Faster Internet on Equinox?

[colliercruiser]

I received the following info in a Celebrity "marketing" email today regarding our upcoming Equinox cruise. Any idea what this "temporary" bandwidth increase is all about?

 

"We are happy to let you know that for your cruise, we are temporarily increasing the bandwidth onboard which will result in:

 

- Faster web browsing

- Streaming video capability

- Faster page loading

- Increased VOIP performance"

 

 

 

 

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[az_tchr]

Will believe it when I see it! They need approximately 20 times the existing bandwidth minimum to make it even 2G speed. The problem is some 3000 people dividing up the stectrum. How would they ever get enough? Is it technically possible? I do not know. I do know that other than 4am it seems to make no difference as combined with the ships communications, there are always too any people trying to use the system. Thus very slow.

 

PS - Increased VOIP performance? Currently VOIP is not possible.

 

We will see if their new system actually can deliver especially on TA and TP cruises.

Edited September 20, 2015 by az_tchr

[chemmo]

We were on the Equinox in April and found wifi so much better than we had on the Solstice only a few months earlier. Perhaps ongoing improvements to enter the 21st century!?

[rwb]

Internet service also depends on what service the cruise ship is using. There are now systems that use non-stationary satellites in much lower orbits, with more sophisticated antennas, which offer both much lower latency and much higher bandwidth. RCCL has put a new system in some ships that actually does have the bandwidth to support voip and skype. Perhaps Equinox is testing the system for Celebrity.

[FireEater]

I will find out in 60 days or so if the "temporary" system is still in place. I only need 3-5 min. a day anyways to download emails and for my wife to observe our dogs at the kennel.

[colliercruiser]

I will find out in 60 days or so if the "temporary" system is still in place. I only need 3-5 min. a day anyways to download emails and for my wife to observe our dogs at the kennel.

 

 

Will be giving this faster internet, if it exists, a test on Oct 15 & Oct 27 B2B cruises on Equinox.

 

 

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[BBsails]

Will be giving this faster internet, if it exists, a test on Oct 15 & Oct 27 B2B cruises on Equinox.

Me too, colliercruiser. Fingers crossed.

 

Betsy

Edited September 20, 2015 by BBsails
Typo due to not yet being fully caffeinated

[Mango Mike]

Why "temporary"?

[luv4cruises]

Hope the Equinox gets "Voom" that was the internet service on the Oasis. It was

The best we've had on any ship on any cruise line. Unlimited internet cost 15//day before crown and anchor discounts!

 

We'll be on the Equinox in November and hope that there will be Voom at the great rate of 15/day for unlimited!

[az_tchr]

Certainly agree. The additional bandwidth is a trial for something like 90-120 days. We will see. On the Constellation a couple years ago I started downloading a page while Select and was Elite before the download finished! LOL.

[colliercruiser]

Hope the Equinox gets "Voom" that was the internet service on the Oasis. It was

 

The best we've had on any ship on any cruise line. Unlimited internet cost 15//day before crown and anchor discounts!

 

 

 

We'll be on the Equinox in November and hope that there will be Voom at the great rate of 15/day for unlimited!

 

 

I think the rates are not changing during this temporary trial. Here's what was included in that email:

 

- Browsing: $59 for 90 minutes

- Social: $109 for 240 minutes

- Day Pass: $59 per day (one full day of continuous access)

- Unlimited: $249 for a 6-9 day voyage; $299 for a 10-14 day voyage

- As you go: $.79 per minute (pay by the minute) Only available on board

 

 

 

 

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[luv4cruises]

Too bad! C&A discounted $15.00 a day for unlimited speedy internet access was a most welcome Oasis perk! The Equinox will be costly for us as my husband needs access every day. RCI should make internet access equitable throughout all of her ships!

 

 

 

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""'Looukhhnb. .,>>,hyatt reward

[colliercruiser]

I received the following info in a Celebrity "marketing" email today regarding our upcoming Equinox cruise. Any idea what this "temporary" bandwidth increase is all about?

 

"We are happy to let you know that for your cruise, we are temporarily increasing the bandwidth onboard which will result in:

 

- Faster web browsing

- Streaming video capability

- Faster page loading

- Increased VOIP performance"

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

 

Just received another Celebrity email, almost the same as the first one I posted here, but the insert about the temporary increase in bandwidth was not included.

 

Guess we'll find out either way soon.

 

 

 

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[Baron Barracuda]

C&A 30% Elite discount brings the $299 down to $210 which is $15/day on a 14 night sailing. So not so outrageous. Was able to skype while on Quantum back in April. A little jerky, but pretty good. Currently on Infinity which is about the slowest I've ever experienced. Columbus had faster wifi in 1492.

[J18ktleo]

We really enjoyed unlimited internet on Quantum in May....our Ipad were on the entire trip!

Boarding Equinox next week, hoping for something similar!;)

[colliercruiser]

Just received another Celebrity email, almost the same as the first one I posted here, but the insert about the temporary increase in bandwidth was not included.

 

Guess we'll find out either way soon.

 

 

 

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Have a theory why that second email I received didn't say anything about a temporary increase in bandwidth. It was probably prompted by our second cruise (of our B2B), and due to limited satellite coverage in the Atlantic, the available bandwidth is less.

 

Just a theory.

 

 

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[rcixfan5]

Have a theory why that second email I received didn't say anything about a temporary increase in bandwidth. It was probably prompted by our second cruise (of our B2B), and due to limited satellite coverage in the Atlantic, the available bandwidth is less.

 

Just a theory.

 

 

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Had the same thing happen to us with multiple emails about internet, one mentioning the faster one. We have three booked so I don't know which ones they refer to. I generally love the marketing emails that don't specify which cruise they are talking about.

 

 

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[Canuck-Ottawa]

Something's going on with the Equinox because a "Zenith 70% off Unlimited Internet" package is offered for my Nov.30 sailing, at CAD$119.30 (US$100).

I booked it immediately this morning, and it is confirmed on my reservation. I am Select level in a Concierge cabin!

Folks should check their Cruise Planner to see if it's offered on other cruises. It did say this was a "limited time offer".

[colliercruiser]

Something's going on with the Equinox because a "Zenith 70% off Unlimited Internet" package is offered for my Nov.30 sailing, at CAD$119.30 (US$100).

 

I booked it immediately this morning, and it is confirmed on my reservation. I am Select level in a Concierge cabin!

 

Folks should check their Cruise Planner to see if it's offered on other cruises. It did say this was a "limited time offer".

 

 

I posted some info in another recent thread. The offer is an error but will be honored until they fix it (very soon).

 

So hurry if interested.

 

 

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[colliercruiser]

I received the following info in a Celebrity "marketing" email today regarding our upcoming Equinox cruise. Any idea what this "temporary" bandwidth increase is all about?

 

"We are happy to let you know that for your cruise, we are temporarily increasing the bandwidth onboard which will result in:

 

- Faster web browsing

- Streaming video capability

- Faster page loading

- Increased VOIP performance"

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

 

Now on Equinox's last (Oct 15) Mediterranean sailing for the season, and received an update from the staff at the CC meet & greet today. The temporary faster internet has been a test for this and the prior two sailings, but will end after that for now. It won't be available for the next sailing which is the Oct 27 TA to Fort Lauderdale (bummer since we're on that too).

 

So far, I'm impressed with this temporary increase. Seems very responsive, and I was even able to do a FaceTime video call with my son back in FL yesterday as we sailed out of Barcelona.

 

I didn't get a chance to find out any more information, such as when this upgrade will be more widely deployed. Hope to hear that later in the cruise.

 

 

 

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[J18ktleo]

Just off rt Barcelona and had the unlimited for two weeks....was amazingly responsive most times.

We did notice right after boarding at ports it was a little slow but even the final day, with everyone in the I lounge to do their air check ins it was pretty quick!

Thinking it might be harder during the TA since land is so far but that shouldn't be an issue since I thought they used satellites?

This was a huge improvement over what we've had the past few years and if this continues along with the unlimited packages it'll be a whole new world cruising!:rolleyes:

[margsipie]

Does anyone have any recent experience with internet speeds on the Solstice?

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Does anyone have any recent experience with internet speeds on the Solstice?

 

It was pretty slow on our Alaska sailing this year. I think the max speed I recorded was just about 1Mbps, but that was the exception. Most of the time it was less than 100kbps (think of the "old" 56k modems)! I recall my first dial-up connection: I had to take my phone and place it into an "acoustic coupler modem" - achieving breakneck speeds of something like 4,800 bps :eek:

 

I hope they've got the faster internet fully in place for our March sailing next year on the Equinox, as unlimited internet is a perk for our cabin, and it would be nice to have a bit more horsepower !!

 

Tom

[krb1000]

Now on Equinox's last (Oct 15) Mediterranean sailing for the season, and received an update from the staff at the CC meet & greet today. The temporary faster internet has been a test for this and the prior two sailings, but will end after that for now. It won't be available for the next sailing which is the Oct 27 TA to Fort Lauderdale (bummer since we're on that too).

 

So far, I'm impressed with this temporary increase. Seems very responsive, and I was even able to do a FaceTime video call with my son back in FL yesterday as we sailed out of Barcelona.

 

I didn't get a chance to find out any more information, such as when this upgrade will be more widely deployed. Hope to hear that later in the cruise.

 

 

 

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Thanks for the update...sorry to hear we won't have this service on the TA

 

:-(

 

Kathie