Free Internet on Riviera

[Marcdc]

We will soon be on the Riviera in an OS. It comes with free unlimited internet for one person. Does anyone know if this would include 2 PDAs for that one person (i.e., blackberry and cell phone) or whether it would just include one and we would need to pay separately for the second.

 

Thanks Marc

[MrOZ]

As many devices as you want, but one at a time.

[PaulMCO]

It includes one account with one device active at anytime. Just log off and another device can be logged on.

 

Or you can do what my DW does when I am on line -- bump me off. :)

[Marcdc]

Thanks very much for the info

[SusieO]

We just got off the Riviera yesterday and paid for unlimited internet in our PH Suite; it was wonderful! The cost of $29/night is really not that bad if you need to stay in touch with back home...free is even better!

[StanandJim]

This would not apply to a Suite on either Line, but it looks like sister line Regent has begun limiting their erstwhile free Internet to 500 minutes for standard cabins.

Edited January 25, 2015 by StanandJim

[maxamize]

We also just got back from our cruise on the 'Riviera'. We had the unlimited plan, but it was slow and switching on and off and between devices didn't work as easily as advertised.

 

 

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[MrOZ]

I should mention that on Marina in French Polynesia with a free, unlimited internet promotion for most (all?) guests, the internet was often hopelessly slow. I expected as much and didn't want to spend much time online and therefore didn't care, but many were vocally upset. Manage your expectations regarding access; it might be obscenely slow.

[kekilia]

We also just got back from our cruise on the 'Riviera'. We had the unlimited plan, but it was slow and switching on and off and between devices didn't work as easily as advertised.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

Doesn't the speed and connectivity depend upon the location of ship? Out to sea or at least removed from shoreline, the feed is just sat link, but closer to shore, in more populated regions and in large ports, won't there be better connectivity? As for speed, has O improved it's broadband to handle larger ships like Riviera and Marina? We were on X in Alaska last summer - god awful connectivity and like trying to pour molasses on a glacier!

[ORV]

Doesn't the speed and connectivity depend upon the location of ship? Out to sea or at least removed from shoreline, the feed is just sat link, but closer to shore, in more populated regions and in large ports, won't there be better connectivity? As for speed, has O improved it's broadband to handle larger ships like Riviera and Marina? We were on X in Alaska last summer - god awful connectivity and like trying to pour molasses on a glacier!

 

They are still connecting to satellites in port and more populated regions. There are changes coming in the near future(at least that's what I've read) that will follow what you said and should speed things up considerably. In the meantime the best thing to do is try to use it early morning or late at night, and in consideration of your fellow cruisers log out when you are not using it. Also don't use bandwidth hogging programs or apps.

 

It's like dial up folks, having been an internet user since the middle 90's I'm familiar with a slow connection. It helps to read a magazine or book at the same time to pass the time while waiting for pages to load. We're spoiled today.

[globevest]

The number of passengers using it at a given time has a major influence on the speed. Suggest using late at night or very early morning....of course the middle of night is good as well.

One of the less attractive issues of 'free unlimited internet' promotions is the slow response.

[kekilia]

The number of passengers using it at a given time has a major influence on the speed. Suggest using late at night or very early morning....of course the middle of night is good as well.

One of the less attractive issues of 'free unlimited internet' promotions is the slow response.

 

Just hard to swallow that in this day and age, on a super ship such as the Riviera which is only a couple years old, in a world where even backwaters of civilization have smartphones, a cruise company cannot deliver decent internet! Sorry, O LOVERS, THIS IS REALLY UNACCEPTABLE. I know most cruise lines offer equally poor service, but I don't see them advertising this as a perk. Regent=all inclusive, Celebrity=upscale attention, is O only going to rely on food? Will cruising on this line become the equivalent to the all you can eat buffet restaurants?

[Paulchili]

Just hard to swallow that in this day and age, on a super ship such as the Riviera which is only a couple years old, in a world where even backwaters of civilization have smartphones, a cruise company cannot deliver decent internet! Sorry, O LOVERS, THIS IS REALLY UNACCEPTABLE. I know most cruise lines offer equally poor service, but I don't see them advertising this as a perk. Regent=all inclusive, Celebrity=upscale attention, is O only going to rely on food? Will cruising on this line become the equivalent to the all you can eat buffet restaurants?

 

While I do think that good internet is important in this day and age, I will take good food over good internet, especially on a cruise, any day :D

Besides, the overall Oceania cruise experience is SO MUCH more than "all you can eat buffet", at least IMO.

Edited January 26, 2015 by Paulchili

[kekilia]

Until after my next cruise on Riviera in July. However, I have been reading posts and reviews re O since last August and it seems as though 1) the entertainment (shows) is eh! 2) the onboard activities, with the exception of culinary classes and arts and crafts, are less than spectacular, consisting of trivia and needlepoint, shuffleboard and artificial turf putting green 3) nightlife is non-existent and 4) shore excursions are overpriced and, 5) the internet is mediocre at best. And, the price for all this is more than other premium lines. So, IMHO, it IS the food and the casual dress which attracts the O fan.

 

I was hoping for a cruise that was a step up from X, an adult experience without kids onboard and better quality all round. However, I do like dancing to good ole rock and roll, some fun and games, a little nightlife in the casino dressed in my specially selected (and dieted to fit into) little black cocktail dress which I just wore to the specialty restaurant and then promenaded around the decks until 10 pm. Portraits on stairs would also be in order! To me, that plus great ports is a good old fashioned cruise!

 

I do feel I will find this cruise okay, what with such port intensive itinerary and great food. But I will definitely miss the real cruise experience I've had before. I think I'll try Regent or Crystal next. :rolleyes:

[Caroldoll]

Everything you said is kind of right! We were just on The Riviera in the Caribbean and the internet was HORRIBLE. In order to get an email out faster than the speed of a snail, I would get up VERY EARLY and go to the computer room and send it. The suite connection is slow BEYOND WORDS. We go for the lovely suite (OS) and we do like the great food.

 

We did try a Folkloric show and the seats in the theatre are a killer. My back ached after 20 minutes. The show was good though.

 

 

I have done a lot of Celebrity and if you can stand the nickel and dime deal, it is really great, great suites and we love the alternate restaurants.

 

You won't find photographers on Oceania. That is a problem if you are wanting something special.

 

I do hope you like it though...the cruise. We only cruise O, but are getting a little weary as they are cutting the length of the cruises and we don't like short cruises. Looking for something else at present, but three more Oceania scheduled this year and one in January 2016.

[kekilia]

Everything you said is kind of right! We were just on The Riviera in the Caribbean and the internet was HORRIBLE. In order to get an email out faster than the speed of a snail, I would get up VERY EARLY and go to the computer room and send it. The suite connection is slow BEYOND WORDS. We go for the lovely suite (OS) and we do like the great food.

 

We did try a Folkloric show and the seats in the theatre are a killer. My back ached after 20 minutes. The show was good though.

 

 

I have done a lot of Celebrity and if you can stand the nickel and dime deal, it is really great, great suites and we love the alternate restaurants.

 

You won't find photographers on Oceania. That is a problem if you are wanting something special.

 

I do hope you like it though...the cruise. We only cruise O, but are getting a little weary as they are cutting the length of the cruises and we don't like short cruises. Looking for something else at present, but three more Oceania scheduled this year and one in January 2016.

 

Well, thanks for validating my sentiments. I've read enough threads to realize I tread on sacred ground here. Since I live in Hawaii in a resort community, I look forward to holidays (vacations) where I can dress up, live it up and have some fun! I also look for adventures without me generation families. On X, I was practically run over by families pushing their strollers, taking up space and time EVERYWHERE so their special little genes could star at everything. I have kids and g'kids, but they were taught manners, politeness, and humility. Tired of low class behavior on big ships! But why do I have to give up nightlife and other boomer fun for some peace! Hey, I'm in my 60s, but didn't we listen to rock until 2 am, dance like it was Woodstock and get a little crazy! I don't wanna be my grandparents!

[Paulchili]

Well, thanks for validating my sentiments. I've read enough threads to realize I tread on sacred ground here. Since I live in Hawaii in a resort community, I look forward to holidays (vacations) where I can dress up, live it up and have some fun! I also look for adventures without me generation families. On X, I was practically run over by families pushing their strollers, taking up space and time EVERYWHERE so their special little genes could star at everything. I have kids and g'kids, but they were taught manners, politeness, and humility. Tired of low class behavior on big ships! But why do I have to give up nightlife and other boomer fun for some peace! Hey, I'm in my 60s, but didn't we listen to rock until 2 am, dance like it was Woodstock and get a little crazy! I don't wanna be my grandparents!

 

The only way to find out whether Oceania is a good fit for you is to try them.

No matter how much you read about it (although it is good to be informed), only you will be able to judge if you like Oceania or not.

Good luck.

[bitob]

Until after my next cruise on Riviera in July. However, I have been reading posts and reviews re O since last August and it seems as though 1) the entertainment (shows) is eh! 2) the onboard activities, with the exception of culinary classes and arts and crafts, are less than spectacular, consisting of trivia and needlepoint, shuffleboard and artificial turf putting green 3) nightlife is non-existent and 4) shore excursions are overpriced and, 5) the internet is mediocre at best. And, the price for all this is more than other premium lines. So, IMHO, it IS the food and the casual dress which attracts the O fan.

 

 

 

I was hoping for a cruise that was a step up from X, an adult experience without kids onboard and better quality all round. However, I do like dancing to good ole rock and roll, some fun and games, a little nightlife in the casino dressed in my specially selected (and dieted to fit into) little black cocktail dress which I just wore to the specialty restaurant and then promenaded around the decks until 10 pm. Portraits on stairs would also be in order! To me, that plus great ports is a good old fashioned cruise!

 

 

 

I do feel I will find this cruise okay, what with such port intensive itinerary and great food. But I will definitely miss the real cruise experience I've had before. I think I'll try Regent or Crystal next. :rolleyes:

 

 

Prepare to be disappointed

Does not sound like Oceania fits your requirements

 

 

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[orchestrapal]

Well, thanks for validating my sentiments. I've read enough threads to realize I tread on sacred ground here. Since I live in Hawaii in a resort community, I look forward to holidays (vacations) where I can dress up, live it up and have some fun! I also look for adventures without me generation families. On X, I was practically run over by families pushing their strollers, taking up space and time EVERYWHERE so their special little genes could star at everything. I have kids and g'kids, but they were taught manners, politeness, and humility. Tired of low class behavior on big ships! But why do I have to give up nightlife and other boomer fun for some peace! Hey, I'm in my 60s, but didn't we listen to rock until 2 am, dance like it was Woodstock and get a little crazy! I don't wanna be my grandparents!

 

You will be disappointed in O...maybe you should stick to mass market with mor activities you'll enjoy.

[Softball20]

The only way to find out whether Oceania is a good fit for you is to try them.

No matter how much you read about it (although it is good to be informed), only you will be able to judge if you like Oceania or not.

Good luck.

 

I, too, am really curious about O. We have our first cruise next month, so I've been reading a lot. The quality internet clearly isn't going to make or break my judgement about O, but the "free" internet was a great incentive for us as my husband has to be connected while we're away for work reasons. Of course, with it being included in our price, we do expect that it will be slower; just hopefully not horribly slow.

 

Like some others, however, I am a bit nervous about the fit, but I promise that I'm going into it with an open mind, and we are really looking forward to it. We love Celebrity, particularly their aqua class. The "crowds" on X haven't ever bothered me as there are so many venues that we've sometimes had entire lounges to ourselves. That said, I've wanted to try the lines above them to see what the differences are. Honestly - my big question to myself is whether it's really going to be that much better so as to justify the fact that I can go on two Celebrity cruises for the price of this O cruise. It's really the itinerary on this one that really got my interest, along with O's reputation for very good food and service. We are also on the younger side of the typical O demographic. That doesn't bother me at all, but like some others have mentioned, we do like a bit of night life after dinner - not necessarily a big show, but some where to go for drinks, music and maybe some fun dancing. We have a lot of friends who love O, and I've been picking their brains, too.

 

All that said, I'll chime in - for better or for worse - when we get back. We are traveling with two other couples, and we have lots of fun things planned (kayaking in Brazil, biking in Argentina, wine tasting in Uruguay, etc.), and we're going to all new ports (some of which I'd never heard of before) so I know that we are going to have a great time.

 

Donna

[LHT28]

Perceptions

On several cruises people have complained about slow internet (this was before they upgraded the system)

 

same cruise I was on, but my connection was good others posted it was so slow

It is not like my cable connection at home but it is not like my old dial up either

 

I can only imagine with the free internet what it will be like with be logged in 24/7 ....yes some people forget to log off when they are done working/playing online

If you need it to be lightning speed fast you will be very disappointed

JMO

[Softball20]

We've never had particularly great internet on any ship. My husband is also hoping that others remember to log out so as not to jam it up. We don't need lightning speed, nor do we expect it to be like our internet at home, but we're simply hoping for better than painfully slow :)

[StanandJim]

we're simply hoping for better than painfully slow

 

Then it's best to be realistic and go Online at odd hours.

Just before breakfast is ALWAYS tragic

11PM, or 2AM, not so much.

[Paulchili]

I, too, am really curious about O. We have our first cruise next month, so I've been reading a lot. The quality internet clearly isn't going to make or break my judgement about O, but the "free" internet was a great incentive for us as my husband has to be connected while we're away for work reasons. Of course, with it being included in our price, we do expect that it will be slower; just hopefully not horribly slow.

 

Like some others, however, I am a bit nervous about the fit, but I promise that I'm going into it with an open mind, and we are really looking forward to it. We love Celebrity, particularly their aqua class. The "crowds" on X haven't ever bothered me as there are so many venues that we've sometimes had entire lounges to ourselves. That said, I've wanted to try the lines above them to see what the differences are. Honestly - my big question to myself is whether it's really going to be that much better so as to justify the fact that I can go on two Celebrity cruises for the price of this O cruise. It's really the itinerary on this one that really got my interest, along with O's reputation for very good food and service. We are also on the younger side of the typical O demographic. That doesn't bother me at all, but like some others have mentioned, we do like a bit of night life after dinner - not necessarily a big show, but some where to go for drinks, music and maybe some fun dancing. We have a lot of friends who love O, and I've been picking their brains, too.

 

All that said, I'll chime in - for better or for worse - when we get back. We are traveling with two other couples, and we have lots of fun things planned (kayaking in Brazil, biking in Argentina, wine tasting in Uruguay, etc.), and we're going to all new ports (some of which I'd never heard of before) so I know that we are going to have a great time.

 

Donna

 

You are going with a great attitude and an open mind - all of which is likely to improve your cruising experience on Oceania.

Whether it is worth the price, only you can decide.

Please do chime in after your cruise and tell us how you liked it.

Enjoy!

[ricki]

Then it's best to be realistic and go Online at odd hours.

Just before breakfast is ALWAYS tragic

11PM, or 2AM, not so much.

 

So true!

 

NO ship internet is equivalent to the internet experience you have at home, unless you are still using dial-up!

 

There may be spots on the ship where connectivity and speed are better. Usually upper decks in public areas or in the Internet Center, Oceania@Sea seem to offer faster access.

 

Ricki