Internet Packages on Holland America

[cruisingrammie]

I have been looking all over through Holland America's web site and can't seem to find where you can purchase Internet time in advance. Most cruise lines give you bonus time if you purchase in advance, but I can't find it for our cruise in January. Any advice or help?

[catl331]

HAL doesn't sell internet time in advance. They used to give bonus minutes if you bought a package on embarkation day, but I believe that's history on all ships now.

[CruiserBruce]

HAL doesn't sell internet time in advance. They used to give bonus minutes if you bought a package on embarkation day, but I believe that's history on all ships now.

 

Exactly correct.

[TAD2005]

Just off the Westerdam, 25 days Med/TA Venice to FLL. There are only 2 options now for internet. Purchase for 24 hours or purchase for the full cruise. Because our cruise was a Collector's Cruise, (Venice to Rome, 12 days and Rome to FLL, 13 days) we had to purchase a new package on the first day of each segment. Once you decide to go for 24 hours or the whole cruise, then you select what type of internet service you need. They have 3 options. The basic service is strictly social media. The Enhanced service is social media, e-mail, banking, connecting to your office, and most website browsing. The Premium service includes all of the lower package capabilities, plus it allows Skype, and other VOIP services, video and music streaming.

We took the premium package for the first 12 day segment ($199) and the service was very good. Good, reliable Skype calls. I ran an Ookla speed test and I was getting 8 mb/s download and 1.5 mb/s upload. The ping rate is pretty bad, 210 ms, but that is due to the satellite connection. There's no getting around the transit time from earth to space and back again. That ping rate might cause problems for people who want to play interactive video games, but who would want to do that on a cruise ?

The Enhanced service was more than adequate for everything we did on the 2nd leg from Rome to FLL, 13 days and $149 for the segment.

All of the services utilize Carnival Corp's Miami portal. If you check "What's my IP", you will appear to be in Miami, no matter where in the world the ship is actually located. That's a good thing because some US banking websites get a little upset when you try to log in from a foreign IP address.

HAL blocks all VPN tunnels, anything that appears to be adult content related, online gambling sites, and other websites that they find objectionable.

This appears to be a major improvement from the minute-based services of the past. The service is unlimited, for the time period you purchase. But you cannot purchase anything less than a full cruise or cruise segment, unless you purchase 24 hour blocks. But, naturally, that is the most expensive option they have. Also, there is no pro-rating. If you decide to purchase the package halfway through your cruise, they do not discount the price based on the number of days left in the cruise.

Edited November 12, 2017 by TAD2005

[mcrcruiser]

We have leaned to stay away from the internet during any of our cruises . :D

 

We make sure all our credit card bills & other non credit card have been paid prior to the cruise .:cool:

 

We have found that by not using the internet on our cruises we have had a much more enjoyable & relaxing cruise experience :D

[Dr.Dobro]

Did they still offer free access to New York Times? Man, I would hate to lose that!

[skiingj]

Did they still offer free access to New York Times? Man, I would hate to lose that!

 

On the NA last month they did.

[Landrea]

I have been looking all over through Holland America's web site and can't seem to find where you can purchase Internet time in advance. Most cruise lines give you bonus time if you purchase in advance, but I can't find it for our cruise in January. Any advice or help?

 

I believe it is under Indulgences. We have bought a bunch of stuff pre-cruise. If I remember there is 1000 minutes for $250, but check it out. I have not tried to buy it yet.

[oceanmom]

We have found the internet packages to vary by ship for some unknown reason. Best was unlimited on the Westerdam, but that was not available on other ships.

[Stevanb]

We have leaned to stay away from the internet during any of our cruises . :D

 

We make sure all our credit card bills & other non credit card have been paid prior to the cruise .:cool:

 

We have found that by not using the internet on our cruises we have had a much more enjoyable & relaxing cruise experience :D

 

Yes you are exactly right ;p

[Suzanne123]

I had the 1,000 minutes for $250 last week on the NA. The New York Times and the Holland America sites were free.

My daughter bought one of the shorter packages, around $50. I know they had one for 15 minutes advertised for people who just needed to print boarding passes and another pay as you go by the minute rate $.69/min ( I think).

[kazu]

We have leaned to stay away from the internet during any of our cruises . :D

 

We make sure all our credit card bills & other non credit card have been paid prior to the cruise .:cool:

 

We have found that by not using the internet on our cruises we have had a much more enjoyable & relaxing cruise experience :D

 

Good for you :)

 

Tell me, how do you prepay bills for 45 days? We don't know what our hotels will cost and other sundry expenses. And, when we are gone that long, yes, I am watching things.

 

I need the internet for DH's business, emails and my LIVE threads (my choice) and my private tours so each to his/her own.

 

My cruises are very relaxing with all our sea days that we usually get so, don't assume that just because someone has internet that they are not relaxing.

 

Some of us want it for different reasons. You can shut it off if you want - especially for 7 or 14 day cruises but not on longer ones IMO ;)

[skiingj]

Tell me, how do you prepay bills for 45 days?

 

For about the last decade all my bills including credit cards pay automatically. Most were setup on the internet and I don't have to do a thing. I guess it would depend on the merchant but most banks provide free bill pay and will cut a check if necessary.

 

T-Mobile provides data/text at no additional cost in most countries with most plans. You can tether your tablet or laptop and surf away while in most ports. Except HMC (Bahamas) as I learned the hard way a few years ago. Always check which counties are included, I think they cover about a 100.

[islandgirlmeg]

Just got off the Noordam, Honolulu to Auckland. One of the packages offered was 1000 minutes for $250. The other packages were for fewer minutes at a higher rate per minute. That package was perfect for the 31 days we cruised.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[TAD2005]

I am not happy allowing utilities, and other bills to automatically deduct their payments from my accounts. Our cruises are usually over 30 days and we have all of our bills coming in by e-mail. About 2 or more times a year, I get some kind of crazy charge on one of my utility bills, or other billings. I do not want to automatically pay those bogus charges, and then have to fight to get the overcharge refunded when I get back home. So, I use the internet to access those bills and manually setup the payments in my bank's bill-pay program. One company I will never allow to automatically withdraw funds is my local cable company. They constantly have erroneous charges on my bill. We always have plenty of sea days to do that little bit of housekeeping.

[Cruising-along]

...

 

Tell me, how do you prepay bills for 45 days? ...

 

We call the utilities, insurance, cable, etc. before we leave and arrange to prepay. Our utilities are on the budget plan, so are the same amount every month. Easy to do and no stress because we know everything has been paid.

 

Like TAD, I don't trust our cable company to get the bill right so I refuse to set up an automatic deduction with them (we probably have the same cable company) ;)

[NMLady]

Good for you :)

 

Tell me, how do you prepay bills for 45 days? We don't know what our hotels will cost and other sundry expenses. ...

 

One way to prepay those unknown amount bills is to set up automatic credit card payment from a bank account. That way. It doesn't matter that you don't know ahead of time what the amount is.

 

Because public internet is not secure I don't use it to check banking , not even on our 33 day cruise.

[kazu]

One way to prepay those unknown amount bills is to set up automatic credit card payment from a bank account. That way. It doesn't matter that you don't know ahead of time what the amount is.

 

Because public internet is not secure I don't use it to check banking , not even on our 33 day cruise.

 

Retired banker - thanks, I do know about this.

 

While I have some payments set to automatic and some memorised, I do want to check my bank account and credit card.

 

I don't use my banking site in free wifi spots, but I do use it on board to monitor. Since my bank 100% guarantees it's on line banking, I don't fret about it although I don't take chances. (the joys of the Canadian banking system ;) )

 

I learned a decade ago to watch my credit card and accounts for good reason. I'd rather be on top of my credit card and catch any fraud than find I have a huge escalated problem or a cut off card while I am travelling. It works for me - and yes, I take a back up card ;)

 

And, I do need access to my emails and internet for my Live threads ;) So internet I will get ;)

[yvonneh]

I had the 1,000 minutes for $250 last week on the NA. The New York Times and the Holland America sites were free.

My daughter bought one of the shorter packages, around $50. I know they had one for 15 minutes advertised for people who just needed to print boarding passes and another pay as you go by the minute rate $.69/min ( I think).

 

Do you wait until you are onboard to download this app or do it before you go? I tried to find it, but the one I found appeared to be just a HAL app and not the Navigator one.

 

We will need about 100 minutes for my husbands work, hopefully not more. :eek:

[catl331]

Do you wait until you are onboard to download this app or do it before you go? I tried to find it, but the one I found appeared to be just a HAL app and not the Navigator one.

It's not an app that you need to install on your phone or tablet, it's just a "web page" on the ship server that you access with a browser. Paid internet is just one of the functions available through the page. Edited November 13, 2017 by catl331

[kazu]

I am not happy allowing utilities, and other bills to automatically deduct their payments from my accounts. Our cruises are usually over 30 days and we have all of our bills coming in by e-mail. About 2 or more times a year, I get some kind of crazy charge on one of my utility bills, or other billings. I do not want to automatically pay those bogus charges, and then have to fight to get the overcharge refunded when I get back home. So, I use the internet to access those bills and manually setup the payments in my bank's bill-pay program. One company I will never allow to automatically withdraw funds is my local cable company. They constantly have erroneous charges on my bill. We always have plenty of sea days to do that little bit of housekeeping.

 

I'm with you :) I have my cell phone coming out automatically. and memorize other payments to come out on certain dates (anticipated amounts).

 

And the remainder (the credit card) I check and top up if required. It also makes sure I "watch it" to make sure nothing untoward is happening.

 

I learned that the hard :eek:

[yvonneh]

It's not an app that you need to install on your phone or tablet, it's just a "web page" on the ship server that you access with a browser. Paid internet is just one of the functions available through the page.

 

 

 

Great. Thanks!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[cruisingrammie]

Thanks to all of you for your input!! DH and I probably won't get internet service on the ship. We have a cell phone and an international plan for use in all the countries we will be visiting. The sea days we'll just be incommunicado with our family, unless they have an emergency and need to contact us via the ship's emergency line.