Internet plans

[Pop-I]

Does anyone have pricing on internet access? Prefer unlimited.

[JaneBP]

With thanks to sasejm:

 

 

INTERNET PRICES ON THE SOJOURN - As of July 2, 2011

 

For infrequent use - $0.40 a minute

Buy one hour for $9.99

Buy a daily package at $39.99 and have access for 24hrs.

Seven day unlimited package is $234.00

Cruise exceeds 7 days and want unlimited time the cost is $399.99

[oceandream]

Hi. The above info on internet package is it for use of ship's computer? or to pay to use our own laptop? ( wifi). Many thanks!

[stamfordian]

Hi. The above info on internet package is it for use of ship's computer? or to pay to use our own laptop? ( wifi). Many thanks!

 

On Odyssey earlier this year was same on either. You buy a package of minutes and either use on of the computers in Seabourn Square or your own laptop in suite or on deck. You set up a log-in name and password and access using that.

 

I generally found the Seabourn Square computers got online quicker than my own laptop in suite so one felt one was getting better value.

 

Word of warning - if you go for one of the specific time packages you need to check back regularly on how much you've used as a status bar does not pop up automatically.

 

If you run out on say a 60 minute advance payment you won't be notified in any way. Your account will just start being billed at the $0.40/minute rate and they rack up very quickly!

[JaneBP]

I have always found that a timed package of an hour alerted me to the end of the time and then, gave the option to finish up with minutes or log off and get more time.

 

Perhaps this could be a 'sticky' since computer and wifi and in-suite video come up often?

[dd@sea]

I took my IPad2 on the Pride this May and only did 60 minute plan. I was able to log on quickly, get my email downloaded within one minute (first minute is free when going on line) and then immediately sign off. Then I read email and answered accordingly, offline, pressed the send for each email. When finished I went back on line and mail was sent. For the two weeks I used only two sixty minute packages at $9.99 each. I only used the internet for emails and answering never for surfing. I found reception good all over the ship.

[Pop-I]

Thank you for your responses. I also heard that I might be able to retrieve email on my kindle. Only need for email, not internet surfing.

[jdick]

Can you pre-pay for the 7 or 14 day packages, or can you only fix on board?

[sasejm]

We are currently on the Sojourn and I think the only way you can sign up for an internet package is when you are onboard and you sign-on and create an account with your guest pass/card. All you do is slide your card through the card reader on the computer, input your room number and then select a package. Once you have selected a package, your selected time-packae will work on the eight desktop computers (Sojourn) in Seabourn Square or on your laptop in your room as well as other locations throughout the ship. If you are going to use the desktop computers you will need your guest pass/card everytime you sign on. One thing to remember if you have two people in your room and there are two guest passes/cards and that is only the pass/card you used to sign up for the internet package will work with the signed up internet package. If you happen to grab the wrong card from someone else occupying your room and sign-on thinking your using your internet package time, you will be surprised to find out you will be charged $0.40 a minute.

Signing on to a laptop only requires a user I.D. and a password and not the use of your guest pass. I have used both the desktop and a laptop and I have noticed I have been bumped off the connection to the laptop using Wifi as opposed to using the desktop where I haven’t lost a connection.

ED

[twoboys]

I think charging that much for internet access is ridiculous. This is supposed to be "all inclusive" For an upscale cruise line charging for internet even in the Seaborn Square, is very petty

[Stevanb]

If there was free internet the speed would be so slow. People would stay connected all the time and with the limited band width the satellite have it is slow now with people paying

[jdick]

Thanks mate - great help

[goaliedad30]

Two suggestions:

 

1) in almost every port, we could find a cafe that provided free wifi access. Go have a coffee, take your laptop/tablet, and catch up on mail that way. We used it to upload photos to Facebook and make our friends jealous! :-)

 

2) look for the public libraries in port! they almost all have free wifi these days! We spent a delightful 90 minutes in the "biblioteca" in Palamos, Spain, last week -- bright, airy, new, and air-conditioned! Just remember to bring your local power converter and a power strip! :-)

[ianlin]

I need to keep in touch with my office during our trip. I don't mind paying if it works. In some past trips on different lines, the internet would be so slow that I was unable to log on to my work servers after half hour or 45 minutes of trying!

[Emperor Norton]

I need to keep in touch with my office during our trip. I don't mind paying if it works. In some past trips on different lines, the internet would be so slow that I was unable to log on to my work servers after half hour or 45 minutes of trying!

 

The problem with speed on a ships connection is there are a lot of variables.

- ships position can affect speed

- weather can affect speed

- more so than other networks the amount of other people vying for access will affect speed

- also good IT or lack thereof will have an impact (not naming another line but their IT person was CS with no IT background so when something went down they had to call corporate and troubleshoot over the phone).

[DCCruiser57]

I need to keep in touch with my office during our trip. I don't mind paying if it works. In some past trips on different lines, the internet would be so slow that I was unable to log on to my work servers after half hour or 45 minutes of trying!

 

If you are connecting using secure services such as VPN, it can be extremely slow.

[Seabourntraveller]

Does anyone have pricing on internet access? Prefer unlimited.

 

$399.00 for any sailing for 7 days or longer. I used it on my last cruise of 44 days and certainly made it economical at that rate for unlimited access.

[hoosier74]

and you used it so very, very well.

[Seabourntraveller]

and you used it so very, very well.

 

 

I did!!!:D

[smithton]

Am curious about two things:

On Odyssey's Seabourne Square computers in particular, do any have a photo card slot - and if they do, would it be realistic to download occasionally to Flickr (or other online photo service) while on board? I don't want to be a bandwidth abuser. ;-)

[Stevanb]

If they charge for internet time it will costly to upload

 

Can can buy a card reader that you put the sd card into and it plugs into a usb port on ebay cheap

 

Or just buy another card there are getting really cheap these days

[mrtdxb]

I seem to recall that if you are in one of the bigger suites you get Internet access included for free but now I cannot find that on the Seabourn website. Does anyone out there happen to know (we are in a Signature Suite on Sojourn in a weeks time). Thanks in anticipation.

 

Sorry - just answered my own question: Signature Suites feature expansive ocean views, forward-facing windows, dining for four to six, bathroom with whirlpool bathtub, guest bath, pantry with wet bar, and two flat-screen TVs. Complimentary Internet/Wi-Fi service.

[wlock]

If you purchase the unlimited internet option, create a login ID, are you able to use it on multiple different devices - iPhone, Mac, iPad? (not simultaneously !). Thanks

[Buccaneer_1]

Frequent Seabourn cruisers should also remember that Gold category sailors get 3 hours free internet per cruise as one of their frequent cruiser options. I ran out of my allocation with minutes to spare on a 15 day eastern Med cruise in October by using primarily for email as suggested above with a small amount of surfing on my iPad which worked well everywhere on board. I think Silver members get 2 hours which would be plenty on a 7 day cruise. Cruise more - an expensive but fun way to get free internet.

[Ravenscroft]

If you purchase the unlimited internet option, create a login ID, are you able to use it on multiple different devices - iPhone, Mac, iPad? (not simultaneously !). Thanks

 

I'm currently on the Quest and have done so with iPhone and iPad, so I assume you can login with your Mac too.