Hi,
Anyone cruised on P&O Pacific Encounter recently?
Trying to decide whether to get the internet package - just want to be able to download the paper etc, not interested in steaming movies/tv.
I understand they use 'Starlink' now which by all accounts gets a pretty good rap, I'm wondering how well it works on a cruise ship?
Is the internet available in room or mostly in the common areas?
I've read mixed reviews so advice from anyone in the know who has cruised recently is greatly appreciated.
Price aside, I'm more concerned with functionality - if I do pay for internet I don't want to feel like I've paid through the nose for the privilege to be back on Walton's mountain. lol
https://www.pocruises.com.au/plan/how-to-book/booking-your-e…
If I did buy internet I'd be bringing a travel router so only one 'plan' would be required for the room.
Check your ticketing T & Cs-Carnival Cruises (owner of P & O) states that satellite receivers and/or wifi routers are not to be brought on board and will be impounded at embarkation.
I had intended to take a travel router but chose against it just in case they found it.
I'm interested in knowing whether the internet is good enough for Teams voice calls with screenshare, would need approx 300MB/day for emails/Excel. Seen a few incredible cruise deals and would love to work a few hours a day and chill afterwards.
You are sharing a connection with 1000+ other people. These 1000 people seem to be people who have no idea about their devices (they all have their socials set to auto play video, and auto update apps). Then you have the bored.kids streaming YouTube videos under the stairs, but paying no attention to it.
Video calls ..nup. Voice ..maybe.
… done this cruise a month ago…. Didn't get net myself so can't really advise first hand on that. Would set up P&O app before leaving. Basic net didn't get a good review. Should be fine for low bandwidth requirements. Disciplined use of roaming (only at port) may prove better.
Want to download the paper, read emails etc during sea days.
Sure I can do without internet while I'm away, but I don't really want to.
Agree, reviews are certainly mixed - a bit surprising for me as I thought Starlink was a good product - perhaps on land anyway.
$90 per day
🤣🤣🤣
Where did you get $90 per day from?
Centrelink.
That money is given to you to help look for work, not for internet on cruise ships.
How else do you check ozbargain on holidays without internet? You can always catch up on the news when you get back home.
How else do you check ozbargain on holidays without internet?
You can use the old manual method.
Buy a copy of the Australasian trading post before boarding?
Dunno about the Encounter but I was on the Explorer just along the WA coast last year and the Internet was woeful. Not worth it at all - more headache than anything. Don't know if that's normal but if I do it again I'll just switch off.
Aaargh, can't I find anyone who's had a positive experience with the internet on P&O to justify a purchase. lol
I think it's hinting to have a tech-break and focus your time on avoiding gastro and covid.
I think you're right, although a positive test for Covid is a given after a cruise as far as I'm concerned.
Least of ure worries.
Echoing this (maybe we were on the same cruise?). Barely had a connection in the room, so had to sit in a common area if I wanted any chance of having a website load.
It was nice to have as a means of emergency contact, but I wouldn't suggest planning to use it for any meaningful browsing.
Eclipse
Get a shortwave radio you should be able to pick up RNZ Pacific.
I haven't been on the Pacific Encounter but I was on the Pacific Explorer last year and bought an internet package. I paid for the middle tier of internet and while it wasn't amazing it was usable. I was able to browse the internet fine, and made some Skype calls. Skype video was not always amazing but it was enough to be able to show people at home a little of what the ship was like. Definitely wasn't good enough to stream YouTube or Netflix unless you are ok with it buffering constantly.
The entertainment staff use it and complain about it. Obviously works, but definitely not worth the price.
A cruise seems a great opportunity to go offline for a while. I didn't miss it a bit.
It will be good enough to download a paper.
I was on a P&O cruise about a year ago, and it was fine to check and reply to emails, browse a bit.
Whether it's worth it is up to you - do you absolutely need it?
Thanks for the reply, no definitely don't need it but would like to have the option as I do here on land.
Find a different cruise line!
We went on Pacific Explorer last year and it was terrible. Streaming was a no go even though we were on the highest package. Never again!!!
Wouldn't an expensive cruise, with all it has to offer, be enough to keep you busy and entertained, fulfilled and satisfied?
Today's news will either be irrelevant tomorrow (like the weather) or there will be more of the same "news" tomorrow.
Some time back I went totally off track (no signal except smoke signals …) and the world kept going without me knowing about it. Nothing changed except the date..
Give it try.
Perhaps.
To be honest a cruise and all its included activities isn't really my idea of a good time, not being one to sit around the pool or be drunk by lunchtime I know there will be times when I'm happy to be back in my room.
Reading the paper in the morning with a good coffee for me is relaxing, it makes me fulfilled and satisfied and if I have the opportunity I'd like to do it during my cruising holiday.
As for going off track, many years in the Defence Force carrying my house on my back and sleeping in holes I've dug has scratched that itch ;-)
Mmmmm … that brings the question then: why do you have a cruising holiday rather than just staying put?
I'll take it you're single? lol
Yep internet is not great on Pacific encounter
Anyone on here going to freo from Adelaide leaving March 29
Back today from the cruise - just thought I'd update on the internet for anyone who finds this thread at a later date.
Anywhere on the ship I tried (Common areas) I was able to access the internet.
Room connectivity - Deck 9 - my room was in the early 9400's - I rate the in-room internet experience as good to very good.
Was able to stream YouTube/Netflix with occasional buffering, accessing websites was fairly pain free. I mainly downloaded Netlix/YouTube shows that I wanted to watch so any buffering or lost connectivity would not be an issue.
The P&O premium internet plan price is a bit of a joke (I'll let you look up the daily charge) but overall I was very happy with the connectivity and speeds, I connected my Pixel 7 phone (you are only allowed one connection per plan) and then used my phone as a hotspot to give internet access to an iPad mini, Dell Laptop and iPad.
I carried my phone on occasion around the ship with the hotspot turned on and any other device that was connected to my phone was able to access the internet and have a pretty good experience.
Hope this update helps someone in the future but as always YMMV.
edit: Was able to use the connection for a successful Facebook messenger video call as well.
Thanks for sharing. Your post actually convinced me to purchase some internet but I plan on bringing a travel router to share internet from my iPhone (unfortunately can't do what you did with your Pixel 7). What were the steps/instructions provided by P&O to connect to their internet? From what I am reading online, I think I'll have to change the MAC address on the travel router to my iPhone's MAC address once I connect to the wifi using my iPhone.
I actually took a GL.iNet Beryl AX with the intention of using it onboard but couldn't seem to get it working at the time.
This was prior to a new firmware release for the Beryl which fixed issues logging on via a captive portal, I had never used the router in the wild before then either so probably a bit of user error to blame on my part as well.
From memory there was paperwork in the cabin (or maybe it was given to us at check-in?) which explained the internet log on procedure, it was similar if not the same to logging on to hotel wifi so I'm sure you'll easily figure it out.
Enjoy your cruise, hope your internet works as well as mine did.
Thanks so much for taking your time to reply. I decided to try a GL.iNet Opal (firmware updated now) as well as a TP link WR902AC, hedging in case only one works (going with family so purchased two internet plans and hoping at least one of these will work).
May not be a bad idea having limited internet anyway, as I find these days I’m spending a bit too much time on the phone.
Thanks, if I remember, will post back and let you and others know of the internet experience, useful for future reference.
Whats the price?