Using Apple's face time on the ships

[pinnaclegirl]

We noticed with interest yesterday, a thread concerning the use of Skype on the ships and how it is being effectively blocked. We have been using the face time app. for Mac to Mac communications and are wondering if anyone is using this from the ships. We have been hoping this would be the answer for ship to shore communications with aging parents.

[CruiserBruce]

If it is a video system similar to Skype, I think you can expect it to be blocked. Uses too much bandwidth.

[pinnaclegirl]

Thanks for this info. We're going to be in an Apple store later this week and I'll see if I can find out about the comparable bandwidth between face time and skype.

[Spender Nui]

I'd be interested in the response.

[Boytjie]

Any communication you will attempt would use the ships satellite link when at sea - and it is expensive.

[photomikey]

I can't answer whether it's blocked or not, but I'm here to tell you the internet on the ships is so painfully slow to bring up text that it seems like audio would be a toss up, and video would never work. An exercise in frustration.

 

I haven't ever used the phones aboard and I don't know how much they cost. Ten years ago I rented a sat phone for a private excursion, it was about $100 and cost about $2/minute (and I think you bought 50 minutes with your $100? I can't recall). I don't know what the prices aboard are like, but if Sat Phone Prices have gone down in recent years (hard to imagine they haven't) then they're probably only marginally more expensive than internet minutes.

[Bippie]

I don't know if Skype or FaceTime are blocked (and I suspect they are not). However, even simple email is painfully slow most of the time at sea. Skype has never worked for me at sea and I suspect FaceTime will also not work - the Internet service just isn't fast enough.

 

In most ports you should be able to find adequately fast Internet service that will allow you to use FaceTime. Do some pre-cruise reasearch on the internet about Internet services in the ports you will be visiting. You'll be much less frustrated.