Internet

A GUIDE TO STAYING CONNECTED DURING YOUR CRUISE HOLIDAY.

Along with some of the most popular holiday items like sun cream and sunglasses, more and more people are bringing laptops, tablets and smart phones onboard their cruise in order to stay connected with friends and family back home during their holiday.

Thanks to the ever-improving technology on cruise ships, Wi Fi is now a relatively common facility onboard. So whether you want to speak to someone from home or upload photos of your cruising adventure, this guide is designed to tell you about all the latest internet information onboard.

THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT INTERNET ONBOARD

• Most cruise ships offer their own supported internet connectivity, however from time to time you can connect to the internet using your phones 3G or 4g if you don’t want to pay for the internet package from your cruise line.
• Connecting to the internet at sea might not be the same as your internet at home, so make sure you are patient when signing in. However, with advancing technology and state-of-the-art equipment, it’s becoming much easier and quicker to get online.
• If you are taking a trip to the Caribbean then you are certainly in luck. With more satellites in low orbit above the area, ships stay within the satellite’s footprint for most of their sailings giving you great connectivity throughout your cruise.
• Many cruise lines are turning to hybrid solutions that combines satellites with terrestrial broadband connectivity, meaning that even if you happen to be in a location where internet access isn’t great, you won’t be out of luck.
• Remember to turn your phone off your data roaming if you don’t want hefty charges on your phone bill.

Azamara Club Cruises

All Azamara ships have onboard computer centres with 24-hour access. Wireless access on smartphones and laptops is also available in designated areas onboard.

Carnival Cruise Lines

Onboard a Carnival ship you will have access to Wi-Fi which you can connect to with your own device as well as FunHubs where several computers are available for you to use. Carnival have several internet packages available for you to choose from ranging from just $5 per day for a social media package to prices for full internet connectivity throughout your cruise.

However, as part of a Carnival Corp. initiative, all Carnival ships will have Wi-Fi@Sea enhanced Internet by the end of 2016.

Celebrity Cruises

Most of the ships in the Celebrity fleet offer Wi-Fi with the exception of Celebrity Century and Celebrity Xpedition. These have Wi-Fi in public areas for added convenience.

All ships come equipped with 24-hour access in the internet cafes and have iLounges featuring the latest Apple products.

Costa Cruises

All ships have Internet cafes for passengers to use. Wi-Fi onboard works on all devices and is available anywhere on the ship.

Cunard Cruise Line

Onboard the Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary you will find a combined Internet Centre and an iStudy seminar room, where computers are available. There is also an additional eight computers in the library.

As part of a Carnival Corp. initiative, all Cunard ships will have Wi-Fi@Sea enhanced Internet by the end of 2016.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

Passengers are able to keep in touch via the Internet Room onboard. You can connect to the Wi-Fi in certain hotspots onboard such as the reception area and library.

Guests can also purchase tokens with codes to use on a laptop or mobile device.

Holland America Line

All Holland America ships have internet cafes where passengers can either use the computers that are provided or connect via their own digital device.

Wireless access is also available in areas such as the library and most public areas/cabins. And as previously mentioned, as part of a Carnival Corp. initiative, all Holland America ships will have Wi-Fi@Sea Internet by the end of 2016.

MSC Cruises

Internet service is available in Internet cafes on all MSC ships. Wi-Fi is also available in all cabins and public areas.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian allows passengers to access 24-hour internet on all ships. However, iConcierge is a phone application that lets Apple, Android, Windows 7 and iPad users tap into onboard passenger information and communicate with other guests, make reservations and book excursions.

This can be found on Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Pearl, Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Pride of America, Norwegian Star and Norwegian Sun.

Oceania Cruises

Oceania ships lets passengers sign up to Oceania@Sea, or by connecting to the network directly from their device.

All suites are equipped with laptops and the Owner's, Vista and Oceania suites each come with an iPad, which some guests may find particularly useful.

P&O Cruises

Internet access is available in the cyber cafes onboard all of P&O ships, plus at Wi-Fi hotspots around the ship.

You can find Internet access in certain cabins, but this depends on the strength of the signal while at sea. Shipboard email addresses can be obtained through the Cruise Email TM system; the rate is £2.50 per message sent.

Princess Cruises

Wireless hotspots are available in public areas and cabins on all ships. All Princess ships have Internet cafes; the number of computer terminals ranges from 8 to 26.

Royal Caribbean International

Wi-Fi is available on every ship in the Royal Caribbean’s fleet. Passengers can also access Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Ltd websites, including Azamara Club Cruises and Celebrity Cruises free of charge.

Streaming is also speedy (especially on Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas).

With technology advancing and equipment constantly being revolutionised, it’s a wonderful opportunity for guests to be able to share their cruising experiences with family and friends at home.