Question about using Free Internet Minutes

[nho9504]

Since I reached the Platinum level, I have never been charged the $3.95 setup fee.

 

We were charged at least once, or more. Like I said I went down to purser desk to inquire and was told the set up fee was not waived. I dont remember which ones we were charged. I dont even remember we have cruised Crown in Feb this year, to tell you the truth.

 

I was on Princess site to look up how many more cruises we will need to make it to elite - to my surprise, the number is less than I thought and the history said we cruised Crown this year... Then I remember Yes, we did, in Feb. I guess the Eurodam 16 day in April to Europe and the subsequent 4 weeks land trip in Greece and Turkey completely blurred my memory on a mundane Western Caribbean 7 day on Crown. :o

[nho9504]

Mine was 50K with $750 spent over 4 months. I am happy with that. I haven't had this card in years so I am ok.

 

Congrats on lifetime Gold! Impressive!

 

You are fine as long as you get the physical card. From what I read, the "look back" period is between 9 to 18 months. Yours is beyond that, so no issue here.

 

LT GLD actually is nothing more than free checked bags, priority boarding and 25% bonus when fly on paid tickets. :o

 

I wish I concentrated more on AA than UA a few years back... Would bring me closer to LT Platinum which bennie is much more - 100% bonus on paid ticket, OneWorld member business class lounge access when flying OneWorld flights on International itinerary no matter what fare you paid. The business class lounge access is a very nice bennie because even flying in cheapie coach or coach award, the Platinum member can still access business class lounges. (Executive Plat which status can only be obtained via flying, has access to First Class lounge).

 

Trust me, once you have used the international lounges you would truly appreciate that privilege which we obtained it through the class of service.

 

Also not sure if you are aware, AA has changed to One Way award system last year. It did away the free international stopover but now you can have a free North America Gateway stopover when you are on an international itinerary.

 

We flew home this Spring after our 6 weeks trip from Istanbul on a OneWay coach award because it only costed 20K each offpeak, versus 50K each business class. The flight from Europe to East Coast is less than 10 hours so it isn't like the 14 hours to Australia even from West Coast... Our ticket is IST-LHR (overnight)-MIA-LAX - since MIA is the Gateway we enter North America, we can have it as stopover and have another city as our destination. We could use HNL instead of LAX for example. We haven't flown the MIA-LAX yet.

 

Next time when you look to redeem AA miles for international trip, make the most of it on the free stopover at Gateway - you can have 2 trips out of 1 redemption.

 

UA is now One Way system on UA own flights, but not on partner flights, yet.

[Pam in CA]

FYI, I took some screen shots of the log-in pages on my iPad on the Crown a couple of weeks ago. :)

 

 

 

[Essiesmom]

We won't have any special status when we take our first Princess Cruise next summer on the Crown, so we plan to buy an internet package. Should we do that the first day to get any extra possible credits or is that just for Elite cruisers??

 

Do they have an internet area & ample stations to use? Aside from keeopin gin touch at home, we have to get a boarding passes & confirm airline seat assignments 24 hrs before out flight home. I expect others will be doing the same thing around the same time....

 

You can gift yourself internet time before you cruise, by going to Gifts and Services on the Princess website. You can pre-purchase internet time and get more bonus minutes than if you wait to purchase on board. EM

[mississauga]

Just got off the Sapphire this week and the login page is as Pam posted above. As a Platinum, as soon as I logged in for the first time, Princess recognized me as a Platinum entitled to 150 minutes. Was not charged and then credited on my folio. Also no set up charge.

 

I accessed the internet on my netbook from my cabin and never went to the internet cafe and never had any problems. Thanks to Pam from CA always emphasizing to log out using 1.1.1.1 on other threads that I remembered to.

[Putterdude]

Since I reached the Platinum level, I have never been charged the $3.95 setup fee.

 

Neither have we.

[caribill]

Well, in dozens of Princess cruises including many recently...I get a Princess account with my sign in info & password to access the Net and there is no set up fee charged.

 

I'm certainly no expert but if they charge some passengers a set up fee the only thing that makes sense to me is if you get an onboard email account instead of using a web browser to access my personal email accounts.

 

Could there be another explanation why I never get charged this fee?

 

 

If you are Platinum or Elite (as you are), the free package includes waiving the $3.95 setup fee. Hcat (who I was responding to) is not Platinum or Elite (or I assume in a full suite), so would be charged the setup fee.

 

The onboard e-mail account you mention is ridiculously priced at maybe $2.95 for each e-mail (do not remember the exact amount). Nobody should sign up for that.

[Putterdude]

I posted this question earlier today on another thread concerning internet bonus minutes for Platinum and Elete memebers and didn't get an answer. So here goes again:

I know that we don't get bonus mintues any longer for our "free" packages. However, as the minute packages for us are now expressed as a dollar credit, not minutes, for instance 150 mins for $75, suppose we purchase, say 500 mins, we would still get the $75 credit....but would we be entitled to bonus minutes because we had purchased a larger package? My sense is that we should but.... Has anyone investigated this?

[Pam in CA]

If you're on a 7-day cruise and get $75 of free minutes but sign up for a $100 package, $75 will be credited on your onboard account. I doubt you'd get the bonus minutes but can't say for sure. The attitude seems to be that you are getting free minutes thus no bonus minutes.

[Astro Flyer]

If you are Platinum or Elite (as you are), the free package includes waiving the $3.95 setup fee. Hcat (who I was responding to) is not Platinum or Elite (or I assume in a full suite), so would be charged the setup fee.

 

The onboard e-mail account you mention is ridiculously priced at maybe $2.95 for each e-mail (do not remember the exact amount). Nobody should sign up for that.

Thanks for explaining this in a calm, rational manner.

 

While I've read CC reviews for years, I've just begun to use the boards for more helpful information. I've discovered there are hot button topics where if you express a different opinion too many long time CC members attack you. They'll even go back to read all of your posts to prove their points of view. And too many don't go into it with an open mind because it's 'their way or the highway'.

 

So thanks again for your helpful comments because I was beginning to think it was wrong to participate in these boards. Hopefully more members will respond for you & hope no one will go to great links to discredit my opinions.

 

They're just my opinions based on nearly 25 years of cruising; nothing in stone & I can always learn something new. Guess I'll see if more CC Members are like you or like the ones who love to show someone why they're wrong & only see their point of view.

 

I'm here to learn from others & to share my experiences with others seeking info from CC members...that's all.

[paul929207]

I posted this question earlier today on another thread concerning internet bonus minutes for Platinum and Elete memebers and didn't get an answer. So here goes again:

I know that we don't get bonus mintues any longer for our "free" packages. However, as the minute packages for us are now expressed as a dollar credit, not minutes, for instance 150 mins for $75, suppose we purchase, say 500 mins, we would still get the $75 credit....but would we be entitled to bonus minutes because we had purchased a larger package? My sense is that we should but.... Has anyone investigated this?

I have never bought a larger package than the free one, but it is my understanding that you get the bonus minutes if you do.

[BarbinMich]

I have never bought a larger package than the free one, but it is my understanding that you get the bonus minutes if you do.

 

I purchased a 500-min pkg on the Crown TA this month for $175 and got the $100 credit, but no bonus minutes.

[thisislou]

Just as a FYI:

 

The Magic Jack phone works well with the ship’s internet. With free internet minutes and my Magic Jack phone – on my last 3 or 4 cruises, I was able to call home from my laptop every day for free…

[TracieABD]

Very helpful info...

[wizard-of-roz]

I am so grateful to leave my phone/cell/laptop/WIFI/IPad, etc., etc. I know that there are those of us who MUST have a connection to home or work.......which makes me even more grateful that I do NOT!!!!

To lay or sit around and do absolutely NOTHING for an entire week - no tethering of any device to anyone - NERVANA!!!!!!

My friends are asking if they can contact me on my laptop while on the cruise...................................NO............................!!!!!!

Not to be mean/standoffish or anti-anything......I can't wait to not have to "connect" to anyone by any means, to not have to drive a car or go into a market or check on a child or a parent or a furbaby - for one whole week!!!!!!!

[gmcwalker]

You can gift yourself internet time before you cruise, by going to Gifts and Services on the Princess website. You can pre-purchase internet time and get more bonus minutes than if you wait to purchase on board. EM

 

I am interested in the difference in pre cruise price and on board price for internet minutes. This is the pricing from princess.com for pre cruise purchase.

190 minutes

Item #6039 – $78.95

(Includes 40 bonus minutes for

prepurchasing an Internet time package.)

310 minutes

Item #6302 – $103.95

(Includes 60 bonus minutes for

prepurchasing an Internet time package.)

580 minutes

Item #6040 – $178.95

(Includes 80 bonus minutes for

prepurchasing an Internet time package.)

What are the prices once you get on board? I understand that the best deal on board is sail away day

Thank you for your help.

[caribill]

I am interested in the difference in pre cruise price and on board price for internet minutes. This is the pricing from princess.com for pre cruise purchase.

 

190 minutes

Item #6039 – $78.95

(Includes 40 bonus minutes for

prepurchasing an Internet time package.)

310 minutes

Item #6302 – $103.95

(Includes 60 bonus minutes for

prepurchasing an Internet time package.)

580 minutes

Item #6040 – $178.95

(Includes 80 bonus minutes for

prepurchasing an Internet time package.)

 

What are the prices once you get on board? I understand that the best deal on board is sail away day

Thank you for your help.

 

Pricing is exactly the same onboard. The difference is that if you get bonus minutes by purchasing onboard in the first day or two, the number of bonus minutes will be half what you get by buying in advance.

 

The above prices include a onetime $3.95 setup fee. If you buy a second package onboard, you do not have to pay the fee again.

[Aruba]

Thanks for explaining this in a calm, rational manner.

 

While I've read CC reviews for years, I've just begun to use the boards for more helpful information. I've discovered there are hot button topics where if you express a different opinion too many long time CC members attack you. They'll even go back to read all of your posts to prove their points of view. And too many don't go into it with an open mind because it's 'their way or the highway'.

 

So thanks again for your helpful comments because I was beginning to think it was wrong to participate in these boards. Hopefully more members will respond for you & hope no one will go to great links to discredit my opinions.

 

They're just my opinions based on nearly 25 years of cruising; nothing in stone & I can always learn something new. Guess I'll see if more CC Members are like you or like the ones who love to show someone why they're wrong & only see their point of view.

 

I'm here to learn from others & to share my experiences with others seeking info from CC members...that's all.

Hear, hear!! You said it well and I completely agree.

[spyro1952]

Ok, after reading this entire thread I need some advice. My job is entirely on line and I will be working on my next cruise. I am figuring I will need to be on line at least 1 hour/day on my 10 day cruise on the Emerald, except the weekends, which will be 480 minutes. I will have 750 free mins available to me from my Mom & my aunt who don't use theirs. Given the variable connection speed, do you think I should go ahead and purchase another package before I leave or just purchase it on the ship if I find I need it?

 

Also, any opinions on whether to bring my Mac or PC or both? Most of the time I use a Mac and would prefer to bring it. Thanks for any suggestions.

[caribill]

Ok, after reading this entire thread I need some advice. My job is entirely on line and I will be working on my next cruise. I am figuring I will need to be on line at least 1 hour/day on my 10 day cruise on the Emerald, except the weekends, which will be 480 minutes. I will have 750 free mins available to me from my Mom & my aunt who don't use theirs. Given the variable connection speed, do you think I should go ahead and purchase another package before I leave or just purchase it on the ship if I find I need it?

 

Also, any opinions on whether to bring my Mac or PC or both? Most of the time I use a Mac and would prefer to bring it. Thanks for any suggestions.

 

 

I would wait to buy it if you need it onboard. Unused minutes are not refundable.

 

Do you actually need to be online all that time? If getting and responding to e-mails, you can get your e-mails, sign off the Internet, prepare responses, and then sign on again to send them.

 

However, if your work requires extensive web browsing, you may well need more than an hour of Internet time a day to get all your work done.

[paul929207]

If you are doing work that is internet intensive and takes an dhour a day at home, you will probably spend 2 or 3 hours a day at sea. The connection is via satelite and very slow. Since you do not get much discount by buying in advance, I would wait until you are on board and see how it is going. That will give you a good estimate of the amount of additional time you may need.

[Coral]

 

Also, any opinions on whether to bring my Mac or PC or both? Most of the time I use a Mac and would prefer to bring it. Thanks for any suggestions.

 

Never had a problem with bringing my Mac laptop with me.

[spyro1952]

Thanks to everybody, I'll just wait and see how it goes with the connection speed. I don't do a lot of browsing but need to get onto web based teaching platforms. And I will bring the Mac. I'll let you all know my experience when I get back. :)

[navychop3]

I am interested in the difference in pre cruise price and on board price for internet minutes. This is the pricing from princess.com for pre cruise purchase.

 

190 minutes

Item #6039 – $78.95

(Includes 40 bonus minutes for

prepurchasing an Internet time package.)

310 minutes

Item #6302 – $103.95

(Includes 60 bonus minutes for

prepurchasing an Internet time package.)

580 minutes

Item #6040 – $178.95

(Includes 80 bonus minutes for

prepurchasing an Internet time package.)

 

What are the prices once you get on board? I understand that the best deal on board is sail away day

Thank you for your help.

 

Thank you for your post. I didn't know you could pre-purchase. It took a bit of searching, but I found this link to pre-ordering a range of things, including internet services.

[flamomo]

I learned from reading older posts on CC that you can make the most of your minutes by using Word to compose your emails, then log into the internet, and copy and paste your pre-composed email to an email. All the time spent composing is not gobbling up your minutes.

I have used this method for the last few cruises, and never use up all my allotted minutes.