Skype and FaceTime on CB?

[epicTLR]

Has anyone successfully used Skype on CB? How about FaceTime? I'm afraid these may be blocked. Thanks!

[NJRonbo]

I don't want to sound mean by saying this, but personally, I hope they do block Skype and Facetime aboard the ship.

 

To understand why I say this, you need to realize that WiFi access on the ships is taxed enough by the amount of people just trying to access it through their laptops and wired computer connections in the Internet Cafe.

 

Using video (Skype and Facetime) requires an exaggerated amount of bandwidth. When people resort to using video conversations on a ship with very limited bandwidth, it chokes the system for everyone else.

 

For the life of me, I don't understand the need to use video communication aboard a ship. However, I'm sure there is some valid reasoning behind it. However, I kind of doubt most people are going to get a fast enough connection to support the video, and if they did, it's certainly going to have a choking domino effect on someone who simply needs to access the Internet on their laptop to check mail.

[LordEd]

According to http://www.princess.com/learn/answer/during_cruise/board.jsp

* Internet access via satellite is significantly slower than high-speed connections on shore. Princess Cruises reserves the right to filter content accessed via the ship’s Internet services. Please note high bandwidth consuming applications such as voice over IP telephony, peer-to-peer file sharing and streaming media may be restricted onboard Princess vessels.

 

I believe both of those would count as VOIP/telephony type apps. One person using one would probably use up 1/4 of the available bandwidth for everyone.

[Loonbeam]

Princess can and does block them based on usage patterns. It all depends on how well the ship's engineering team is monitoring the network. On our lt cruise, voip was disabled on day 2 and going forward.

 

If you must use skype, as a courtesy to fellow passenger who are also paying for the service, use voice only, at the lowest quality setting to minimize bandwith.

 

To forestall the inevitable question as to why Princess doesn't add more bandwith, the short answer is it would be VERY expensive. For a longer answer, find one of my posts on the topic.

[Pam in CA]

The ship has limited bandwidth so if someone is using Skype, even if it's not blocked, they are using a large amount of bandwidth and slowing the system down for everyone, costing them time which means it's costing everyone else money. If you do use it, be aware of it's effect on others.

[epicTLR]

Thank you all for your informative replies. Rest assured that I won't be using these on board. If you see anyone in IC (the one with yummy food or the one without) chatting away on Skype, it's definitely not me!:)

[Pam in CA]

Thank you all for your informative replies. Rest assured that I won't be using these on board. If you see anyone in IC (the one with yummy food or the one without) chatting away on Skype, it's definitely not me!:)

If it's very late at night, i.e., after midnight or very early in the morning, perhaps before 7am, I don't see anything wrong with Skyping as few use the system then. Sometimes, the time difference or sleeping patterns can be used to your advantage.

[pablo222]

If it's very late at night, i.e., after midnight or very early in the morning, perhaps before 7am, I don't see anything wrong with Skyping as few use the system then. Sometimes, the time difference or sleeping patterns can be used to your advantage.

 

After midnight is not such a good time, as most crew is off duty,

and many are using the internet then. Crew are big users of

Skype, as it isn't blocked for them. Lots of crew I know

on board have 'skype appointments' set up.

(Not with me, I'm not that interesting)

 

Best internet results: 04h00 - 06h00

 

OK results: 20h30 when most people are either eating, or watching a show.

[Pam in CA]

After midnight is not such a good time, as most crew is off duty, and many are using the internet then. Crew are big users of Skype, as it isn't blocked for them. Lots of crew I know on board have 'skype appointments' set up. (Not with me, I'm not that interesting)

 

Best internet results: 04h00 - 06h00

 

OK results: 20h30 when most people are either eating, or watching a show.

Ahhh... no wonder my iPad wouldn't work even at midnight!

[Coral]

I have been on Princess ships where it has been blocked and on other ships where it hasn't been blocked.

[remydiva]

skype was blocked on our TA on the Emerald.

 

but more annoying than Skype were the couples 'arguing' in the internet cafe as one spouse tried to 'advise' the other spouse (this isn't gender bashing so you all can paint your own picture) about how to send emails when the connection speed was so pitfully slow. :mad:

 

The loud voices and attitude was enough to send me back to my stateroom and set up my WiFi on my netbook which, I should've done in the first place so it was ok in the end.

 

Memo to couples: WE CAN HEAR YOU ARGUING! Keep your voice and advice down to a quiet level so you don't interfere with the other patrons!:eek:

[Crusin6]

What is Facetime? Never heard of it:eek: Sounds a bit like Facebook...will have to google it

 

Ok I got it...yep, they should block it..too much bandwidth

[Crusin6]

According to http://www.princess.com/learn/answer/during_cruise/board.jsp

* Internet access via satellite is significantly slower than high-speed connections on shore. Princess Cruises reserves the right to filter content accessed via the ship’s Internet services. Please note high bandwidth consuming applications such as voice over IP telephony, peer-to-peer file sharing and streaming media may be restricted onboard Princess vessels.

 

I believe both of those would count as VOIP/telephony type apps. One person using one would probably use up 1/4 of the available bandwidth for everyone.

Just as an FYI....I was on a cruise once that actually blocked acces to certain websites....such as local tour guides!! Thus, making it close to impossible to contact them and make or change private tour arrangements prior to the port stop. Someone on these boards suggested sending the link and any pertinent tour info or whatever to your own email prior to the cruise and then just opening up your own email and getting to the website.

 

Don't know anything more..but that is what was posted here... not interested in the feesibility of this plan.....didn't make any difference to me.

[kara17]

Just returned from a TA to Europe on the Star. Skype was blocked because of bandwidth. Internet is slow enough on the ship without people using Skype.

[NJRonbo]

Cruisin,

 

FaceTime is something you will find on most any Apple product with a camera (Macbook, Macbook Pro, iMac, iPod Touch, iPad, iPhone, Macbook Air)

 

It allows video conferencing from device to device.

[highflyingrealtor]

Seems to me the challenge isn't with folks "hogging" bandwidth, it's with Princess not upgrading their technology. Internet access has been slow as long as it's been available. It's 2011, more and more folks want to use video chat and that's not going to change. Princess, cater to your customers.

[LordEd]

Seems to me the challenge isn't with folks "hogging" bandwidth, it's with Princess not upgrading their technology.

 

The issue is a physical and technical limitation to satellite internet speeds. They aren't dragging a wire behind the ship, and there aren't too many cell towers either.

 

They are probably running the fastest speed they can on a non-fixed antenna (the ship is moving, so they can't use a fixed link)

[cruzedude]

Seems to me the challenge isn't with folks "hogging" bandwidth, it's with Princess not upgrading their technology. Internet access has been slow as long as it's been available. It's 2011, more and more folks want to use video chat and that's not going to change. Princess, cater to your customers.

 

If you can magically figure out a way to put a 400 ton sat into orbit at low cost then you can be a trillionaire and spend the rest of your life cruising. Gravity is a difficult thing to overcome. In the 1960s it cost about $10K to ONE POUND into orbit (adjusted for inflation). Today it cost ... drumrolll... about $10K. That is about $20 million per ton, and a high bandwidth communication sat can weight 10 tons or more. The cost of sat internet is the amortized cost of the sat construction + launch cost over the life of the sat (usually about 5-10 years) divided by its peak bandwidth capability. There are other costs but they end up being rounding errors compared to the big three 1) construction, 2) lift, 3) interest. At best you can get an interest free loan, and at best maybe you cut construction costs in half (unlikely given how few are built each year making each job essentially a custom job). Still until there is a cost effective method to put hundred ton objects into orbit sat internet will always be be both expensive and slow.

 

There is nothing Princess can do about it. To put it into perspective in order to bring cost of sat internet to the same level (speed per dollar) as your home internet connection someone would need to figure out a way to reduce launch costs by 99.999%. Not cut launch costs 10% or even 50% or even 90% but 99.999%. If you know how, well you can write your own check for the rest of your life (and your kids lives too). The problem is likely to get WORSE not better. While cost of sat internet has been roughly flat over last 10 years the average bandwidth per home user has grown nearly 20x. Thus people expect more, websites are more graphics intensive, etc. Sat internet will fall further and further behind.

[Pam in CA]

Seems to me the challenge isn't with folks "hogging" bandwidth, it's with Princess not upgrading their technology. Internet access has been slow as long as it's been available. It's 2011, more and more folks want to use video chat and that's not going to change. Princess, cater to your customers.

They could always drag a very, very long cable to shore. That'd work. Then everyone could have video chats whenever they wanted.

 

Yes, if a communications company were to put a high capacity satellite in orbit, your Internet cost would skyrocket because that would have to be paid for somehow. Of course, the Platinum/Elite perk would be eliminated due to costs. Sounds like this is something you'd like.

[cruzedude]

They could always drag a very, very long cable to shore. That'd work. Then everyone could have video chats whenever they wanted.

 

Yes, if a communications company were to put a high capacity satellite in orbit, your Internet cost would skyrocket because that would have to be paid for somehow. Of course, the Platinum/Elite perk would be eliminated due to costs. Sounds like this is something you'd like.

 

One thing I would point out is internet communication satellites are very high bandwidth. Telestar T11N is one of the biggest that operates over the Caribbean (among other areas). It had 39 transponders each with 36Mhz of bandwidth. However it also cost nearly $800 million to build and deploy and assuming nothing goes wrong it will last only 15 years. If it collides with some Chinese space junk its lifespan could be much less. As a result Telestar needs to collect $800 million in revenue over 15 years just to break even (assuming full lifespan). That means charging a huge premium for a relatively small amount of bandwidth. A 1Mbps teleport (connection of remote dish to sat to large ground station dish to internet) on a Telestar T11N costs about $8,000 per month. When compensating for signal losses, equipment maintenance, and under-utilization it is likely more like $10,000 to $15,000 per 1Mbps. Remember that would be 1Mbps to be shared between hundreds of guests.

 

So in theory Princess could have very fast internet (just buy enough capacity till it exceeds customer demands). It all depends on how much guests are willing to pay. If the price was increased to $10 per minute and platinum free internet reduced to say 50% off internet the speed would likely be noticeably faster. Perceived speed would improve both through rental of higher capacity teleport and the fact that less people are using it.

 

With sat internet you can have it cheap or you can have it fast. You just can't have it cheap and fast. :D

 

One thing I wonder is why nobody has setup high-speed internet for cruise ships in port. A company could install high speed capacity lines in major cruise ports. When a ship docks it would connect to this private network (for a fee). Given terrestrial internet is 100x cheaper (not an exaggeration) for a minimal amount of money a cruiseline could offer fast internet in port and slower sat internet at sea. For less than the cost of 10Mbps at sea you could get a 1000Mbps in port. Guess I just need to find couple million in seed money and start my port internet company.

[cruzedude]

The issue is a physical and technical limitation to satellite internet speeds. They aren't dragging a wire behind the ship, and there aren't too many cell towers either.

 

They are probably running the fastest speed they can on a non-fixed antenna (the ship is moving, so they can't use a fixed link)

 

Gyro-stabilized ku band terminals have come a long way. Intellion makes some nice ones which can maintain a fixed link even if moderate seas. The real limit today is bandwidth cost and cost is directly related to the huge expense in lifting something into orbit.

 

In case anyone is wondering if onboard you see a dome like the one on the left, that is where your internet is coming from. The dish on the right is what is inside that dome (which protects it from wind, and sea salt). A computer, gps, and series of gyros keep it pointed at the satellite no matter which way the ship turns. It likely will be mounted high to ensure it has clear line of sight to the sky at all times.

 

[Loonbeam]

Well there are some speed limitiations at the various access points and firewalls etc as well when you are dealing with that many potential device accesses. But yeah, sat provider bandwith costs are the biggie, and it increases exponentially. I.E. lets say 1Mbps is $8,000 (no idea what the current $ is). 2Mpbps is not $16,000 it may be closer to $20, etc.

 

Gyro-stabilized ku band terminals have come a long way. Intellion makes some nice ones which can maintain a fixed link even if moderate seas. The real limit today is bandwidth cost and cost is directly related to the huge expense in lifting something into orbit.

 

In case anyone is wondering if onboard you see a dome like the one on the left, that is where your internet is coming from. The dish on the right is what is inside that dome (which protects it from wind, and sea salt). A computer, gps, and series of gyros keep it pointed at the satellite no matter which way the ship turns. It likely will be mounted high to ensure it has clear line of sight to the sky at all times.