Using laptop

[Irina555]

Is it better to bring a laptop to connect to Internet? How much do Princess charge for wireless connection? Will I be able to use MSN Messenger in their Internet Cafe?

 

Thank you!

[cherylandtk]

Pricing is the same whether you use the ship computer or your own. Benefits to your own are that you can download your email, including attachments, log off, compose replies, and then log back in to upload and send. Use of messaging programs is painfully slow and not easy communication. I don't recall if the ship computers have IM or not, but I think not.

 

Prices vary depending on the package you purchase; there are often last day specials just for making airline confirmations, I believe $8 for 15 minutes. The other standard packages are:

 

$100.00 for 250 Minutes ($0.40 per min)

$75.00 for 150 Minutes ($0.50 per min)

$55.00 for 100 Minutes ($0.55 per min)

[FredS]

Also if you bring your own laptop you cannot plug into the the Princess system with a wire; you have to use a wireless connection. This only works in the in the atrium area, there is no wireless access from staterooms or any other area of the ship. No IM is allowed. On my last cruise a couple of months ago you could email pictures from you digital camera. They had a card reader at each computer station in the Internet Cafe. Depending on where you will be service can be very slow and I have had the system stop working while trying to send something. This happens when the sattalitte connection is lost.

[AAAAmerican]

It does save time and LOTS of Dollars when you compose SAVE then send or wait till your ashore... But always make sure you never accept cookies ashore etc... Using a Thumb Drive is a great tool for you ..

 

I do use my Lap Top for other things as well <Evil Grin> *S:D

[Marque]

My wife and I always take our laptops. It makes a substantial savings in online time. On our recent eleven-day cruise on the Dawn, we didn't even get through all or our Platinum member time. I think we left about an hour on the books. If you have platinum member time, be sure to sign up for a package. My wife's package was credited properly but mine wasn't. Had to deal with the purser to have the charge removed.

[SeaTeacher]

My wife and I always take our laptops. It makes a substantial savings in online time. On our recent eleven-day cruise on the Dawn, we didn't even get through all or our Platinum member time. I think we left about an hour on the books. If you have platinum member time, be sure to sign up for a package. My wife's package was credited properly but mine wasn't. Had to deal with the purser to have the charge removed.

 

In the past I brought my laptop or PDA beacause it was always cheaper then using Princess PCs. But now I am Captain's Circle Platinum, and I thought we only qualified for a credit in the Internet Cafe only, which excluded wireless service.

 

Has something changed that Platinum cruisers now can get a credit toward a wireless package too?