cruzhappy88 Posted November 4, 2015 #1 Share Posted November 4, 2015 We are trying to decide if we should bring a laptop on our upcoming cruise or just go to the internet cafe to use the internet. Is it usually crowded and are you limited on your time there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkmw Posted November 4, 2015 #2 Share Posted November 4, 2015 We are trying to decide if we should bring a laptop on our upcoming cruise or just go to the internet cafe to use the internet. Is it usually crowded and are you limited on your time there? if you only need to check on emails might be best to use the internet cafe, its open 24/7 so you can please yourself when you go there it could get busy on the last day with people printing out their flight details Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retiring cajun Posted November 4, 2015 #3 Share Posted November 4, 2015 does the Internet cafe charge by minutes or ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdsqrl Posted November 4, 2015 #4 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Internet charges are the same whether you're connecting using wifi or using a desktop in the Internet Cafe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
west coast cruiser Posted November 4, 2015 #5 Share Posted November 4, 2015 I always use the internet cafe for emails. It isn't as crowded as it used to be as so many people are using i pads and lap tops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishywood Posted November 4, 2015 #6 Share Posted November 4, 2015 (edited) It can be crowded on the first day with people who need the internet manager to walk them through every single little step to set up their account, and the last day with everyone checking in for their flights. In between very unlikely you would ever have to wait for a terminal, though you may have to search for a chair as there can be three or four family members crowded around one desk. But remember that your personal laptop will have all the cookies and log in shortcuts for your various accounts in its memory. It can take five or more minutes of your time ticking away just to sign into an e-mail provider on the public terminals (yahoo accounts are particularly difficult). While there are shortcuts to the most common e-mail and social media sites the cache of each terminal is wiped out every time someone signs off so every single banner, header, footer etc. will be re-downloading as if it is the very first time someone tried to sign into AOL or whichever on that computer. But I must confess I find watching what can go on on embarkation day in the Internet Centre more amusing than pier runners: passengers who have gone years since checking their e-mail anywhere but their home PCs with all the passwords saved berating the internet manager for not being able to magically open their e-mail for them. Heck some of them couldn't come up with the correct domain name for their home internet/e-mail provider if their life depended on it. Edited November 4, 2015 by fishywood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caribill Posted November 4, 2015 #7 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Heck some of them couldn't come up with the correct domain name for their home internet/e-mail provider if their life depended on it. Put me in the category of not knowing the password I have not had to enter for five or so years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icat2000 Posted November 4, 2015 #8 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Internet cafe always seems crowded to me unless you go really early or late. I just use my tablet to access wifi around the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skynight Posted November 4, 2015 #9 Share Posted November 4, 2015 I find the internet cafe easy to use, but then I use very little mins. The best times are around 11pm, and port days. You will find it crowded on the last day with people printing airline boarding passes. I leave my laptop at home. I only use it for e-mail, nothing else, like banking, social web sites, etc. When using the e-mail I have to log into my provider's web mail with my user name and password. Remember to bring these along as these are pre-loaded on your own computer and you don't really have to think about it. Also, since the cafe does not have all your e-mail addresses you have to manually enter them, so bring along a list. The positives of bringing your laptop: Use in your cabin or other ship location No loading of e-mail and log on information Making your own notes in Word or other software Play your own games. Don't play on line. Skype. Plus more With your own device remember to sign out and not leave it on, as you will be charged for every min you are connected. While a tablet fits into the cabin safe, I'm not sure regarding a laptop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hm9912 Posted November 4, 2015 #10 Share Posted November 4, 2015 We are trying to decide if we should bring a laptop on our upcoming cruise or just go to the internet cafe to use the internet. Is it usually crowded and are you limited on your time there? A couple of weeks prior to our recent cruise I decided to purchase an IPad mini. Very glad I did. My email was already set up for outlook when we boarded the Caribbean Princess. I did need a little assistance from the Internet Manager in configuring the incoming and outgoing mail servers for the ship but she added icons for logging in and logging out which was most helpful. It also took very little time to download the daily edition of The New York Times which I was able to read on my IPad after logging off. If you don't logoff properly you continue to rack up minutes. Howard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Friscoonetwo Posted November 4, 2015 #11 Share Posted November 4, 2015 DW and I use our Kindles when on a cruise. Small, lightweight and has all our addresses as well as log in info for our e-mail accounts. We never had any problem logging onto the ship's internet with them. We did use the Café once or twice when we were sending longer letters since was faster to type on the Café keyboards as the Kindle keyboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxo Posted November 4, 2015 #12 Share Posted November 4, 2015 I bring my Android Samasung Galaxy Note 4 Smart Phone (5.7" screen.) Wife brings her Samsung 7" tablet. Many advantages (both very small and portable: 1. Can access all of my applications via phone or tablet. 2. Can read/listen to audio books/ebooks. 3. Can use anywhere on the ship. 4. Don't need to remember all of the passwords for each site/application used. 5. Never had a problem on accessing ship Internet. 6. Can read email when not connected to Internet and write replies. Send replies once connected to Internet. 7. Take photos or videos. 8. Send text, access Facebook, etc., when on/in port and free WiFi available. 9. Many more someone else can add. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrak Posted November 4, 2015 #13 Share Posted November 4, 2015 I check email on my phone. My wife uses her iPad but could use her phone if she liked. It's much more convenient to do it in our cabin than going to the Internet Cafe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retiring cajun Posted November 4, 2015 #14 Share Posted November 4, 2015 I have iPhone. If I buy wifi minutes on CB, will my phone have roaming charges? Intl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justprettynpink Posted November 4, 2015 #15 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Turn your roaming off and Wi-fi on :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiselvr1 Posted November 4, 2015 #16 Share Posted November 4, 2015 A couple of weeks prior to our recent cruise I decided to purchase an IPad mini. Very glad I did. My email was already set up for outlook when we boarded the Caribbean Princess. I did need a little assistance from the Internet Manager in configuring the incoming and outgoing mail servers for the ship but she added icons for logging in and logging out which was most helpful. It also took very little time to download the daily edition of The New York Times which I was able to read on my IPad after logging off. If you don't logoff properly you continue to rack up minutes. Howard On our Hawaiiian cruise on the Star, we used our laptop, and it was very easy to use in our stateroom. The only problem we had was logging off. Sometimes it would stick on, so I would have to contact the IC manager. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hm9912 Posted November 4, 2015 #17 Share Posted November 4, 2015 You need to type 1.1.1.1 logout in the address bar or have the IM create an icon for you on the screen to properly logout Howard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northender Posted November 4, 2015 #18 Share Posted November 4, 2015 I like using the Internet Café. Yes, sometimes it can be pretty crowded, but then I just walk around (shop :) have a drink (wine) and head back. Usually most people are do not take too much time to get what they want to see/read and leave. Later in the evening is best, or early morning.:) We usually fly JetBlue, and you can check in 24 hours before your flight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruisin' Chick Posted November 4, 2015 #19 Share Posted November 4, 2015 We bought the Internet package for the first time for our most recent cruise. I did bring the receipt for prepurchasing the package, but there were no instructions regarding how to get going. My daughter went to the Internet Cafe and was told we would have to "repurchase" it, which seemed strange. It was very awkward (plus just seemed stupid to us to have to do this, rather than being able to sit down with a sign in and immediately start using it -- which seemed to be a major reason for us, besides the bonus minutes, to call Princess to buy the package in the first place). So it could be that, if this is still the routine, then that's why the place is packed on the first day. If they streamlined this, there wouldn't be this confusion. Things, such as some web based email sites did get bogged down during the day. Faster speeds later on at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxo Posted November 5, 2015 #20 Share Posted November 5, 2015 We usually fly JetBlue, and you can check in 24 hours before your flight. FYI - this is a norm with most airlines. Not just JetBlue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tailspintom Posted November 5, 2015 #21 Share Posted November 5, 2015 You need to type 1.1.1.1 logout in the address bar or have the IM create an icon for you on the screen to properly logout Howard The login and log off functions have been improved significantly. They are user friendly and have made the toggle between the Princess WiFi and Internet quite easy. Even I had no difficulty in logging off the system. They also seemed to increase the bandwidth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retiring cajun Posted November 5, 2015 #22 Share Posted November 5, 2015 How many devices can we use with our minutes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishywood Posted November 5, 2015 #23 Share Posted November 5, 2015 How many devices can we use with our minutes? No restriction that your plan is assigned to a single device as on some other lines. But you can only log in from one at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Woobstr112G Posted November 5, 2015 #24 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I always use the internet cafe for emails. It isn't as crowded as it used to be as so many people are using i pads and lap tops. There were a couple of times during our September T/A when I had to wait for a terminal to open up. Also if anyone plans/needs to talk to the internet manager, get there early as there are always lines for the brief periods of times he/she is actually open for business.....:):):) Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retiring cajun Posted November 5, 2015 #25 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Never used OBC before. Is that for purchases once onboard? So I'm interested in wifi minutes, see there are bonus minutes if pre purchasing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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