Playing music in public areas?

[momtotwinglesx4]

My daughter is in college and will need to write a couple papers for school while on the Fantasy this month. She wants to sit out on deck or find some cozy nook on the ship to do her work on her laptop rather than stuck in our inside cabin. Will she be allowed to play music (quietly) in public areas on her laptop while she's working? I already suggested using earbuds but she doesn't want to.

Speaking of papers, she will need to email these papers to her professors while onboard. I've heard the internet service is verrrryy slow. Will she have trouble uploading and emailing several page documents?

Thanks!

[extechie rbd/wdt]

Originally Posted by momtotwinglesx4

My daughter is in college and will need to write a couple papers for school while on the Fantasy this month. She wants to sit out on deck or find some cozy nook on the ship to do her work on her laptop rather than stuck in our inside cabin. Will she be allowed to play music (quietly) in public areas on her laptop while she's working? I already suggested using earbuds but she doesn't want to.

Speaking of papers, she will need to email these papers to her professors while onboard. I've heard the internet service is verrrryy slow. Will she have trouble uploading and emailing several page documents?

Thanks!

If on the top deck's the BGM may disturb her being able to hear the music properly, as might the wind on deck 4 depending on what way the ship is sailing.
Headphones would be the best option for all involved really.

As for the internet, if she can wait until you get to an island, then the internet via a cafe or restaurant/bar will be much cheaper, possibly free if you buy a drink and a lot faster!

HTH's!

Ex Techie

[kcashner]

It's rude for her to play her music anywhere that it might disturb other passengers--however "quietly." That's the point of the headphones, in addition to providing her with better sound quality.

Yes, sending anything from the ship will be a pain. Eastern or Western?
Eastern--St. Thomas--if the ship is docked (which it usually is), walk toward the cable car base which is forward and to the left of the pier. Just before the ticket booth you will come to an asian restaurant where internet is $3 for all day, less if you buy a mean. Service was decent. There was a place inside Havensight, but it was deserted and in a bar, so we kept moving. LOTS of crew at the restaurant.

In St. Martin, there is a McDonald's with wifi.

Western--Cozumel there is a Starbucks right at the port. Key West has a couple of places for $5 per hour, but they were crowded.

[Zandy595]

Not sure which itinerary you have... The Daily Grind, a coffee shop in Grand Cayman, has free wireless.

There is music played in some areas on the open decks. If she's going to a quiet place, other people probably want to enjoy that quiet also and wouldn't appreciate her music.

[mammacaryn]

I would tell her it would probably be best to use headphones in public areas-that is the polite thing to do.

[mmouse37]

Being on deck is usually pretty windy so if she has physical papers around her it may be difficult to keep them all contained. Text books pages flipping from page to page, notes, etc. The wind can be brutal sometimes so keep that in mind as well.

My vote would be for the Cove Cafe...they have nice big headphones (at least they did) and it is quiet and not windy.

She might to also see if she can get sit in one of the lounges when no activities are going on for some quiet, indoor space.

Playing your own music outside on deck would not work....with the wind noise and competing with the ship's music (played in most all public spaces indoors and out) it would be tough to use your own music without earbuds/headphones.

MJ

[TDC Nala]

She ought to just wear the earphones. Especially if she intends to sit indoors in an area where there are other people. Other passengers likely don't want to hear her music.

At any rate pretty much everyplace on the ship has music playing. So she may not be able to hear her music unless she turns it up too loud to be in a public place, or wears earphones.

Yes, she will probably have trouble uploading and e-mailing large documents on the ship's internet - be prepared to pay for it unless she does it in port.

[momtotwinglesx4]

Thanks for your replies. We're on the Fantasy, Western Carib. itinerary, so ports are Grand Cayman, Costa Maya and Cozumel. Any additional ideas for places in these ports with good internet (free or otherwise) are appreciated! I think she will have to send at various times throughout the cruise, so will probably need to use multiple places.

As for the music, sounds like earbuds will be the way to go, itchy or not!

[sambycat]

Head phones! Yay!

[Tower]

Originally Posted by momtotwinglesx4

As for the music, sounds like earbuds will be the way to go, itchy or not!

Thank you!

[jlwhitney]

Originally Posted by momtotwinglesx4

Thanks for your replies. We're on the Fantasy, Western Carib. itinerary, so ports are Grand Cayman, Costa Maya and Cozumel. Any additional ideas for places in these ports with good internet (free or otherwise) are appreciated! I think she will have to send at various times throughout the cruise, so will probably need to use multiple places.

As for the music, sounds like earbuds will be the way to go, itchy or not!

If she is not the biggest fan of headphones, have her check out JVC Marshmellow Headphones. THey are earbuds but very comfy (even to lay on) and sound great. Walmart sells them as well as amazon and they come in like 6-7 different colors. They are the only kind I like!

[brianvdb]

Originally Posted by momtotwinglesx4

Speaking of papers, she will need to email these papers to her professors while onboard. I've heard the internet service is verrrryy slow. Will she have trouble uploading and emailing several page documents?

Internet on board is noticably slow, but it is by no means unusable. E-mailing basic text/Word files shouldn't be a problem at all. The speed is sufficient to browse most web pages and send/receive e-mail. It will not become painfully slow unless you are trying to stream audio or video.

The connection is faster and more stable in the public areas of the ship. We could not maintain a reliable connection in the stateroom.

[Evi]

If earbuds irritate her ears look for headphones. You can find really good quality headphones and then she can save them for future travel.

I have really small ear canal and found that Shure earbuds work best. They are sound blocking and made of a squishy foam so you can compress them and then put them in your ears. Super comfortable and much better then the silicone earbuds.

[Alexis Green]

Originally Posted by jlwhitney

If she is not the biggest fan of headphones, have her check out JVC Marshmellow Headphones. THey are earbuds but very comfy (even to lay on) and sound great. Walmart sells them as well as amazon and they come in like 6-7 different colors. They are the only kind I like!

I second the marshmellows! I am NOT a big fan of the hard little plastic buds Apple gives out. I like something cushy that is comfortable and it really blocks out any other sounds. I have green ones that have "back up" ear buds incase anything happens to the first ones.

[Gigi22]

Hmm. Not sure I would suggest using a laptop on one of the outside areas of the ship. I am just thinking about the damage that the salt spray inflicted on our old 35 mm. camera--it cost us a lot of money to have the salt cleaned out of the camera. I can only guess that the salt spray would wreck havoc on a laptop!