New internet package e-mail from P&O

Received an e-mail from P&O last night regarding the new internet packages available for our cruise on Ventura this Friday as follows:-

The current system is gradually being phased out and you’re one of the first to use our new satellite internet service.

Now...

With the current system, it’s all about time. You buy a package, log in to the wifi and your time starts to tick away. But the experience hasn’t been ideal, so we’re introducing a new system with more flexible packages.

New…

Forming part of our current Stay Connected service, there’s no more clock-watching - our new service is always available, so you’ll have internet access 24/7*. There are three packages to choose from, each based on how you like to use the internet...

The 3 packages are £7.75 per 24 hours using internet messaging and social media

£12.50 per 24 hours for browsing, internet and social media.

£24.95 per 24 hours for the full package as above plus youtube, spotify etc.

Mandy

Interesting. Thanks for posting that Mandy. I must say they are quite right about the frustration of time taken to connect whilst watching your minutes tick away.

I wonder whether you can buy it ad hoc on a day by day basis whilst on board. That would definitely be an improvement as far as we're concerned - but we wouldn't want to sign up to pay per day for the length of the cruise.

Just had a look on their website - no update yet.

But this comes up for P&O Australia which was launched on 10th July so wonder if it's on the same lines in which case it looks as though it's per day over the length of your cruise. For our last trip, that would have been £260+ for the basic package or £400+ for the intermediate one - I think I'd pass on that.

http://europe.etbtravelnews.com/290087/po-cruises-connects-guests-with-new-internet-packages/

Anyone had any experience of using Skype.

David.

Interesting. Thanks for posting that Mandy. I must say they are quite right about the frustration of time taken to connect whilst watching your minutes tick away.

 

I wonder whether you can buy it ad hoc on a day by day basis whilst on board. That would definitely be an improvement as far as we're concerned - but we wouldn't want to sign up to pay per day for the length of the cruise.

 

Just had a look on their website - no update yet.

 

But this comes up for P&O Australia which was launched on 10th July so wonder if it's on the same lines in which case it looks as though it's per day over the length of your cruise. For our last trip, that would have been £260+ for the basic package or £400+ for the intermediate one - I think I'd pass on that.

 

http://europe.etbtravelnews.com/290087/po-cruises-connects-guests-with-new-internet-packages/

Good pass.

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Received an e-mail from P&O last night regarding the new internet packages available for our cruise on Ventura this Friday as follows:-

 

The current system is gradually being phased out and you’re one of the first to use our new satellite internet service.

 

Now...

With the current system, it’s all about time. You buy a package, log in to the wifi and your time starts to tick away. But the experience hasn’t been ideal, so we’re introducing a new system with more flexible packages.

 

New…

Forming part of our current Stay Connected service, there’s no more clock-watching - our new service is always available, so you’ll have internet access 24/7*. There are three packages to choose from, each based on how you like to use the internet...

 

The 3 packages are £7.75 per 24 hours using internet messaging and social media

£12.50 per 24 hours for browsing, internet and social media.

£24.95 per 24 hours for the full package as above plus youtube, spotify etc.

 

Mandy

Thank you for sharing this Mandy.

Do you know if the cost is 'per device'?

I'm on Britannia for 2 weeks in September & am interested in purchasing an internet package.

However, both Hubby & I will have our Ipads & also a laptop. I just wondered if it's going to be possible to say use the ipad around the ship but the laptop in the cabin.

I think I can probably guess / know the answer (!) but thought I'd ask anyway.

Joan

In the past we have logged in under the cabin number, so we have all used the minutes on different devices, so would think it would be the same, but the e-mail received is not very clear, nor does it say you can purchase individual days or have to purchase for the whole cruise. It also does not say which other ships have this new internet package.

I can see it appealing to people that use social media and internet messaging and to pay £7.75 per 24 hours, but I will not be telling my son.

I find it nice to be on holiday without having to take your phone with you and everyone constantly checking phones etc.

In the past we have logged in under the cabin number, so we have all used the minutes on different devices, so would think it would be the same, but the e-mail received is not very clear, nor does it say you can purchase individual days or have to purchase for the whole cruise. It also does not say which other ships have this new internet package.

 

I can see it appealing to people that use social media and internet messaging and to pay £7.75 per 24 hours, but I will not be telling my son.

 

I find it nice to be on holiday without having to take your phone with you and everyone constantly checking phones etc.

I think we have done the same to be honest.

I seem to recall that when we traveled on RCI the other year that you had to purchase internet packages per device / per day; hence could work out rather expensive!

I'm sure we'll be getting an email nearer to our sail date.

Thanks for the heads up though.

Joan

We bought Internet by the minute on our last trip. We could use it on any device by logging into our cabin and card number but could only use one device at a time. Whether that will apply to the new arrangements or not we will find out in time but whatever I think we'll be settling for the WiFi in port!

Their email is a bit ambiguous re costings. I just go on to download the emails and then do replies off line then back on again to send. The 120 mins for £30 has done me fine even on a five week cruise so will most definately not pay £7.25 per day.

Their email is a bit ambiguous re costings. I just go on to download the emails and then do replies off line then back on again to send. The 120 mins for £30 has done me fine even on a five week cruise so will most definately not pay £7.25 per day.

I agree. I don't want 24 hours non stop access. Half an hour a day would be ample to check emails etc. especially for a world cruise - that is £746 for the whole cruise! :eek:

I have to use the internet for business purposes and to pay salaries. However if you are able to pick and choose your days I will only purchase the days we are at sea that correspond with the days I need access. The remainder of the day I will pass over to "she who must be obeyed" to visit her favourite social sites.

The top rate £24.95 seems pretty pricey. On Anthem last Sep their Voom internet package was £10 per day. Could use YouTube, Netflix, FaceTime etc. Just preordered it for our Royal Caribbean cruise next Feb with a current special offer of £6.63 per day. One device only but that's one device at a time. If you try to log on it will say if another device is logged on and give you the option to disconnect.

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Is there a package for the full cruise, Or is it per day?

I'd be interesting to know what the social media/messaging package includes. Does it include What's app or Periscope? It's still expensive compared to RCCL but good to have the options if needed.

RCCLs high speed internet, VOOM, allows you to just sign up for 24 hours as and when you choose. I hope this is the same.

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£24.95 a day is nothing short of extortion

£24.95 a day is nothing short of extortion

Way beyond extortion.

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I can`t beleive P&O are charging this amount for internet access. Here`s another that will not be paying what is daylight robbery.

Regards to all

W&P

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

I agree with others that the prices are extortionate, but I am pleased that it seems that you can purchase by the day. At least that gives the opportunity to do as you did and just buy into the service for 24 hours for a particular reason or for, say, a couple of days on a TA to make contact with home and send and receive messages. I think I'd probably buy into that although it's true that for a large part of your 24 hours you wouldn't be using it and from what you say it would seem that for emails it would be a more expensive package than the £7.95 one you purchased. I suppose we'll just have to see how it works out.

Thanks for that update Belfast Belle.

I'm assuming from what I read above that the 24 hour option doesn't give you 24 hours at all, but just the use of it in a 24 hour period?

I would want 24 hours actual use (spread over as many days as is needed) for that money.

I'm assuming from what I read above that the 24 hour option doesn't give you 24 hours at all, but just the use of it in a 24 hour period?

 

I would want 24 hours actual use (spread over as many days as is needed) for that money.

Hi

Yes that's right it's over a 24 hour period. I should have said, you can have access on 3 different devices but of course only one at a time.

Judith

Hi

Yes that's right it's over a 24 hour period. I should have said, you can have access on 3 different devices but of course only one at a time.

 

Judith

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.

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.

Hi everyone. We are on the Azura at Christmas. We usually buy Geosim & you can look on their website what charges are where on your itinerary. We did this on our Panama Canal cruise 3 years ago. Some places were so expensive but then others were reasonable. Hope this helps.

Wendy

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

Thanks for confirming the apps that can be accessed. That's useful.

I think 24 hour access from the point of connection is a pretty standard way of providing Internet. It worked the same way on other cruise lines.

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