Help WiFi only for Cruise Ship

[Golem]

Last year I went on a Disney Cruise. And I found that Disney Cruises offer a pretty good deal on WiFi. And I just wanted to read my emails. 100MB appeared to be more than enough. So on the third day, I decided to go for that plan. Before I did that, I disabled as many applications as I could, so as not to use up my 100 MB. I disabled all my apps: WhatsApp, Life 360, backup, Messenger+, and as many as I could think of . But the 100 MB were used up in about 10 minutes. And I didn't even get that many emails.

Thinking back on what else I should have disabled, I thought about updates, GPS, Waze, and probably others.

But I'm now planning a new Cruise, and I'm not sure if that's enough.

So the question is, what should I disable? Keep in mind, I would like to stay under the 100 MB limit, and all I want to download is email.

 

[tube517]

I worked for a Cruise Travel Agency before (4 years ago) and all of them are ripoffs as far as wifi. Disney is incredibly expensive.

What cruiseline are you going on next?

Now in 4 years, fees may have changed and technology has changed so I don't know the costs anymore. I know they are still ripoffs.

 

[AZgl1500]

turn off Images for darned sure.

use a firewall to prevent Advert links from being followed. or just disable every browser app on the phone.
I would uninstall or disable every Social App on the phone, period. you don't need Facebook, it is garbage anyway. No Pinterest, No Twitter, those are all horrible data users.

only use an email app, you don't say the phone, but if you have a Samsung, you can lock it down very tight in a heartbeat with * Package Disabler Pro [Samsung] - the New Version

I highly suggest * Email Aqua Mail - Android Apps on Google Play
I have it screwed down so tight, it will not even try to read "new emails" unless I ask it to on purpose.
I open up the inbox account that I want to view. It then shows me all of the old messages that I have not deleted....

I can mess with those at my leisure, I can create outgoing emails, and it stores them in the drafts.
I can pull down on the list of email headers and THEN it will poll the server and pull down only the email headers.

It will NOT download anymore than what you allow it to. I let it display the 1st sentence, that is enough for me to figure out if that email is junk, or something I want to read.

Aqua Mail has a ton of settings, and they don't all show up in one place. they are account specific in places... so you really have to read everything you can, and just keep learning. it can save your $$$ ass.

You are going to have to be a Skin Flint, and just tell everyone that you will only respond to a valid email, and ONLY if it is an emergency.... No jokes, no useless prattle about the baby's diapers had to be changed.

You can do it, I get by on less than 1 gB/month of data easily.... in fact, my daughter and I share a family plan and we are very conservative when we leave the house.

.

 

[AZgl1500]

We have some close friends who only use the Carnival cruise lines, they can go for about $350/cruise now.
She only signs up for specials, and never pays over $500/cruise.

and, she just tells folks, "no BS junk unless we are ashore and can access a free WiFi"

they only broke that rule once, a companion with them had a Heart Attack, and had to be helicoptered off the ship. She got the Captain to allow her to make one phone call, she did that, and that one person spread the word.

 

[mikedt]

Turn off all automatic updates and syncing for everything. Turn on WiFi for only when you actually need it, like checking email. Things might be assuming that WiFi is unlimited.

I worked for a Cruise Travel Agency before (4 years ago) and all of them are ripoffs as far as wifi. Disney is incredibly expensive.

What cruiseline are you going on next?

Now in 4 years, fees may have changed and technology has changed so I don't know the costs anymore. I know they are still ripoffs.

Don't think the technology has changed much. Internet on cruise ships is provided by satellite, like on aircraft as well. Speeds might improve and wholesale data costs might come down. But Disney, Cunard, et-al are going to make a steep markup on it, because they can.

 

[electricpete]

Before you go, take a look at your built in data setting screen
You can see what apps are using data previously and whether it's foreground or background
you can disable background data for any app

Visit settings / accounts. Many accounts will show/adjust sync settings when you tap them. Google of course is the big one. But firefox and evernote allow adjusting sync settings from here too.

I would also keep data off during the cruise except when I'm using it (for good measure).

 

[kate]

you can disable background data for any app

Disable Background Data only stops apps from using network data, it wont prevent background WiFi usage.

So the question is, what should I disable?

As mentioned... updates. Google Play - Settings - Don't Update.

But the 100 MB were used up in about 10 minutes.

Email doesn't use much data unless you're downloading large attachments. Probably had app updates or a system update use the data. Before you leave make sure to check for Android updates in Settings - System Updates.

 

[tube517]

Turn off all automatic updates and syncing for everything. Turn on WiFi for only when you actually need it, like checking email. Things might be assuming that WiFi is unlimited.


Don't think the technology has changed much. Internet on cruise ships is provided by satellite, like on aircraft as well. Speeds might improve and wholesale data costs might come down. But Disney, Cunard, et-al are going to make a steep markup on it, because they can.

Cunard cruisers can afford it.