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Quick cruise question
- Thread starter AppleFan360
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^Do this
I went on a cruise this past summer and I had my iPhone on airplane mode the entire time. I paid for wifi access on the ship and placed a few calls back home via the Skype app. Otherwise, I just enjoyed my time without being "connected."
REALLY? Show me one Carnival Ship FLAGGED in the US. Just cause your company is a US company does not mean anything about where it is flagged!
If a ship is flagged under U.S. law, it becomes subject to much more restrictive rules about how the workers are treated. That is the main reason why ships are flagged from other countries.
I'm going on a cruise this summer and have researched the whole wifi thing pretty extensively. Your best option for wifi would probably be to wait until you are in port, and find an internet cafe that will give you free or (relatively) cheap wifi access. As far as calls go, unless you really need to be available, I would suggest the same as the wifi - keep the phone in airplane mode and only use the int'l roaming while in port. While the ship is in port, it turns the cell signal off, so you would be using the local service once you are back on solid ground.
As far as the cell service goes, check out http://www.cellularatsea.com/ for rates. If you're an AT&T customer, it's $2.49/minute, and there does not seem to be any additional fees levied by the cruise line.
I know Carnival charges $0.75/minute for wifi access, with packages available at a discount, so skype would be a much cheaper option, though I've heard the bandwidth leaves something to be desired.
As far as the cell service goes, check out http://www.cellularatsea.com/ for rates. If you're an AT&T customer, it's $2.49/minute, and there does not seem to be any additional fees levied by the cruise line.
I know Carnival charges $0.75/minute for wifi access, with packages available at a discount, so skype would be a much cheaper option, though I've heard the bandwidth leaves something to be desired.
That's interesting, it seems a little fishy to be operating primarily out of a U.S. port but not be U.S. flagged... I've seen it done state to state before though...
Wanted to follow this up.
I went on the cruise last month. It was Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas. I just got my iPhone bill.
Incoming text messages were free. Outgoing text were 50 cents each.
I didn't make any outgoing calls while at sea but the incoming calls were 99 cents per minute and the ship did not charge anything on top of that. The calls were classified on the bill as incoming international collect. I did receive a few voice mails but I did not retrieve them while on the ship thus I didn't get charged for them.
I had data roaming off.
I purchased a 100 minute wifi package on board which gave me plenty of basic internet for the week. I was able to check my e-mail, and do web browsing. I was even able to check my IP cameras at home to see if everything was OK. The speed really wasn't all that bad. As long as I had a strong wifi signal, I would get anywhere from 1-2 mbps download and .5 mpbs upload.
I used iMessage while on wifi to send pictures and such. As I said, speed was not as bad as everyone made it out to be.
Basically, I left my iPhone turned on much of the time without issue and people were able to get a hold of me if needed. The trick is to make darn sure that data roaming is turned off and to let people call you. It's cheaper that way.
I went on the cruise last month. It was Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas. I just got my iPhone bill.
Incoming text messages were free. Outgoing text were 50 cents each.
I didn't make any outgoing calls while at sea but the incoming calls were 99 cents per minute and the ship did not charge anything on top of that. The calls were classified on the bill as incoming international collect. I did receive a few voice mails but I did not retrieve them while on the ship thus I didn't get charged for them.
I had data roaming off.
I purchased a 100 minute wifi package on board which gave me plenty of basic internet for the week. I was able to check my e-mail, and do web browsing. I was even able to check my IP cameras at home to see if everything was OK. The speed really wasn't all that bad. As long as I had a strong wifi signal, I would get anywhere from 1-2 mbps download and .5 mpbs upload.
I used iMessage while on wifi to send pictures and such. As I said, speed was not as bad as everyone made it out to be.
Basically, I left my iPhone turned on much of the time without issue and people were able to get a hold of me if needed. The trick is to make darn sure that data roaming is turned off and to let people call you. It's cheaper that way.
I'd set Airplane mode before leaving international waters, and only use foreign SIM cards in port.
GMRS or eXRS radios are supposed to be good for communicating on-ship. Too bad you can't call other people on the ship for free- you'd think they could figure that out. Or better yet, an OpenBTS system, but that's way above most people's heads...
GMRS or eXRS radios are supposed to be good for communicating on-ship. Too bad you can't call other people on the ship for free- you'd think they could figure that out. Or better yet, an OpenBTS system, but that's way above most people's heads...
That's pretty cool! The ship lines really need to make wifi on board much more affordable. With so many people connected especially with their business, it would just make sense and might entice more people to sail. (Please don't preach to me about being on vacation. Not everyone is the same. Some people like to be connected for various reason.)When you go on a Princess Cruise they give you free wifi minutes per person. It depends on the the length of the cruise in what they give you. You make out great when you can use someone else's minutes, too.So far I never had to buy minutes.
It's a way they can make a crapload of money, especially when the margins on their regular service are probably razor thin.
The other issue is that since they use satellite, if they didn't price it so high that no one uses it, it would get so bogged down that no one would be able to use it. So same end result.
Princess and free wifi.
Princess Line does not give everyone free wifi minutes for every cruise. We went on a seven day to Alaska last year and did not get that. That might be the case with longer cruises and if you cruise with them on future cruises you do get some free time as a return customer. I just wanted to clarify this . I realize that this is an old thread , but wanted to clarify in case things had changed . We went in June of 2012.
Princess Line does not give everyone free wifi minutes for every cruise. We went on a seven day to Alaska last year and did not get that. That might be the case with longer cruises and if you cruise with them on future cruises you do get some free time as a return customer. I just wanted to clarify this . I realize that this is an old thread , but wanted to clarify in case things had changed . We went in June of 2012.
This confuses me. Is this VOIP or something?
So no matter what this is, $1 per minute doesn't deter you?
But yes, anytime people say WIFI, we are talking about VOIP, and no the on-board Starbuck doesn't provide free WIFI.
Cruises nickle&dime u too? go figure! ^)
According to our info for a cruise the end of this month their wifi on Holland America is $50 for 100 minutes I think. I will check on that though. I'm not sure if I will buy a plan for my iPad for one month international, or for my phone.I will check with my carrier on details . Feel free to ad any info you might have. The IPad is AT&T, and the phone Verizon. I would go without it altogether, but we will be gone for 40 days and need to check online occasionally.
I've used WiFi on both Carnival and RC ships, and it is unbelievably slow. Like dial up slow. In all likelihood, not fast enough to have a Skype or FaceTime conversation. Plus there's a lot of latency as it's satellite.
You're better off waiting until you get to port. You'll find some cheap or free WiFi that works reasonably well. And per minute roaming rates for calling are cheaper in port too. But if you insist on having data on your phone or iPad, check with your carrier and make sure those monthly international plans include cruise ships or else you'll be in for a nice surprise when you get your next bill.
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The $1/minute charge is not specifically for VoIP. It's for WiFi. You can attempt to use it for VoIP (good luck). You have to sign in so they can bill it to your account. And you have to remember to sign out. Of course, you have to go to some URL to sign out and they don't always make it readily available, so I'm sure many people never sign out. I'm sure it signs you out automatically after a period of inactivity, but imagine all the money they're making.
You're better off waiting until you get to port. You'll find some cheap or free WiFi that works reasonably well. And per minute roaming rates for calling are cheaper in port too. But if you insist on having data on your phone or iPad, check with your carrier and make sure those monthly international plans include cruise ships or else you'll be in for a nice surprise when you get your next bill.
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So no matter what this is, $1 per minute doesn't deter you?
But yes, anytime people say WIFI, we are talking about VOIP, and no the on-board Starbuck doesn't provide free WIFI.
Cruises nickle&dime u too? go figure! ^)
The $1/minute charge is not specifically for VoIP. It's for WiFi. You can attempt to use it for VoIP (good luck). You have to sign in so they can bill it to your account. And you have to remember to sign out. Of course, you have to go to some URL to sign out and they don't always make it readily available, so I'm sure many people never sign out. I'm sure it signs you out automatically after a period of inactivity, but imagine all the money they're making.