Upgrading Promo Wifi to Unlimited

Has anyone ever inquired on the possibility or cost of upgrading the promo 250 minutes free Wifi to unlimited once on the ship? I need to keep in contact with family who will be traveling overseas while I am cruising and don't want to be worrying about minutes, thought unlimited would be much easier. If anyone has any insight on this I'd appreciate your thoughts, thanks!

I didn't even know they had unlimited.

And isn't it all satellite!!? Have you ever used satellite internet? I had in rural Poland. Omg. It was horrific.

Depending on where your traveling . The internet might be totally useless.

Depending on where your traveling . The internet might be totally useless.

We have never had totally useless internet and that includes transatlantic and transpacific as well as Caribbean.

It's slow, but fine for email.

To OP -- to the best of my knowledge the internet package perk cannot be applied to cost of unlimited.

Has anyone ever inquired on the possibility or cost of upgrading the promo 250 minutes free Wifi to unlimited once on the ship?

The terms and conditions say that the promos are not customizable. One or two people have however reported being able to do what you are asking to do. So you can ask from the internet manager onboard, but remember that "no" is officially the correct answer.

Depending on where your traveling . The internet might be totally useless.

With regular itineraries the ship's position plays no role with the functionality of the internet connection. All major commercial shipping routes are well covered by the geo-stationary satellites, there are some blank spots on the globe but not in the places cruise ships normally sail.

We were on the escape February 27, we had the unlimited beverage pkg and wifi 250 minutes. We always get the unlimited wifi package on all our cruises . I thought I could upgrade too.

The explanation was that the promo was free and didn't have a value , so u couldn't upgrade.

We were able to switch to the wifi to the shore excursions , 50.00 in each port.

I would have gone with the dining package, but others we were traveling with didn't have it.

So the 150.00 I saved in shore excursions went to unlimited wifi.

The wifi has not been bad on any of the ships we have been on and there is wifi in most ports. If you are just checking emails and keeping in touch 250 minutes should be fine, just don't forget to log out.

I like playing my games on my iPad while I'm sitting on deck or on the balcony so unlimited is my choice.

Have w great cruise

Cecil

You might see if they will prorate the unlimited package after you use your 250 MB's.

All great info, thanks! I also like to play my games with coffee in the morning so unlimited was my preference to ensure I could keep in touch as well, I may explore swapping and applying that savings, that's good logic Cecil. :)

So you have the free 250 minute Wi-Fi.

Use your time wisely like you would text messaging.

Think about logging in - using it and logging off staying logged in only

when a response is expected by arrangement.

Have specific designated times for communication for this sort of traffic.

Don't hang on the internet waiting for a response unless the other party is

going to provide an immediate answer.

With 250 minutes on a 14 day cruise you have a time envelope of 17-18

minutes of daily time connection.

Compose your message on note pad word or other program - fire up your

internet connection and copy paste and send and get off the internet within

the minute for one chargeable minute - you should have 17 minutes for 17

daily messages this way. I believe that NCL uses a minimum connection

time factor of 1 minute for determining usage. Logging in takes a small

chunk of time just making the connection.

If you can find free or reduced rate Wi-Fi in a port of call do that to conserve

your NCL minutes. Use less time and carry it over to another day or time.

Alternatively have a cell phone and your carrier has service when your

ship is near a port - send text messages - save your Wi-Fi minutes.

Check out that option to see if that has significant savings.

The terms and conditions say that the promos are not customizable. One or two people have however reported being able to do what you are asking to do. So you can ask from the internet manager onboard, but remember that "no" is officially the correct answer.

 

 

 

 

With regular itineraries the ship's position plays no role with the functionality of the internet connection. All major commercial shipping routes are well covered by the geo-stationary satellites, there are some blank spots on the globe but not in the places cruise ships normally sail.

Cruises to Alaska have a lot blank spots where the Internet isn't aviable .

Skagway , Whittier and Tracy Arm don't have internet when there .

Also the course of the ship interferes with internet as well.

Has anyone ever inquired on the possibility or cost of upgrading the promo 250 minutes free Wifi to unlimited once on the ship? I need to keep in contact with family who will be traveling overseas while I am cruising and don't want to be worrying about minutes, thought unlimited would be much easier. If anyone has any insight on this I'd appreciate your thoughts, thanks!

Hi,

I asked the internet manager on the Getaway 2 weeks ago if I could pay the difference to upgrade from the 250 promo mins to the unlimited package.

Unfortunately, he said no as the package had no monetary value as someone above me mentioned. I figured it was worth a shot to ask.

I ended up purchasing the unlimited internet package as I need to be connected to check work and other things.

I gave my parents the 250 promo mins and they were shocked that it was used up so quickly just by checking emails due to the internet being so slow ( painfully slow as admitted by the internet manager) on the Getaway.

PS: Later in the week, we shared my internet package. One device at a time can log in, but it worked.

I usually use about 250 minutes per 7 day cruise. I log on check email. If answer required answer right away. Time per session usually about 5 minutes . Family knows that I check email three times a day.

Morning, noon and evening.

I was able to get one day waived on a 10 day cruise when I upgraded. A $29 value for a package that would cost over $100. Better then nothing.

I usually use about 250 minutes per 7 day cruise. I log on check email. If answer required answer right away. Time per session usually about 5 minutes . Family knows that I check email three times a day.

Morning, noon and evening.

Thanks for the example of use..... based on your numbers, you use 15 minutes a day x 7 which is 105 but probably subtract embark / disembark days because you would be using smart phone or calling or texting, etc so in reality it is 75 minutes total.

Does this sound close because I took the wifi promo and your use is in line with what I would be doing...... that would give wife almost 3 hours to do her Facebook thing during the week.

So you have the free 250 minute Wi-Fi.

Use your time wisely like you would text messaging.

Think about logging in - using it and logging off staying logged in only

when a response is expected by arrangement.

Have specific designated times for communication for this sort of traffic.

Don't hang on the internet waiting for a response unless the other party is

going to provide an immediate answer.

With 250 minutes on a 14 day cruise you have a time envelope of 17-18

minutes of daily time connection.

Compose your message on note pad word or other program - fire up your

internet connection and copy paste and send and get off the internet within

the minute for one chargeable minute - you should have 17 minutes for 17

daily messages this way. I believe that NCL uses a minimum connection

time factor of 1 minute for determining usage. Logging in takes a small

chunk of time just making the connection.

If you can find free or reduced rate Wi-Fi in a port of call do that to conserve

your NCL minutes. Use less time and carry it over to another day or time.

 

Alternatively have a cell phone and your carrier has service when your

ship is near a port - send text messages - save your Wi-Fi minutes.

Check out that option to see if that has significant savings.

Great info...... also, ships like the Breakaway are doing data not minutes so beware

Thanks for the example of use..... based on your numbers, you use 15 minutes a day x 7 which is 105 but probably subtract embark / disembark days because you would be using smart phone or calling or texting, etc so in reality it is 75 minutes total.

 

Does this sound close because I took the wifi promo and your use is in line with what I would be doing...... that would give wife almost 3 hours to do her Facebook thing during the week.

If I buy 250 minute package . I make sure to use it up.

I calculate how many pay as you go minutes will be required to be equivalent to the package .

I have the free wifi perk but I'm also setting up the Verizon $40 plan as I've used it before and it works great.

100 talk

100 outgoing text unlimited incoming

25 mg data

The talk and text are my priorities.

They won't pro rate. If you want unlimited, you will need to buy the unlimited plan in addition.

I have the free wifi perk but I'm also setting up the Verizon $40 plan as I've used it before and it works great.

 

100 talk

100 outgoing text unlimited incoming

 

25 mg data

 

The talk and text are my priorities.

I do this as well but you have to be careful (at least with Verizon) because I got burned by this......

If you sign up for the 100 plan just before your cruise..... your 100 is prorated for your billing cycle. So if you have a cycle end date on the 20th of the month and you are cruising the 8th thru 15th.... and you sign up for the 100 on the 7th then your 100 is prorated and may only be 49ish .... so make sure you sign up for the 100 on your cycle end date so you have the full 100 and then immediately cancel upon your return to save some money because you won't be using the remaining 5 days.

if you want the 100 plan on more than one device while travelling, Verizon Wireless requires each line to have their own separate 100 plan.... the 100 cannot be shared across devices on same account.

My husband purchased the unlimited WIFI on our 10 day Eastern Caribbean cruise last April. The cost was almost $300.00.

He overheard another passenger complain to the internet cafe attendant that his minutes had ended too soon. Apparently, the man forgot to log out afterward. You must log out or your minutes will be used up. Not an issue with the unlimited.

Our promo at booking time was paid DSC. We loved that one-------Hope that they bring it back.

Are you saying you can talk and text on the ship with this plan? I thought NCL blocked this capability?

I have the free wifi perk but I'm also setting up the Verizon $40 plan as I've used it before and it works great.

 

100 talk

100 outgoing text unlimited incoming

 

25 mg data

 

The talk and text are my priorities.

Take the free 250 minute plan and then purchase a separate unlimited plan and use separate logins and passwords. That way D/W and I can both cruise the web on our iPads simultaneously.

Since the 250 plan has "no value" NCL shouldn't be able to refuse the second, unlimited plan as well

Take the free 250 minute plan and then purchase a separate unlimited plan and use separate logins and passwords. That way D/W and I can both cruise the web on our iPads simultaneously.

 

 

 

Since the 250 plan has "no value" NCL shouldn't be able to refuse the second, unlimited plan as well

One person can have only one active package and login, but there is nothing stopping from the other passenger from purchasing their own.

Are you saying you can talk and text on the ship with this plan? I thought NCL blocked this capability?

You can use your cell phone on the ship using your normal international calling plan. Once you are out of range of shore cell towers, the ship turns on it's cell service. You can make voice calls and use roaming data on the ship's cell system.

Verizon offers a cruise ship plan specifically for NCL ships bundling free minutes and data.

My carrier, unfortunately, does not, and it would be VERY expensive to use my cell phone on the ship.

iConcierge offers you a flat rate phone and message service to use on the ship. All of the ship's crew have VOIP handiphones. iConcerge uses this VOIP system to connect your phone (via wifi) to the ship's phone system. Calls to other iConcierge phones on the ship are included in the flat rate. Calls from your iConcierge phone to the US costs $0.79/minute.

Cruises to Alaska have a lot blank spots where the Internet isn't aviable .

Skagway , Whittier and Tracy Arm don't have internet when there .

Also the course of the ship interferes with internet as well.

You need a new way to access the Internet. I always have it in Skagway, and Whittier. Tracy Arm is different because you are in the fjord and the sight lines are not right because of the high peaks.