.

 

On Princess if you are a Platinum cruiser, you do receive 250 minutes for free.

 

Jennie

[mike35]

On Princess if you are a Platinum cruiser, you do receive 250 minutes for free.

 

Jennie

 

Princess Platinum (6 or more cruises) internet benefits are based on the length of the cruise. 1-7 days -- 150 minutes; 8-20 days -- 250 minutes; 21+ days - 500 minutes. Unfortunately, this only applies to the use of Princess' computers; wireless (using your own laptop) doesn't qualify (unfortunately).

[Aussie Gal]

Mike,

 

I found that out the other day on another post. In that case when we cruise to Alaska in September on the T.P. I will be leaving my laptop at home and using the ship's computers.

 

Jennie