Princess passengers using Southest air...and WIFI

[SugarStar00]

I've never paid much attention to the details of the internet packages because I usually prefer to stay away from it while on a cruise, however this year were are flying home on Southwest Airlines and to get seats together on the trip home, we need to "check in" 24 hours before our flight. We will be at sea the last day, can I just turn on my iphone and use it to check in online quickly? How will I be billed for that? Or is it better/cheaper to use the internet cafe's computers and do it that way? If it matters, I'm an AT&T customer.....

 

Leaving tomorrow and this just occured to me. Thanks for any advice!

[Pam in CA]

You'll need to purchase Internet minutes for the WiFi. That's the only way you'll be able to access it, whether you're using an iPhone in your cabin or the ship's computers. Same cost. There's usually a special for just the last day or so. The last day on a cruise before disembarkation is almost impossible to get online because everyone is doing what you are: checking in for their flights. Expect an extremely slow and often unavailable connection.

[Hoosier-Cruiser]

I've never paid much attention to the details of the internet packages because I usually prefer to stay away from it while on a cruise, however this year were are flying home on Southwest Airlines and to get seats together on the trip home, we need to "check in" 24 hours before our flight. We will be at sea the last day, can I just turn on my iphone and use it to check in online quickly? How will I be billed for that? Or is it better/cheaper to use the internet cafe's computers and do it that way? If it matters, I'm an AT&T customer.....

 

Leaving tomorrow and this just occured to me. Thanks for any advice!

 

To avoid this, I paid for the "Early Bird" service from Southwest. They check you in 36 hours before the flight, 12 hours before anyone else. You are all but guaranteed Boarding Group 1. At $12.50 per person, each way, it seemed the best way for us to ensure that we get to sit together with our children.

[beg3yrs]

When we cruise and use SW to go home we spend the extra money for their Early-Bird check in. That way we're not worrying about getting online with slow Internet that might or might not work.

 

We use AT&T but haven't tried to use the ship's data through the cell service so can't help you there. I do recall somewhere on the AT&T web-site are the costs for using data on the Princess ships.

[SugarStar00]

To avoid this, I paid for the "Early Bird" service from Southwest. They check you in 36 hours before the flight, 12 hours before anyone else. You are all but guaranteed Boarding Group 1. At $12.50 per person, each way, it seemed the best way for us to ensure that we get to sit together with our children.

 

This is great idea, probably well worth the cost based on what Pam just said. Thanks!

[Colo Cruiser]

We stopped using the S/W early bird check in because we always ended up in group b. :( Used to be $10 when it started.

Its still good for check in for a case like this though.

 

I have seen Princess offer a small minutes package toward the end of the cruise just to check in for flights etc.

[ar1950]

What everyone else has said. Pay for the early bird check in. You will never get a decent spot in line without doing this when you are on a cruise ship with their slooowww internet access. We never used to do early bird, but, lately even on my fast home internet and being logged in at the exact moment (24 hours exactly, plus or minus a couple of seconds) we started getting B group boarding passes. I mentioned this to one of the ladies at the gate kiosk on our last trip and she said unless the flight was not full (very rare these days) early bird check in as far in advance as possible was the best chance of getting an A boarding pass. Not a good gamble trying to do it yourself on the ship. PLUS, you don't need to mess up your last day on the cruise trying to get a boarding pass. Life is too short (and so is the cruise) to be wasting time with this. :cool:

[riclop]

To avoid this, I paid for the "Early Bird" service from Southwest. They check you in 36 hours before the flight, 12 hours before anyone else. You are all but guaranteed Boarding Group 1. At $12.50 per person, each way, it seemed the best way for us to ensure that we get to sit together with our children.

Very good advise.

[SugarStar00]

I'm sold on the Early Bird, just added it. Thanks so much for the suggestion! I knew I could count on my fellow cruise critic friends.

 

Cheers!

[ar1950]

................

I have seen Princess offer a small minutes package toward the end of the cruise just to check in for flights etc.

 

 

FWIW, From our last day at sea Patter:

 

Internet Cafe

Last Day Internet Access

15 mins for $8.99

Time Plan can be used until

you disembark the ship.

Check-in for your flight on line!

Piazza, Deck 5 Midship

 

BTW, as far as check-in for your flight, good luck getting this done with only 15 minutes, especially if there is more than one boarding pass needed. :cool:

Edited March 18, 2014 by ar1950

[Colo Cruiser]

FWIW, From our last day at sea Patter:

 

Internet Cafe

Last Day Internet Access

15 mins for $8.99

Time Plan can be used until

you disembark the ship.

Check-in for your flight on line!

Piazza, Deck 5 Midship

 

BTW, as far as check-in for your flight, good luck getting this done with only 15 minutes, especially if there is more than one boarding pass needed. :cool:

 

I know, on the Sapphire 2 weeks ago I never even activated my free minutes because the signal was horrendus. :eek:

Used 40 minutes on DW's account, we gave up.

Edited March 18, 2014 by Colo Cruiser

[ar1950]

I know, on the Sapphire 2 weeks ago I never even activated my free minutes because the signal was horrendus. :eek:

Used 40 minutes on DW's account, we gave up.

 

LOL! After finding out how bad the internet service was on our Star cruise in November I didn't even bother to take my lap top on our March Ruby cruise. I just used my smart phone and the service was so poor that I only used 150 of my 250 minutes (free Platinum minutes) and none of my wife's 250 minutes. Early mornings or very late nights were best to check e-mails. Other than that, hey, I was on vacation...no reason to do anything else. I didn't need the frustration. :cool:

Edited March 18, 2014 by ar1950

[bigandlil]

Another possibility is to leave your flight confirmation number with someone at home, and ask them to check in for you.

 

I have been doing this for years with a friend............we do it for each other when we travel is the timing is such that we cannot do our own checkins on Southwest.

 

 

Laura

[beg3yrs]

I'm sold on the Early Bird, just added it. Thanks so much for the suggestion! I knew I could count on my fellow cruise critic friends.

 

Cheers!

 

Have a great cruise. No worries now!

[coo359a2]

Besides using the "Early Bird" check in, I have also had my kids call in on the 24 hour mark to get our boarding pass.

[Hlitner]

Besides using the "Early Bird" check in, I have also had my kids call in on the 24 hour mark to get our boarding pass.

 

We often use SW when cruising out of Port Everglades. For our flight down to FLL we usually call at exactly 24 hours before our flight to get a decent boarding number. But having spend an awful lot of time on cruises, we know that the internet at sea is never dependable. Trying to check-in (online) when you at sea is not too dependable (you may not even be able to connect) and often means you get a lousy "C" boarding number. So we always spend the $12.50 for Early Bird. There is little advantage to trying to get a boarding pass in advance (when you have Early Bird) since the Boarding number is automatically assigned regardless of when you get the boarding pass. So we simply get our boarding passes once we arrive at FLL...which you can easily do right out of the boarding pass vending machines.

 

Hank

[coo359a2]

We often use SW when cruising out of Port Everglades. For our flight down to FLL we usually call at exactly 24 hours before our flight to get a decent boarding number. But having spend an awful lot of time on cruises, we know that the internet at sea is never dependable. Trying to check-in (online) when you at sea is not too dependable (you may not even be able to connect) and often means you get a lousy "C" boarding number. So we always spend the $12.50 for Early Bird. There is little advantage to trying to get a boarding pass in advance (when you have Early Bird) since the Boarding number is automatically assigned regardless of when you get the boarding pass. So we simply get our boarding passes once we arrive at FLL...which you can easily do right out of the boarding pass vending machines.

 

Hank

 

Meant to say that if we decide not to use "Early Bird", we have the kids call in on the 24 hour mark to get our boarding number. Usually we get in the "A" group using either method and then print out our boarding passes at the airport. We don't use both methods for the same flight check in.

[Go-Bucks!]

I've used the Early Bird option for years - love it. Used to cost $10 but now is $12.50. Still a great deal since I never need to do the old "exactly at 24 hr before boarding check in" routine. Makes less stress, especially when there's a sea day for the last day.

 

The sooner you book your flight and order the Early Bird option, the better boarding position you get. I booked last weeks flights back in November and I was A32 and A25.

[Hoosier-Cruiser]

We booked our June flights back in January. Hopefully we will get a decent number. I honestly don't care as long as each of the kids are next to one of us.

[spunkie4]

When flying Southwest, we always use the Early Bird check-in, even for our flight from home. Saves a lot of time and bother. The internet cafe on the last day is a nightmare, one which I don't wish to experience.

 

If it's not too late, consider adding this to your return flight.

 

Shirley

[AryMay]

I worried about this too, but waited to check in until we docked in Ft. Lauderdale and I had cell service. I went out by the Terrace Pool around 6 am and using the SW Airlines app on my iphone...surprise...I was still able to get into group B!

 

As an added bonus...I got to see the beautiful sunrise!

 

 

Unfortunately we had to switch flights at the last minute and did not get seats together...but that's another story! :(

[tamsno]

In Seattle I combined Early Bird with EZ check for my grand kids 10 and 12 and me to make sure we sat together with the least amount of hassle. I had arranged a town car transfer and it all worked better than I ever expected. We were group A and early bird showed on boarding passes provided by EZ and no bags to worry about. I'm really spoiled for this now!

[mysaddlebred000]

Just to clarify:

 

The earlier you check in to see what your boarding number is within that 24 hour period makes NO difference.

 

The earlier you book your flight and sign up for the early bird board is what determines the number you get. I have always gotten A's but booked a last minute cruise several months ago and ended up with B's. We took a friend with us recently and we had numbers in the A 30'd so at the gate, I paid the extra $40 each and got A 5 and 6.

[Colo Cruiser]

Meant to say that if we decide not to use "Early Bird", we have the kids call in on the 24 hour mark to get our boarding number. Usually we get in the "A" group using either method and then print out our boarding passes at the airport. We don't use both methods for the same flight check in.

 

We sometimes do this as well. :D

[mysaddlebred000]

The biggest factor that determines your number is how many people signed up for early bird boarding (also the number of frequent flyers).

Last year we were on a flight during spring break and it seemed like more than half the plane was a student tour. We had high numbers. I doubt any of the kids paid for early boarding.

 

The other thing - everyone should stop posting on social networks that it is such a great deal. Just like posting the "best" cabins. Now we can never book them!!!