internet access

[xeena]

how bad is the internet on nieuw statendam?   (i am now spoiled by oceana and viking where it is "free"...)

 

i usually only check emails twice a day, delete spam and send a few imessages....I know where several wifi spots are in the ports we will visit....but it might be worth buying the 100 min package if it does not take forever to connect on board...any advice?

[freestyling]

The internet speed really depends on where you are traveling, stateroom location and package purchased. On “average” I would say that just checking emails and sending some reply messages it is ok. I’d rate it a 7 out of 10. 

[catl331]

27 minutes ago, xeena said:

 it might be worth buying the 100 min package if it does not take forever to connect on board...any advice?

You do not buy time by the minute anymore - you buy "unlimited" by the day or full cruise. Or actually it's the "remaining days" of the cruise.

 

Here's a tip: when on a cruise I set my internet home page to go directly to mail (mail.yahoo.com in my case) so that I never spend time loading up a complicated home page that I do not want. Or you can use an email client (Outlook, Windows 10 Mail, etc) to  do all your email writing/reading off line, and only connect to internet for a fast download/upload and then disconnect. In that case I would set my home page to a simple page, like google.com. That's not as important now as it used to be back when we bought time blocks.

Edited November 9, 2019 by catl331

[Crew News]

16 minutes ago, xeena said:

how bad is the internet on nieuw statendam?   (i am now spoiled by oceana and viking where it is "free"...)

 

i usually only check emails twice a day, delete spam and send a few imessages....I know where several wifi spots are in the ports we will visit....but it might be worth buying the 100 min package if it does not take forever to connect on board...any advice?

 

To the best of my knowledge, purchasing minutes has been discontinued on all HAL ships since their last drydock.  Current prices are for just social media access ($14.99/day), Surfing package ($24.99/day), and Streaming ($29.99/day).  If you buy for the duration of your cruise, there is an approximate 40% discount.

 

Internet satellites are positioned over the equator so reception in the Caribbean is decent but not quite good enough for live streaming.

[Gigi1977]

Correct.  Internet is only sold in ‘packages’ now.  Not by minutes. 

[catl331]

17 minutes ago, Crew News said:

Current prices are for just social media access ($14.99/day), Surfing package ($24.99/day),

And you need at least the Surfing type to do email, which would mean just to check emails twice a day it's pretty expensive IMO. I suggest you do your email from port after having pre-written your outgoing on board and using an email client to minimize your connect time on land.

 

[xeena]

guess my google search of internet on HAL was way off! will just get on while in port at a freebie (or drinkie buy)

[TheJurea]

We are receiving free internet with the Neptune suite, Yay!

[catl331]

3 minutes ago, TheJurea said:

We are receiving free internet with the Neptune suite, Yay!

I've never heard of this before! What ship? Is it some promotion?

Edited November 9, 2019 by catl331

[TheJurea]

Yes, it is a promotion.

The Oosterdam to Panama Canal in Feb.

We were going for the suite anyway when we saw the additional bonus of internet.

[catl331]

5 minutes ago, TheJurea said:

Yes, it is a promotion.

Nice! If this is test, I hope it continues! 

[kazu]

56 minutes ago, catl331 said:

I've never heard of this before! What ship? Is it some promotion?

 

Yes, it’s the promotion for the new “Explore4” where there is no SBP but OBC instead with the premium internet package for both parties in the cabin.  I have it on both my upcoming cruises.  😄 😄   

[GeezerCouple]

53 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

Yes, it’s the promotion for the new “Explore4” where there is no SBP but OBC instead with the premium internet package for both parties in the cabin.  I have it on both my upcoming cruises.  😄 😄   

 

When you write "both", does that mean that two can be online at once?

Our confirmation actually does state the internet for "passengers 1, 2", not "per cabin/suite".

That would be nice, but not critical.

 

GC

[kazu]

32 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

When you write "both", does that mean that two can be online at once?

Our confirmation actually does state the internet for "passengers 1, 2", not "per cabin/suite".

That would be nice, but not critical.

 

GC

 

That’s my understanding.  If it’s for passenger 1 and 2 then each should be able to log in with their separate logins and have access.
And that’s what my confirmation says as well (just like the PG dinner).  

 

The terms and conditions of the offer were pretty specific as to access for both.  I’ll have my confirmation in my I books (I always do 😉 ) in case but I see no reason why it should be a problem (I hope) as long as you have two devices of course 😉 

[catl331]

40 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

When you write "both", does that mean that two can be online at once?

All that would be needed is two accounts (and two devices) so my guess would be yes.

[newcruzer2]

7 hours ago, Crew News said:

 

 

 

Internet satellites are positioned over the equator so reception in the Caribbean is decent but not quite good enough for live streaming.

So I'm guessing this meaning internet in Alaska will be frustrating at best, yikes.

[RuthC]

27 minutes ago, newcruzer2 said:

So I'm guessing this meaning internet in Alaska will be frustrating at best, yikes.

I haven't found internet to be bad in Alaska. Maybe in Tracy Arm there would be a problem, but I wasn't trying to use it during that scenic cruising. 
Internet is bad in fjords, and at extreme latitudes, but Alaska is far enough south to be all right. 

[newcruzer2]

2 hours ago, RuthC said:

I haven't found internet to be bad in Alaska. Maybe in Tracy Arm there would be a problem, but I wasn't trying to use it during that scenic cruising. 
Internet is bad in fjords, and at extreme latitudes, but Alaska is far enough south to be all right. 

Oh ok ty, I have never bothered with internet on a cruise (I finally have DH 's attention LOL) But this summer we will be doing our 1st hal cruise and got the internet with the explore 4

[DougK]

13 hours ago, RuthC said:

I haven't found internet to be bad in Alaska. Maybe in Tracy Arm there would be a problem, but I wasn't trying to use it during that scenic cruising. 
Internet is bad in fjords, and at extreme latitudes, but Alaska is far enough south to be all right. 

 

My experience on the Nieuw Amsterdam this summer was much different. Internet was fine on some days, but very slow or nonexistent on others. I think the worst was around Skagway, where there was no connectivity at all.

[RuthC]

30 minutes ago, DougK said:

I think the worst was around Skagway, where there was no connectivity at all.

That's because in Skagway, you are surrounded by mountains. Just like you would be in Tracy Arm, or the sail up to Hubbard Glacier. The mountains block the signal to/from the satellite. 

[DougK]

9 minutes ago, RuthC said:

That's because in Skagway, you are surrounded by mountains. Just like you would be in Tracy Arm, or the sail up to Hubbard Glacier. The mountains block the signal to/from the satellite. 

 

I agree on the reasoning; my point was just that one shouldn't expect good Internet on Alaska cruises. Virtually all of them go to Skagway or other inaccessible places, since the whole attraction of Alaska is the stark nature. On some days the Internet may be fine, but on others it will be bad. I personally found that to be pretty frustrating.

[RuthC]

10 minutes ago, DougK said:

On some days the Internet may be fine, but on others it will be bad.

Then you do agree with my original post. It's all a matter of picking a good time of day to connect.
By you quoting me, and from what you said, you appeared to be disagreeing with me. Sorry I misinterpreted. 

[Crew News]

16 hours ago, newcruzer2 said:

So I'm guessing this meaning internet in Alaska will be frustrating at best, yikes.

 

On my 16 Alaska cruises, there are a few locations where there is no connection or intermittant  connection losses which really frustrates downloads and sending email.

 

When using my phone in ports, the connection speed is the same as home EXCEPT when the ship first enters the port and everybody onboard uses the local internet towers.

 

Connection speed in Alaska is greatly affected by where you are on the ship.  Most Neptune suites have a repeater on the stateroom ceilings, there are repeaters located around the ship (good locations are on Deck 9 pool area and the Internet Cafe), but if you are not in the aforementioned areas, the internet signal will depend on how far you are from the nearest repeater and how many doors through which the signal must pass.  A Defense Signal Intelligence officer on one of my recent roll calls would sit in his open doorway every evening with his laptop to get a good connection. 

 

Bottom line is that if you are sitting in a verandah stateroom with the door closed in Alaska, don't expect more speed than one Mbps.  If you get more, be very happy.  If you want the best time of day and location to use the internet, go to the indoor pool area on Deck 9 after 10:00 PM.

 

Location, location, location.

 

 

[xeena]

when we went to alaska a few years ago, i used the local libraries when they were close to where we docked.

[TAD2005]

On 11/9/2019 at 12:32 PM, xeena said:

how bad is the internet on nieuw statendam?   (i am now spoiled by oceana and viking where it is "free"...)

 

There is no "free lunch".   The "free" internet on Oceana and Viking is paid for in their higher per day fares.   And for the folks who don't need to be "connected at the hip" 24/7/365, (internet), they are paying for a service that they don't want or need.   I think the "ala carte" system is better.  Lower fares, and for the extra services you want, you pay separately for them.   Same for drink packages.   Many elite cruise lines include free drinks in their fares.  But on those lines, you cannot opt-out of the free drinks.  If you do not imbibe enough to warrant a drink package, you are paying for something in your base fare that you will not use.