serialcruiser48 Posted December 7, 2015 #1 Share Posted December 7, 2015 It's aggravating! I wanted to read posts on one of my favorite forum sites, similar to Cruise Critic. But, get the following: Site Blocked. Reason "games" is a category not allowed by the site administration. It's a forum and not a game. I'm an adult and hate being treated like a child. Next, to protect sensitive information being sent over an open network, I subscribe to a VPN service that allows me to establish a private tunnel to sites like banks or email. The problem is, VPN services are blocked as well. So I can't check any accounts. The Internet on the ship is the typical slow high orbit satellite service. But, with all the blocked services...grrr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ghstudio Posted December 7, 2015 #2 Share Posted December 7, 2015 (edited) Interesting enough, there are some applications that run normally using the ships internet to the outside world...but without you having to sign on to the internet. Yup....absolutely free. (no, they aren't Royal Caribbean or Celebrity web associated). No, I won't name them just in case I want to use them... Blocking VPN's should be a serious issue since some will expect to continue to do business while on the cruise, especially now with unlimited internet,...and some companies only allow access through VPN's. Interesting that this hasn't come up..... Edited December 7, 2015 by ghstudio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serialcruiser48 Posted December 7, 2015 Author #3 Share Posted December 7, 2015 I was on the Allure of the Seas for 3 weeks and got spoiled with their Voom Internet service. Services were not blocked except for "ping", so sites that are important to me worked. I read all RCL ships are going with Voom for 2016. I cruise 5-8 months out of the year and will be limiting my ships that have the Voom service. I live on the net and getting choosy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
az_tchr Posted December 7, 2015 #4 Share Posted December 7, 2015 Celebrity is putting that service on its ships as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mucazzi Posted June 26, 2016 #5 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Many VPNs work using UDP ports which can be blocked quite easily. Some VPN software allows you to select UDP or TCP. If you can change your VPN setting to use TCP on port 443 it might work since that is the same port as encrypted internet browsing (any site beginning with https instead of http). Just wondering if anyone has ever tried this on a cruise to get around blocking on a cruise that does that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles4515 Posted June 26, 2016 #6 Share Posted June 26, 2016 (edited) Many VPNs work using UDP ports which can be blocked quite easily. Some VPN software allows you to select UDP or TCP. If you can change your VPN setting to use TCP on port 443 it might work since that is the same port as encrypted internet browsing (any site beginning with https instead of http). Just wondering if anyone has ever tried this on a cruise to get around blocking on a cruise that does that. Since this thread was started last year that you have resurrected Celebrity has put in their updated Xcellerate WiFi fleet wide. I was on Summit June 12 and had a VPN on with no issues. Had the unlimited WiFi package. The connection didn't even slow down. I was also able to use AT&T WiFi calling with the updated faster WiFi. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Edited June 26, 2016 by Charles4515 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles4515 Posted June 26, 2016 #7 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Celebrity is putting that service on its ships as well. I didn't find Xcellerate on Celebrity Summit to be as fast as Voom was on Allure of the Seas but it was faster than Celebrity's old WiFi service. No problem using a VPN or AT&T WiFi calling on Summit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrivesLikeMario Posted June 26, 2016 #8 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Xcellerate in May was much, much faster than service was previously. Still not quite as fast as at home, but almost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisiamc Posted April 12, 2017 #9 Share Posted April 12, 2017 I know this is kind of an old thread. I'm updating it to ask if anyone knows of a good VPN that will work with the Celebrity internet service. I normally use PIA, and I can't get it to work at all with the ship's internet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestLakeGirl Posted April 12, 2017 #10 Share Posted April 12, 2017 Betternet has never been blocked for us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisiamc Posted April 12, 2017 #11 Share Posted April 12, 2017 Betternet has never been blocked for us Thank you, I'll give that a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serialcruiser48 Posted April 12, 2017 Author #12 Share Posted April 12, 2017 I use Witopia for VPN. Last time I was on the Summit, VPN service was blocked. Witopia.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisiamc Posted April 12, 2017 #13 Share Posted April 12, 2017 I just tried Betternet, and it worked well. I feel better using a vpn if I'm doing anything financial. We've had a few problems with internet speed, but that could have something to do with being between Australia and New Zealand at the moment. The satellite coverage might not be that great out here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles4515 Posted April 12, 2017 #14 Share Posted April 12, 2017 I just tried Betternet, and it worked well. I feel better using a vpn if I'm doing anything financial. We've had a few problems with internet speed, but that could have something to do with being between Australia and New Zealand at the moment. The satellite coverage might not be that great out here. I never had any problem using PIA on Celebrity but I have never been where you are sailing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles4515 Posted April 12, 2017 #15 Share Posted April 12, 2017 I use Witopia for VPN. Last time I was on the Summit, VPN service was blocked.Witopia.net I used PIA on Summit last June. I dropped Witopia a few years ago. Various problems. Could not get thru to some web sites. And I read Witopia keeps logs. PIA has mobile apps which makes it much easier to use on my iPhone ad iPad than Witopia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cruisestitch Posted April 12, 2017 #16 Share Posted April 12, 2017 Richard, the ilounge guru on Eclipse, recommended Betternet. It's free ( well, for seven days at a time). I don't think he would have recommended something that would be blocked by Celebrity. It worked fine for me on Eclipse in the Caribbean and on Infinity in South America. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserRob Posted April 12, 2017 #17 Share Posted April 12, 2017 I used PIA on Summit last June. I dropped Witopia a few years ago. Various problems. Could not get thru to some web sites. And I read Witopia keeps logs. PIA has mobile apps which makes it much easier to use on my iPhone ad iPad than Witopia. Was on the Eclipse in March and PIA was blocked :( Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles4515 Posted April 12, 2017 #18 Share Posted April 12, 2017 (edited) Richard, the ilounge guru on Eclipse, recommended Betternet. It's free ( well, for seven days at a time). I don't think he would have recommended something that would be blocked by Celebrity. It worked fine for me on Eclipse in the Caribbean and on Infinity in South America. You can not trust a VPN that is free. They have to make money somehow. Use a little logic. Edited April 12, 2017 by Charles4515 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles4515 Posted April 12, 2017 #19 Share Posted April 12, 2017 Was on the Eclipse in March and PIA was blocked :( Robert They must have blacklisted it. When a particular service becomes popular, it will be noticed. That is unfortunate. PIA is one of the few VPN's that security researchers believe are trustworthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jb008 Posted April 12, 2017 #20 Share Posted April 12, 2017 I was on Silhouette in February and couldn't get TunnelBear to work. I was able to use an academic webvpn though (but that's a whole different animal and I believe routes all the traffic via the web browser standard ports). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simoncha Posted April 14, 2017 #21 Share Posted April 14, 2017 I've access to an academic VPN through work but most of the time just utilise my own VPN through the synology NAS & router kit I have at home. Works a treat for the likes of BBC & SKY / Virgin when on holiday outside of the UK and doesn't cost me a penny. Will be interesting to see how I get on this summer on Reflection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles4515 Posted April 14, 2017 #22 Share Posted April 14, 2017 I've access to an academic VPN through work but most of the time just utilise my own VPN through the synology NAS & router kit I have at home. Works a treat for the likes of BBC & SKY / Virgin when on holiday outside of the UK and doesn't cost me a penny. Will be interesting to see how I get on this summer on Reflection. If you remember please report back how well it goes. I think having your own VPN like that is the best VPN. A stretch for most people though. A Synology NAS is on my bucket list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclospora Posted April 20, 2017 #23 Share Posted April 20, 2017 Any idea how I can get BBC1 on the Summit? We are 4 Welsh people travelling with 2 New Zealanders when the British Lions are playing rugby in New Zealand. I was going to use Tunnelbear and watch it on my ipad but from comments on here - that may not be a possibility. Do you think the matches would be shown on board? Thanks Anne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cruisestitch Posted April 20, 2017 #24 Share Posted April 20, 2017 Tunnelbear worked fine on Eclipse, I would give it a try. Your first week is free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maylie Posted June 2, 2017 #25 Share Posted June 2, 2017 I have been using bvpn service since 6 months ago, I can highly recommend it as it wasn't blocked, provides wide network of servers, high stability, encryption, speed and security, you can use it on any OS and it is easy to use, try it for free https://www.vpnfaqs.com/Offers/get-free-vpn-trial-bvpn/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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