Any Update about Captain's Circle Internet Package Which Changed 4\1\07

[pablo222]

If you read my posts you will see that I mentioned there is a problem with the CB because the actual ADE (above deck equipment) is provided by Harris and not their own. So they have to work with another company and do not have control of the signal and also the signal is routed differently. Harris optimised their ADE for Princess and now MTN is there, it will need to be changed. The best solution would be to have MTN ADE installed, and I don't know if that has been planned.

 

Thank you for the courtesy of a reply.

 

I read a post here today, from someone just off CB saying that

the price had been dropped to $0.25/min to compensate for the

slow service.

 

I think this is great news. If there is anything that will get (Princess)

management's attention on the problem, it's a loss of revenue.

[cookienut]

I was on Grand Princess (3/31-4/7).

I found the internet is a bit slow. The person who stationed there is very helpful. Whenever I had a problem, he was always there to help me out.

I used the internet to book my plane ticket seats and printed my boarding pass on my last day of cruise. Because I am CC Platinum, I do not pay a penny. So I have nothing but praise for this services.

[Admiral Horatio Nelson]

I was on Grand Princess (3/31-4/7).

I found the internet is a bit slow. The person who stationed there is very helpful. Whenever I had a problem, he was always there to help me out.

I used the internet to book my plane ticket seats and printed my boarding pass on my last day of cruise. Because I am CC Platinum, I do not pay a penny. So I have nothing but praise for this services.

 

Are you comparing your 'slow' speed on the Internet to a previous cruise on that same ship or with another Princess ship in the past? If you are comparing with your home connection that is to be expected.

[wtevrfltsurbt]

Thought this might shed some light on the connections aboard the Emerald (new ship).

 

Posted by Grannycb

 

Not as successful things: Internet connections! The only time it seems to be working is the middle of the night. Even the entertainers are joking about it. There have been a few things that didn't work out exactly right but those are being fixed as the crew adjusts. Each day is smoother than the last.

[Admiral Horatio Nelson]

Thought this might shed some light on the connections aboard the Emerald (new ship).

 

Posted by Grannycb

 

Not as successful things: Internet connections! The only time it seems to be working is the middle of the night. Even the entertainers are joking about it. There have been a few things that didn't work out exactly right but those are being fixed as the crew adjusts. Each day is smoother than the last.

 

Well without ever being on it, and not having any idea about the exact type of setup, I would be guessing. However I can say that with any new ship, there will most definitely be problems in the first few cruises. I wouldn’t recommend anyone take a cruise on a brand new ship, because everything is new, from the ship itself up to the crew and working relationships etc. all those teething problems have to be worked out.

 

And as most of you know, Computer Networks don’t have any flexibility, they need to be exactly right or they just don’t work very at all. Fine tuning will be needed I am sure.

 

Just remember this new ship does not have the MTN system in place, it has the old Princess system with the Netstop program.

[GRAYTech]

On the 4/1 CB cruise the Internet was almost unusable. At it's best it was much slower than past cruises I have taken.

 

- About 8 minutes to login and get a browser open

- Another 4 or 5 to get my Email web page loaded and inbox displayed

- About 4 minutes to display a single small Email

- Replying was quick, normal speed even. (15 seconds?)

- Several minutes to log out

 

So to check my Work Email it took about 15 minutes to get to my inbox and one Email open.

 

I tried once each day at various times with the best times noted above at midnight or later and closer to Florida. Other times I gave up after 15 minutes and still not logged in.

 

We were in a VS suite too so cost was not an issue, just almost to slow to be usable.

[wtevrfltsurbt]

I hate to be a spoil sport:o but that is why I am a big fan of internet cafe's in port !

[JotWorld]

Well without ever being on it, and not having any idea about the exact type of setup, I would be guessing. However I can say that with any new ship, there will most definitely be problems in the first few cruises. I wouldn’t recommend anyone take a cruise on a brand new ship, because everything is new, from the ship itself up to the crew and working relationships etc. all those teething problems have to be worked out.

 

And as most of you know, Computer Networks don’t have any flexibility, they need to be exactly right or they just don’t work very at all. Fine tuning will be needed I am sure.

 

Just remember this new ship does not have the MTN system in place, it has the old Princess system with the Netstop program.

 

Thanks again for your comments!;)

Any further updated info on the MTN Sys Rollout on Princess Fleetwide?:confused:

(When you have time)

Jot:)

[Globaliser]

I hate to be a spoil sport:o but that is why I am a big fan of internet cafe's in port !

Me too! :D

[cookienut]

Admiral Nelson,

 

What I meant the internet a bit slow is slower than my home computer, but faster than the most of the cruises I had been. I even let my table- mates to use my computer acct. to print their boarding pass as well.

I am sure as time go by the ship's internet speed will improve.

[Buddy604]

I hate to be a spoil sport:o but that is why I am a big fan of internet cafe's in port !

Not to hijack anything here, but when I was reading the article about Princess pioneering the docks side power hook-ups to reduce pollution, I started wondering if there would be a business case for establishing a dock-side internet link as well for when the ship is in port. It could even just be a dedicated WiFi 802.11G or 802.11N connection to an nearby internet cafe.

 

Just a thought.

[SharkieRools]

I just asked this on another thread but this one is probably a little more appropriate.

 

With the CB B2B cruises that you can either book as 2 - 7 day cruises or 1 - 14 day cruise, do you receive a different internet allowance depending on the way you book?

 

I guess part of it depends on if they close your folio at the end of each week or not. I would imagine that if the folio is closed each week you'll receive $75 a week regardless of how you book, but does anyone have any experience with it?

[Admiral Horatio Nelson]

Not to hijack anything here, but when I was reading the article about Princess pioneering the docks side power hook-ups to reduce pollution, I started wondering if there would be a business case for establishing a dock-side internet link as well for when the ship is in port. It could even just be a dedicated WiFi 802.11G or 802.11N connection to an nearby internet cafe.

 

Just a thought.

 

When I worked for Carnival we had a setup in New Orleans when the ship was docked (only in New Orleans) at the end of the cruise we were hooked up to a T1 line. However in all the companies I have worked for Carnival is the only one that had that setup anywhere. However, the Paxs didn't benefit from this, because the MTN system came through the Satellite system including their billing.

 

If they were going to do it, a wireless system would make more sense, however setting that up for every port would be a nightmare. Also many of the islands don't have a fast connection, they actually have very similar setup as the ship (via Sat). Plus the Internet is hardly used when the ship is in port as most passengers leave the ship to venture out. Highest use is during sea days.

[pablo222]

I just spoke to a contact at MTN and I was told that MTN is only experimenting with this service on three vessels, Caribbean, Dawn and Grand Princess. The reason the service is so slow on the Caribbean Princess is because the signal is still going through a Harris Satellite, not an MTN one therefore not having the same control over the Satelllite means they cannot tweak the best performance out of it.

 

I was amused to read -- over the past couple of days -- more first hand report on how slow the internet service on Carribbean Princess

continues to be.

 

I first encountered this in November, 2006. It's kind of pathetic that

they're still not able to restore previous service levels. (For instance,

when I was on Carribbean Princess in early 2006, service was fine)

 

I did learn that the obnoxious gent staffing the internet cafe has moved on. I never found him arguing that the service was fine very honest.

 

I cancelled two future bookings I had on Carribbean Princess. Not because I can't live without the internet, but because I can't live with such disrespectful treatment of customers.

 

Hopefully, it will be a different vendor on Emerald Princess