Internet & Computer

[enchic21]

Does anyone know if the CB has an internet cafe with computer systems available or is the ship only equipped with wireless internet access with your own laptop? I'm not sure I want to bring my laptop so I was wondering if the ship provides computers as well. Thanks!

[parody]

Yes, as stated in http://www.princess.com/answer/onboard.html

Internet access is available on all Princess vessels through our onboard Internet Cafés and wireless networks. In addition, if you have traveled on Princess 5 times or more or are booking a full suite, Internet access if free.

[TNTLAMB]

You really don't want to use shipboard internet unless it is free, speeds make dial-up at home look like super highspeed connections. $200.00+ bills are not uncommon. Losing your connection is common because of the satellite connections variability. If you have to pay - heres a few hints I've learned If you absolutley need to access your email while on vaction do set up a special email account just for the trip and either have forwarding rules set up on your server or just tell those whom you really need to know, the new address to keep costs lower. If you need to browse, you are better off doing so on shore. Its much cheaper and more dependable. You can always prepare uploads in advance on media (I suggest ubs memory sticks). If you bring your laptop, dependability of the wireless connections is really iffy depending on your location. The wireless signal seems to really get sucked up by all the steel on board. Now of you are updating the CC boards ignore all the above and post away. If I can't be cruising, I can always imagine being on someone elses!

[prarie cruiser]

The internet cafes are often very different depending upon the ship. I really like the one on the Sapphire Princess. I have not been on the Carribbean Princess, but since it is a newer ship I imagine it to have a nice internet cafe.

 

That said, beware of very slow, unreliable connections. I guarantee you will have some time in your cruise the internet will not be available at all. It takes several (like 10) minutes to do the simplest of tasks, so at 50cents per minute, it adds up quickly. The connections will remind you of the early years of internet usage (remember those really old modems?).

 

Once you reach Platinum status, online usage is free, so I try to take advantage of it. Maybe, you know a Platinum member who can check your mail for you?

 

Laptop usage is even less reliable and more expensive. Use your laptop as a DVD player!

[DeltaOne]

Laptop usage is even less reliable and more expensive. Use your laptop as a DVD player!

 

That's not accurate. Your properly-equipped and properly-running laptop will obtain the same connection speed as the computers in the ship's Internet cafe (They're on the same network!)

 

In addition, using your own laptop, you can read email and compose replies offline, without the ticking clock. This makes it very easy to fit three or four sessions of downloading email, reading email, composing replies and uploading email in to one 30 minute block of time. That's impossible when using the computers in the ship's Internet cafe.

[enchic21]

Thank you for the info! I just had to decide whether I want to lug my laptop around or not.

[TNTLAMB]

That's not accurate. Your properly-equipped and properly-running laptop will obtain the same connection speed as the computers in the ship's Internet cafe (They're on the same network!)

 

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Thats true IF you can find and maintaing a wirless connection and if your access code works the first time or three you reset it. The CB may be different but it was more trouble than it was worth in Jan. on the Grand and last May on the Sapphire. Off shore cafe is still the best.

[parody]

I just had to decide whether I want to lug my laptop around or not.

 

Hopefully, from the responses so far, you have concluded that you do not need your laptop if you only want to read and send simple emails on a cruise. However, you cannot connect your laptop to the computers in the Internet Cafe. Thus, if you have something on your laptop that you need to have available during the cruise, then you will need to have your laptop. In addition, it is not possible to open attachments to emails using the Internet Cafe computers. Thus, if you are expecting an Excel file, for example, you will need your laptop and the wireless connection. Some folks may like to download pictures from their digital camera periodically during a cruise. This is likely another case of when a laptop might be useful. Anyway, more things to consider.

[SeaTeacher]

I always keep a travel journal/blog. I like to post on a daily basis. When I was on the Sapphire, I had to type all my entries while the clock ticked away in the Internet Cafe (it is a very nice space). I felt rushed because I was trying to finish before I had to mortgage the house just to pay for the Internet access fee (it's 35 cents/minute - not 50). I ended up spending about $65 on that trip, just for Internet access.

 

Flash forward to last month on the Caribbean Princess. I brought along my laptop and a wireless network card. I bought four half-hour blocks of wireless Internet access which is available in the atrium.

 

Each day, during the afternoon I went to the coffee bar. Shad brought me my usual double latte - non-fat. I typed my blog in MS Word. Then, after careful thought, spell check, and careful revision, I signed onto the wireless access, copied and pasted into my blog, downloaded my E-mail using MSN Outlook and even posted some things here on Cruise Critic. Each time, the connection was somewhat slow and those three tasks took from 10 - 14 minutes. I then disconnected and read my E-mail offline. E-mail responses too were composed offline to be sent the next day.

 

My bill at the end of the most recent cruise was about $42, and I managed to actually do MORE work/fun stuff than without my laptop on the Sapphire. So, if E-mail and online access are important to you, then wireless laptop is definetely the way to go. It's just as fast and you can do much work offline to save money. But it sin't cheap and it isn't fast, it's just better than access exclusively through the Internet cafe.

 

Ultimately though, I'm working on earning Platinum status for the free Internet and laundry benefits (not to mention the disembarkation lounge).

[m steve]

At 35c per minute you can really run up a big tab. I wait til I get into a port and can usually find a place that sells a half hour for 2-3$. I guess I'm not so important that I need to be in constant contact all the time or report every detail of the trip while still cruising. This also gives me a break from entering every jewelery store in port while DF shops.