VOOM! Internet - is it worth the cost?

[CRUISEFAN0001]

Totally different setup and should have much better experience with WiFi.

Figured as much...assumed their internal ship's network and bandwidth reflected a larger ship with more passengers. Thanks.

[dmc6469]

I meant lengthier higher res videos - it maybe slow but it should work on Surf only.

 

 

Ahh, gotcha. Makes sense. Thanks

[lovesthebeach2]

I'm trying to understand the different packages:

Voom Surf Voyage & Voom Surf & Stream

 

I'm wanting to email, Facebook and Facetime, any idea which one to choose?

 

We just did 12 days in Europe on Brilliance, which doesn't have the upgraded internet. Two of our group had basic and I had surf & stream. We all were able to FaceTime on the ship, even with the lesser speed. My biggest complaint was that we seemed to get thrown off multiple times daily and by the end of the cruise all of us knew our passwords by heart. I just bought surf for our next cruise, I don't think we will need surf & stream.

[Singer4Him]

Is there an option for being able to just message the people that you're cruising with? The purpose of a cruise for us is to be able to disconnect. We would rather not be receiving texts from home/work during our vacation. Our family knows how to contact us in case of emergency and we always check in with them while we are in port.

 

We recently used the Carnival Hub app for this purpose and enjoyed it. That being said, what are our options while cruising with RCI?

[Biker19]

Is there an option for being able to just message the people that you're cruising with? The purpose of a cruise for us is to be able to disconnect. That being said, what are our options while cruising with RCI?

 

RCI has that option via the Royal IQ app, but that is only available on Quantum class and Harmony.

[mac_tlc]

Now on the Brilliance TA, docked in Gibraltar:

 

Download: 0.41 Mbps

Upload: 0.31 Mbps

Ping: 635 ms

 

This is Surf & Stream. Been pretty slow like this since leaving Barcelona 3 days ago.

 

 

Yikes, pretty slow. I can almost hear the dial-up modem sound.....

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[wilmingtech]

Now on the Brilliance TA, docked in Gibraltar:

 

Download: 0.41 Mbps

Upload: 0.31 Mbps

Ping: 635 ms

 

This is Surf & Stream. Been pretty slow like this since leaving Barcelona 3 days ago.

Bob - who's listed as the service provider when you run the speedtest?

 

-Sean

[Clarea]

Bob - who's listed as the service provider when you run the speedtest?

 

-Sean

Harris CapRock.

 

Speed better today, about 250 miles NE of Madeira, and 9am ship time:

 

Download: 1.02 Mbps

Upload: 0.42 Mbps

Ping: 641 ms

 

Could be it's too early for many guests to be using the internet.

[Biker19]

Harris CapRock.

 

Yeah, that confirms that CapRock is not just for equipped O3B ships.

[Biker19]

Could be it's too early for many guests to be using the internet.

 

or all those D and D+ on board have already used up their free days of internet.

[robtulipe]

Now on the Brilliance TA, docked in Gibraltar:

 

Download: 0.41 Mbps

Upload: 0.31 Mbps

Ping: 635 ms

 

This is Surf & Stream. Been pretty slow like this since leaving Barcelona 3 days ago.

 

Here is the speed test I just did early on the second sea day on Brilliance. Host was also Harris CapRock. We just have the surf package and it really sucks after being on Anthem with real VOOM for our last two cruises.

 

Bob, I didn't see you the start of the Progressive Trivia yesterday nor at the Meet & Mingle.

Where are you? Cheryl and I are in cabin 9600 and I would like to meet you while onboard. Please give me a call.

 

Edited October 22, 2016 by robtulipe

[Biker19]

With such similar numbers, it doesn't seem like it's worth getting Stream.

[robtulipe]

With such similar numbers, it doesn't seem like it's worth getting Stream.

 

Yes, that was my thought exactly. :(

[robtulipe]

Here's another speed test with surf only internet done at just before midnight ship's time which is currently 3 hours ahead of EST as we are midway on our transatlantic crossing.

 

 

Edited October 24, 2016 by robtulipe

[CRUISEFAN0001]

I have to question the accuracy of Speedtest results via Voom and/or Voom w/Stream.

 

Since Speedtest does a server-to-server ping and data packet send/receive (among other metrics) for the test, and the Voom signal on at least the Oasis and Quantum ships transmits via 03b satellite (a completely different path)...these traditional metric measurements may not be calibrated the same way, resulting in a false result.

 

There are other metered bandwidth tools that don't mandate server-based data packet transmission for results (not publically available). Without using one of those, I don't feel Speedtest numbers are quite accurate for this sat-based network infrastructure.

Edited October 24, 2016 by CRUISEFAN0001

[Clarea]

... Since Speedtest does a server-to-server ping and data packet send/receive ...

Not sure I understand what you mean. When I run speedtest.net, it certainly appears that it's testing my PC to server, not server to server.

[Biker19]

Since Speedtest does a server-to-server ping and data packet send/receive (among other metrics) for the test, and the Voom signal on at least the Oasis and Quantum ships transmits via 03b satellite (a completely different path)...these traditional metric measurements may not be calibrated the same way, resulting in a false result.

 

Ping relevancy is partially dependent on the app being used. Some of them only test to the first network hop which is still on the ship and totally irrelevant. Others ping to a certain address only which again could be slightly misleading. For most users, they only care about performance and for that, traditional sat vs. O3B is a fairly big dividing line. It's obvious with most ping apps which one you are dealing with. Whether that 600ms ping with traditional sat or 200 ms ping with O3B can be compared to land based ping doesn't really matter that much.

 

Biker, who believes the ping numbers from the ship are comparable to land based ones.

Edited October 24, 2016 by Biker19

[CRUISEFAN0001]

Not sure I understand what you mean. When I run speedtest.net, it certainly appears that it's testing my PC to server, not server to server.

Correct....but its calibrated to assume a conventional server and path...which is not what 03b uses. This could result in a modified result. That was my only point.

[CRUISEFAN0001]

Whether that 600ms ping with traditional sat or 200 ms ping with O3B can be compared to land based ping doesn't really matter that much.

In the hertz car rental commercial voice....not exactly...

 

It's simply not measuring the same thing the same way, so the results would not expected to be comparable either.

 

Simplistic explanation: "Similar but different", which is OK.

[Biker19]

Correct....but its calibrated to assume a conventional server and path...which is not what 03b uses. This could result in a modified result. That was my only point.

 

As Hillary would say: "What difference does it make?". How is O3B's server and path different? Sure it's a lot longer, but what is "unconventional" about it?:confused: Ping only cares about the response time - not how it got it.:confused:

[Biker19]

It's simply not measuring the same thing the same way, so the results would not expected to be comparable either.

And my point was that it doesn't matter how it is measured only that you can tell the diff so that you can tell whether a ship has or does not have O3B.

[CRUISEFAN0001]

And my point was that it doesn't matter how it is measured only that you can tell the diff so that you can tell whether a ship has or does not have O3B.

I may bring my professional network metering software (bandwidth, latency, bit transfer, bit integrity, etc.) on my tablet just to get the "true" readings in March on Harmony.

 

Biker19...essentially you are correct in terms of the general comparisons...the bottom line is that it IS FAST and exponentially better than the traditional service offered on ships prior to 03b.

Edited October 24, 2016 by CRUISEFAN0001

[Biker19]

I may bring my professional network metering software (bandwidth, latency, bit transfer, bit integrity, etc.) on my tablet just to get the "true" readings in March on Harmony.

 

Not just that, but to evaluate maybe a few speed test apps. Which one is the most accurate and relevant.

[Clarea]

Not just that, but to evaluate maybe a few speed test apps. Which one is the most accurate and relevant.

Remember the other poster who was using some other app and was getting incredibly low ping latency? I forget the app they were using.

[CRUISEFAN0001]

Not just that, but to evaluate maybe a few speed test apps. Which one is the most accurate and relevant.

There are more than 20 professional apps that our IT area uses...at least 12 of them get virtually identical results down to miniscule measurement levels. I'll likely bring one of those dozen apps. Runs on my Windows 10 tablet just fine.

 

I've tried it on my home PC as well, and compared with Speedtest. overall, Speedtest is "OK" and measures things "about right", however, even little things like specific WIFI routers used (buffer levels) and device internal WIFI cards can impact performance metrics...so these pro apps are simply more sensitive to the variables.

 

I suspect 03b WIFI on a ship has all sorts of variables, including location/deck, onboard repeaters used, etc.

 

To most folks...it comes down to being able to email, stream things, or browse at a reliable and uninterrupted rate.