how to get free wifi?

[beachchairs2]

are there only 2 ways?

 

to be a frequent passenger of O or to get it with your promo....

 

is there any other way?

[pacheco18]

Frequent passengers do not get free wifi. They get a discount

Promo is the only way

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[beachchairs2]

ah I see...ok...

[roothy123]

I don't know where you're going on your cruise, but it always surprises me how many ports in Europe have WiFi right in the port terminal. What I don't know is if it's free or not, but I imagine it is. I saw lots of crew members using it in many ports on our recent cruise to Spain, Portugal, and Gibraltar. With any luck, you can find it without purchasing a ship's plan - if you have time and inclination to do that. I'm always rushing to get off the ship and explore a port, so I hate taking up valuable time sitting by the ship fiddling with email and stuff. Also, you can't print, load your pictures and send, and all that good stuff sitting next to the ship!

Edited September 5, 2014 by roothy123

[forgap]

I don't know where you're going on your cruise, but it always surprises me how many ports in Europe have WiFi right in the port terminal. What I don't know is if it's free or not, but I imagine it is. I saw lots of crew members using it in many ports on our recent cruise to Spain, Portugal, and Gibraltar. With any luck, you can find it without purchasing a ship's plan - if you have time and inclination to do that. I'm always rushing to get off the ship and explore a port, so I hate taking up valuable time sitting by the ship fiddling with email and stuff. Also, you can't print, load your pictures and send, and all that good stuff sitting next to the ship!

 

Leaving next week for Spain to Portugal and resisting the cost of ship's wifi.....do you have to sign up immediately or can you sign up mid-cruise? I'd like to see if I can get some free wifi in ports.....

[BarbaraM]

You don't end to get unlimited, you can pay by the minute or get a 200 minute package. The 200 minutes was good enough for us to check emails, post a few Facebook pics and pay bills on a 20 day cruise. It is a slow connection, compared to land.

 

The crew could tell you where the free wifi spots are, and some tour busses also have free wifi.

[Toranut97]

Leaving next week for Spain to Portugal and resisting the cost of ship's wifi.....do you have to sign up immediately or can you sign up mid-cruise? I'd like to see if I can get some free wifi in ports.....

 

I think you can sign up for a per-minute plan anytime during the cruise but you only have a certain period of time to purchase the unlimited internet plan.

 

Since I don't go to the spa, internet is a favorite use for our OBCs.

 

Have a great trip!

 

Donna

[wandrr]

You could always get your 12 year old grandson to show you how to hack in to the ship's system! :eek: :p:rolleyes:

[pacheco18]

You generally have 2 or 3 days to sign up for the unlimited internet package.

[roothy123]

Now I'm trying to remember which Spain and Portugal ports had the WiFi right outside in the port terminal. I think Valencia for sure (which is a wonderful city, by the way), but that's about all I remember at this point.

 

We got free unlimited WiFi with our booking (10 months in advance of cruise) so I didn't pay that much attention to the packages offered. However, I believe the X number of minutes for X dollars was offered throughout our 12 day cruise, not just at first.

 

There are a couple WiFi websites (including something with a title related to crew internet) that list where there's free WiFi in cities around the world, but I forget what the sites are. I also don't know how accurate the sites are, as obviously things like restaurants and hotels can change from year to year! They are probably your best bet. I have, on occasion, used WiFi in a restaurant close to a port, but those cases were a little frustrating, because connectivity was very poor. I should have just stayed on the ship and paid Oceania (well, actually it goes to their Oceania at Sea provider, I guess.)

 

You might also be able to ask the rep from the tourist board who comes on board if he/she knows about availability of WiFi near or in the port. Also, the daily newspaper and/or port information sheet Oceania provides often tells where the nearest "phone home" locations are. That might give you clues as to where an internet cafe might be.

 

A previous poster is right in that the crew can definitely tell you! Don't be afraid to ask!

Edited September 5, 2014 by roothy123

[beachchairs2]

You could always get your 12 year old grandson to show you how to hack in to the ship's system! :eek: :p:rolleyes:

 

well i am very interested in this one.....but do not have a 12 year old grandson...woe is me...

Edited September 6, 2014 by beachchairs2

[StanandJim]

well i am very interested in this one.....but do not have a 12 year old grandson...woe is me...

 

For the twelve year old, it might be worth a shot, but Oceania has your Credit Card on file.

Honesty doesn't always pay, but dishonesty always costs.

[LHT28]

Anywhere we have travelled if there is a Golden Arches in that port you can get free WiFi

 

Some may want you to buy something but most are free

Edited September 6, 2014 by LHT28

[pacheco18]

Also Starbucks and most coffee places.

 

In fact, I was just in Guadalajara and San Miguel de Allende and EVERY restaurant we were in had free wifi -- they would just give you the password.

 

The reason we buy the unlimited internet package is that we just don't want to be bothered looking for free wifi -- especially if we are out touring. Since we are not big drinkers, the internet is our "booze."

[beachchairs2]

yes stan and jim, my sense of humour can be a mystery to many...but you do know I am joking?

 

of course wifi off shore will be available....

 

but yes taking time to look for it and spend time on it, is not possible with organized tours....

 

we also do not drink, so the obc's will be assigned to pay for the internet.....

 

I have few options...and none of the apps ideas work for me...

 

my mom is over 90...it is difficult for us to leave her when we travel...but hearing from me each day makes it possible...she has a standard land line....we use google phone from our net book to talk to her...on Celeb the internet connection was almost always good.....so we are hoping for the same on O....

[Mura]

BeachChairs, I know that *I* assumed you were asking about possibilities and not trying to game the system. I'm sure others did, too.

 

When you have an elderly parent you DO want to stay in touch while on a trip.

 

Mura

[beachchairs2]

yes it is a real concern....and of course they dont have/dont know how to use the "new fangled contraptions"...at least my mother doesnt.....

 

we will use our obc to get the plan....and hope the connection is good...that is all I can do....

 

it has worked very well for us in the past...

 

now I know there are all kinds of apps....but they again do not work to a simple land line....

 

she still prefers the rotary phone...with todays phones she pushes the buttons way too hard and they seem to break often...lol...

[Mura]

I DO understand! My mother died a couple of years ago just short of her 94th birthday, but she was also afflicted with Alzheimers.

 

Ignoring the Alzheimers, she never dealt with a computer. She was okay with modern phones until the Alzheimers kicked in. But on one visit it was heartbreaking to see her holding the wrong end of the phone to her ear.

 

At least my sister was in the neighborhood and I could communicate with her when we were traveling.

 

Good luck with your Mom!

 

Mura

[beachchairs2]

mura, you are very kind....thank you so much....

[azevedan]

This from someone's commentary on the webinar for the new Royal Caribbean ships being built:

"The ships will have much better, faster and less expensive internet service than any other ship. You will be able to use smartphones to make restaurant reservations (along with other, unnamed tasks) on the ships. Every crew-member (this fleet-wide) will be given a new tablet to be able to communicate with their families more easily."

Good news, IMO, and let's hope it spreads quickly to other lines. I would imagine it is possible to add the upgraded capabilities at drydock, but there wasn't anything I read about that.

 

Apologies for hijacking the thread, but I figured I'd put this on the latest 'internet' type thread rather than starting a new one.

Edited September 10, 2014 by azevedan

[StanandJim]

This from someone's commentary on the webinar for the new Royal Caribbean ships being built:

"The ships will have much better, faster and less expensive internet service than any other ship. You will be able to use smartphones to make restaurant reservations (along with other, unnamed tasks) on the ships. Every crew-member (this fleet-wide) will be given a new tablet to be able to communicate with their families more easily."

Good news, IMO, and let's hope it spreads quickly to other lines. I would imagine it is possible to add the upgraded capabilities at drydock, but there wasn't anything I read about that.

 

Apologies for hijacking the thread, but I figured I'd put this on the latest 'internet' type thread rather than starting a new one.

 

I agree with you, but everything is changing so quickly that I'm sure that the problem is where to put the money.

We are being inundated, for example, here in New York, with Ads for this new Apple Watch like device, which is supposed to be the next big thing:

It does everything but put the cream in your coffee, for you :eek: Very Star Trek

[beachchairs2]

O announced in USA today, yesterday, that it will be giving free wifi after april 2015 ...but only to the top staterooms....

 

c'mon.....

 

when you already include it with many of your promos and already give discounts to loyal clients....

 

this is NO big announcement.....IMHO.....

[LHT28]

O announced in USA today, yesterday, that it will be giving free wifi after april 2015 ...but only to the top staterooms....

 

c'mon.....

 

when you already include it with many of your promos and already give discounts to loyal clients....

 

this is NO big announcement.....IMHO.....

 

Maybe those promos will be a thing of the past;)

 

It has been only the past 2-3 yrs that they offered free internet on certain cruises

 

Lyn

[beachchairs2]

yes you are right...who knows...

 

but I am still hoping that as first time on O....and having a huge need to keep in touch with my 94yr old mother, even if we dont have a promo for wifi....O will surprise us with it upon sailing.....like the tooth fairy....like a welcome aboard for the first time, sort of thing....

 

a wifi fairy...sure would be nice....

 

I can dream, cant I.....

[pacheco18]

yes you are right...who knows...

 

but I am still hoping that as first time on O....and having a huge need to keep in touch with my 94yr old mother, even if we dont have a promo for wifi....O will surprise us with it upon sailing.....like the tooth fairy....like a welcome aboard for the first time, sort of thing....

 

a wifi fairy...sure would be nice....

 

I can dream, cant I.....

 

Not gonna happen - here's why I think not:

 

About a year ago I booked a "fake" cruise on board to get the onboard booking discount. I knew I was not going to take the cruise I booked. We all do it -- it's a placeholder. The placeholder cruise came with FREE WIFI and INCLUDED GRATUITIES.

 

I just used the placeholder booking and transferred it to a cruise I am actually taking. Free wifi gone (was only an amenity for the placeholder cruise). Included gratuities gone (same deal) (not an issue since my TA is giving them to me and I will have my 10th cruise entitling me to included gratuities anyway).

 

When they offer free wifi it is promotion-specific.