VOOM: 7 Top Tips For The Fastest Internet At Sea

Cruising solo and staying connected to life on land just got a whole lot easier.  

When you’re at sea and cruising alone, keeping in touch with family and folk on land could be high on your cruise ‘must-haves’ list. 

As I take care of solos cruising, I’d be waiting for the first chance to ‘sea test’ Royal Caribbean’s claim of ‘the fastest internet at sea’.  Now, just back from our solos New Year’s Eve cruise group on Ovation of the Seas (Sydney to New Zealand), and I’ve got the low-down. 

Not cruising solo? Don’t stop here; these 7 tips are for anyone cruising Royal Caribbean.

Not so long ago, the internet ‘experience’ at sea was slow and expensive.  Royal Caribbean’s ‘VOOM’ changes all that.

TIP #1 – Signing Up Before You Board
Check out the prices in Cruise Planner early. There may be an early sign-up promotion.  I signed up early for my package (almost four months before cruising) and locked in the ‘Pre-Cruise Special - 30% off on board pricing’.

TIP #2 – Reducing the Package Cost
Not sure you want or need internet every day at sea and want to avoid the daily charge? Easy fixed – you don’t have to take the VOOM package from day. You can sign up anytime at sea until the final day cruising and you are only charged from the day you sign up.

TIP #3  - Last Day Deal
You’ve been without the internet almost the entire cruise but on the last day it’s time to get back in touch with life on land. Ask about last day daily rate savings. We had a last day promotion price offered on our sailing that meant the price for the connection on the last day was about the same as the daily rate, as if you’d been signed up from day 1. (Check your TV messages for specials like this)

TIP #4  - Single Day Pass
There’s the option to sign up for a Single Day Pass; if you just need one day it’s good to have the option but it comes at a premium of about 50% more than a daily rate on the full voyage packages.

TIP #5 – Crown & Anchor Savings
Royal Crown & Anchor members have savings on the rates; 10% off for Gold and then the savings increases as your membership level increases.

TIP #6 – Avoid the Queue
You can expect a queue at the ‘Voom’ Internet Desk on board on day 1 and day 2 (after that the queue is much better or non-existent) but you can skip the queue and sign up via your TV in your cabin.


(Prices in USD. An image of the promotional price sheet available on board from Ovation of the Seas 30 December 2016)

TIP #7 – ‘Surf’ vs ‘Surf + Stream’
If you just  need basic surfing for emails and checking social media without watching video then the ‘Surf’ package definitely does the job. I had the ‘surf’ package; I could still check social media like Facebook and Instagram and the download was good (not quite the same as home), but video lagged.  If video download is a priority; definitely opt for the ‘Surf + Stream’ package.

Check out our cruise groups for solos on our website for 2017 and into 2018

GETTING STARTED FOR THE FIRST TIME?
Check out my book, How To Travel Solo But Not Alone

READY TO FIND YOUR SOLO TRAVELLER GROUP?
Visit our holiday list of groups for solo travellers. Click Here

LIKE TO CRUISE?
Find out more about Cruise Circle for Solos

Plus join the Facebook Group Cruise Circle for Solos

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