Laptop Questions - Should I take it?

[martyz]

I can't decide if I should take the laptop? Should I leave it home. I would only use it for emails back to the kids at home. I was wondering. Where do you keep your laptop while you are out of the cabin? Anyone ever have it missing? How's the internet connection in the cabin on the Emerald Princess? Does having to watch it become a pain?

 

What about the Itouch? Should I buy one just so I can keep it in the safe. Does it work well for email in the cabin?

[Toto2Kansas]

The best thing about taking your own laptop is you can compose your emails before connecting and then just copy and paste to email. It saves you tons of minutes doing it this way.

 

I have never locked up my netbook, and never had a problem with anyone touching it.

[Roses2]

We take our laptop on every cruise. It is so much easier to send emails from the room than to trek down to the Internet Cafe.

 

We also download our photos daily and edit them as we go along and update our trip report each evening on the laptop. It is a must for us.

 

We have never had a problem with security of our laptops. We leave it on the desk in the room. Who would bother with it?

 

P&J

[Whimsy]

I finally got a laptop and loved in on our last cruise. I will be bringing mine on future cruises. So nice not to have to go to the internet cafe all the time to keep in touch with our daughter.

[grandmaa]

We just got back from the Hawaiian cruise on the Golden and took our laptop. Did not have a problem at all. We left it out on the desk and used it as needed and did not have to go down to internet cafe (which by the way you can use too). Best part was able to compose e mail off line and then send as well as upload photos. Have a great cruise.

[Bellingham Belle]

We too have never had any security problems about the laptop and also use it for downloading our pictures and editing them. Also when I'm tired of reading I use it to play my games.

[billco]

We leave next week for a 15 day transatlantic cruise on the Grand. In addition to our cameras and binoculars, we will be taking an iPod Nano, iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad, Netbook, and a Kindle. I don't plan on locking anything up. Of course, I will be sleeping with the iPad.

[Richie2pies]

Are there any ports where you can get a free WiFi signal while on the ship?

[Renmar]

I can't decide if I should take the laptop? Should I leave it home. I would only use it for emails back to the kids at home. I was wondering. Where do you keep your laptop while you are out of the cabin? Anyone ever have it missing? How's the internet connection in the cabin on the Emerald Princess? Does having to watch it become a pain?

 

What about the Itouch? Should I buy one just so I can keep it in the safe. Does it work well for email in the cabin?

To steal a saying from somewhere else; Don't leave home without it. No problem leaving it on the desk in your cabin.

[BosoxI]

Just disembrked from the Ruby today with my laptop and Kindle intact. I leave them out in plain view and have never had any problem. Laptop is nice because it shows all my favorites immediately. But this time on the ruby there was a problem signing off the system. I had to keep track of my actual minutes used as the system shut down would take and additional 3 to 7 minutes. The computer specialist would then credit my account for the minutes incorrectly charged. After 3 or 4 days the problem was corrected and I logged out with no problem. Take it. It's nice sitting on a balcony rather than in the IC.

[caribill]

How's the internet connection in the cabin on the Emerald Princess?

 

Internet signal strength can vary to different cabins. In almost every case, you should be able to connect from your cabin.

 

Speed will be no faster than in the Internet cafe on the ship's PCs.

 

The benefits of having access to all your e-mail addresses and IE favorites is a great advantage over using the ship's PCs.

[JLC@SD]

I've taken a computer on all our cruises and never had a problem. Recently I got a net book....they are cheap......to travel with ......and I leave my good expensive heavy laptop home. That way I am hauling a lighter load .......and all my personal information, files and photo albums are on the computer left home.....and my netbook traveler is just for downloading photos and to connect to the internet.

[Grannycb]

We took our laptop on many cruises and were happy with it. Then we got a netbook. It's the best thing we've done. It's cheap, small, light weight and does everything we need it to do while traveling. It's been perfectly safe sitting out on the desk in our cabin during the entire cruise. Another great investment has been 4 GB USB jumpdrives ($10 at Target). A copy of photos is added each night and then the drive is stored away from the computer. If something happens to the computer your pictures are safe.

[paul929207]

Are there any ports where you can get a free WiFi signal while on the ship?

I have not found a free signal while on the ship, but some of the cruise terminals have free wifi, if you want to carry the laptop there.

[1 HappyCruiser]

Are there any ports where you can get a free WiFi signal while on the ship?

 

Just ask you cabin steward or waiter...they know where all the free Wifi spots are located. You'll often see the ships crew sitting in front of various restaurants & bars using the free service. :D

[snrlnd]

I also use my laptop to watch movies on sea days after we've had enough sun.

[j!m]

we take a netbook, much lighter

 

have never locked it up and never hada problem

 

but did have camera stolen from dining room

 

hava great cruise

[gooch47]

One reason we wouldn't go without one is to back up videos and digital photos.

 

We bought a notebook size one just for travelling. It actually fits in my purse.

[CTGirl]

I always take a laptop or netbook with me. I have had no problems. I also take my IPod Touch. I take it to shore with me to see if I can find a free signal. I have had luck at many ports, sometimes even from my balcony.

[numbersix]

We take a different approach--when we cruise, we don't bring a laptop, we don't use the computers in the internet cafe, we don't send emails, we don't phone anybody--nothing. When we're gone--we're gone--we want to escape--totally. If there's some kind of real emergency, people know how to contact us through the ship. Or--maybe I'm just a Luddite(!).

 

Yes--we have family, yes, we have kids, and I realize that some might find the approach 'cold', or 'unfeeling', but it works well for us. We go away--we come back--and everything's fine. Besides, I've always wondered, who has the time for all that? :)

 

Kevin

[PescadoAmarillo]

I also use my laptop to watch movies on sea days after we've had enough sun.

I think this is a biggest benefit. We travel for longer periods of time, and the in-cabin TV selections get pretty grating (how many times can you watch Captain Stubing as Santa Claus without losing a few brain cells?).

 

I used to take a laptop to download photos (remember when camera memory was so expensive and limited?), but that's no longer an issue. I used to take a laptop to keep up with emails, but my iPhone replaces that. But I think we will take something next cruise to have some DVDs to watch.

[msmoger]

I purchased a Flip Video camera several months ago which I love. For the price it takes fairly good quality videos. Does anyone have any experience with downloading the videos to a Netbook. It appears they all only come with 1GB RAM ( I assume I can upgrade it if I wanted but that would partially defeat the low cost advantage). Were you able to easily download the videos? Since the camera's capacity is 2 hours it will obviously be necessary to free up space as the vacation progresses.

 

Thanks,

[Hal&Rob]

Are there any ports where you can get a free WiFi signal while on the ship?

 

Yes, I've occasionally picked up signals from the ship while in ports. You might have to walk your laptop around in order to find the best unsecured signal.

[paul929207]

Yes, I've occasionally picked up signals from the ship while in ports. You might have to walk your laptop around in order to find the best unsecured signal.

Talk to your cabin steward or waiter. They will know where free or cheap wifi is.

[Oi]

Does anyone know the cost and how it is charged for using wifi/internet on your laptop in the cabin? How do they charge?