Cruises - Staying connected

Cruises

In this day and age, connectivity and communications are a top priority for the majority of people. Who doesn’t have a cell phone these days? With advances in satellite technology and burgeoning demand has come the cruise industry’s response to customer needs. Customers want to stay connected while enjoying cruise deals at sea. And the cruise lines such as P&O Cruises have take great strides to provide it in a variety of forms. Work life has been steadily encroaching on personal life these days and those who telecommute or generate their income with online trading have to stay connected at all times, even oh holiday, and even at sea. On a personal level, families and friends will want to stay in touch and get updates and even pictures from cruisers enjoying their holiday. And who in their right mind would think of disconnecting a modern teenager from Facebook or Twitter for five or more days in a row? Cruise deals are more connected than ever with Internet cafes, wireless networks, and cell phone service on board and in the middle of the sea. You can enjoy Caribbean cruises while keeping in touch with the office and catching up on work during transits between islands. Or make folks back home green with envy with updates and photos from the azure blue waters of the Mediterranean aboard a luxurious MSC Cruises ocean liner. The current and new offerings of connectivity at sea makes cruises an even more attractive holiday option for those who have a hard time getting away for a break.

Independence of the Seas in Barcelona

“The ship was fantastic, remarkable entertainment in the Metropolis Theatre, and also at many other venues onboard. The Staff were so friendly and helpful which made our holiday” - Davies, Bridgend on 14th Aug 2007al Caribbean Cruises)

Cruise deals

Most cruise lines are responding to the demand for connectivity at sea. They realise that while you may be on holiday, there is a strong desire to stay connected with friends and family. They also recognise that while many have all the time in the world to enjoy cruises, others may still have obligations back home or at work to attend to. You will have to check with your cruise operator when booking cruise deals to see what communications capabilities they have on their vessels. There is wide variability in their Internet and cell phone services and prices. One cruise operator that offers several communication options is Royal Caribbean Cruises. Their onboard capabilities include Wireless access at a base rate of 0.55 USD a minute or they offer prepaid minutes packages at discount. There are also numerous Internet cafes that charge the same rates. Additionally, their entire fleet features cell phone access from your personal phone and number where you will be charged by your service provider for any roaming fees that may apply. Princess Cruises is another company with great communications accessibility and offers essentially the same services on all of their ships. There are 24-hour Internet cafes as well as wireless access for those who wish to bring their own laptops. All of their cruise ships will also have cell phone capabilities that allow you to use your own phone and number. And as can be expected, you will be billed by your provider for any costs incurred during your cruises.

Lido Buffet

“All food superb well presented service fantastic nothing too much trouble cabin very very spacious and cleaned twice daily enough activities to suit all ages” - Smith, Barnsley on 14th Aug 2007 (Island Cruises)

Cell service at sea

One of the first questions people ask when planning cruise deals is whether their personal cell phone will work while they are at sea. In most cases, the answer is yes. Most major operators are equipped with systems that allow you to make and receive calls and SMS messages at sea and due to increasing demand more are adding this capability to their fleets. NCL Cruises has been highly proactive about providing customers with the ability to use their personal cell phones on all of its cruise ships. Service is provided through a joint venture of AT&T and Maritime Telecommunications Network. The use of your personal cell phone on cruises is possible through a combined wireless and satellite system. An antenna on the vessel relays the signal from your cell phone and through a base station that relays it to a satellite. The satellite sends the signal to a receiving base station on land and from there it is transmitted to your cellular network. To use these systems on most cruises you must have a cell phone that is capable of GSM/GPRS and operate at 900 MHz and 1900 MHz. The system is switched off while in port and becomes active offshore. Expect to pay international roaming rates during your cruise deals for any calls made on this system. You will have to check with your carrier for specific rates but in most cases they will be significantly cheaper than making calls from the phone in your stateroom. Celebrity Cruises offers this service on all of its cruise ships.

MSC Splendida

“We sailed for the very first time in June 2007 on the Oceana to the Norwegian Fjords. It was the most amazing experience of my life. It was excellent value for money.” - Males, Leighton Buzzard on 13th Aug 2007 (P&O Cruises)

Internet at sea

Nearly all cruises have Internet access in the form of onboard Internet cafes and or wireless networks. Internet access on cruises is possible through the utilization of satellite connections. Unfortunately, most existing satellite Internet access systems are substantially slower than the connection you usually enjoy at home. And unfortunately, the majority of cruise lines will charge you per minute rates when using their systems. But Fred Olsen Cruises has the right idea with its Internet charging method in its Internet lounges. Instead of being charged by minutes like most operators, internet is charged by content downloaded so you’re not being charged while waiting for slow pages to load, only for the kilobytes you are waiting for. This really helps to keep costs down on cruise deals. But many folks who require connectivity for work purposes will usually want to bring their own laptop computer along in order to access required applications, files, and documents. Most major cruise operators have made wireless access a universal feature, though some companies, especially smaller ones, have been slow to catch up. For example: Cunard Cruises currently offers wireless on only one of its vessels, the Queen Mary 2. Many more cruise lines will offer wireless connectivity on only selected vessels. So if internet is something you want to get away from on your holiday or an absolutely critical need, be sure you inquire when booking your cruise deals to inquire about the available internet connectivity options, or lack thereof.

Pool Deck of NCL Dawn

“We were on the sea princess feb 07 we have no complaints at all. We were treated like kings from we got on the ship till we got off.” - Wilkinson, Co. Antrim on 11th Aug 2007 (Princess Cruises)