Internet sevice on a cruise?

Question

We are a family of home schoolers so we use our laptops for school,

so we are wondering if internet service is available and if so what is the charge?

Answer 1

One more thing to add:  while the ships have internet service, it is satellite based and EXTREMELY SLOW.  Think "My very first dial up 14.4k modem".  So if you think you will need 15 minutes a day, count on 30-45.

Answer 2

I have been on many cruises with several cruise lines and they all have internet service and most now also have WiFi.  But, the internet service is really expensive, about $50 to $60 and hour, and for WiFi there are "hot stops" on ships rather than the service being available in your cabin.  Ships have an internet cafe but depending upon which cruise line and ship you go on some are nice places and other are just so-so.

All of the cruise lines generally offer packages which reduce the price of on line time to about $.50 cents a minute or less, but if you are talking about 2 or 3 kids and a lot of on line time you will spend BIG bucks.  

A better option would be to find an internet cafe when you get to your port stops.  I have done this all over the Caribbean and world.  You can usually get internet service in these places for about $5. to $7. an hour.

Here's a sample of charges from Royal Caribbean:

Q:   Is Internet access available from the ship?

A:  Yes, depending on the ship there are two options for staying connected while onboard.

Wireless Internet Access (Wi-Fi)

There will be six designated *"Hot Spots" which vary from ship to ship.

To use our WI-FI access, you'll need:

A laptop

Windows operating system

802.11b Wireless networking capability

The cost for Wi-Fi access through your own laptop is:

Base rate is $.55 per minute or choose from one of our prepaid packages:

$28.00 for 60 minutes

$38.00 for 90 minutes

$55.00 for 150 minutes

All prices are subject to change without notice.

The Internet Cafe/Workstation

These stations provide access to e-mail and the Internet, plus direct connections to favorite websites for stock, sports and entertainment updates. You can also send virtual postcards while at sea, and in ports-of-call worldwide. If you don't have an e-mail account, you can also establish one onboard.

The cost is $.55 per minute or you can choose a prepaid package:

$28.00 for 60 minutes

$38.00 for 90 minutes

$55.00 for 150 minutes

This is from Norwegian:

All our ships are equipped with 24 hour Internet Cafés. Give your friends and family back home your personalized email address (printed on your cruise ticket) and stay in touch throughout your cruise.  Wireless internet (also known as WI-Fi) is also available throughout NCL's entire fleet.

All our ships are equipped with 24 hour Internet Cafés hosted by MTN, and offer the following services.

Service Price

Terminal usage time

$0.75 per minute

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

Personalized Cruise-mail™

$3.95 per email transmission (send only)

$0.99 offered in the staterooms only through the ITV television on the NCL Jewel, Pride of America and Pride of Hawaii

In Stateroom Access - currently available

on the Norwegian Sun, Pride of Aloha and

Pride of America.

Normal usage fee $0.75 per minute.

Dial up access: Diskettes for dial up network access and cable is $10 (available at reception desk - fee refundable when diskette is returned)

Wireless Internet Service for laptop usage

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

Access to printers  $0.50 per page

This is from Carnival:

Can I access the internet while on board?

For those guests who want the option of staying connected to the rest of the world, we proudly offer access to the internet in our onboard Internet Cafés and wireless networks using the ships own satellite connection. The Internet Café is open 24-hours a day and features private terminals with the latest flat panel computer monitors. Guests will have the ability to send and receive e-mail, chat online and access the full internet. Guests can also access their own e-mail account through AOL, Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo, etc. Guests will have the option to create their very own temporary e-mail account with our "CruiseE-mail"™.

Wireless internet access is available across our entire fleet. Depending on the vessel, we have either limited wireless access in and around the shipboard internet café and select public areas or a complete "Bow2stern" wireless network. The complete "Bow2stern" wireless network is currently available on Carnival Imagination, Carnival Inspiration, Carnival Pride, Carnival Legend, Carnival Victory, Carnival Valor, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Freedom and Carnival Splendor.

The "Bow2Stern" network allows our guests to enjoy Internet access from literally anywhere on board, including all public areas, lounges, bars and pool decks, guest suites and cabins. To take full advantage of this feature, guests should bring their personal laptops along with them, as the number of laptops available for rent onboard is limited. In addition, this network provides supports the latest Wi-Fi enabled iPhones, PalmPilots and Blackberrys.

Internet Café Price List

We have several options available to guests wishing to use the internet service. the below options are available. Please note that the internet pricing options* are identical, whether an Internet Café terminal is utilized, or a laptop.

• An initial one-time Activation Fee of $3.95 applies to each user.

• A basic time charge of $0.75 per minute ("Pay-As-You-Go") is available. Minutes are rounded to the next full minute.

Discounted Time Plans

Discounted Time Plans offer guests the opportunity to enjoy a lower per-minute rate. These Time Plans do not have to be used in a single session and can be used anytime throughout the cruise until debarkation. Please note that there is no refund for unused minutes on these Time Plans and upgrading selected pricing options is not available. Plans are subject to change.

Cruises less than six days in length:

• 30 minutes for $16.50 ($0.55 per minute)

• 60 minutes for $24.00 ($0.40 per minute)

Cruises six days in length and longer:

• 100 minutes for $55.00 ($0.55 per minute)

• 250 minutes for $100.00 ($0.40 per minute)

Wireless Network Cards and Laptop Rental

Guests can rent a Wireless Network Card -- to connect their laptops to the ship's wireless signal -- at the rate or $10.00 per day. Optional insurance can also be purchased for $3.00 per day. These fees are in addition to the Internet price plans. A limited number of laptops are available for guests to rent with a Time Plan purchase for an additional $10.00 per day, with optional insurance is also available for $3.00 per day.

*All internet access charges will be billed directly to the guest's onboard "Sail & Sign" Account. In addition, when using a Café terminal, files can be downloaded as "read only" but cannot be saved, since a floppy disk cannot be inserted into the PC's. Users who bring their own laptop can read and save files without restriction.

FINALLY, it has been my experience that cruise ships' internet service is slow and unpredictable, especially when the ship is moving and more so when the ship is rocking.  My guess is its difficult to keep a steady satellite signal when the ship is moving and/or rocking.  So find an internet cafe in a port; just ask the cabin steward and/or wait staff, they know where because they find and use them.

Answer 3

Internet is available for a price.

look at your cruise companies website, they should have the rates currently.

they usually sell blocks of time.

have a wonderful time on your cruise.

Answer 4

It depends on the cruise company.  You will have to check as it varies from cruise to cruise.  The information can usually be found on their website.

Answer 5

Tracy, I recommend that you leave the laptops at home and enjoy the vacation. Take notes on paper or with cameras.

Internet service is horribly expensive on all cruise lines. There will be plenty to do without being on the www.

Regards,

Dan

Answer 6

It depends on the ship. Generally it something like $10-$25 an hour. It gets pretty expensive so unless you can't live without it I would steer clear of it. Also if you use your laptops on most ships there is only WiFi in some places (not ship wide). It is also extremely slow, Worse then dial-up

Answer 7

Like tinkertoy said, there is internet available on the ship, but it is really expensive. He is right, it is A LOT cheaper if you go to an internet cafe of some sort at the port of call. There's always one that you can find.

Since tinkertoy told you about Royal Caribbean and Norwegian I'll do some of the other cruise lines

This is for Celebrity:

All of our ships have Internet Cafes. Internet access is available in the Internet Café 24 hours a day until 6:00 AM on debarkation Day.

Wireless access points are located in several areas around the ship. To access wireless internet, you will need to bring along your own laptop.

In order to take advantage of this service, the guest must bring their own laptop, which must have the following requirements:

• Windows-based operating systems

• Internal modem

• Dial-up Internet capabilities

• Wireless access card.

Internet minutes are available at 5 different rates:

• $0.65 cents per minute with no package.

• $40 for 75 minutes

• $60 for 125 minutes

• $80 for 185 minutes

• $100 for 260 minutes.

Please Note:

• Apple MAC default browser (Safari) is not compatible with the Wireless network onboard. Please obtain Firefox or Internet Explorer for MAC prior to accessing the Wireless system onboard.

Here is Carnival:

Can I access the internet while on board?



For those guests who want the option of staying connected to the rest of the world, we proudly offer access to the internet in our onboard Internet Cafés and wireless networks using the ships own satellite connection. The Internet Café is open 24-hours a day and features private terminals with the latest flat panel computer monitors. Guests will have the ability to send and receive e-mail, chat online and access the full internet. Guests can also access their own e-mail account through AOL, Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo, etc. Guests will have the option to create their very own temporary e-mail account with our "CruiseE-mail"™.

Wireless internet access is available across our entire fleet. Depending on the vessel, we have either limited wireless access in and around the shipboard internet café and select public areas or a complete "Bow2stern" wireless network. The complete "Bow2stern" wireless network is currently available on Carnival Imagination, Carnival Inspiration, Carnival Pride, Carnival Legend, Carnival Victory, Carnival Valor, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Freedom and Carnival Splendor.

The "Bow2Stern" network allows our guests to enjoy Internet access from literally anywhere on board, including all public areas, lounges, bars and pool decks, guest suites and cabins. To take full advantage of this feature, guests should bring their personal laptops along with them, as the number of laptops available for rent onboard is limited. In addition, this network provides supports the latest Wi-Fi enabled iPhones, PalmPilots and Blackberrys.

Internet Café Price List

We have several options available to guests wishing to use the internet service. the below options are available. Please note that the internet pricing options* are identical, whether an Internet Café terminal is utilized, or a laptop.

• An initial one-time Activation Fee of $3.95 applies to each user.

• A basic time charge of $0.75 per minute ("Pay-As-You-Go") is available. Minutes are rounded to the next full minute.

Discounted Time Plans

Discounted Time Plans offer guests the opportunity to enjoy a lower per-minute rate. These Time Plans do not have to be used in a single session and can be used anytime throughout the cruise until debarkation. Please note that there is no refund for unused minutes on these Time Plans and upgrading selected pricing options is not available. Plans are subject to change.

Cruises less than six days in length:

• 30 minutes for $16.50 ($0.55 per minute)

• 60 minutes for $24.00 ($0.40 per minute)

Cruises six days in length and longer:

• 100 minutes for $55.00 ($0.55 per minute)

• 250 minutes for $100.00 ($0.40 per minute)

Wireless Network Cards and Laptop Rental

Guests can rent a Wireless Network Card -- to connect their laptops to the ship's wireless signal -- at the rate or $10.00 per day. Optional insurance can also be purchased for $3.00 per day. These fees are in addition to the Internet price plans. A limited number of laptops are available for guests to rent with a Time Plan purchase for an additional $10.00 per day, with optional insurance is also available for $3.00 per day.

*All internet access charges will be billed directly to the guest's onboard "Sail & Sign" Account. In addition, when using a Café terminal, files can be downloaded as "read only" but cannot be saved, since a floppy disk cannot be inserted into the PC's. Users who bring their own laptop can read and save files without restriction.



Hope this helps.