Phone and Internet- Ability to work from cruise?

[squirk]

I’m sorry but I disagree. Doctors have to be reached if their patients have an emergency. Lawyers (I am one) can face emergency proceedings with no notice that can upend their clients’ lives. There are plenty of jobs where it is not an adequate solution for someone to cover for you given your unique knowledge of your clients and it IS that important.

I’ll have to disagree with your disagreement. Doctors and lawyers (I am one, too) can have people covering for them just like anyone else. It may require some work on your part to find that backup and make sure your clients, support staff and the courts (if relevant) are clued in on the deal, but it’s quite do-able.

Maybe you’re the exception to the rule, but rare is the medical or legal professional who possesses such intrinsic value and such unique skills that they can’t be “lived without” for a week. I think we like to think we’re that indispensable, but we’re really not.

Do I leave my cruise information with my admin in case a true emergency arises that only I can address? Sure. And she can call me on the ship if that happens.

But if I choose to run a practice in which I can’t or won’t allow myself to carve out seven days a year to focus on my family without a cell phone and laptop on me at all times, or work for a firm who won’t allow it, that’s more of a business/career decision on my part than anything inherent to the practice of law or medicine.

That’s not a criticism. If that’s how one wants to manage their practice, that’s totally cool. But we have optionality in this matter.

 

[justme0729]

For clarification, we are a small family business with a total of 4 people who run the office with one of them being my DH. We take several vacations a year and during those, he usually just has to be on the computer for 1-2 hours max per day and be on the phone no more than 30 min a day. We are allowed to vacation... we just can’t be completely unconnected so I was seeing if there was anything out there to help us stay connected more besides DCL WiFi so we could do a 7 night cruise vs a 3 night over the weekend. I will look into cruise packages for his phone. Thanks!!

 

[FigmentSpark]

Life is different when you're working for yourself. I hope you can get it worked out.

 

[starry_solo]

Satellite phone. Its expensive but reliable

 

[DisneYE]

He needs pretty strong internet. Is anyone aware of any way to get it? We have used DCL internet before and it wasn’t super reliable.

Have you used it the last couple of years? It's massively improved.
Like your DH I need good internet access for my business. Before 2017 it was horrible so I just didn't bother. The last 1-2 years connect@sea has become really good. Speed is very good & plans are inexpensive IMO considering you are in the middle of a remote ocean.
If your DH is familiar with WhatsApp, phone calls can be made thru that platform over internet.
Phone is another story. Unless you're close to land, its non existent.. I'm with Tmobile and they have good cruise plans. But again, doesn't work at all in the middle of the ocean.

 

[SuperDry]

Have you used it the last couple of years? It's massively improved. Like your DH I need good internet access for my business. Before 2017 it was horrible so I just didn't bother. The last 1-2 years connect@sea has become really good.

I don't think the technology has changed at all. What has changed is they switched from time-based plans to megabyte-based plans. With the time-based plans, data hogs could download huge files or even try to watch streaming video without it costing a lot. It's now very expensive to do something like that, so most people don't. This means the connection now has enough bandwidth for non-data-intensive activities, which is pretty much everything else.

 

[disneylove69]

Does that really count as “vacation,” then?

Exactly what I said to him.

 

[squirk]

Exactly what I said to him.

What did he say to that?

 

[DisneYE]

I don't think the technology has changed at all. What has changed is they switched from time-based plans to megabyte-based plans. With the time-based plans, data hogs could download huge files or even try to watch streaming video without it costing a lot. It's now very expensive to do something like that, so most people don't. This means the connection now has enough bandwidth for non-data-intensive activities, which is pretty much everything else.

No, it has changed. Dramatically for the better. The speed is way faster now than it was 3+ years ago. I'm speaking from experience. Years ago the plans were the same, almost the same cost but the speed was painfully slow, there was no point using it. Nowadays its totally different. As a test, on my last cruise I watched a youtube video while in the middle of the ocean, and it worked like a charm. Whereas before YT videos wouldn't even load. Years ago I wouldn't be able to download an email with an attachment. Nowadays it downloads quickly.

 

[mike314]

Just to reiterate what others have said, connect@sea which is the internet service DCL has is slow and ok for just checking email with no large attachments dont even bother trying to stream video. I'm one that also has to stay connected to work for bit even while on vacation and I just used the opportunity to unplug and only seldomly check in at work.

 

[LeslieG]

What about the internet calling option on my phone? I've never tried it but wonder how well it would work. I sympathize with the OP. When you have a small business, you sometimes have to be reachable. I share that issue. Wondering about internet calling on the Hawaii cruise next spring.

 

[FigmentSpark]

How much bandwidth do the phone calls via the internet take?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

What about the internet calling option on my phone?

Since the signal has to go through the ship's internet system, I think it would be just as slow.

 

[skfulkers]

I will say, my former job did often require that I work through vacation, so here is what I did:

1) I waited to book vacation until a few weeks ahead and only booked vacation for times I KNEW nothing was planned at work thay would need me. Yes that means I paid a LOT more, and sure sometimes there were still unexpected emergencies, but it was the only way I could have a real insight into what my work commitments would be

2) For disney cruises, I only ever booked the 3 day cruise, which is mostly over the weekend. I would work on Friday until sail away using land-based internet in Florida, buy a package to answer email every hour or so, and that would suffice because weekends were generally not as bad for needing to connect and work as weekdays.

I am sorry OP since I know you are not getting the answers you wanted to hear, but I know first hand that some jobs require you to make sacrifices on vacation. I have spent vacations working 18 hour days every day. That’s just the reality of some career paths, and cruising on weekdays with DCL is not compatible with that.

I will add for many, these career paths are a choice. Do the positives outweigh the negatives (short or long term) and how much is someone’s time worth? Everyone must choose for themselves, and I would venture to say most in these types of professions have made a conscious choice to be “available-ish” some percentage of the time. I am rarely able to disconnect 100% of the time, but my family and I are completely fine with that choice given the positives of what that allow us to do.

Do what makes you happy and moves you foward, and run far from what does not.

A little off topic and philosophical, but hey, why not?!?

 

[Dug720]

I will add for many, these career paths are a choice. Do the positives outweigh the negatives (short or long term) and how much is someone’s time worth? Everyone must choose for themselves, and I would venture to say most in these types of professions have made a conscious choice to be “available-ish” some percentage of the time. I am rarely able to disconnect 100% of the time, but my family and I are completely fine with that choice given the positives of what that allow us to do.

Do what makes you happy and moves you foward, and run far from what does not.

A little off topic and philosophical, but hey, why not?!?

Yes, it is a choice.

But choosing to take a job that requires constant availability will mean that certain types of vacations are much less feasible. So you may be gaining some choices, but you are losing some others.

 

[disneylove69]

For clarification, we are a small family business with a total of 4 people who run the office with one of them being my DH. We take several vacations a year and during those, he usually just has to be on the computer for 1-2 hours max per day and be on the phone no more than 30 min a day. We are allowed to vacation... we just can’t be completely unconnected so I was seeing if there was anything out there to help us stay connected more besides DCL WiFi so we could do a 7 night cruise vs a 3 night over the weekend. I will look into cruise packages for his phone. Thanks!!

Could he just work on port days?

 

[tvguy]

I’m sorry but I disagree. Doctors have to be reached if their patients have an emergency. Lawyers (I am one) can face emergency proceedings with no notice that can upend their clients’ lives. There are plenty of jobs where it is not an adequate solution for someone to cover for you given your unique knowledge of your clients and it IS that important.

Well, I respectfully disagree with your disagreement.
First, if you are in the middle of the ocean on a cruise ship, there is almost no way a Doctor or Attorney can be back home in case of an emergency.
In regards to Doctors, this era of Medical Groups and Hospitalists, Doctors can actually take vacations and days off and not need to be in touch. And we cover court cases all the time and this time of year it is almost automatic for an "emergency hearing" to be continued if a lawyer, judge, or client or other party is on vacation.

 

[su_A_ve]

DCL internet package is not meant for business use. It's shared service and provided via 2-way satellite service. Not sure on current prices, but about $90 for a 1GB data allotment. It's ok for email, browsing, social media, but not for video streaming, VOIP, RDP sessions, etc.

"Cellular at sea" is a voice provider. which turns on when you are about a mile off shore They have plans available and work with most US cellular providers. But at least with Verizon, this is for Voice and Txt ONLY. No data service is provided. Rates are outrageous. Verizon's voice minutes are $2.99 PER MINUTE. TXT $0.50 per message sent, $0.05 per message received.

Also, when the ship docks in a port, in general, DCL internet is shut off and you would have to rely on the local cellular service. Remember most ports are international and US plans need either international travel pass or similar, else you'll get charge and arm and a leg. And depending on location, expect 3G only - no LTE on some areas. Many business provide free wifi but you'll need to 'consume' something in order to get their password. And if it works...

I understand you are a small business, but you need to set your expectations. If it is crucial that he continues to conduct his business while on board, he may be better off staying back. He will be complaining all the time and make everyone else's life miserable. I know that's how I would feel and probably do...

Good luck. You're gonna need it..

 

[MomOTwins]

Well, I respectfully disagree with your disagreement.
First, if you are in the middle of the ocean on a cruise ship, there is almost no way a Doctor or Attorney can be back home in case of an emergency.
In regards to Doctors, this era of Medical Groups and Hospitalists, Doctors can actually take vacations and days off and not need to be in touch. And we cover court cases all the time and this time of year it is almost automatic for an "emergency hearing" to be continued if a lawyer, judge, or client or other party is on vacation.

Right but we are talking about connectivity on the cruise: i.e., communication, not in-person presence back home. Yes, a doctor does not need to be physically present, but you can bet they are going to be consulted by phone or email by the replacement doctor if there are questions about a patient's file. And how is a lawyer supposed to request a continuance without a phone call or an email?

 

[tvguy]

Right but we are talking about connectivity on the cruise: i.e., communication, not in-person presence back home. Yes, a doctor does not need to be physically present, but you can bet they are going to be consulted by phone or email by the replacement doctor if there are questions about a patient's file. And how is a lawyer supposed to request a continuance without a phone call or an email?

Well, like I said with Doctor's, in this era of Medical Groups and Hospitalists not sure any consulting is done, just documented. My mom's Primary Care Doctor or her Doctor's group had nothing to say about her treatment when she was in the hospital, it was all up to the Hosptialist on duty.
And with the courts, I deal with that all the time when we file paperwork to have a camera in the courtroom with Criminal cases. Especially early on, often they hold what we in the newsroom call "17 second hearings". The DA, PD or private attorney aren't available and their office sends a message to the court, and it is an automatic continuance. Or they just don't show up. Same thing, automatic reschedule