Laptop or No?

[willow028]

I'm another back up pictures daily person - after three different cruise experiences of photos being deleted/camera being reformatted/shooting too many videos I filled up my memory card halfway through a tender port day, daily downloading is a must. I have an inexpensive Google ChromeBook that I swear weighs less than my iPad and boots up in seconds - I quickly download and then turn it back off. Never use the Internet on board or on land but knowing I could on my own device if I had to (although I will use it on the plane when free) is also nice.

[sparky-elpaso]

I'm another back up pictures daily person - after three different cruise experiences of photos being deleted/camera being reformatted/shooting too many videos I filled up my memory card halfway through a tender port day, daily downloading is a must. I have an inexpensive Google ChromeBook that I swear weighs less than my iPad and boots up in seconds - I quickly download and then turn it back off. Never use the Internet on board or on land but knowing I could on my own device if I had to (although I will use it on the plane when free) is also nice.

 

Me too. I have a small netbook that I take and also a backup portable hard drive. The phone is put in airplane mode, turned off and stored in the safe. Every few days I'll take it out, turn it on, send a text to one of our sons - "having fun, bye" - then it goes back in the safe.

[uncleg]

I got to say I really feel for you guys that have to check into office while on vacation, that's just not right. I took my first cruise about 11 years ago and the first question from my BOSS"how am I going to get in touch with you? " Granted I had worked for this guy for about 12 years, so he knew what to expect from me, My reply was "you can't", BOSS "How will we manage without you?", Me "if I'm that important we need to talk raise and promotion" nothing was said after that.LOL

 

My cell is turned off and locked in safe until I disembark.

 

This thread reminded me of that conversation so long ago.

[jmcgraw1409]

I got to say I really feel for you guys that have to check into office while on vacation, that's just not right. I took my first cruise about 11 years ago and the first question from my BOSS"how am I going to get in touch with you? " Granted I had worked for this guy for about 12 years, so he knew what to expect from me, My reply was "you can't", BOSS "How will we manage without you?", Me "if I'm that important we need to talk raise and promotion" nothing was said after that.LOL

 

My cell is turned off and locked in safe until I disembark.

 

This thread reminded me of that conversation so long ago.

 

TOTALLY agree 1000000% !!!!! :D Unfortunately I AM the boss LOL!

 

But I shouldn't have to do anything too major....just wanna make sure I can check email occasionally. And really if that doesn't happen....it doesn't happen. Think I might get my mom to check emails for me while I'm gone! But still gonna bring laptop to play with pictures....that's the fun stuff ;)

[calliopecruiser]

Unfortunately I AM the boss LOL!

 

Yup, I'm self employed so I can't go without checking email......usually nothing that needs a response, but I still have to check and make sure I'm not leaving my clients hanging.

 

And when I'm doing land travel, I always have some data and minutes for my phone, both for safety and for using mapping functions, etc.

Edited May 22, 2014 by calliopecruiser

[calliopecruiser]

And when I'm doing land travel, I always have some data and minutes for my phone, both for safety and for using mapping functions, etc.

 

Sorry, that last part had to do with SIM cards for cellphones, unrelated to this thread. I was confusing two threads......sorry.

[SPacificbound]

We travel with a laptop because we always take long trips. :)

[Ashland]

Have been on several cruises and brought my laptop and never used it..so depends on the cruise..many times it's just easier to use the internet cafe onboard.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Go and injoy you vacation ..

[ducklite]

We usually have pre and post cruise days where we have access to free WiFi (or I can use my iPad and connect to Verizon). On our last cruise we bought the smallest WiFi package so we could email with our son and post a few photos to facebook, as there is no such thing as free or free with the purchase of a drink WiFi where we were.

[iancal]

Cellphone and laptop stay at home. We take our ipad.

 

We are light packers...laptop is too heavy, too bulky for us.

Edited May 24, 2014 by iancal

[lady_cruiser]

On two occasions I brought a small netbook thinking I would do a "live, daily report" here on Cruise Critic. The connection was so slow both time that I made up my mind to just leave it at home from now on.

[RoxnDox]

I'm bringing along a little netbook, plus an external hard drive, as a backup location for trip photos. Email can be checked on the Ipad Mini on port days :cool:

 

Jim

[SadieN]

We always take the laptop just so I can keep my records - downloading photos, identifying them (daily before I forget), and doing my daily log. If I don't do it every day, it doesn't get done and the days all get mushed together in my head....

 

Yes, we own smaller devices - tablets - but I really HATE trying to type on those tiny pseudo keyboards. I need a real keyboard.

 

However, for e-mailing in ports (not on the ship), the tablet or an I-phone work well.

 

Both DDs use an Apple wireless keyboard for their Mini's. This combo has been a great lightweight compromise for DDtheOlder in Europe for her weekend out-of-area classes.

 

DH brings his iPad and laptop. Ipad for fun, Laptop for work. Sole practitioner, can't get away otherwise.:(

Edited May 28, 2014 by SadieN

[iancal]

We originally bought an ipad for a six month trip. So glad we did...big improvement over lugging the laptop all over the show. The laptop stays at home now.