New internet package e-mail from P&O

Hi all

Just left Ventura on Friday. We bought the 7.95 package for 1 day and only because it was our son's 21st birthday as he wanted to access Facebook.

 

It was for 24 hours timed from when you first logged in which I thought was a rip off as we all need to sleep! It only allowed access to Facebook, twitter and what's app, not emails or other websites. The speed was ok.

 

I think the prices are extortionate and would not have purchased if the day in question hadn't been a sea day.

 

Judith

Ther is no way I will pay £7.95 for 24 hour Internet and no email. My family will just have to wait till we reach land and I will contact them then. Would rather pay that for a couple beer of beers in a wifi cafe or bar. I will be telling them when we go on the world cruise, no news is good news and they can just text me if necessary, as if it's urgent I would expect them to call the ship. I thought there £30 for 100 mins was bad enough but the new cost are totally ridiculous. Can't see many people paying those costs.

I really find it difficult to understand how any of these companies can justify the extortionate charges they make for Internet access.

 

I understand there are far greater limits to bandwidth than available on shore but it's quite possible to restrict access to sites which consume large amounts of data (e.g video streaming) whilst allowing access to email etc. but at a reasonable cost.

 

At a time when WiFi is so freely available on land and more and more people seem to need access to the Internet for whatever reasons, it's time that this is offered at a fair and reasonable price.

 

These prices are neither fair nor reasonable and we'll just have to keep finding those Internet hot spots when we go ashore.

It's a completely different system than that used on land. Ships use a satellite system that has very, very expensive data transmission costs. Although the new systems are getting faster speeds, it still costs a lot to connect and use.

It's a completely different system than that used on land. Ships use a satellite system that has very, very expensive data transmission costs. Although the new systems are getting faster speeds, it still costs a lot to connect and use.

Having worked in IT for over 40 years I'm very aware that they use a satellite system for data transmission. However that doesn't in any way justify the ludicrous costs that they now wish to charge. In addition they need to have these systems for the use of crew and their own communications.

It was bad enough with the old charging system but at least you could do most things offline and then connect to collect emails, log off prepare responses offline and then logon to send again.

Yes it was slow but many lines are significantly improving their speeds and not asking people to pay the "rip-off" prices that P&O are.

Like many others have commented, we certainly won't be purchasing any of these options and I suspect that there'll be a significant decline in sales and thus revenue for P&O.

Just back from fab cruise on Ventura and can confirm that the internet as stated. You can purchase this each day or it gives you the option for the whole cruise. We used it for a couple of days for £12.50 each 24 hours. My elder son also used the £7.95 package a couple of days. I didn't let my youngest son know, as he would have wanted to use it every day! You can only use one device at a time. The speed was a little improved from last year and when we used the computers in the library it seemed faster there too, obviously not as fast as at home but adequate.

Just back from fab cruise on Ventura and can confirm that the internet as stated. You can purchase this each day or it gives you the option for the whole cruise. We used it for a couple of days for £12.50 each 24 hours. My elder son also used the £7.95 package a couple of days. I didn't let my youngest son know, as he would have wanted to use it every day! You can only use one device at a time. The speed was a little improved from last year and when we used the computers in the library it seemed faster there too, obviously not as fast as at home but adequate.

Were there any 'discounts' if you purchased a package for the whole cruise?

I take it there is no longer the option to buy minutes like before now?

As sad as it is I like to be in constant contact with my business, Done anthem last year on its t/a found there Internet to be superb, was on Ventura in May and found p&o pay as you go Internet to be a complete rip off , log on for 5 mins and it takes 15 off, on brittania in August and hoping its a one off reasonable fee for constant internet, that way I can receive and send e mails with the added advantage of making sure there are no unwanted Pokemon onboard.😘

No there was no discount for purchasing in bulk, but I have to say the speed wasn't too bad and as you purchased it for 24 hours, you didn't get stressed by the amount of time it took to load like before, I think this is probably one of the reasons why they have changed it.

The following is taken directly from the P&O FAQ's so it seems that the answer of what's available is as clear as mud.

Satellite internet packages

We are currently updating the satellite internet service across our entire fleet. Due to the nature of the changes being made to our satellite internet service, at present, we are unable to confirm which packages will be available on-board during your holiday - this information will be available from your ship. What we can guarantee however, is that as a minimum, for £30 satellite internet credit, you will receive 100 minutes of satellite internet time. (Dependant on the packages available on-board, there may also be a one-time £2.50 activation fee) Head to the Library or Cyb@Study on-board to confirm your satellite internet package and redeem your credit. Once you have booked your holiday, visit Cruise Personaliser to find out how to purchase internet credit.

Once on-board, your internet credit can be used to purchase a satellite internet package - your ship will confirm which type of internet package is available.

There is a way around the 3 devices if you buy a travel router (£20ish), it logs onto the Wi-Fi and then you log onto the router. I have a Netgear one, means you can spread the cost, ahem.

Mike

Did you connect the travel router via ethernet cable from behind the tv

No, it connects to the wireless signal then has its own logon (it can connect via Ethernet). The router is the only connection to the ships wireless but will allow as many devices to connect to itself as you like. The Ethernet cable on the ship is useless unfortunately, different network.

So much easier and free just to wait until you dock, then use the wifi in the terminal or nearby coffee places. I haven't had a problem yet.

Even though they tell you otherwise; you CAN get your emails on the £7.75 package, but I still think it's too expensive.

We managed to get free Wifi in Akureyri last week at the shop where we bought souvenirs.

All was well, with about 12 people doing their emails, until an old American woman made a skype call, chucking everyone off instantly. She was totally oblivious to the fury around her!

I have to say that murder was almost done...

I agree with most of the other comments: the new prices are absolutely extortionate. I have houses-sitters looking after our dog and three cats, and also elderly relatives so need to check emails or what's app every day, just in case..... I also tweet every day. All of that takes me 10 minutes maximum so why on earth would I want to buy a connection for 24 hours??

It's all very well saying that it's cheaper to use wifi in ports and no-one would disagree with that but our next cruise is on Ventura to the Caribbean and I think there are 6 days at sea continuously so I have no option but to buy a couple of lots of 24 hour usage. We do one Transatlantic most years and we've spent up to 8 days continuously at sea. If you do your maths, to check my iPad crossing the Atlantic would cost £46 and the same coming back. The package I've bought in the past now looks incredibly cheap

I usually put my phone on airplane mode but the other option someone suggested would mean I have to keep it connected so I can at least get calls or messages. Most people want faster wifi but whoever came up with this idea needs to re-think.

Sorry for going on..:D

Is it not cheaper to text from a mobile? I do that on the ship.

Is it not cheaper to text from a mobile? I do that on the ship.

I was going to say that Jean, I text my son every day when we've left him "in charge"- just 20p a text or something!

As I understand it all these 'new' internet packages on various cruise lines are just tweaks and marketing changes to existing systems. Apart from Royal Caribbean with its 'vroom' system. Basically RCI have bought up the remaining bandwidth on a 'swarm' of satellites operating in 8000km orbits. Being closer than the normal geosyncronous orbit means vastly better response times and available bandwidth. It is very technical stuff but until additional fleets of satellites are launched everyone else has to make do with the old slow systems. :(

The vroom system has its disadvantages. Because the satellites operate in equatorial orbits the system does not work well above 45 degrees latitude, e.g in the UK and northern Europe.

I rang P&O customer services this morning and took the “if you want to make a complaint option” and was quickly connected to a customer adviser. We discussed the new package costs I explained how much extra this would cost me to stay in contact with the family (elderly mother, 4 allegedly adult children & 2 dogs cared for by said children) £237 on the new scheme against £35 on the old scheme which I thought was bad enough.

She asked me to detail my complaint in an e-mail and said if they get enough people complaining they would carry out an investigation.

customerservices@pocruises.com

OK you know what to do if you are unhappy with the new charges.

BTW there are two threads on this subject on here

As I understand it all these 'new' internet packages on various cruise lines are just tweaks and marketing changes to existing systems. Apart from Royal Caribbean with its 'vroom' system. Basically RCI have bought up the remaining bandwidth on a 'swarm' of satellites operating in 8000km orbits. Being closer than the normal geosyncronous orbit means vastly better response times and available bandwidth. It is very technical stuff but until additional fleets of satellites are launched everyone else has to make do with the old slow systems. :(

 

The vroom system has its disadvantages. Because the satellites operate in equatorial orbits the system does not work well above 45 degrees latitude, e.g in the UK and northern Europe.

On RCI it worked fine for me, was faster than my home internet at 20 meg albeit with a bit of latency, I think P&O are using the same system now via Inmarsat.

I rang P&O customer services this morning and took the “if you want to make a complaint option” and was quickly connected to a customer adviser. We discussed the new package costs I explained how much extra this would cost me to stay in contact with the family (elderly mother, 4 allegedly adult children & 2 dogs cared for by said children) £237 on the new scheme against £35 on the old scheme which I thought was bad enough.

 

She asked me to detail my complaint in an e-mail and said if they get enough people complaining they would carry out an investigation.

 

customerservices@pocruises.com

 

OK you know what to do if you are unhappy with the new charges.

 

 

 

BTW there are two threads on this subject on here

I totally agree with this and have already complained directly to senior management and via the P&O Facebook page but will be adding my voice direct to customer services.

Adding to my annoyance is the fact that only a month ago, when I asked P&O about this, I was advised there were no current plans to stop offering the "minutes packages". Misleading information indeed. :mad:

I rang P&O customer services this morning and took the “if you want to make a complaint option” and was quickly connected to a customer adviser. We discussed the new package costs I explained how much extra this would cost me to stay in contact with the family (elderly mother, 4 allegedly adult children & 2 dogs cared for by said children) £237 on the new scheme against £35 on the old scheme which I thought was bad enough.

 

She asked me to detail my complaint in an e-mail and said if they get enough people complaining they would carry out an investigation.

customerservices@pocruises.com

OK you know what to do if you are unhappy with the new charges.

BTW there are two threads on this subject on here

I have complained as suggested about the removal of the "minutes" packages.

I have complained as suggested about the removal of the "minutes" packages.

Added my complaint too and just hope that all the people who have commented here and on facebook about what a bad move this is are registering their dissatisfaction with P&O.

If you don't tell them you're not happy, nothing will change!

I have also written a letter of complaint regarding the new packages.

Sue

Had a call from P&O yesterday evening to discuss my concern about the changes to the Internet packages. The gentleman I spoke to advised that these have been introduced in conjunction with their service provider but they are looking closely at the feedback and if there is enough demand or dissatisfaction with the new offerings then they may review this and something may change. No promises were made and they will also be closely monitoring the take up of these services.

He stated that they'd had a fair bit of positive feedback and also an amount (though less) of negative comments but also accepted that the people who are most likely to be enthusiastic about the change are the heavy social media users who are also more likely to be commenting.

So as I stated earlier, if you're not happy about the changes, tell them, they are listening!

I never understand anything that charges you over a 24 hr period, when we sleep for at least 8 hours a day, why not offer the package for say 8 hours for a third of the cost, I certainly wouldn't mind paying for that, which would be around £4 per day - I appreciate the internet at sea is obviously different to home usage but surely there is a compromise.

the new internet package is on Britannia its a lot better connection to what we had last year when on Adonia buttttttttttttttt i have been buying in individual days as when i'm in port i can use my mobile internet.The thing i spoted this morning was that we get off the ship Saturday week and the charge for the balance of the cruise works out to being all day Saturday as they offer 24 hour package or entire cruise package. I don't know if this will change later will look when i get back from Barcelona....