Wifi on board...

[MomtoAlexnWilliam]

What is the latest info on wifi on board? First day specials? Fees? How fast? We don't want to use it (prefer to be offline on vacation!) but may need it for our kids' school work.

Thanks!!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

We had the first day fee 50 MB offer, and it was fast and worked well on the Magic in August. All ships it has worked well for us.

Nav Sundry Docs North Europe 12n 20150032 by ANDREW PORTER, on Flickr
Nav Sundry Docs North Europe 12n 20150022 by ANDREW PORTER, on Flickr
Nav Sundry Docs North Europe 12n 20150023 by ANDREW PORTER, on Flickr

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Nav Sundry Docs North Europe 12n 20150024 by ANDREW PORTER, on Flickr
Nav Sundry Docs North Europe 12n 20150021 by ANDREW PORTER, on Flickr
Nav Sundry Docs North Europe 12n 20150025 by ANDREW PORTER, on Flickr

All from my trip report.

 

[MomtoAlexnWilliam]

Thank you!

 

[funseeker]

very helpful responses! Thank you!

 

[RRB]

awesome, thanks DF. Is there a "how to minimize data for android? Also,if you use a wifi text program like Hang Outs, you don't need to turn the airplane mode off, correct?

 

[Dug720]

Shippernet has improved dramatically, but anything streaming (FaceTime, YouTube videos, etc.) it still difficult and choppy.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

awesome, thanks DF. Is there a "how to minimize data for android? Also,if you use a wifi text program like Hang Outs, you don't need to turn the airplane mode off, correct?

Yes on the bottom of this one.

Nav Sundry Docs North Europe 12n 20150033 by ANDREW PORTER, on Flickr

Airplane mode ON and the switch wifi back ON. Stop automatic updates, like IOS updates and Apps like home weather or home news or home travel .

 

[Cldfront]

Thank you for this very hand info!

 

[RRB]

and wifi based texting? That should work without turning Airplane mode off, right?

Thanks

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

and wifi based texting? That should work without turning Airplane mode off, right?

Thanks

Yes but in port you may get roaming charges.

Through DCL Navigator App this is the screen you get.


Disney Magic by ANDREW PORTER, on Flickr

 

[RRB]

Yes but in port you may get roaming charges.

Through DCL Navigator App this is the screen you get.


Disney Magic by ANDREW PORTER, on Flickr

Roaming charges are from a cellular connection, correct?. Hang Outs (and others like it) are a web based texting program that use the internet, not cell connection. I assume they will work fine on board the ship when the phone is connected to the internet and not the cell service. Of course the internet texts use data that counts against your plan. I've searched for info on internet texting and didn't find much

Thanks

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Roaming charges are from a cellular connection, correct?. Hang Outs (and others like it) are a web based texting program that use the internet, not cell connection. I assume they will work fine on board the ship when the phone is connected to the internet and not the cell service. Of course the internet texts use data that counts against your plan. I've searched for info on internet texting and didn't find much

Thanks

Yes, they can connect automatically to countries.

My Cell phone within a minute of leaving Dover said welcome to France and an hour later Belgium, and then the Netherlands, it was picking them all up, lucky i had a European package.

Texting.

On the App is free, the people in your family will come up automatically, just click top right on the home screen of the App and you go straight to it. All must sign up as you see on my shot, My Son at this time had but the others hadnt.
Texts come through fast but may drop overnight.

If someone from another stateroom wants you they must know your number so you have ot give it to them at some point.

 

[xlxo]

How fast? We don't want to use it (prefer to be offline on vacation!) but may need it for our kids' school work.

On my Alaskan trip last summer, I did a speed test..... it was 24Mbps download! Being a quantity based, instead of time based. I can understand why they made it so fast.

At a moment of weakness, I did an update. Huge mistake as it went through my 300mb in minutes. Never making that mistake again.

While we hear about time based internet being incredibly slow on other cruise lines, no one was complaining on the Wonder.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Yes I have found it quite fast on the three DCL ships I have been on.

 

[chimo2u]

Which package do you recommend just to post a few pics and maybe keep in touch with my boys at home (they have iPhones so we could FaceTime via wifi or I message each other)?

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Which package do you recommend just to post a few pics and maybe keep in touch with my boys at home (they have iPhones so we could FaceTime via wifi or I message each other)?

Depends on your length of the cruise, but I would say medium re the price.

The photos drain it fast.

 

[chimo2u]

Depends on your length of the cruise, but I would say medium re the price.

The photos drain it fast.

It's the 7 day fantasy western Caribbean (Halloween embarkation) so I'll make sure to sign up for the free 50 mb too on our first day! I have to wrap my head around wifi not being free, basically I'm buying an amount of data to use? Will face time drain it fast?

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

It's the 7 day fantasy western Caribbean (Halloween embarkation) so I'll make sure to sign up for the free 50 mb too on our first day!

Medium but maybe go for a large as its 7 nights.

 

[xlxo]

Strategies...

• Look at your phone to get an idea of how much data you plan to use at home. Do you plan to use less or more on vacation?
• more than one of you? Just get the 1gb/$89 for best value. Then see how much you consume after an hour and day. Then try to pace yourself. The 1gb lasted us a week. But we did pace ourselves. Friends went through 3gb.
• Using economical email and messaging apps to keep in touch as they are data light, also disabling updates for the week.
• Avoid turning on laptops as they are data heavy on fast connections.
• use cellular data when in port to extend your cabin package... however disable auto carrier selection to avoid roaming charges.