Internet Issues on the Enchanted Princess

[Rehoguy1]

The Enchanted, like her sister ship the Sky, is still new and beautiful. We sailed most recently from Port Everglades to Copenhagen, so obviously transatlantic. We have sailed many transatlantic cruises (10+) on Princess and several other lines, and so we have some familiarity with wifi/connectivity issues when crossing the Atlantic. Our first warning that the internet system would be a problem was a pre-cruise notice from Princess noting that connectivity would be an issue on our crossing due to so-called satellite location issues over the Atlantic. For this reason, Princess was refunding all prepaid internet charges in advance, and internet service on board would be free. Sounds good right? In actuality, beginning on about day 4 (of 14), we had virtually no internet, not even while in port. While overnight in Copenhagen (Skagen having been cancelled due to weather), there was no still internet while on board. We confirmed with the IT staff that this was not an issue with our tablets or phones (for good measure, we tried the ship's computers in the internet cafe- nada). Of course, this became a popular topic of conversation, as passengers' frustrations grew at not being able to communicate with family and friends back home, conduct any business, check bank and credit accounts, etc. A stranger shared that she was having "panic attacks" because she felt completely cut off from her children at home who were expecting some communication from her while on board. At no point did anyone on the ship offer some further explanation about the issue, and especially when wifi reception might return. The rumors began to fly (Princess hadn't bought sufficient satellite "bandwidth" on the available satellites; Princess had recently changed satellite providers to save money, and the new company obviously wasn't able to meet the demand; etc.). Bottom line: we still have no idea why this was - on a brand new ship - the worst wifi we have even experienced at sea. We'd be glad to return our new high-tech Medallions and have the old system back, at least insofar as wifi/email are concerned.

[PrincessLuver]

20 minutes ago, Rehoguy1 said:

The Enchanted, like her sister ship the Sky, is still new and beautiful. We sailed most recently from Port Everglades to Copenhagen, so obviously transatlantic. We have sailed many transatlantic cruises (10+) on Princess and several other lines, and so we have some familiarity with wifi/connectivity issues when crossing the Atlantic. Our first warning that the internet system would be a problem was a pre-cruise notice from Princess noting that connectivity would be an issue on our crossing due to so-called satellite location issues over the Atlantic. For this reason, Princess was refunding all prepaid internet charges in advance, and internet service on board would be free. Sounds good right? In actuality, beginning on about day 4 (of 14), we had virtually no internet, not even while in port. While overnight in Copenhagen (Skagen having been cancelled due to weather), there was no still internet while on board. We confirmed with the IT staff that this was not an issue with our tablets or phones (for good measure, we tried the ship's computers in the internet cafe- nada). Of course, this became a popular topic of conversation, as passengers' frustrations grew at not being able to communicate with family and friends back home, conduct any business, check bank and credit accounts, etc. A stranger shared that she was having "panic attacks" because she felt completely cut off from her children at home who were expecting some communication from her while on board. At no point did anyone on the ship offer some further explanation about the issue, and especially when wifi reception might return. The rumors began to fly (Princess hadn't bought sufficient satellite "bandwidth" on the available satellites; Princess had recently changed satellite providers to save money, and the new company obviously wasn't able to meet the demand; etc.). Bottom line: we still have no idea why this was - on a brand new ship - the worst wifi we have even experienced at sea. We'd be glad to return our new high-tech Medallions and have the old system back, at least insofar as wifi/email are concerned.

 

We always expect limited internet services when making Northern crossings.  It has to do with the positioning of the satellites that are used.  If you were docked at the passenger cruise terminal in Copenhagen then you should have had free internet if you left the ship.   Also, I doubt this has anything to do with the Medallion app...also while docked in port everyone should have had access to cellular service depending on their international cellular plan...

Edited April 29, 2022 by PrincessLuver

[dides]

Something has changed with the wi-fi provisioning on Transatlantics and in and around Europe in recent weeks. Sky Princess had the same issues on the Transtlantic. We have a friend currently on Sky Princess doing the Norwegian Fjords itinerary and she is reporting little or no wi-fi access for days and the MedallionClass App is not working at all. And others are experiencing the same issues, having to rely on 4G from their mobile phone contracts in local ports for wi-fi access.  I mentioned the Princess Plus refund approach to my friend and she got some OBC back by going to Guest Services. 

 

Edited April 29, 2022 by dides

[Rick&Jeannie]

Back at the beginning of the pandemic there was a big flurry of press releases from Princess and other sources about the fact that Princess had contracted with SES Networks.  This was supposed to be the basis of the "Best WiFi at Sea" program.  I *believe* things started out OK...but of course nobody was actually sailing at that time.  I think it was all still in the testing phase.  Well, once the restart began...things changed rapidly.  I believe (I do NOT have anything to back this up) that either one of two things happened:

 

1) SES oversold their capability and Princess has been left holding the bag.

2) There may have been some other issue and Princess severed ties with SES and has been scrambling ever since trying to find *ANY* system with adequate bandwidth (which obviusly they have failed to do so.)

 

There have been many "explanations" about what is happening.  The "satellite" positioning story is bogus.  Some have said there was a serious satellite failure.  Bogus.  Either one of those "stories" would have been backed up with corresponding news stories since it would have affected multiple companies...not just Princess.  I think Princess went with the new provider, they can't "provide" and Princess is scrambling trying to save face after all the hoopla they generated.

[Steelers36]

57 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Back at the beginning of the pandemic there was a big flurry of press releases from Princess and other sources about the fact that Princess had contracted with SES Networks.  This was supposed to be the basis of the "Best WiFi at Sea" program.  I *believe* things started out OK...but of course nobody was actually sailing at that time.  I think it was all still in the testing phase.  Well, once the restart began...things changed rapidly.  I believe (I do NOT have anything to back this up) that either one of two things happened:

 

1) SES oversold their capability and Princess has been left holding the bag.

2) There may have been some other issue and Princess severed ties with SES and has been scrambling ever since trying to find *ANY* system with adequate bandwidth (which obviusly they have failed to do so.)

 

There have been many "explanations" about what is happening.  The "satellite" positioning story is bogus.  Some have said there was a serious satellite failure.  Bogus.  Either one of those "stories" would have been backed up with corresponding news stories since it would have affected multiple companies...not just Princess.  I think Princess went with the new provider, they can't "provide" and Princess is scrambling trying to save face after all the hoopla they generated.

Wouldn't surprise me one bit.

[PrincessLuver]

2 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Back at the beginning of the pandemic there was a big flurry of press releases from Princess and other sources about the fact that Princess had contracted with SES Networks.  This was supposed to be the basis of the "Best WiFi at Sea" program.  I *believe* things started out OK...but of course nobody was actually sailing at that time.  I think it was all still in the testing phase.  Well, once the restart began...things changed rapidly.  I believe (I do NOT have anything to back this up) that either one of two things happened:

 

1) SES oversold their capability and Princess has been left holding the bag.

2) There may have been some other issue and Princess severed ties with SES and has been scrambling ever since trying to find *ANY* system with adequate bandwidth (which obviusly they have failed to do so.)

 

There have been many "explanations" about what is happening.  The "satellite" positioning story is bogus.  Some have said there was a serious satellite failure.  Bogus.  Either one of those "stories" would have been backed up with corresponding news stories since it would have affected multiple companies...not just Princess.  I think Princess went with the new provider, they can't "provide" and Princess is scrambling trying to save face after all the hoopla they generated.

 

When is the last time you have done a Northern Transatlantic or Trans Pacific Crossing.....my bet is never.

 

The positioning of satellites does impact wifi to ships and I doubt you have any real insider knowledge at all of what Princess technology program consist of and where it is headed.

 

http://www.globaltraveldestinations.com/old-blog/internet_at_sea.htm

 

Also, SES is in the final stages of putting its' new satellite network in place to bring the latest in internet at sea for cruise ships.

 

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/information-technology/ses-networks-next-gen-satellites-revolutionize-cruise-connectivity

Edited April 29, 2022 by PrincessLuver

[Rick&Jeannie]

I thought for a while as to whether I should even respond to this.  I felt as though I had clearly stated an opinion...I even used the term "I believe" twice and even said "I believe (I do NOT have anything to back this up)".  All I will say about this is that I am disappointed that someone would denounce a fellow CC member for stating an opinion.  We all have opinions...and we are all entitled to them.  And yes, I have been on a transatlantic very recently (Southampton to Fort Lauderdale, Regal, Nov 2021) and was scheduled to be on the ill-fated Sky TA in March...the one where there was in effect NO internet and 2 ports missed.  I am actually the member that started the "Live From" thread for the sailing.  I think if you ask anybody who was on that sailing you will hear nothing but disdain for the state of the internet system.  Even the internal *intranet* was down for quite some time.  There were major issues with the technology.  I've seen much better on Princess sailings in the past.

 

Princess is *still* touting this on their website:

 

Fast and Reliable Internet

MedallionNet Wi-Fi sets the industry standard for internet at sea. FaceTime your pooch in the morning. Stream your favorite shows by the pool in the afternoon. Post your Chocolate Journeys dessert from your dinner table. Thanks to state-of-the-art technology, you can now stay connected with Wi-Fi coverage as you sail.

 

My personal opinion...whatever system that Princess is currently using just does not seem to be "ready".  I sincerely hope it gets to the point as they are advertising.

[MissP22]

On 4/29/2022 at 11:28 AM, PrincessLuver said:

 

We always expect limited internet services when making Northern crossings.  It has to do with the positioning of the satellites that are used.  If you were docked at the passenger cruise terminal in Copenhagen then you should have had free internet if you left the ship.   Also, I doubt this has anything to do with the Medallion app...also while docked in port everyone should have had access to cellular service depending on their international cellular plan...

I don't understand why people don't believe there might be problems due to the location of the ship.

We were on the Enchanted for 30 days in the Caribbean and it worked flawlessly every day for telephone calls to land based locations and 2 Zoom meetings, watching YouTube video's and Netflix in our cabin anytime of day or night. 

If people  have to be connected to others at home consistently, maybe a cruise ship isn't the best thing for that. 

[Musky Ike]

4 hours ago, MissP22 said:

I don't understand why people don't believe there might be problems due to the location of the ship.

Just back from the Enchanted TA. It is difficult to understand how "location" can be the issue when we were docked or near ports where shoreside businesses had good internet while the ship had none.

[Rick&Jeannie]

40 minutes ago, Musky Ike said:

Just back from the Enchanted TA. It is difficult to understand how "location" can be the issue when we were docked or near ports where shoreside businesses had good internet while the ship had none.

That's because the ship system is not designed to switch back and forth like you can do on your phone.  It is stuck using whatever inferior bandwidth is being provided by the supplier.

[Frflatt]

Something has definitely gone wrong in March 2022 with Princess internet provider. We were on the Sky in November 2019 in the Mediterranean  - the ship was full and we had amazing internet and WiFi - we were able to stream 4K video anywhere on the ship. In September 2021 we sailed on a seacation on Sky Princess - the internet and WiFi were as we experienced on the previous cruise, just as described on the Princess advertising.

Then we sailed on the Sky in March - the cruise after the transatlantic to the Canaries, Portugal and Spain - the ship was not full and the internet and WiFi were practically none existent! We complained several times and were given different stories, one member of the IT team said it would improve when the ship reached San Francisco (I don’t believe it’s scheduled to go there). The assistant hotel services manager called us and admitted there was a problem with the internet - shoreside were trying to come up with solutions apparently but nothing was working. We were given a refund for the internet.
 

The one thing in all this that makes me sad is all the lies that the staff tell - just admit that there’s a problem you don’t know how to fix it, tell the truth and give accurate and honest information.

 

We are due to sail on the Enchanted in August to France and Spain and Sky Princess for a 25 night voyage to Canada and New England in September - we are watching the situation carefully and hoping Princess get things sorted soon.

[alpha whiskey]

On 4/29/2022 at 5:08 PM, dides said:

Something has changed with the wi-fi provisioning on Transatlantics and in and around Europe in recent weeks. Sky Princess had the same issues on the Transtlantic. We have a friend currently on Sky Princess doing the Norwegian Fjords itinerary and she is reporting little or no wi-fi access for days and the MedallionClass App is not working at all. And others are experiencing the same issues, having to rely on 4G from their mobile phone contracts in local ports for wi-fi access.  I mentioned the Princess Plus refund approach to my friend and she got some OBC back by going to Guest Services. 

 

Morning,

We were also on this itinerary and whilst internet was missing while docked deep inside a fjord, it certainly wasn't missing for days.  Yes, it was slow and better on Regal last year, and I didn't attempt to stream videos.

Medallion class app worked fine for me. DH had a problem and soon sorted by the staff at the help station.

To sum up - My android phone is by no means the latest model. The service was a long way from perfect, and patchy at times, but I found it manageable for what we wanted, with a little patience. 

I still believe the Princess Plus add on represents great value for money.

 

[caribill]

On 4/29/2022 at 11:08 AM, dides said:

We have a friend currently on Sky Princess doing the Norwegian Fjords itinerary and she is reporting little or no wi-fi access for days and the MedallionClass App is not working at all.

 

 

11 hours ago, MissP22 said:

I don't understand why people don't believe there might be problems due to the location of the ship.

 

 

When the intranet is not working (and the app only uses the intranet), ship position and satellites in the sky have nothing to do with the problems. Strictly equipment problems on the ship.

[MissP22]

9 hours ago, Musky Ike said:

Just back from the Enchanted TA. It is difficult to understand how "location" can be the issue when we were docked or near ports where shoreside businesses had good internet while the ship had none.

 

The ship receives their connection via satellite dish while land based places usually get it from their internet providers which have much larger and stationary dishes.

 

 

1 hour ago, caribill said:

 

 

When the intranet is not working (and the app only uses the intranet), ship position and satellites in the sky have nothing to do with the problems. Strictly equipment problems on the ship.

 

We had no problem using the intranet at all. It was always working for ordering and location people on the ship at any time. The WhatsApp app worked flawlessly for calling each other except for the noise on the ship mad it difficult to hear at times.  

[Musky Ike]

3 hours ago, MissP22 said:

The ship receives their connection via satellite dish while land based places usually get it from their internet providers which have much larger and stationary dishes.

sailing around England and France signal is available with the proper provider/plan. They opted for a cheaper provider and/or have onboard equipment issues. Don't blame location.

Edited May 2, 2022 by Musky Ike