Unlimited Computer Access GONE

[tvguy]

I suspect that too many people are using the Internet, and this is Disney's way of not only making more money, but also encouraging fewer people to use it. They probably have limited bandwidth on the satellite. I wonder if upgrades to the satellite links will be part of the next drydock?
After all , for most people Internet access isn't a necessity, and for those who must use it for work, it is either an expensible or deductable cost.

I guess I can understand wanting to be in touch if you had a start up company, but I don't understand what you would do on the ship in the middle of the ocean say, if you computer network back home crashed, or if a customers order of widgets didn't get delivered.

 

[birkner]

Hrm, what do you all do...maybe we need to change that

Bad Jemi, no recruiting on the message boards. (Honest mods that was humor!!)

DH is in semiconductors not only needs to communicate with employees in China, he has to communicate a lot with potential customers overseas who could care less if he is on vacation.

 

[birkner]

I guess I can understand wanting to be in touch if you had a start up company, but I don't understand what you would do on the ship in the middle of the ocean say, if you computer network back home crashed, or if a customers order of widgets didn't get delivered.

No widgets as company has yet to deliver its first product. It is more like he has to direct people, read software code, work on the architecture of a new chip, and commicate with CEO on daily basis. When the VC's give you the big bucks, vacation is partially about working.

 

[jemiaule]

I guess I can understand wanting to be in touch if you had a start up company, but I don't understand what you would do on the ship in the middle of the ocean say, if you computer network back home crashed, or if a customers order of widgets didn't get delivered.

My business is a web based service so there can be coding issues that could be dealt with, following up on testing if we are working on new modules, checking in with my customer support folks...I can think of a lot of things.

I guess it all depends on what type of job you do; not just the industry. My step-father is a real estate developer and even while on vacation work issues arise that he needs to deal with. Usually with a few dozen phone calls which make my mom OH so happy.

Did you see the Haunted Mansion movie? Ediie Murphy's character was always on the phone...that's my step-dad to a T. We all had a good chuckle over that character when we saw Haunted Mansion.

 

[jemiaule]

DH is in semiconductors not only needs to communicate with employees in China, he has to communicate a lot with potential customers overseas who could care less if he is on vacation.

Just noticed you are in Woodside. Hey neighbor we are in the south bay.

 

[dreamcometrue]

is it a fast internet connection or does it compare to dial up?

 

[birkner]

Just noticed you are in Woodside. Hey neighbor we are in the south bay.

Very kewl!! We have friends that live in Saratoga. Are you farther south?

 

[birkner]

is it a fast internet connection or does it compare to dial up?

Sometimes the connection was reasonable, sometimes it was slow. Always checked my minutes and if connection was slow, went in for more minutes on their dime.

 

[disneylover5]

is it a fast internet connection or does it compare to dial up?

I am the OP and it is 7am on the Wonder and we are headed for Nassua. The weather is beautiful. I bought my laptop not to use, but to upload pictures on. Now, with the new policy, I am using it for internet. I am sitting outside Cove Cafe and the connection is much better than I got on the Magic.

I has not dropped once in 1 hour.

Should still ve the same price between the Magic and Wonder...??

 

[Ocean Breeze]

I am the OP and it is 7am on the Wonder and we are headed for Nassua. The weather is beautiful. I bought my laptop not to use, but to upload pictures on. Now, with the new policy, I am using it for internet. I am sitting outside Cove Cafe and the connection is much better than I got on the Magic.

I has not dropped once in 1 hour.

Should still ve the same price between the Magic and Wonder...??

Well that's good to hear. My concern was how can they take away unlimited and still offer only intermittent service. As long as you are staying connected, at least you feel like you are actually getting something for the money...not just frustration.

 

[disneylover5]

It is now 8:26 and I have not dropped my connection once. It is way better than it used to be.

This is kinda nice actually, they just need to get the Unlimited plan back. We need to start an e-mail campaign now!!

 

[papa]

With the unlimited plan people were letting their friends use their accounts. I guess Disney thought their customers were cheating them out of some money. I am going on my 7th Disney cruise this September, but it will probably be our last. Disney is pricing itself out of business with other cruise lines being almost half as much. We love DCL, but there are other alternatives at a lesser price.

 

[m&m's mom]

Wow! This is really bad news the week before we book a 15 day Repo cruise. My DH owns his own small business and there is no way we would be able to leave a whole week and not contact the office/clients at least to check in daily.
A few years ago we went to a family reunion to a place that did not have any internet access. My DH came back to a huge mess. One of his employees thought he knew what he was doing by resetting a clients online access but it caused every client to not be able to access any of their data. Caused a HUGE problem. Good thing internet access caught up because we will never be able to take a vacation w.out my DH at least being able to check email.
I, on the other hand, work for a international company w/ over 50,000 employees and when I am on vacation nothing is expected of me.

 

[cruisinluver]

Good thing internet access caught up because we will never be able to take a vacation w.out my DH at least being able to check email.

I always wonder how people ever took vacations in the 60's-90's when I was growing up and then raising my own family. I may get flamed for this but IMHO if you have a start-up or your business cannot run without you then you do one of two things:

Never vacation until you have delegated to a trusted associate so your business does not fall apart. OR

Act like you have been hit by a bus and are in traction and there is nothing you can do as far as work are concerned until MAGICly released 3-4-7 or 15 WONDERful days later.

Heart disease is still the number one killer in the United States and I attribute part of that to our unwillingness to unplug and allow our bodies to recharge and recuperate.

I know for some they say they could just not do it, but somehow someway the company would manage if that bus came along.

 

[inkkognito]

UGH!!!! I have two businesses (travel agency and counseling), and the only way I can ever hope to do a cruise as long as the repos is because there is internet access. The TA isn't so bad, but much of my counseling work is online, and I can't just disappear for a week or two from people who are in crisis. With the unlimited package, I didn't have to worry about how long it takes to respond to them, or even to do several immediate back-and-forth exchanges if necessary. Now I can see it is going to be a very expensive proposition. I know that it's important to separate work from vacation, but when you're a doctor that is not so easy to do.

 

[PhotoLisa]

My biggest complaint is that the prices are different on the Magic and Wonder for the same number of minutes. If you are going to price something by the minute, then you need to disregard the number of days that you have to use those minutes. Otherwise . . . they need to restructure it as a day rate.

For wireless, there never was an unlimited rate - it was always by the minute.

 

[KimberlyC]

We need to start an e-mail campaign now!!

I sent an e-mail last night. I don't know if it went to the right place; I just clicked the contact us button on the DCL website. I received an Auto Reply from them saying they will reply as soon as possible - we'll see!

Among other things, I made sure to indicate how disappointing this is, that we are giving DCL a chance despite the fact that it is considered by many to be overpriced and overrated and despite that we are Captain's Club members of another cruise line. But if this less for more $$$ trend continues we'll probably never become Castaway Club members. I also think the fact that the exact same amount of minutes costs $25 more on the Magic is ridiculous.

 

[justmestace]

I agree with papa....I think they're doing it because too many people were sharing their password and DCL figured they were losing money on it. Which is true.

We've cruised with two other cruise lines and neither of them offer an unlimited package like Disney did. Maybe Disney is restructuring some of their offerings to be "more in line" with the mainstream.


And if I recall correctly, DCL didn't offer the unlimited package on the repositioning cruises anyway.

 

[SandraLee]

And if I recall correctly, DCL didn't offer the unlimited package on the repositioning cruises anyway.

I was on the Westbound Magic repo in May and they did offer the unlimited package. I can't remember how much, but it was unlimited. There were plenty of problems with the line being too long at the 'cafe'. And, the satellite went down on a regular basis. I don't think wireless was an option at the time.

 

[birkner]

I always wonder how people ever took vacations in the 60's-90's when I was growing up and then raising my own family. I may get flamed for this but IMHO if you have a start-up or your business cannot run without you then you do one of two things: QUOTE]

Not a flame but a comment on raising a family etc.

My DH and I were taking vacations and doing business the old fashioned way during the 1960's-90's. Instead of inexpensive (comparably) internet access, we made long distance phone calls from cruises, Europe, the Caribbean and the Far East. I distinctly remember a phone bill from a hotel costing more than $900 with service charges. Yes, the company we worked for paid the bill. Internet by comparison is way cheaper.

My husband is 63 years old and in excellent health. He just had a full physical for key man insurance and is in tip top shape. Actually better than many men in the company who are 15 years younger with no high blood pressure, cholesterol problems or worse. When he was 58, he retired for two years and at 60 was offered a terrific job in his field. I am sure he will work until he is 70 or more.

Sometimes business can run without you, sometimes it can't. Our kids never felt neglected if their dad or I spent a few hours a day on vacation to work. Because we were willing to work, we were able to take them with us on many a combo business/pleasure trip.

What doesn't work for some, works for others.

Just my thoughts.....