Satellite Internet for Cruise
Dec 20, 2014, 11:38 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, AA EXP, Hilton Diamond, Wyndham Diamond, DL PM, Marriott Platinum, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,305
Satellite Internet for Cruise
Are there good prepaid satellite plans that one can use on cruise ships and are far less expensive than what cruiseliners offer?
Dec 20, 2014, 2:11 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,223
AT&T has a cruise package which works on some cruise lines and can be added to a post-paid contract.
$120 for 50 mins ($1/min over that) + 100mb of data ($1/mb over that). (also $30/$60 plans available with no data). also works in ports. http://www.att.com/shop/en/wireless/...ming.html#tab4
$120 for 50 mins ($1/min over that) + 100mb of data ($1/mb over that). (also $30/$60 plans available with no data). also works in ports. http://www.att.com/shop/en/wireless/...ming.html#tab4
Dec 21, 2014, 8:38 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: DFW, SEA and AA in between
Programs: AA-3MM-ExPLT
Posts: 1,146
Nope. You are a captive audience... If you brought your own VSAT terminal, it would be on the wrong side of the ship (out of sight) half the time and not 3 axis stabilized, i.e. useless.
lewinr: That's actually WORSE than what many of the cruise lines offer! For example, Princess' least expensive (highest per minute) plan: 120 minutes, 72.95 (Includes $69.00 for internet time plan + $3.95. One time activation fee)
lewinr: That's actually WORSE than what many of the cruise lines offer! For example, Princess' least expensive (highest per minute) plan: 120 minutes, 72.95 (Includes $69.00 for internet time plan + $3.95. One time activation fee)
Dec 21, 2014, 10:25 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: LGA - JFK
Programs: UA, AA, DL, B6, CX, KE, Latitude, VIFP, Crown & Anchor, etc.
Posts: 2,589
Cruiseline's plans are often discounted and each ship's onboard internet "manager" run specials, extra minutes & last minute "deals" and if you are like us, with generous OBC (OnBoardCredit) to use, it can save money whereas your home carrier's plans are "fixed" and you can use promo credits to offset the final costs.
Regardless, it is the SAME speed/latency as it is relayed via the ship's tower in bouncing the signal up & back down to land towers - newer ships and those with upgraded hardware get faster speed.
We cruise to relax on vacation and stay offline, if you can wait - follow the ship's crew members & ask them for the best dock-side internet cafe, typically better & inexpensive - the same risk factors applied re: unsecured WiFi at foreign ports.
Regardless, it is the SAME speed/latency as it is relayed via the ship's tower in bouncing the signal up & back down to land towers - newer ships and those with upgraded hardware get faster speed.
We cruise to relax on vacation and stay offline, if you can wait - follow the ship's crew members & ask them for the best dock-side internet cafe, typically better & inexpensive - the same risk factors applied re: unsecured WiFi at foreign ports.
Dec 21, 2014, 11:07 pm
#5
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,223
yes, it depends on the cruise line as to whether that is reasonable or not.
next week I'm sailing on Royal Caribbean's Jewel of the Seas which I read has poor wifi and internet. Since I need to be able to make and receive voice calls, I've decided to go with the AT&T package as I find that the quality with Skype is too frustrating when the internet connection is poor. And the fact that Amex has an offer of "Spend $150 or more at AT&T and get $150 back" makes it almost free right now...
next week I'm sailing on Royal Caribbean's Jewel of the Seas which I read has poor wifi and internet. Since I need to be able to make and receive voice calls, I've decided to go with the AT&T package as I find that the quality with Skype is too frustrating when the internet connection is poor. And the fact that Amex has an offer of "Spend $150 or more at AT&T and get $150 back" makes it almost free right now...
Dec 22, 2014, 10:05 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,901
They need to get with the program. And to people who talk about vacation and goin offline, I get it, but this isn't about disconnecting from work. My life is online so I'm on a cruise and I see something I want to know more about. We have a nice wine at dinner, whatever. My instinct is to google it and being very curious I'm utterly at a loss.
That having been said, on a recent cruise I had to a bit of banking. End of the month. No biggie but wanted to make sure the money was in the right place. Also just wanted to check there were no issues with our homeward flights. Onshore was a total bust and even my data plan on the phone wasn't working.. Broke down and bought a $50 card on board. It was gone in 8 minutes. Totally unjustifiable.
That having been said, on a recent cruise I had to a bit of banking. End of the month. No biggie but wanted to make sure the money was in the right place. Also just wanted to check there were no issues with our homeward flights. Onshore was a total bust and even my data plan on the phone wasn't working.. Broke down and bought a $50 card on board. It was gone in 8 minutes. Totally unjustifiable.
Dec 23, 2014, 12:11 pm
#7
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Programs: UA 1K, AA Lifetime Platinum, DL Platinum, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 7,969
If your cruise data package is MB-based (as opposed to minute-based), be sure that you have all automatic updates, uploads, downloads, and similar turned off. Especially if you're gone for a few days, here's what can happen: You turn on your Windows laptop the day after Microsoft "patch Tuesday" and it downloads 100mb of Windows updates in the background. Meanwhile, you connect your iPhone and it uploads all of your pictures you've taken over the past few days up to the cloud. These things can exhaust even a large Internet package in a short period of time. If you have everything that uses data in the background turned off, you can get a surprising amount of normal stuff done without using a lot of data.
Dec 23, 2014, 6:04 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,901
If your cruise data package is MB-based (as opposed to minute-based), be sure that you have all automatic updates, uploads, downloads, and similar turned off. Especially if you're gone for a few days, here's what can happen: You turn on your Windows laptop the day after Microsoft "patch Tuesday" and it downloads 100mb of Windows updates in the background. Meanwhile, you connect your iPhone and it uploads all of your pictures you've taken over the past few days up to the cloud. These things can exhaust even a large Internet package in a short period of time. If you have everything that uses data in the background turned off, you can get a surprising amount of normal stuff done without using a lot of data.
Dec 23, 2014, 6:07 pm
#9
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: US Air, UA BA LH AI DELTA MARRIOTT CHOICE SGP
Posts: 9,883
Internet is a major profit center for cruise lines. They offer packages of minutes you can buy....expensive and at times very SLOW. If you have status with the line you will be comped some.....
Dec 24, 2014, 2:58 am
#10
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Singapore
Posts: 977
I cruise to get away from the crazy Internet world that we live in today.
But I think it is increasingly difficult. I do need to keep in touch with the office, so on my most recent cruise on the Norwegian Jade, I bought a 100 minute package (they gave 10 minutes free). Cost was $55 plus a $3.95 activation fee.
The speed was pretty fast though, and it worked well even when the ship was out in the ocean. (We were sailing the Med)
But I think it is increasingly difficult. I do need to keep in touch with the office, so on my most recent cruise on the Norwegian Jade, I bought a 100 minute package (they gave 10 minutes free). Cost was $55 plus a $3.95 activation fee.
The speed was pretty fast though, and it worked well even when the ship was out in the ocean. (We were sailing the Med)
Dec 24, 2014, 6:39 am
#11
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Detroit; Formerly Dubai
Posts: 3,652
Also go out of your way to get online one last time online and download everything before you leave. If you are on a per meg package besides turning off Microsoft updates, also remember to turn off any cloud syncing such as Dropbox. Tell your emails not to display graphics and download only headers. If you are on a by the minute plan, composes responses offline.
I wish that Apple and Microsoft had profiles that you could create telling your computer when to do everything and when to be a data-miser. I just blew through 2.5 gigs of my 5 gigs of tethering because of something similar while going online to do some very minor research at a meeting.
I wish that Apple and Microsoft had profiles that you could create telling your computer when to do everything and when to be a data-miser. I just blew through 2.5 gigs of my 5 gigs of tethering because of something similar while going online to do some very minor research at a meeting.
Dec 24, 2014, 7:58 am
#12
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: US Air, UA BA LH AI DELTA MARRIOTT CHOICE SGP
Posts: 9,883
I cruise to get away from the crazy Internet world that we live in today.
But I think it is increasingly difficult. I do need to keep in touch with the office, so on my most recent cruise on the Norwegian Jade, I bought a 100 minute package (they gave 10 minutes free). Cost was $55 plus a $3.95 activation fee.
The speed was pretty fast though, and it worked well even when the ship was out in the ocean. (We were sailing the Med)
But I think it is increasingly difficult. I do need to keep in touch with the office, so on my most recent cruise on the Norwegian Jade, I bought a 100 minute package (they gave 10 minutes free). Cost was $55 plus a $3.95 activation fee.
The speed was pretty fast though, and it worked well even when the ship was out in the ocean. (We were sailing the Med)
We are avid cruisers and carry a mMagic Jack phone with us. Cruise lines of course will not let you plug it in directly to their computers!
When in port we find a cyber cafe (crew members know where !, ask those you see on shore leave). Call home, airlines etc. I suppose Vonage would work too !
Dec 24, 2014, 12:10 pm
#13
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: LAX, SAN, ORD, MAA & COK
Programs: AA EXP 6+ MM, AC, DL (MM) & LT SC; All Airlines 10+MM, Hilton LT Diamond, Marriott LT Plat
Posts: 749
MagicJack and Vonage each have smartphone apps that let you use a smartphone to make calls when connected to a WiFi network or using your data connection. Most Internet cafes at the ports provide WiFi connectivity and so you can use your smartphone to make the calls.
Dec 24, 2014, 4:43 pm
#14
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Programs: UA 1K, AA Lifetime Platinum, DL Platinum, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 7,969
Windows 8 has just such a feature: it's called "metered connection." When you make a WiFi connection, you can specify if it's metered. If so, then Windows makes some adjustments, although not enough IMHO: doesn't download recommended Windows updates even if you have them set to auto-download (but it still downloads critical patches, which most seem to be), and it doesn't download cover art for music played in Media Player. I'm sure it does a few other things.
Dec 24, 2014, 7:07 pm
#15
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Detroit; Formerly Dubai
Posts: 3,652
Here is a link to the metered connection info on Microsoft:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...sked-questions
Looking for a Mac equivalent.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...sked-questions
Looking for a Mac equivalent.