Onboard Wifi?

[new_cruiser]

So I have read before that if you sign up onboard that you can get a certain mb of wifi free? Is this still true? If so, what do I need to do?

We are headed out for our cruise in just over a week, I'm sure I'll be back with more last minute questions!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

So I have read before that if you sign up onboard that you can get a certain mb of wifi free? Is this still true? If so, what do I need to do?

We are headed out for our cruise in just over a week, I'm sure I'll be back with more last minute questions!

Most cruises offer 50 free MB of internet if you sign up before midnight the first night. If your cruise has it, the instructions are on the back page of the Navigator you get at check in.

 

[new_cruiser]

Awesome! Thanks for the information!

 

[dip]

Yes, you get 50MB when you sign in to the Navigator app. But that 50MB will last you a few hours and will not be good for much. I pretty much relied on the wifi at the ports to check my stocks.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Yes, you get 50MB when you sign in to the Navigator app. But that 50MB will last you a few hours and will not be good for much. I pretty much relied on the wifi at the ports to check my stocks.

We signed up for the 50 MB on each of our last 4 cruises. It was plenty for us (both) to check and respond to any emails that were important. That was for a 4 night, a 5 night and two 7 night cruises.

 

[SuperDry]

We signed up for the 50 MB on each of our last 4 cruises. It was plenty for us (both) to check and respond to any emails that were important. That was for a 4 night, a 5 night and two 7 night cruises.

Yep. The two keys to making this work are: a) use an email client on your phone or computer that downloads email using IMAP or POP3, and don't rely on a webmail interface, and b) set your email client to NOT download large attachments. If you do this, 50MB will last a long time just sending and receiving regular email.

 

[over50visits]

Yes, you get 50MB when you sign in to the Navigator app. But that 50MB will last you a few hours and will not be good for much. I pretty much relied on the wifi at the ports to check my stocks.

You are right about that. If you do anything interesting other than simple emails it won't be enough. Luckily, their packages are reasonable. And...this is important...visit the desk on the ship for internet services, and have the very friendly and knowledgeable person there make sure you have turned off any settings on your devices that use wifi data (app updates, for example).

It's been offered on all the cruises we've been on, so I "assume" that is true for all cruises, but can't swear to it. However, based on my experience and what I've read it is almost certainly available on all the cruises.

 

[pepe3penelope]

You are right about that. If you do anything interesting other than simple emails it won't be enough. Luckily, their packages are reasonable. And...this is important...visit the desk on the ship for internet services, and have the very friendly and knowledgeable person there make sure you have turned off any settings on your devices that use wifi data (app updates, for example).

It's been offered on all the cruises we've been on, so I "assume" that is true for all cruises, but can't swear to it. However, based on my experience and what I've read it is almost certainly available on all the cruises.

That's great advice! Did not even think to ask the person at the Internet cafe to help make sure the settings were ok.

We were on Wonder last month. DH and I each signed up for the free 50 on embarkation day. I turned off my settings EXCEPT the one where email will be automatically fetched. I happened to check the 1st evening and it was ALL gone! Someone told me about it the next day cuz he figured it out.

 

[apple9117]

Great tips here, i'll remember this!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Yes, you get 50MB when you sign in to the Navigator app. But that 50MB will last you a few hours and will not be good for much. I pretty much relied on the wifi at the ports to check my stocks.

Yep. The two keys to making this work are: a) use an email client on your phone or computer that downloads email using IMAP or POP3, and don't rely on a webmail interface, and b) set your email client to NOT download large attachments. If you do this, 50MB will last a long time just sending and receiving regular email.

You are right about that. If you do anything interesting other than simple emails it won't be enough. Luckily, their packages are reasonable. And...this is important...visit the desk on the ship for internet services, and have the very friendly and knowledgeable person there make sure you have turned off any settings on your devices that use wifi data (app updates, for example).

It's been offered on all the cruises we've been on, so I "assume" that is true for all cruises, but can't swear to it. However, based on my experience and what I've read it is almost certainly available on all the cruises.

I am a heavy internet user on the ships and these posts are very good advice.

 

[EmilysDad]

My DW likes to check her facebook... Any idea how much data that typically uses? I see all the images in there...

 

[Weedy]

Be sure to log out of the app each time (see top right corner) and don't just swipe it closed or you will use all of your free minutes before you even leave port. I learned this the hard way. Oops

 

[Csstingray]

Also, if you are using your iPhone as your camera, turn off the setting that automatically uploads your pics to iCloud when on wifi. My husband used up all 50 mb the first night that way!

 

[ChristmasElf]

We just got back and went through the internet usage like crazy! The first 50 MB are free but only the first day. If you are staying Concierge, they then give you an additional 100 MB. We then bought 1000MB and went through all that in just 2 days! Oops! Our dd had to do some assignments for school so that was chewing it up. So we just kept adding additional MB for the week. ($89 per 1000MB)
Costly, but worth it for us, so that she could cruise with us.

 

[cedricandsophie]

Just got off a five day cruise. I signed up for the 1000 MBs for $89 and didn't even get to 800 MBs before we hit port. My husband read the Tribune and USA Todayevery morning and I checked email and fadebook often and loaded lots of pictures on facebook. We often had both my iPhone and iPod on at the same time.

 

[hbg4]

Yes as long as you do it the first day I think, you get free 50mb for each person in your cabin. This May, for the transatlantic cruise, we had 150 mb for the 3 of us plus the 100mb that we got for being concierge. That was a total of 250 mb free wifi. Just remember to read the instruction handout found by the internet cafe to help you fix your settingss on your phone or ipad to help with the settings to avoid wasting data.

 

[Anonny]

Yes as long as you do it the first day I think, you get free 50mb for each person in your cabin.

The Navigator above says the free 50 MB data package is one per stateroom, but everyone can share it.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Yes, most of the cruises that offer that 50MB free, it's per stateroom. Here's what it says in the Navigator:


On the other hand, on random, occasional cruises it's offered per person, and some cruises not offered at all.

 

[hbg4]

We got free50 MB for each person in our stateroom during our March 2015 and May 2015 cruises.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We got free50 MB for each person in our stateroom during our March 2015 and May 2015 cruises.

As I said, it varies, our cruises it was per stateroom in Oct 2014 (3 cruises) and Oct 2015.