HAL Internet Packages

[Jimbo59]

Why doesn't HAL offer an unlimited internet package? The best available as of today is 1000 minutes for $250.

 

Celebrity and RCI offer unlimited packages.

[Scrapnana]

They do on some ships. There was an unlimited package on Westerdam in April (Hawaii and South Pacific) and on Nieuw Amsterdam in May (Alaska). Strangely enough the 35 day unlimited on Westerdam was $199 and the 7 day unlimited on Nieuw Amsterdam was $249.:confused:

[elkay68]

Does anyone know if unlimited internet is available on the Oosterdam? Doing a TA in November and need to stay connected. Thanks in advance.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Don't know about the Oosterdam -- HAL keeps changing things.

[CruiserBruce]

They are experimenting with some things. If there is money to be made with an unlimited program, they will do it.

 

Conversely, we struggle to use the 250 minute (commonly 280 with the early sign on bonus) on even our longer (20+ day) cruises, because we are on vacation, and don't need to be on line 24/7.

[toonye]

Does anyone know if unlimited internet is available on the Oosterdam? Doing a TA in November and need to stay connected. Thanks in advance.

 

 

We were on Oosterdam recently and there was no unlimited lnternet package offered unfortunately.

 

I also put this as a negative point in my survey after the cruise , especially as the other cruise lines are offering it.

[johnmik1]

We did two transatlantics on Zuiderdam last year and had unlimited on the first crusie and could only buy 1000 minutes on the second.

[Moriah]

I was on Westerdam last March (2015) the day they finished installing a new system. They gave us unlimited internet on that one week cruise for $99. My understanding at that time was that they were testing the new hardware/software/provider (which? All of above?) and if it was "successful" they would expand fleetwide. Since then I keep seeing reports of unlimited packages on certain ships at certain times. I thought by now (18 months later) the new system would have been in most of the fleet, but alas, I am going to be on Westerdam again next month, and from what I understand they've actually reverted back to the OLD system. Very frustrating and confusing... Does wifi really have to be that expensive? It's unreliable enough (no fault of HAL's really - we are talking about ships at sea after all) and frustrating enough as it is... and some of us can't cruise unless we can also keep in touch with work...

[hye2enjoy]

Does anyone know if unlimited internet is available on the Eurodam? We will be on the way to Alaska in 5/20/17 on Eurodam and it is very important we do have in-room wifi. Can anyone verify for me please?

[POA1]

Does anyone know if unlimited internet is available on the Eurodam? We will be on the way to Alaska in 5/20/17 on Eurodam and it is very important we do have in-room wifi. Can anyone verify for me please?

No. It's a timed plan. The WiFi was the only thing I didn't like about the Eurodam. Fortunately I could use my cell as an access point on port days.

[hye2enjoy]

May I ask when you were on Euro? If timed plan, do you get to use it in your cabin or you have to go to the cafe on the ship?

[catl331]

May I ask when you were on Euro? If timed plan, do you get to use it in your cabin or you have to go to the cafe on the ship?

Strength of the cabin wifi signal will vary depending on how close you are to one of the access point antennas. Sometimes you have to prop the hall door open a couple of inches to get a usable signal. On two of our last four cruises we had an antenna in our cabin!

[jtl513]

Look for the nearest one of these in the hall, or if you're lucky in your cabin:

 

Edited April 30, 2017 by jtl513

[LEtue]

This is very disappointing to read that HAL doesn't have similar internet options as I am used to on Princess and RCI :(

 

I do like to keep in touch with home while away so maybe they will make some improvements by next year?

[Mary229]

It is terribly disappointing that any cruise line does not offer a free, perhaps limited, internet package. It is a basic need for many. I don't need to stream but I do need to check emails. New world, new ways.

[catl331]

It is terribly disappointing that any cruise line does not offer a free, perhaps limited, internet package

I think I read recently that free, unlimited internet is coming to Crystal cruises soon.

[3Shelaghs]

Previously posts describe the internet to a "T". We had the booster in our cabin, and it was still useless!

wifi strength ranged between full to half. Their Navigator "intranetserver" provided onboard info, but often was not updated. Was not unusual for the dates, routes and menus to be all wrong or behind in time.

Satellite internet (prices stated are current), is a joke. Many many times, internet was dropped, or not available. But yet your minutes just ticked on by. There is room for huge improvement in this department as other cruise lines have done. Strange they all aren't using the same system?

[newcruise]

It is terribly disappointing that any cruise line does not offer a free, perhaps limited, internet package. It is a basic need for many. I don't need to stream but I do need to check emails. New world, new ways.

 

Cunard offers 2 hours of free internet once a passenger has completed 2 voyages or 20 days on board. That increases to 8 hours at the highest loyalty level. It's a nice perk.

[sotiris]

We are aboard the Westerdam at present and we're able to purchase a plan for the whole cruise.

 

There are 3 plans available, depending on your needs. The Social gives you access to the most popular social websites including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and a few other. Cost is $14.99/day or $99.99 for the whole cruise.

 

The Enhanced Plan lets you surf all your favourite sites, including email, news, sports, weather, banking and finance. No Skype or music streaming. Cost is $24.99/day or $149.99 for the whole cruise.

 

The Premiere Plan promises the fastest connection and supports email to Skype. Cost is $29.99 or $199.99 for the cruise.

 

When we booked our cruise, we got a $200 credit towards internet so we went with the Premiere package. It is working great.

 

One word of warning....You can only be on one device at a time.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[knittinggirl]

This looks like the most recent thread.

 

Anybody know if we can pre-buy internet? Does HAL determine the internet packages for each particular ship and itinerary?

 

Also, do we get any discounts for being a 3-star Mariner?

[Moriah]

This looks like the most recent thread.

 

Anybody know if we can pre-buy internet? Does HAL determine the internet packages for each particular ship and itinerary?

 

Also, do we get any discounts for being a 3-star Mariner?

 

No discounts for 3 star (or any other number of stars, that I'm aware of...) I have never seen a way to pre-pay, but there is no real benefit to doing that. You can log on as soon as you board and sign up. Sometimes there are discounts or extra minutes for signing up on the first (or last) day of the cruise. Westerdam has the best deal (unlimited package), and each ship and length of cruise will determine the packages.

[kazu]

This looks like the most recent thread.

 

Anybody know if we can pre-buy internet? Does HAL determine the internet packages for each particular ship and itinerary?

 

Also, do we get any discounts for being a 3-star Mariner?

 

The only way to pre-pay internet that I know of is to buy OBC for your cruise. I have never seen on line purchases of internet.

 

Sorry but there is no discount for 3 or 4* Mariners. Even 5* only get a negligible discount on the 100 minute package.

[igraf]

I am with you on this one. I can understand the need to check email but I really do not have to spend a lot of time on the internet while on a cruise.

 

igraf

 

 

...Conversely, we struggle to use the 250 minute (commonly 280 with the early sign on bonus) on even our longer (20+ day) cruises, because we are on vacation, and don't need to be on line 24/7.

[knittinggirl]

I am with you on this one. I can understand the need to check email but I really do not have to spend a lot of time on the internet while on a cruise.

 

igraf

I'm mainly worried about those really slow speeds. No Rotterdam last year, it was so slow, I couldn't even use it to research upcoming cruises.

 

Also, there's the problem when it goes out before I've signed out. And wondering if the time keeps counting.

[kazu]

I'm mainly worried about those really slow speeds. No Rotterdam last year, it was so slow, I couldn't even use it to research upcoming cruises.

 

Also, there's the problem when it goes out before I've signed out. And wondering if the time keeps counting.

 

I didn't have an issue with the time counting on (and it did go out on me a couple of time) but I followed Kathi's (Scrapnana) sage advice and took a screen shot of where I was when I signed on (time shows). And another one when I logged out. If internet went out, I noted the time and if there had been an issue - I had the proof.

 

Made life easy and easy for me to make sure I hadn't "lost" minutes.