QE2 - Internet Connection Questions

[jackatsea]

Hello

 

 

I've contacted Cunard UK already regarding this question. However, the person I spoke to seemed to think a "wireless" connection was something that came free with the cabin TV.

 

 

Situation

 

I've got 43 days on board (Southampton - Sydney) there's 15 days as port-of-calls leaving 29 at sea. Due to business commitments, I'll have to work online for at least 2 hours per day while at sea, possible more!

 

 

Q1. My notebook has wireless and LAN capabilities. Will I be able to use it to connect to the Internet?

 

 

Q2. I'll probably need at least 60 hours connectivity. Any idea how much this might cost? The Cunard "wireless" person quoted $10 per hour. This seems an outrageous price to me. Anyone managed to get a discount price or know of ways to reduce a potential 600 bucks bill?

 

 

Q3. In the deck plans there's a section called "Business Centre". Is this a "free" to use service or an extra cost? What kind of facilities is provided in the business centre, over and above the library computer suite?

 

 

Q4. Has anybody run an online business whilst on a voyage and can maybe give me some tips?

 

 

Thanks in advance

 

 

Jack

[mufi]

Don't think there is wifi on QE2, though it is a couple of years since we sailed on her.

 

Two hours or more of work on a QE2 cruise? Really hope you have a relaxing time.

 

David.

[jackatsea]

M

 

read the post... working's not an option. {}.000 of people rely on me efforts.

 

Ho... or maybe not?

 

Strewth, all I wanted to know was if the QE2 had a decent Internet connection...

[mufi]

Fact is I don't think it does.

 

David.

[sean of the seas]

M

 

read the post... working's not an option. {}.000 of people rely on me efforts.

 

Ho... or maybe not?

 

Strewth, all I wanted to know was if the QE2 had a decent Internet connection...

 

so get in touch with cunard .....or dont go simple or what ...{}.000 dont care!!

[PeterB]

There is no way of connecting your own equipment to the QE2 computer system. There is no wireless, and no LAN. You cannot even transfer data using a CD or floppy disk. If you wish to use the QE2 computer system to connect to the internet, and whilst at sea that is the only way, it cost $1 per minute, with reductions for quantity, but never less than about 40 - 50 cents. You cannot input any data without paying this charge, that is to say, you cannot input to Word or Excel except at the QE2 charge rates. The business centre is just another place where they have computers with the same charge rates. We managed last year by using the QE2 system as little as possible, and making the most of internet cafes which are available in most ports. We are doing the full world cruise in 2006 and are quite inconvenienced by this policy. It would be far better to be able to accumulate emails on our laptop and then just transfer using wireless or LAN, but sadly just not possible. This information was known by us to be correct as at December last, and other reports have indicated that it has not changed since.

[guernseyguy]

I've contacted Cunard UK already regarding this question. However, the person I spoke to seemed to think a "wireless" connection was something that came free with the cabin TV.

 

I suspect they are confusing it with QM2 which has in cabin internet with a wireless keyboard.

 

My notebook has wireless and LAN capabilities. Will I be able to use it to connect to the Internet?

 

Unless anythings changed, no. QM2 has WIFI hotspots, but not QE2. Also I read recently that the QE2 computer center does not have floppy drives or cd-roms - so you can't work on your laptop & then forward information from there.

 

I'll probably need at least 60 hours connectivity. Any idea how much this might cost? The Cunard "wireless" person quoted $10 per hour. This seems an outrageous price to me. Anyone managed to get a discount price or know of ways to reduce a potential 600 bucks bill?

 

That sounds low - iirc it was 50c/minute - for an indifferent and rather slow connection...perhaps a more recent QE2 passenger can update.....

 

In the deck plans there's a section called "Business Centre". Is this a "free" to use service or an extra cost?

 

Jack - you run a business.....how many guesses do you want? ;)

 

Has anybody run an online business whilst on a voyage and can maybe give me some tips?

 

No, but I am reminded of Clemenceau's comment.....

 

.....The cemetaries are full of the indespensible.....

 

Peter

[MattInFLL]

It would be nice if during the recent renovations they might have added WiFi, since it is such an easy thing to add.. but sounds like they haven't. And all I can say (as someone who needed to be in touch to work regularly while cruising) is the QE2 internet experience was miserable. Spotty connection to the satellite, and huge over charges. I had to keep going to the purser's office for corrections. The system actually charged me for say, 15 minutes starting at, say 2:06pm, and then another 30 minutes starting at 2:10pm as if I was using two computers at once... no one could explain that one! And it kept happening. Given your itinerary, there will probably be many times you are out of satellite range. Also $10 an hour would be a steal on any ship. That's 16 cents a minute. I have cruised a lot, and charges even on the newest WiFi ships that offer big discount packages are always more than 35 cents a minute and usually in the 50-75 and up range.

 

 

Maybe a recent QE2 cruiser has better news.

 

And I fully understand what it's like to try to manage an online business while also trying to enjoy yourself - and folks just because you can leave your work behind, in a wired world that's not always the case for everyone.

 

Jack, also try to get a list of internet cafes and wifi hot spots in your ports of call... or explore connecting using your cell phone as a modem.

[cunardqueen]

Jackatsea,

Why not email the QE2 direct at QE2@cunard.com that will ensure it goes straight into the people that will tell you exactly what they have or havent got?

good luck and l hope you get the answers you need, the fact that you need to work while onbaord is shame, but thats life l guess !!!!

Wouldnt have just too much faith in the office staff, l often wonder if they know their arse from their elbow at times

cheers

Myles

[jackatsea]

First of all, I'm gutted.

 

Last Thursday I paid over the balance owed and now I can not cancel without losing many thousands of pounds.

 

My wife wanted to visit her relatives who live in Australia. She doesn't like flying (I'll probably break the 22 hour return flight AFTER the ship set sails.. or maybe in Sydney!). I did a Google search "travel to Australia without flying" one of the results was Cunard's web site. Having never been on a cruise; I booked a test on QM2 around the Caribbean last January. We both had a fantastic time and confirmed the QE2 booking.

 

The fact is, I have to work and I work online.

 

Responses to my original message have been less than encouraging.

 

Thank you to all who replied.

 

Looks like I've made a total mess of things.

 

Jack

[jackatsea]

Jackatsea,

Why not email the QE2 direct at QE2@cunard.com that will ensure it goes straight into the people that will tell you exactly what they have or havent got?

 

Email to Cunard...

 

Hello

I've just paid the full price for Southampton to Sydney 03/01/06

Business commitments require me to connect to the Internet from my own laptop at least once per day.

I phoned Cunard UK July this year to get confirmation that the QE2 had these facilities in place and available to passengers. This was given and a price of $10 per hour was quoted.

After posting a question regarding this subject to: http://messages.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=4866796#post4866796 it appears that I have been mislead by Cunard.

Please clarify the connectivity availability and resources available for people who must continue to run their business whilst on board.

Jack

[jackatsea]

so get in touch with cunard .....or dont go simple or what ...{}.000 dont care!!

 

Sean

 

Caring is part of being a human.

 

I'd **** on you if you were on fire... how magnificent is that?

 

Jack

[travel-to-go]

Jack,

I'd like to lose a couple thousand pounds (Oh- Not that kind of pounds! :-( )

Well, my suggestion to you would be to get a wireless GSM card for your laptop. Of course it isn't going to help you way out at sea, but might work as much as fifty miles from land, depending. I had great results with mine last Christmas in the Caribbean. Yes, there were places it didn't get signal, of course, but my Blackberry scared the $%&*$@ out of me around 5 AM coming into Grand Cayman (Still pretty far out) when it started vibrating like crazy on the glass coffee table top! Using my wireless GPRS/EDGE card in my laptop as we were setting sail again, I downloaded tons of email, wrote replies offline and logged back on - I think I was using a Nokia D311 card at the time. I now have a Sierra Wireless Aircard. Not the fastest, but it works! I'd probably stick with GPRS.EDGE- or UMTS that has GPRS fallback.

The other two choices are (Expensive) look into renting a satphone modem. You may have to go out on an upper deck to get signal. Satphones- or GPS, for that matter, don't work too well in big metal cans! <G> Less expense, as someone else mentioned- There are internet cafes these days all over the world. I work with people from all over the world. Many of them just have hotmail or Google accounts and use internet cafes and Quick copy shops. Not the most fun use of your shore time, but if it pays the bills while you have a marvelous trip.....

 

P.S. Last time I cruised Cunard their Satellite phone rates- Not data, mind you! were $15.00 a minute US! I also have found if you make friends with the folks running the IT and computers, (and are a geek, like us!) it helps, they will sometimes unlock the boxes to let you use your own floppy or thumb drive! Especially if you can help THEM sometimes- like helping walk newbies through using the machines. It's time-consuming for the one running the computer area, and can be very frustrating working with the technology-impaired, especially older couples anxious to send pictures to the grandkids. <G> If you are patient and will help out- you may earn brownie points! Make friends with staff and crew! It really does work! We've done it! And they're often marvelous and fun people to boot!

[guernseyguy]

Email to Cunard...

 

Jack,

 

Good luck - you may be able to argue that internet connectivity @$10/hr was part of your contract with Cunard - tho I guess unfortunately this is not in writing & I've no doubt that the 'small print' has get out clauses.....keep us posted.

 

Peter

[sean of the seas]

Sean

 

Caring is part of being a human.

 

I'd **** on you if you were on fire... how magnificent is that?

 

Jack

 

thanks jack.. but surely you would be too busy tending to the { }000s

[mufi]

Jack,

It's time-consuming for the one running the computer area, and can be very frustrating working with the technology-impaired, especially older couples anxious to send pictures to the grandkids. !

 

 

How would they input the pictures?

 

David.

[travel-to-go]

How would they input the pictures?

 

David.

 

Well, I am assuming like a secretary correcting emails with white out to the monitor! Don't they just hold them up to the monitor and "whoosh!" they auto-magically just go? <G>

 

Trust me. If you have pictures to send at some outrageous per-minute charge, it will be done! Haven't cruised Cunard since the advent of data ports and internet cafes, but every line/ship I have been on has a way (and the will) for you to do this. Many of the cruiselines use the same internet provider-contractor. It is a contracted out department, usually, just like the entertainment. Usually the person on duty in the library/Connexions/what-have-you has to load them for you.

YMMV. I'll see what I can find out before our QM2 Panama trip on 3Jan06!

[mufi]

You may be right, will ask on QE2 next month.

 

David.

[jackatsea]

Hello All,

 

I contacted Cunard by phone today to get a response to my unanswered emails regarding Internet connectivity using a personal computer.

 

It seems that an Ethernet network connection is allowed in the Business Centre. I have asked for this to be confirmed in writing.

 

Thank you for your helpful suggestions and responses to my original post.

 

Best regards

 

Jack

[guernseyguy]

It seems that an Ethernet network connection is allowed in the Business Centre. I have asked for this to be confirmed in writing.

 

Jack - please keep us posted -I'd like some way to access the internet that wasn't exhorbitant and pre-historic!

 

Peter

[jackatsea]

Peter

At this stage all I know is that I will be allowed to hook my laptop up using an Internet connection point located in the Business Centre. Cunard have given no guarantees of service levels or restrictions of access.

 

Therefore I'm going to try and use software that can operate through most firewall settings using standard HTTP.

 

Networking Back to My UK Office

 

Accessing my business computer located in the UK is essential to enable me to send invoices and pay wages using my online business account. Without being able to do this, I can not go!

 

www.realvnc.com

 

This is free software that I've setup to allow me to login and work directly on my UK computer from anywhere in the world.

 

Voice Contact - Inbound and Outbound

 

I'm going to invest in some SKYPE handsets and open an inbound and outbound account.

 

www.skype.com

 

By supplying my (top) clients and employees with a handset, they will be able to phone me wherever I am in the world for free when using an Internet connection. If I'm not online, they can leave voice messages.

 

Directly dialling IN TO a SKYPE number costs the same as normal calls to a standard telephone number in the UK, so this should cost a lot less for non connected clients and relatives rather than calling me on the ship's phone directly.

 

Using SKYPE to dial OUT to a normal number only costs around 1p per minute and there's loads of countries included. It's a pay-as-you-go service, so there's no contract. Again, this should workout to be a lot cheaper than the ship's phone system and maybe recover some of the Internet connection fees they're bound to charge.

 

The best SKYPE feature is conference calling, using this I can call an online meeting between clients and developers.

 

WebMail

 

My ultimate fallback plan is to use my business web mail, which again can be accessed from any connected PC.

 

With any kind of luck, all three systems will work and the Cunard technical people will be able to maintain a fairly good and reliable Internet connection.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Best regards

Jack

[guernseyguy]

I'm going to invest in some SKYPE handsets and open an inbound and outbound account.

 

Jack,

 

Just discovered SKYPE myself - let me know what you think of the handsets - I've only got the laptop speakers/mike, of pretty indifferent quality - but it looks like a great service. Lets hope Cunard's antidiluvian IT system has not worked out how to block it!

 

Good luck running your business....and why do I think we may meet in the bar with you ordering a stiff drink!

 

Peter

[jackatsea]

 

Lets hope Cunard's antidiluvian IT system has not worked out how to block it!

 

Good luck running your business....and why do I think we may meet in the bar with you ordering a stiff drink!

 

We'll just have to wait and see... I fully expect to pay many hundreds of dollars for the privilege of hooking up my laptop and will request/demand open access to the Internet as a minimum level of service.

 

When dealing with difficult situations, polite determination usually wins the day!

 

>>stiff drink<<

 

{_}] {_}]

 

or TWO!

 

Cheers

 

Jack

[cruiseskeptic]

I use Voicestick for VoIP, which is even better and less expensive than Skype, and am hoping to use it on the QM2 next week. BUT, sure would like some confirmation from someone that this works. I used it with great success a couple of months ago on a new Carnival ship, but when I tried to use it last month on a Holland America ship, the Wi-Fi provider (not the ship, but the satellite company) had VoIP blocked. Also blocked use of FTP for uploading to web sites. When I sent them an email on my return, got a very snotty reply about how they certainly intended to block abusive uses of their bandwidth.

[Guest239]

I have just returned from a transatlantic passage on QM2. Thanks to other members here I was prepared with the conditions concerning Internet aboard QM2. To my opinion, the prices for internet are a rip-off! I took my notebook with me and transfered emails only (wrote them offline und just payed the transfer time). I also complained aboard on that policy, but no one cared about it.

 

According to my information Cunard uses the same system like e.g. Lufhansa does, the Boeing Connexion one. I travelled from FRA to JFK aboard a Lufthansa Airbus equipped with such system. And now you will wonder about the price! US$ 20 flat fee for an 8 hours flight! (Cunard charges you US$ 0,5 per minute!)

 

Comparing those two installations, Lufthansa allows every application (VPN, VoiP, ...) where as Cunard turns nearly everything down (beside Web, SMTP, ..). Lufthansa sees the offer as service to its passengers, Cunard tries to gain as much money as possible, which stands in a strong contrast to ALL other services aboard, where I did not got such impression!

 

Just as add-on: The current price for outbound telephony from the ship is US$ 4,95 per min., but I do not have any quality experiences.