We still could get online when the deck party was taking place One of the things that I was really curious about before my recent cruise on the Disney Magic was the Internet. I was hosted by Disney to cover the cruise for Disney Dining, and Internet was part of the package that they gifted us with. I knew that Internet at sea would be slow, and I knew that I would need to get online on more than one device. It turns out that the Internet is really easy to use on Disney Cruise Line. Yes, it can be slow, but that’s because most of it is satellite and that takes longer than what we’re used to here on land.
Basic account information If you’re taking a Disney cruise, after you board and get something to eat head to Connect @ Sea. There are signs for it, pointing you in the right direction. The woman who was behind the desk was extremely helpful. She explained how the Internet works, and checked my devices to make sure that I wouldn’t waste it. (Automatic updates can eat up all of your time, and you might not even know that it’s happening!) She also stressed to log out of the account after each session. She told me a different day that she wished that everyone would stop by the first day, instead of trying to figure it all out on their own and then coming to her for help.
Check the numbers as well as the meter There should be information on connecting to the Internet in your stateroom, and they can also give you a sheet about it at Connect @ Sea. The sheet will have the different packages available and how much they cost. It will also give you instructions for signing in. You’ll create an account, and you can use the same account on all of your devices. The first day you can receive a very small package for free. I used that before the package that I was given by Disney, and it was enough to send only one email with a small attachment.
Almost out! After you’ve bought a package you will see a gauge each time that you sign in that will tell you how much of your package you have left. This is a little bit deceptive, because the gauge kind of looks full most of the time, even when you’ve been using the Internet. You need to keep an eye on the numbers as well. Once you’ve almost finished your package, the green gauge will become red. You can either purchase more Internet, or just be done with it.
There’s no reason to watch videos online with a TV in your stateroom One more thing about Internet on a cruise. I used the Internet while on board because I had to. That said, I only used it for work, and to keep my Timehop streak going. I wasn’t constantly checking my email or Facebook. If we wanted to watch videos, there were movies available in our stateroom and in the ship’s theater. It was nice to unplug for a little while. That’s something that is much harder to do at home, and I think I had a better time on our trip because of it.