Computer connection speed / blackberry ?

[seaver]

We have not cruised in over a year and our doing the full canal ( San Jaun to San Fan ) this month . Just wondering if speed has gotten any faster on board ship? Has anyone been able to use thier Blackberry/ Crackberry? And what is the lasted cost for in cabin connection per cruise? Thanks

[Mocorobabe]

Can't help with the second part of your question, but the speed on their computers is slow, slower and slowest.

[wraithe]

The speed has a lot to do with when you're online, early or late is pretty decent, if you wait until lunch time on a sea day, forget it, you'll be lucky to even connect. You're having to share the satellite connection with everyone else that wants to use it. Try to get on the internet when no one else is using it.

[seaver]

Thanks all.Anyone with blackberry help?

[irb33785-2]

Be careful of even turning on that Blackberry. If you are on the ship, or close to the ship, then you will be using their repeaters and they charge dearly for that. Since they are Bahamian registry, you will not get any satisfaction from you phone service provider either.

 

As to the computer, remember using a dial-up modem? That was faster.

[mjldvlks]

Thanks all.Anyone with blackberry help?

 

Remember that computers and Blackberrys access the internet through different systems. The computer accesses it more or less directly through a service provider [via satelite] while the Blackberry accesses it through the cell phone service. My wife has a Blackberry and was told that the rate for data transfers was $.02 per KB. That may not sound like a lot in the abstract, but that would make downloading a 2 MB photo a $40 job. Also, there was a story in the news recently about a guy who watched a football [NFL] game on his computer via an aircard [which also uses the cell system] and got a bill for something like $27,000. He got the charge removed because he could prove the ship was docked in Miami so he should have been charged only normal rates, but if the ship had been at sea, he would have been stuck.

 

Check with your provider to verify the rate, but I think you will want to disable your Blackberry's data download capability or leave the thing at home.

[AF-1]

I used my blackberry on my last cruise thru europe. I have tmobile. It worked fine; same speed as I get in the US

[oconnor10]

I used my blackberry on my last cruise thru europe. I have tmobile. It worked fine; same speed as I get in the US

 

Did you get hit with big charges for it? Just wondering if my employer might get a little annoyed with email charges. I wouldn't use it for the internet, just for receiving emails.

[AF-1]

I travel worrlwide on business so my blackberry use was charged to my company. I used it to get emails and make emergency phone calls. It was a good device to have for my family back in the states to contact me instead of going thru the ship. I told my company what I was doing, and that I was taking it along for limited emergency use only. They said that it was ok. I am doing a 12 day cruise thru Europe in May and will be taking it with me.

[jmom5]

my dh uses his blackberry everytime we cruise. we have tmobile, so depending on who you have it could be different, but tmobile has an international data plan for 19.99. the is plan gives you unlimited emailing (not text messaging, just email). just call customer care the day you are leaving on your cruise and they will add this to your account. then as soon as you get back, call and have the international planned canceled and they will prorate the price.

basically it ends up being less than 10 dollars to get all your emails while you are away, it's a great way to keep in touch with someone without calling them and getting charged an arm and a leg. also, we could access the internet on the phone and there were no additional charges for that. we couldn't always access every site depending on what time of day it was, but for the most part it was pretty normal.

[threeofus]

When we were in Europe last year DD had a TMobile Sidekick. We checked with them before we left and I guess we misunderstood.

So we let her use the internet. In fact we all used it...look this up...look that up...

 

When we got back the bill was 1,000 dollars for the three weeks we were away. I am not kidding.

 

DD was very apologetic, but honestly it wasn't her fault - we called to try to get them to lower it...but the charges stuck. They told us that happens all the time.

 

Another warning - she called to get her SAT subject test results - and that call was 80.00!

 

Just know that when you are "out there".