Data caps on the new HAL Unlmited Internet Plans?

[POA1]

45 minutes ago, 0bnxshs said:

 

I had no trouble with the mid-tier (I think called "Surf Unlimited") plan when using it on the last 9 days of the cruise.  I did find they only sold up to 31 days at a time in a package, so I was stuck having to renew the top tier I was on (again, I think called "Premium Unlimited") or choosing a lesser plan; I chose the mid tier plan.  I did not see a reduction in speed at all until the very end of the cruise when everyone was online for email, checking travel plans, printing boarding tickets, etc. and maxing out the bandwidth available; our photos and videos uploaded at generally similar speeds.

 

I know people are complaining about the "Umlimited" description, but it's all simple hype and marketing.  It is unlimited in terms of time; my travel router stayed connected 24/7 for several days at a time without interruption.  It seems unlimited in terms of data usage, only occasionally speed throttled once the published cap is reached.  One could also consider the old, "timed" plans unlimited as long as you were willing to pay for the time, so it's really nonsensical to even argue about it.

 

Brian, hope your cruise goes well!

 

Thanks. I have a tiny little USB powered TP-Link router/bridge/AP/repeater that I'll be taking with me. I'm assuming you cloned your computer MAC onto the router? (Sorry to the general public. We're getting a little technical here.)  Also, did you move around with your router? Since mine runs off a little portable battery stick, I think I'll be able to take it from the room to the cabana as long as the ship's access points do the hand-offs as I move.

[scluvsrain]

I just got off the Koningsdam TA a couple of weeks ago and I used the old 100 minute plan. I received a $34 credit for being a 5 star. 

 

I will also be on the N Statendam next week and had thought about doing a live thread but since Victoriann is already doing one, then I won’t, but will read it and contribute. 

 

The thing is, we are all spending an enormous amount of effort and time trying to navigate, use, and find workaround options to cope with Cruise Critic’s new site. I think it is worse now than before they updated it and it’s not fun to access anymore. Add to that, with Tapatalk no longer being supported, I will have endless problems and suck up bandwidth by using it on my mobile when on the ship or in port using phone data. 

 

Can’t we get Cruise Critic “owners” to look st these issues? 

[kazu]

1 hour ago, 0bnxshs said:

 

I had no trouble with the mid-tier (I think called "Surf Unlimited") plan when using it on the last 9 days of the cruise.  I did find they only sold up to 31 days at a time in a package, so I was stuck having to renew the top tier I was on (again, I think called "Premium Unlimited") or choosing a lesser plan; I chose the mid tier plan.  I did not see a reduction in speed at all until the very end of the cruise when everyone was online for email, checking travel plans, printing boarding tickets, etc. and maxing out the bandwidth available; our photos and videos uploaded at generally similar speeds.

 

I know people are complaining about the "Umlimited" description, but it's all simple hype and marketing.  It is unlimited in terms of time; my travel router stayed connected 24/7 for several days at a time without interruption.  It seems unlimited in terms of data usage, only occasionally speed throttled once the published cap is reached.  One could also consider the old, "timed" plans unlimited as long as you were willing to pay for the time, so it's really nonsensical to even argue about it.

 

Brian, hope your cruise goes well!

 

Good to hear.  Much appreciated 🙂 

[kazu]

30 minutes ago, scluvsrain said:

I just got off the Koningsdam TA a couple of weeks ago and I used the old 100 minute plan. I received a $34 credit for being a 5 star. 

 

I will also be on the N Statendam next week and had thought about doing a live thread but since Victoriann is already doing one, then I won’t, but will read it and contribute. 

 

The thing is, we are all spending an enormous amount of effort and time trying to navigate, use, and find workaround options to cope with Cruise Critic’s new site. I think it is worse now than before they updated it and it’s not fun to access anymore. Add to that, with Tapatalk no longer being supported, I will have endless problems and suck up bandwidth by using it on my mobile when on the ship or in port using phone data. 

 

Can’t we get Cruise Critic “owners” to look st these issues? 

 

Maybe we should start a petition to briing back tap a talk 😉 

[0bnxshs]

1 hour ago, POA1 said:

 

Thanks. I have a tiny little USB powered TP-Link router/bridge/AP/repeater that I'll be taking with me. I'm assuming you cloned your computer MAC onto the router? (Sorry to the general public. We're getting a little technical here.)  Also, did you move around with your router? Since mine runs off a little portable battery stick, I think I'll be able to take it from the room to the cabana as long as the ship's access points do the hand-offs as I move.

 

I did not have to manually clone any MAC addresses onto the router on my HooToo router, which I operated as a bridge on an open WiFi network with authentication. Yes, I was able to move around the ship and would often take the travel router, phone and laptop from my cabin to the atrium (strong WiFi signal, near the offices of the HD and subordinates) where there are open desks available for use on Zaandam.  I would sometimes take it to the Ocean Bar while I was "researching" so both my phone and Roger's phone could continue uploading photos too.

[POA1]

57 minutes ago, 0bnxshs said:

 

I did not have to manually clone any MAC addresses onto the router on my HooToo router, which I operated as a bridge on an open WiFi network with authentication. 

Music to my ears! I guess the "one device at a time" can be the router. Either way, the feature set on this little thing is impressive. 

 

Did you have to log back in after you powered down to move the router or swap out the power? The TP-Link will run for a couple of days on a power pack, but I have a battery that can both charge and discharge if needed. 

[richwmn]

2 hours ago, POA1 said:

Music to my ears! I guess the "one device at a time" can be the router. Either way, the feature set on this little thing is impressive. 

 

Did you have to log back in after you powered down to move the router or swap out the power? The TP-Link will run for a couple of days on a power pack, but I have a battery that can both charge and discharge if needed. 

for additional information. On my last cruise (Koningsdam), and for that matter the hotel before the cruise, the wifi card in the laptop I am currently using was no able to sustain a connection. I therefore used my Samsung phone to tether a connection. I was able to get texts and emails on the phone while surfing on the laptop. Worked out pretty nice.

[0bnxshs]

18 hours ago, POA1 said:

Music to my ears! I guess the "one device at a time" can be the router. Either way, the feature set on this little thing is impressive. 

 

Did you have to log back in after you powered down to move the router or swap out the power? The TP-Link will run for a couple of days on a power pack, but I have a battery that can both charge and discharge if needed. 

 

Exactly!  I didn't always use the travel router but when I did it was the device that was logged onto the ship's WiFi network and (therefore) internet, my other devices were logged onto the travel router's local WiFi network.

 

My travel router has a 6000mAh battery for its own use and for re-charging devices like smart phones, etc., and can share external devices on its network too, so I rarely powered it down and kept it charged so when in port I had a power source.  When I did this, it would re-connect to the ship's WiFi for intranet automatically and, so long as it was the last device logged onto the internet, it accessed it automatically too.

 

My biggest issue was deciding which WiFi network my devices would log into automatically, the router's or the ship's.  What's nice is that the internet connection page on Navigator now allows you to kick off the last device that was using internet from that page so you didn't have to find whatever/whoever was using internet and ask them to yield it. 

Edited November 29, 2018 by 0bnxshs

[Vict0riann]

On 11/28/2018 at 7:08 AM, scluvsrain said:

I just got off the Koningsdam TA a couple of weeks ago and I used the old 100 minute plan. I received a $34 credit for being a 5 star. 

 

I will also be on the N Statendam next week and had thought about doing a live thread but since Victoriann is already doing one, then I won't......  

 

Sherita, I certainly will try, but I've never "started" one myself, usually just tag onto someone else's!  This time it will be a real experiment, as no one knows how CC and HAL will mesh.  Perhaps we can work it out together.  See you at the Meet & Greet, if not before.

 

I also would like to ask the contributors to the Cabin Crawl if we can take photos of the dozen or so rooms, for the site that shall not be named!

 

I shouldn't have said "no one", as I can see that you and Rich have both had experiences with the new CC!  

 

I have a HooToo router, too, and sometimes I look at it and it looks back at me, and then we part ways. It speaks a different language so we don't communicate.

Edited November 29, 2018 by Vict0riann

[POA1]

4 hours ago, Vict0riann said:

 

Sherita, I certainly will try, but I've never "started" one myself, usually just tag onto someone else's!  This time it will be a real experiment, as no one knows how CC and HAL will mesh.  Perhaps we can work it out together.  See you at the Meet & Greet, if not before.

 

@Vict0riann -  Here's a banner graphic.  You kind of have to do a "Live From" now. (If it's going to be a joint venture, I can have the graphics elves add "Sail with Sherita."

 

Edited November 29, 2018 by POA1
verb tense

[Vict0riann]

That is amazing, Brian!  How can I refuse?  Yes, I think you should include the Sailing with Sherita graphic- and maybe you could change my "o" to a zero - that has been one of my problems with CC!  Or just say Sailing with Sherita and Ann?

 

Boy, that looks like one long ship!  And I can see our balcony. 

 

[POA1]

3 minutes ago, Vict0riann said:

That is amazing, Brian!  How can I refuse?  Yes, I think you should include the Sailing with Sherita graphic- and maybe you could change my "o" to a zero - that has been one of my problems with CC!  Or just say Sailing with Sherita and Ann?

 

Boy, that looks like one long ship!  And I can see our balcony. 

 

Happy to help. I'll get the text changed, but it might not be until tomorrow. 

[scluvsrain]

That’s awesome!! I’ll be happy to joint venture with you!!

[POA1]

3 minutes ago, scluvsrain said:

That’s awesome!! I’ll be happy to joint venture with you!!

 

The graphics department want to know if you would like to be listed as Sherita or your screen name of sclusrain.

[POA1]

3 minutes ago, scluvsrain said:

That’s awesome!! I’ll be happy to joint venture with you!!

 

The graphics department want to know if you would like to be listed as Sherita or your screen name of sclusrain.

[Vict0riann]

You must be excited to post that twice, Brian!

 

20 minutes ago, scluvsrain said:

That’s awesome!! I’ll be happy to joint venture with you!!

 

Wonderful - would you like to start the thread?  Before we leave?  And when do you leave for Rome - it sounded sort of like you are arriving on Wednesday?  

Edited November 29, 2018 by Vict0riann

[POA1]

36 minutes ago, Vict0riann said:

You must be excited to post that twice, Brian!

 

 

Wonderful - would you like to start the thread?  Before we leave?  And when do you leave for Rome - it sounded sort of like you are arriving on Wednesday?  

 

No idea how that happened. I'm pretty sure the old software wouldn't let you duplicate post like that.

[scluvsrain]

We should be consistent. So if it’s Ann then it should be Sherita. If Vict0riann then use scluvsrain. (There’s a “v” in there too...)

[scluvsrain]

Not sure how to start the thread using that awesome graphic??

[Vict0riann]

23 minutes ago, scluvsrain said:

Not sure how to start the thread using that awesome graphic??

 

I guess it should be the first post?  I also have a picture of the itinerary, maybe put that below POA's graphic?  We can practice..  And we'd need a title for the thread, like "Live from the new Nieuw Statendam".

 

I meant to say, you could email me at pnamcc at gmail dot com and we can work it out!

Edited November 30, 2018 by Vict0riann

[scluvsrain]

I’ll email you. 

[POA1]

33 minutes ago, scluvsrain said:

We should be consistent. So if it’s Ann then it should be Sherita. If Vict0riann then use scluvsrain. (There’s a “v” in there too...)

 

29 minutes ago, scluvsrain said:

Not sure how to start the thread using that awesome graphic??

 

Just let me know which names you decided to use. It doesn't matter either way to me. I have several photos of the Nieuw Statendam, so it should be easy to fit the extruded text into a photo.

 

I typically start my "Live From's" with a banner graphic and an introductory post and put the starter post up a day before the cruise. Of course, mine have been for cruises out of Florida, so I can throw up the post without the need to worry about travel. If I were you, I'd put the intro post up before I flew out or when I got to Italy. I'd probably opt for pre-flight because I am terrible at sleeping on planes and I'm always wiped out when I land in Europe.

[Vict0riann]

2 hours ago, POA1 said:

 

 

Just let me know which names you decided to use. It doesn't matter either way to me. I have several photos of the Nieuw Statendam, so it should be easy to fit the extruded text into a photo.

 

I typically start my "Live From's" with a banner graphic and an introductory post and put the starter post up a day before the cruise. Of course, mine have been for cruises out of Florida, so I can throw up the post without the need to worry about travel. If I were you, I'd put the intro post up before I flew out or when I got to Italy. I'd probably opt for pre-flight because I am terrible at sleeping on planes and I'm always wiped out when I land in Europe.

 

I think we should start out with the "scluvsrain and Vict0riann" and then we will say who we are!  I will start the thread on Saturday before we leave home, and then I will be able to bookmark it on my laptop and the bookmark will appear on my iPhone and iPad, and hopefully that will make it easy to access while we travel.  

 

I have packed my HooToo and hope there is some hi-tech person on board who can explain it to me!

 

Thanks for all the help. 

[POA1]

45 minutes ago, Vict0riann said:

 

I think we should start out with the "scluvsrain and Vict0riann" and then we will say who we are!  I will start the thread on Saturday before we leave home, and then I will be able to bookmark it on my laptop and the bookmark will appear on my iPhone and iPad, and hopefully that will make it easy to access while we travel.  

 

I have packed my HooToo and hope there is some hi-tech person on board who can explain it to me!

 

Thanks for all the help. 

 

You may want to create a Custom Activity Stream that just targets threads you started on HAL.  That's what I plan on doing for our trip. It should give give me a quick and easy way to check my Live From thread.  Here's what the settings panel looks like for the stream:

 

[Vict0riann]

So then, if I unfollow all threads except my Live from, in my Manage Followed Content, I should only have the live from in My Activity Stream, right?

 

No, I can see now, by limiting the stream to the thread I start, that is the only thing that will show up.  Thanks, Brian.

Edited November 30, 2018 by Vict0riann