Internet connection Panama Canal/Mexican Rivera

[jrobinso]

We're planning to use the internet to stay in touch with our family while we are on our cruise ( since cell phones won't work....will they?). Just wondering if anyone has suggestions on when is the best time to use the internet?? When are the connections the best....port days vs sea days, early morning vs afternoon?? My thought was that the connection might be better when we are in port, but curious as to what others have found. We'll be on Island Princess in April. Thanks so much for your help.

Jan

[Toto2Kansas]

The internet connection onboard Princess ships is by satellite. So, being in port really has nothing to do with connection speed.

[PescadoAmarillo]

So, being in port really has nothing to do with connection speed.

Very true. However, I have always found the ship's internet faster while in port simply because there were fewer users.

 

Jan, you will probably also have access to the ship's cell service by the time you cruise (it is being rolled out right now on the Princess fleet). The cost is high ($2.49 a minute) but it does work in the privacy of your cabin, even if you have an inside cabin. It does not work while the ship is in port, however.

[jrobinso]

Thanks for all the info. I wasn't aware of the cell phone upgrade. It is expensive, but we would only be using it for emergency purposes. I also saw something about internet wireless connections. Are you able to bring your own laptop and access a wireless connection onboard?? How does that work and is there a charge for that?

Jan

[Colo Cruiser]

We're planning to use the internet to stay in touch with our family while we are on our cruise ( since cell phones won't work....will they?). Just wondering if anyone has suggestions on when is the best time to use the internet?? When are the connections the best....port days vs sea days, early morning vs afternoon?? My thought was that the connection might be better when we are in port, but curious as to what others have found. We'll be on Island Princess in April. Thanks so much for your help.

Jan

 

 

 

You should be able to use your cell phone in Panama and quite a few other places when you are closer to land. I was able to use mine from Skywalkers (the higher on the ship the better) almost down the entire coast of Mexico. I would not use the onboard cell service when available unless it was an emergency. It is expensive. :)

[PescadoAmarillo]

I also saw something about internet wireless connections. Are you able to bring your own laptop and access a wireless connection onboard?? How does that work and is there a charge for that?

There is a charge; the price is the same as using one of the computer's on board (ranges from about 75 cents to 40 cents a minute if you buy a package). The wireless hotspots are not in the cabins, but are in some public areas around the ship. The upside is that you can compose emails off line, saving charges for composition time, and you can also attach non-jpeg files (Word, Excel, etc.) that you can't do from the ship's computers. The downside is that, I've heard, the connection is generally as slow as if not slower than on the ship's computers...everything still goes through the same satellite. The other downside is that you are a Captain's Circle Platinum or Elite member, the internet benefit cannot be used for WiFi access.

[jrobinso]

Since we are platinum, we will have access to an internet package, so I guess we'll leave the laptop at home. Thanks for the info.