200 free. Internet minute promotion

[Noitacav]

This was just offered on Rivera Caribbean Hideaway March 28, 2013. Does anyone know how this works? It was in a recent brochure.

[cruisingxpert]

This was just offered on Rivera Caribbean Hideaway March 28, 2013. Does anyone know how this works? It was in a recent brochure.

 

What brochure? My docs for the March 28th cruise says Unlimited Internet $27.99 per day or 200 Anytime Minutes for $160 on Page 36.

I'd love to know if what you saw is true.

 

CJ

[Mura]

It seems like these unlimited internet charges just keeping going up.

 

On our August 2013 Regatta cruise (14 days I think) it was $21.99. Shortly after we got back I saw quotes of $24.99. Quite possibly the rates change with the length of the cruise, although I'm not sure why.

 

Now it is $27.99/day?

 

The higher it gets, the less likely I am to indulge.

 

In fact, our two next cruises are both transatlantics where my experience has been that we can lose connection entirely for days at a time. So if I buy a package, it will be a minute package. I don't see why I should pay a daily rate when there isn't daily connectabilty.

 

Someone correct me, please!

 

Mura

[sitraveler]

On our last trans-atlantics there were no periods of non-availability.

 

The price seems to be moving gradually higher. In the summer there was a 1 day rate of $28., but that disappeared by winter and you had to buy the whole cruise from about the 3rd day on. If you are a heavy user the daily charge is nothing compared to the minute charge.

[Mura]

I somewhat agree, Sitraveler.

 

On our southern routes, we've generally had good connections (although I have to say it was a lot faster on NCL for less money than it's been on Oceania).

 

But when we did the northern Atlantic TA on the QE2 back in December '04 we had almost no connections. Even approaching NYC! But I think in that case they forgot to turn it on ... When we were in the middle of nowhere, we understood. When we were an hour out of NYC we didn't!

 

I'm not that heavy a user and have not taken advantage of the daily rate in the past. A 200 minute package has always worked well for me and I suspect that is what I will do again.

 

If they give me a daily rate at $20 (not likely, I agree) and we don't have any dead spots, I would consider the flat rate.

 

But I don't go for the drink package either.

 

Mura

[Noitacav]

What brochure? My docs for the March 28th cruise says Unlimited Internet $27.99 per day or 200 Anytime Minutes for $160 on Page 36.

I'd love to know if what you saw is true.

 

CJ

 

My friend who has traveled on two Oceania cruises got this brochure in the mail. She made me a copy of the page which I have. I will contact her and find out which brochure it is. However, my TA called Oceania and was told it was for previous guests. I do not see anything on my page which states this fact. So I am trying to find out just exactly who is eligible. I thought it was a good benefit and even If I Cannot benefit from it, I would be happy for others to enjoy this perk. I will do my best to get some further information about it. I will be in touch. The copy of the page states it is for both Caribbean Hideaways on March 28, 2013 And Splendid Journey, Miami to Barcelona in April 7, 2013. My friend got this brochure YESTERDAY, February 11, 2013.

[LHT28]

My friend who has traveled on two Oceania cruises got this brochure in the mail. She made me a copy of the page which I have. I will contact her and find out which brochure it is. However, my TA called Oceania and was told it was for previous guests.

Maybe a perk for Oceania Club members only

probably new booking only to sell the cruise

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I...

But when we did the northern Atlantic TA on the QE2 back in December '04 we had almost no connections. ... When we were in the middle of nowhere, we understood. ...

 

This doesn't make sense to me, since they get their internet connectivity via satellite which should be just the same whether you're in the middle of the Atlantic or the middle of Manhattan. So perhaps they were having general trouble with connecting on your cruise?

 

How many other people felt that connectivity on a TA was poor? (If so, I'm certainly not going to buy a daily package on my crossing this fall.)

[LHT28]

This doesn't make sense to me, since they get their internet connectivity via satellite which should be just the same whether you're in the middle of the Atlantic or the middle of Manhattan. So perhaps they were having general trouble with connecting on your cruise?

 

Hopefully things have improved since 2004 :rolleyes:

[Mura]

As far as the 2004 trip is concerned, we were on a very northern route. I always assumed that was a big part of the problem, especially since we've lost connection on other cruises in the southern hemisphere. It wasn't just internet but also TV. But not being able to get NY television programs when we were only a half hour from docking was pretty strange!

 

True, that was then and this might not be the case today.

 

Mura

[cruisingxpert]

My friend who has traveled on two Oceania cruises got this brochure in the mail. She made me a copy of the page which I have. I will contact her and find out which brochure it is. However, my TA called Oceania and was told it was for previous guests. I do not see anything on my page which states this fact. So I am trying to find out just exactly who is eligible. I thought it was a good benefit and even If I Cannot benefit from it, I would be happy for others to enjoy this perk. I will do my best to get some further information about it. I will be in touch. The copy of the page states it is for both Caribbean Hideaways on March 28, 2013 And Splendid Journey, Miami to Barcelona in April 7, 2013. My friend got this brochure YESTERDAY, February 11, 2013.

 

Noitacav,

 

I would really appreciate any update you get. I have to be able to get on the Internet for awhile every day because of my job and I'm concerned about going over the 200 min plan because of comments about how slow the Internet connection is.

 

I had 550 min for $180 on my last Holland America cruise and I didn't use all of the minutes but I did use more than 200 min and the connection was not bad.

 

CJ

[Noitacav]

Noitacav,

 

I would really appreciate any update you get. I have to be able to get on the Internet for awhile every day because of my job and I'm concerned about going over the 200 min plan because of comments about how slow the Internet connection is.

 

I had 550 min for $180 on my last Holland America cruise and I didn't use all of the minutes but I did use more than 200 min and the connection was not bad.

 

CJ

 

Cruising Expert,

The brochures cover is a canal scene in Venice. There are two condalas and one small boat. Ask your TA to locate this brochure. Good Luck!

[CAG]

We were on Riviera's transatlantic from Barcelona to Miami last November and had no issues with connectivity. We did purchase the daily rate package, which had to have been purchased by the third day of the cruise, and loved it. Yes, at times it can be slow, you just have to be patient. At least with the package you aren't counting the minutes ticking away at a ridiculous minute rate.

 

In the past we were avid "complainers" about the internet and getting what you paid for. No complaints with this cruise.

 

We are next on Nautica (Beijing to Bangkok) and are planning on purchasing the internet package again, for us it is no brainer.

[Molliem]

"That is a promotion that is only available on a small handful of sailings that have close in sail dates" per email from Oceania today.

Elwin

 

 

Noitacav,

 

I would really appreciate any update you get. I have to be able to get on the Internet for awhile every day because of my job and I'm concerned about going over the 200 min plan because of comments about how slow the Internet connection is.

 

I had 550 min for $180 on my last Holland America cruise and I didn't use all of the minutes but I did use more than 200 min and the connection was not bad.

 

CJ

[Wendy The Wanderer]

As far as the 2004 trip is concerned, we were on a very northern route. I always assumed that was a big part of the problem, especially since we've lost connection on other cruises in the southern hemisphere. It wasn't just internet but also TV. But not being able to get NY television programs when we were only a half hour from docking was pretty strange!

 

True, that was then and this might not be the case today.

 

Mura

 

 

Yes, one would hope connectivity has improved in more than 8 years. That's practically back in the stone age! Technology has progressed massively since then. Not sure about then, but now your position in the hemisphere should not matter one bit.

[Mura]

I don't think that Jim/Stan were trying to diss anybody.

 

Granted, I'm going back a while, but I remember articles talking about the difficulty of satellite transmission vis-a-vis ships where the fact that the ship is a moving target can be a problem.

 

It certainly was on several of our cruises, but again, I confess these were a while back.

 

We did a TA on NCL in 2010 (Miami-Barcelona) where we never lost connectivity (and yes, rates were lower than on Oceania, but then ALL rates were lower than on Oceania). There were other cruises where we lost connectivity ... and I'm not only talking internet but also TV.

 

Yes, there has been a lot of progress made.

 

I'm curious to see how our two upcoming TAs will serve in this connection.

 

If we lose connectivity, I won't be surprised. If we don't, I will be delighted!

 

But I'm still inclined to take a minute plan, not a daily plan. Just because I'm not sure if I'll always be able to get online.

 

If I could buy the daily rate on a "yes I want it today, no I don't want it tomorrow", I'd go for it. But as long as it's an all or nothing, I hesitate to risk it.

 

Mura

[Mexfolkart]

I agree completely with Adrian and this is why a Northern route will not have as good a signal as one from say here to Europe.

Sherry