internet service on Mariner in 2008

[Griffin]

I saw the postings on this topic but they were in 2005. Wondering if anyone can tell me about the speed & availability of computers on the Mariner (RCL). We don't want to lug our laptop. This is to be a vacation but both husband & I have some business that needs to be checked on while we are gone. THANKS...........

[Jim1012]

Last year (Sept) there were several computers available onboard-the ship has a computer area on one of the upper decks towards the rear of the ship. You may buy time, and charge it to your sea pass card. It is NOT cheap.
As an aside to your question-does anyone know if wireless is available at sea for a laptop? I use Verizon wireless in my laptop, and wondered if it would work either in ports, or at sea(doing Western on Mariner this year, and Eastern on Liberty OTS next year). If not, there's no point in lugging the laptop......

[Dave]

At least while at sea, you have to use the ship's internet access. Wi-fi is available on most ships these days - some have hot spots and others have shipwide wi-fi. The Freedom class has it everywhere on the ship. Of course, to use it you have to have set up a shipboard internet account and the meter is ticking.

The current pricing for RCI is 55 cents per minute unless you buy a block of minutes. Packages cost $28 for 60 minutes, $38 for 90 minutes, and $55 for 150 minutes. The minutes can be used either on your laptop or on the desktops in the internet cafe. It is the same account.

It isn't exactly speedy service and it can go offline periodically. If I were to judge it, the speed is generally in the 128 kbps range. Sometimes a little quicker, sometimes slower. The minutes fly by.

[Bill McGarr]

I agree with Dave. Sometimes the service is good and at other times it is real slow. We used our laptop in the room last cruise and it worked fine. Buy the block of minutes and hope for a good connection.

[gaileeh]

I will also agree that the service in not cheap. Another tip, Try to limit your internet acess to times that you are in port. It is much easier to connect. While at sea it takes forever to get a connection because of the satelite system. BTW you are billed from the moment swipe you sea pass card. If it takes 5 minutes to connect, you pay for those 5 minutes. Dosn't seem fair.

There are plenty of computers stationed around the ship.