POA and 3G iPad internet ??

[crusingici]

I've read the posts thru searching about using the iPad on international cruises.

 

We are heading to Hawaii for the POA cruise around the islands -- in the good ole USA. ;)

 

So -- my qt is ..... I 'assume' the 3G iPad will use its own internet (also assuming AT&T is available -- I've not called them yet) .... and I would not have to buy the POA internet for Wifi use for email.

 

If I can connect on the islands I should be able to text and email back home using just 3G like I do 'in the states'..... right????

 

:confused:

 

Thanks for any help..... and have any of you actually done this while in Hawaii ???

[mking8288]

We sailed on POA previously and as long as the ship is docked or within coastal waters/land closeby - very strong/solid GSM "home" signal under GPRS/Edge/3G (for AT&T & T-Mobile) and CDMA "home" signal (Verizonwireless) but apparently, Nextel/Spring towers aren't as good - for whatever reasons. As long as you are already provisioned for broadband or data access, your iPad should work normally - from open decks, oceanview or balcony/suite cabins, but not from inside cabins with all the steel surrounding you.

 

As the ship set aside & pull further away from the shore, signals will fade & get weaker and once they flip on the ship's own satellite tower, you will be roaming on NCL's network and are charged accordingly (with very expensive rates) - so it's best to turnoff those iphone, smartphone or other data hogs that operate transparently in the background as it will give you an unpleasant billing surprise on the next monthly billing cycle.

 

As for buying POA's wifi/internet bundle, it's by blocks of minutes (100m, 250m) with bonuses added - sometimes - and it's rather expensive. Speed is lower than what you are accustomed to with high latency, as its bandwidth is fairly limited and shared using the ship's onboard satellite tower.

 

To check daily emails in my "vacation mode" while trying to allocate time among POA's busy island schedules, I limit my time spent on the notebook pc and smartphone for updating my mailboxes or to reconfirm/finalize flight or car rental bookings, etc. quickly - unless we are docked overnight and I'm not tired (ha ha) with nothing else to do.

[downsized]

Both my iPhone and iPad worked well while in, or near, port while on the POA.

You might make sure that you turn off "roaming" and "push" notifications.

 

Actually the POA is such a port intensive cruise that you will be in a port every day, and while in port everything works fine.

 

I just put my iPhone and iPad in "airplane" mode each night as we left port.

 

Too, the wifi on the POA is so spotty, that I doubt that I would have had any problems anyway.

 

BTW....ATT 3G works almost anywhere in HI while on land, although I did find a dead spot on the backside of the island while doing the "Road to Hana" tour...although folks with Verizon had no problems,

 

Have fun, you will love your cruise!

[crusingici]

Both my iPhone and iPad worked well while in, or near, port while on the POA.

You might make sure that you turn off "roaming" and "push" notifications.

 

Actually the POA is such a port intensive cruise that you will be in a port every day, and while in port everything works fine.

 

I just put my iPhone and iPad in "airplane" mode each night as we left port.

 

Too, the wifi on the POA is so spotty, that I doubt that I would have had any problems anyway.

 

BTW....ATT 3G works almost anywhere in HI while on land, although I did find a dead spot on the backside of the island while doing the "Road to Hana" tour...although folks with Verizon had no problems,

 

Have fun, you will love your cruise!

 

Thank you for sharing your iPad/iPhone experience..... I had assumed Hawaii is like any other state and there would be 3G service with no extra fees.

 

It IS a port intensive cruise so I do not plan on being online much - just to send photos back home (ahhhhh.....ooooo.....) and check in. I plan to use my iPad as a back up photo storage - -not so much use it to be online -but was curious how it worked there.

 

One friend going with us said she had 'heard' that she could use the ship's satellite for accessing 3G...... I know nothing about that - anyone clue me in for her on that topic? Sounds like from what mking said -- she will be charged a fee for doing that? Even if she does not sign up for the ship's internet? Neither of us plan to pay for the ship's internet service since we will not be using our 'technologies' much on board....I figured while we were in port I could email and send photos.

 

I've learned how to write emails offline and save them in my outbox to upload all at one time -- so that will take less time as well. It should be just like at home though while we are in port -- right????

 

I don't know why I seem to be making this so confusing -- after all, it IS the USA! .... well, I DO know why -- when we went to Alaska 5 yrs ago - we had plain ole cell phones and thankfully did not use them much at all ....because we had $100 extra charges on our next bill from those 'few minutes' -- AT&T said the charges were for the cell towers we hooked into in Alaska since At&T was not there .... at least not at that time.

 

I need to call AT&T for sure about their locations in Hawaii.

 

Thanks again! We can hardly wait - been booked for over a year now. whew

[downsized]

If you access the ship's internet, you will be charged.

The ship's internet is sloooooow...and quite expensive.

 

That being said, I don't think that you can "accidently" access it, as they will ask you for your account number...but I might be wrong on that.

 

As for roaming charges...we used our iPhones all week, everywhere on the islands, and never accrued any roaming charges.

ATT has really good coverage of the islands, except (in our one experience) at the pools on the backside of the island while travelling to Hana.

 

Your phones and your iPad should work just fine while in port.

[mking8288]

Hawaii is like any other state and there would be 3G service with no extra fees.

 

One friend .... 'heard' she could use the ship's satellite for accessing 3G...... I know nothing about that - anyone clue me in for her on that topic? Sounds like from what mking said -- she will be charged a fee for doing that? Even if she does not sign up for the ship's internet? Neither of us plan to pay for the ship's internet service since we will not be using our 'technologies' much on board....I figured while we were in port I could email and send photos.

 

I don't know why I seem to be making this so confusing -- after all, it IS the USA! .... well, I DO know why -- when we went to Alaska 5 yrs ago - we had plain ole cell phones and thankfully did not use them much at all ....because we had $100 extra charges on our next bill from those 'few minutes' -- AT&T said the charges were for the cell towers we hooked into in Alaska since At&T was not there .... at least not at that time.

 

 

AT&T's 3G is generally available in all the islands and definitely not a problem at all in places like Waikiki - same for T-Mo signals. Depending on your devices (non-iphone/smartphone users) - if you can switch your connection to HOME only and not roam, you will avoid surprises or put it on Airplane Mode while onboard - sailing - once the POA begin to leave port. The billing is done thru your wirless # registered on NCL's cellular carrier and showed up on your next monthly statement, and they do NOT need your cabin # or authorization.

 

The ship's satellite is used to feed its own onboard navigation/comm system, cable tv signals, broadband access as well as celluar/text messaging services. If your phone is flipped on, it should (supposed to) display the ROAMing indicator and alert you that it's not on a home signal with your carrier, that extra charges will apply. iPhone & smartphone users that have apps running in the background should be aware of these nasty surprises & switch it off or flip on airplane mode.

 

Once it begin to dock or drop anchor being in port, the ship's satellite tower is turned off, you phone will switch its PRL to HOME and you can use everything on your AT&T, T-Mo or Verizonwireless, etc. normally as if you are in the "Mainland" states - and, yes, no roaming charges.

 

As for RTH, (this was true in 2009 in our own rental) - there is NO cellular services for any carriers - including VZW & AT&T once you head further out, away from the airport/town after the first several beaches. Garmin worked great for its GPS tracking. Loved those hairpin turns and views over the edge on the side of the cliffs/narrow roads and it was "wow" on the prices of hamburger, fries & soda at Hana Beach Park's only food stand.

 

It's the best way to visit several islands in 7 nights and a bargain, especially with hotel prices nowadays all over Hawaii - memories for a lifetime.