P&O Cruises Internet Charges

[Ray Walkington 6]

I'm surprised nobody has raised this topic.  We have just returned from an 18 night cruise on Arcadia to the Mediterranean and have discovered that P&O has abandoned the previous "pay as you go" system for on-board internet access.  Now the charging is for a 24-hour period from about £7 for access to social media only, through £12 to use e-mail and to £25 for full access including downloads etc.  As quite high-level Peninsula Club members we were given no advance notice and we were not alone in making a fuss on board.  Clearly the staff at the sharp end are embarrassed.  The Librarian sent us to the Reception who had opened a specific "book" for passengers complaints about this issue.  Of course, we discovered that we could do without on-board internet.  We could access free wi-fi at all ports although sometimes it was necessary to buy a glass or two of red wine to get the full enjoyment.  P&O lost at least £35 income from us - their loss.

[2torts 346]

The new pricing structure was raised at the end of the thread "Wi-fi on board ships" under the "Wi-fi" section of the general cruise chat & advice forum but surprisingly nobody has commented on it since.

[Tinkerbell 80]

When we sailed in October we didn't buy internet. This was the first time as we usually spend £60 plus. However we were aware of this before the cruise so the new charges did not come as a surprise and we didn't bother complaining.

[Oldworldtraveller 2225]

Ships wi-fi in my humble opinion is a rip off. Why is it so slow?The ships will tell you it is because it is via a satellite. If this is correct why is it that Royal Caribbean can get speeds up to 18Mbs!! How is it that it works on the moon with astronauts, its all by satellite. Why do charges vary so much, simple answer, Greed. Cruise lines just see it as another way of separating the passenger from their wallet. Ships need wi-fi for their own use so it's not costing them any extra to supply the passengers. Most decent cruise lines supply wi-fi as part of their loyalty scheme at various levels, certainly Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess and I believe Cunard do and some lines provide it free, including most river cruise companies.

Here is web site that people may find useful and negate the paying of ridiculous prices on some cruise lines.

http://www.crew-center.com/crew-wifi-locations-ports-worldwide

This is an article that people may find interesting: http://fortune.com/2015/10/15/cruise-ships-tech-wifi/

[2torts 346]

P & O must have an old, tired satellite cos if you try to see the views from the ship's webcams on their "meet the ships" section most of them show nothing except a message saying no picture due to satellite strength!

[Davybe 529]

It Does cost the Cruise Line's money Set up and run,Celebrity have just spent  $25m upgrading there wi-fi on the ships, you can buy different packages similar to P&O ,I use my free Loyalty time or the free Wi-Fi ashore.

Wonder Just how much it cost's to put a satellite system in the sky , not free iam sure of that....Davybe 

[Davybe 529]

(12:30 p.m. BST) -- Whether you're an avid Instagram user looking to share envy-inducing images from your cruise ship sun lounger or you're simply keen to keep in touch with the office through email, P&O Cruises has made it easier to stay connected 24/7 with three brand-new 24-hour Wi-Fi packages as part of their Stay Connected internet programme.

Replacing the previous 100-minutes, 250-minutes and pay-per-minute internet packages, the new 24-hour packages include:

• The Connect package at £7.75

This basic package offers internet access to passengers looking to stay connected through social media channels, such as Facebook and Instagram, and internet messaging services, such as Messenger and WhatsApp.

• The Browse package at £12.50

This mid-level package offers passengers internet browsing (with the exception of video streaming), internet messaging, email and social network access.

• The Works package at £24.95

The top-level package allows passengers to browse the web, stream YouTube, Spotify and Apple Music, make video calls, email and share via social networks.

P&O Cruises' senior vice president Paul Ludlow said: "People are used to accessing anything at a touch of a button or swipe of a screen 24/7 and this doesn’t change just because they are on holiday.

"We’ve listened to feedback and have invested significantly in the service to offer packages which are not only great value but also flexible. Guests can now choose a package which works best for them based on their needs and how they normally use the internet. Guests can purchase satellite internet credit before they sail or purchase their package at any time during the cruise."

The exact pricing and what you get along with P&O's reasoning for the charges ....Davybe 

[Oldworldtraveller 2225]

It Does cost the Cruise Line's money Set up and run,Celebrity have just spent  $25m upgrading there wi-fi on the ships, you can buy different packages similar to P&O ,I use my free Loyalty time or the free Wi-Fi ashore.

Wonder Just how much it cost's to put a satellite system in the sky , not free iam sure of that....Davybe 

I agree Davybe, it does cost them money to implement but as said previously they need the wi-fi to run the ship so it should already be built into the operating costs. They all use satellite communication but the difference in charges and speeds is enormous. River ships offer it free as do some other cruise lines. RCI charge $15 a day for a really high speed yet according to the original post P&O are charging £25 for the same facility but at much slower speeds. As I said before, it's just another way to separate the passenger from their wallet.

[cruise chef 866]

As mentioned on previous threads Ray the best thing to do is follow the crew when they get off the ship with laptop or ipad in hand, they always know the best places for the net and the majority of time it is usually free

[Captain Kidd II 798]

Had read about this but paid no attention. When I am holiday I just want to chill and not bother with the internet. When away anything can wait. If I must I do what the crew do - use free wifi at a local cafe. No point lining P&O's pockets more.

[Davybe 529]

I agree Davybe, it does cost them money to implement but as said previously they need the wi-fi to run the ship so it should already be built into the operating costs. They all use satellite communication but the difference in charges and speeds is enormous. River ships offer it free as do some other cruise lines. RCI charge $15 a day for a really high speed yet according to the original post P&O are charging £25 for the same facility but at much slower speeds. As I said before, it's just another way to separate the passenger from their wallet.

 

Morning OWT sorry i took so long to reply (Having A Grandad Day).

 

None of the Cruise lines  own a satellite ,they rent what they need and use from mainly two suppliers  MTM  Communications and 03b Networks. which rent / sell  broadband  see copy from another cruise forum.

2. Pricing is going down -- but don't expect miracles just yet.

The satellites used for at-sea Internet connections cost hundreds of millions of dollars. One technology expert explains that "One consumer -- a cruise line -- can't afford to keep a satellite up in space." And while that remains true, cruise lines are teaming up with maritime communications companies that either own their own satellites or rent such large amounts of bandwidth that they can bring prices down. Two companies, MTN Communications and O3b Networks, provide almost all of the satellite service for the cruise industry. While MTN doesn't actually own the satellites, the company rents space from satellite owners and, because of the accumulated volume it represents, can offer reasonable pricing.

Prices are being driven down even further as some cruise lines (the Carnival family of brands, for instance) begin to use hybrid systems that combine the more expensive satellite connections with cheaper land-based links. Using the hybrid system, select cruise ships within the Carnival and Holland America fleets can offer passengers a social media package that gives cruisers access to all social media sites for a mere $5 per day.

But social media does not require a lot of bandwidth; cruisers who want to use bandwidth-hogging applications like FaceTime and Skype will still have to pay more. Carnival, for instance, charges $25 per day for total Internet access, including social media, email, websites and streaming services. And on its ships that have enough bandwidth (there are only four), Royal Caribbean charges $15 per device, per day, for all-inclusive Internet access.

Additionally, updating cruise ships with modern technology takes time, and it will take a couple of years for entire fleets to be updated. And that's only for cruise lines that have chosen to prioritize Internet connectivity. Norwegian Cruise Line, for instance, has so far made minimal effort to bring the speed and price of Internet connectivity in line with land levels. (Pricing, in fact, has gone up.)

How much will you spend? Traditional onboard Internet prices are about 75 cents a minute, though you can buy packages offering anywhere from 60 minutes to 300 hours that work out to be cheaper on a price-per-minute basis.

On many ships, payment is per megabyte instead of by minute. On Disney Cruise Line ships, one MB costs 35 cents. As with per-minute pricing, buying megabytes via a package brings the price down. Pricing by the megabyte is also offered on Carnival Cruise Line ships, as well as select Royal Caribbean ships. As a rough guide, with 10 MBs you can spend 30 minutes on Facebook, Skype for four minutes or upload three photographs.

The Cost depends on what you need the internet for? Never use my phone at sea ether, not at £3 plus per minute? 

Personally when on P&O I just text any messages and never use the internet on the ship. very little happens that cannot wait till we arrive home  ..Davybe

[Oldworldtraveller 2225]

Morning Davybe,

Love the expression, having a Grandad Day. Many thanks for the information which I am sure will be an eye opener to many of the members. 

I still find it exasperating that the prices on cruise lines vary so significantly and yet river cruise lines can supply it free. This year I have been with 5 different cruise lines on 7 different ships and apart from the cost of wi-fi packages varying from reasonable to extortionate the only one that gave decent speeds was Royal Caribbean on Ovation of the Seas.

OWT

[kjorford 2]

Just been on Ventura and refused to pay £175 for 14 days just to spend 10 minutes a day reading emails. With a port nearly every day I just waited for the crew to show me the nearest free hotspot.

Looking round at my fellow passengers and their ages I suspect not many of them spend hours a day surfing or streaming media.

[Graham23 2]

You are all missing the point. Why does anyone charge for wifi. For heavens sake it's free on public service buses so why do cruise companies make a charge? Rip Off

[elvis 31]

Good old Saga do not charge anything for either your own tablets etc, even the ships computers in the libraries are free.

[Davybe 529]

Morning Davybe,

Love the expression, having a Grandad Day. Many thanks for the information which I am sure will be an eye opener to many of the members. 

I still find it exasperating that the prices on cruise lines vary so significantly and yet river cruise lines can supply it free. This year I have been with 5 different cruise lines on 7 different ships and apart from the cost of wi-fi packages varying from reasonable to extortionate the only one that gave decent speeds was Royal Caribbean on Ovation of the Seas.

OWT

 

I think we all find the charges over the top ,I suppose it's like the drinks ,they have a captive audience, and can charge what they think we will pay...Davybe 

[BobTroll 43]

Ships wi-fi in my humble opinion is a rip off. Why is it so slow?The ships will tell you it is because it is via a satellite. If this is correct why is it that Royal Caribbean can get speeds up to 18Mbs!! How is it that it works on the moon with astronauts, its all by satellite. Why do charges vary so much, simple answer, Greed. Cruise lines just see it as another way of separating the passenger from their wallet. Ships need wi-fi for their own use so it's not costing them any extra to supply the passengers. Most decent cruise lines supply wi-fi as part of their loyalty scheme at various levels, certainly Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess and I believe Cunard do and some lines provide it free, including most river cruise companies.

Here is web site that people may find useful and negate the paying of ridiculous prices on some cruise lines.

http://www.crew-center.com/crew-wifi-locations-ports-worldwide

This is an article that people may find interesting: http://fortune.com/2015/10/15/cruise-ships-tech-wifi/

I have just completed a cruise on Seven Seas Navigator (and am waiting in an hotel in Cape Town, for our transfer to the airport). My experience with the ship's Internet has highlighted a serious issue that affects Internet availability on cruise ships.

In theory, Internet on Regent Cruises is free of charge. Of course, it isn't really free, because the cost is reflected in Regent's cruise fares (which are much more expensive than on P&O). Regent claim to have quadrupled the available Internet bandwidth. However, availability of "free" Internet encourages passengers to remain logged on for extended periods and some of them use the service for movie downloads, etc. On sea days, the system couldn't cope - to the extent that it was often unusable. But late at night, download speeds were surprisingly good.

Supply and demand applies, so I suspect that some cruise lines charge high prices, to prevent their systems from crashing due to over usage.

[Bobydogs 0]

I'm surprised nobody has raised this topic. We have just returned from an 18 night cruise on Arcadia to the Mediterranean and have discovered that P&O has abandoned the previous "pay as you go" system for on-board internet access. Now the charging is for a 24-hour period from about £7 for access to social media only, through £12 to use e-mail and to £25 for full access including downloads etc. As quite high-level Peninsula Club members we were given no advance notice and we were not alone in making a fuss on board. Clearly the staff at the sharp end are embarrassed. The Librarian sent us to the Reception who had opened a specific "book" for passengers complaints about this issue. Of course, we discovered that we could do without on-board internet. We could access free wi-fi at all ports although sometimes it was necessary to buy a glass or two of red wine to get the full enjoyment. P&O lost at least £35 income from us - their loss.

[Bobydogs 0]

I do not normally respond to post but this one is incorrect so I thought I would give another version. I am also a high peninsula member (for what it is worth) on Arcadia NOW. Pay as you go 65p great if you just want to look at your e mails and social medial. You can reply to all off line log on to send job done Approx 1 pound spend. It works . But in my opinion the best package is the 12. 75 (less 10%) for a full 24 hours which works great on FaceTime and what's app. Use on sea days. In port days no need to buy wine always look out for members of staff standing in doorways etc then you know you have free wi fi. If not a coffee will be suffice. This internet package is much better. Give it a try. Nobody like change but sometimes it is for the better. Also no set up fee as well.

[Oldworldtraveller 2225]

As you are on board at the moment Bobydogs could you tell us what speed you are getting. 

[Bobydogs 0]

No idea, but it's fast enough. Surprised how good FaceTime has been. And what's app is great way to send photos to family. After initially being sceptical to the change found there has been no problem. I think the problem with the old way to a lot of people was logging off. I know a lot of people had a problem with that.

[Bobydogs 0]

No idea,but it's fast enough. No difference than at home. Good connection on facetime. Had my money's worth on that alone. Good on what's app for sending photos to family. I think the old way of logging on and off was stressful to a lot of people with many losing all their time by not logging off correctly.