Computers on Dream??

[jennim]

I did do a search before asking... getting ready to do a family Thanksgiving cruise. My DD is in graduate school (full time, works full time and is a full time mom/wife :)) that's why I am asking for her... She cannot miss assignments while we are cruising. She is getting as many ahead of time but there are always a few that just pop up.... Are there computers on Dream where she can take test or submit papers?? If so.. Does anyone know the charge?? (min day hr wk ??) I'm sure I should be asking more questions but all she said was "Mom can you please check for me... I really don't have time" :(

 

Thanks... I have sailed before but I have never paid attention or needed it.

[firefly333]

rates start at 75 cents per MINUTE. if she buys a package, she can probably get it down to 40 cents per minute. Her best bet is to utilize port computers where its much much cheaper. ($1 to $6 per hour).

 

computers onboard are slow, almost like dial up. what takes 5 minutes at home, will take twice as long.

[jennim]

Thanks..

[MSRussell]

She can also bring her laptop, either use it in the room, or take with her at the ports, where she might be able to find an internet Cafe, it is a lot cheaper on board.

Melanie

[MSRussell]

A lot cheaper THAN on board..sorry. :o

[gail811]

If she has a laptop she should bring it along. That would give her a little more privacy and quiet. The computers sit in a public area. I buy time when I board, type up what I need to send, log on and send, then log off. Saves quite a bit of time, and I got a great signal in our cabin on the Dream. Here is a picture of the Fun Hub area.

 

[jennim]

I know she will have her lap top with her (can't leave w/o it :p) it's just test she will have an issue with, they are usually timed and they can spring up any day so she will have to check every day :(. Were (i'm lol) looking into the Verizion min also... thanks everyone for your help... Hopefull her Professors will realize that it is a holiday and ease up but i'm not holding my breath...

[firefly333]

I guess you mean Verizon in the ports?? Verizon on the ship would still go thru the ships towers.

 

Whats going to be the problem is the slow connection thru the satalitte.

[MSRussell]

FireFly is correct. I have a 3G Kindle, turned on the web, and it wanted me to sign on to Carnival's Internet Package.

Melanie

[brilliantseas]

I am in graduate school as well (working on my MBA) and just got off back-to-back cruises on the Dream and Victory. Some of my professors were willing to open up quizzes/tests a day early for me so I could do them before or after the cruise (8 day test window instead of 7), which helped out a lot, but I still had four quizzes and a paper that had to be done while I was gone. I had originally planned a work day in St. Thomas or Barbados (ended up being Barbados due to weather forecasts) during my 2nd week on the Victory, where I would stay in the port area and do homework while my friend went on a Carnival excursion and then we'd meet up late in the afternoon.

 

Well the plan was to use the free WiFi in port, but when I got off the ship I found about 50 or so Carnival employees sitting on every bench and all over the floor in the terminal. They apparently like to break out the laptops as well on their days off. Well needless to say the WiFi switch can't support 50+ connections at a time in the terminal, so after trying both access points for over 30 minutes and no luck connecting (due to overloaded WiFi access points - several others had the same issue), I gave in, got back on the ship, and paid a whopping $103.95 for a 250 minute WiFi package on the ship and said goodbye to my free $100 shareholder onboard credit. The speed wasn't horrible, but not nearly as fast as broadband. I would compare it to the speed that my 3G cell phone loads web pages. It was good enough to do my quizzes and some basic research for my paper, but I'd never try to upload photos or do anything serious on it.

 

The Dream, like the Victory, has bow to stern WiFi, but make sure your daughter knows that it is slower than broadband, and satellite-based, so if the weather is bad either around the ship or in New Jersey (where the downlink is located), you may lose your connection at times.

 

The best advice I could give is to have her ask the professor if they will make any assignments available 24-48 hours early or shift the date for a quiz and do it either the night before the cruise, or the day she gets back. I found that when I mentioned that I was willing and able to do it on the ship if necessary, but it would cost me $0.40-0.75/min and connections are satellite based and may have issues due to weather, most of my professors were more than willing to work with me on it.

 

Best of luck with your internet situation and enjoy your vacation!