Internet access? That’ll be an arm & a leg sir.

Following on from my recent blog about having no issues with paying for ‘that little bit extra’ when cruising, there is one ‘extra’ that I do take umbrage with.  The cost of Wi-Fi and therefore Internet access on board cruise ships.

We are no longer in the dark ages when it comes to technology and Wi-Fi has been around as an accepted form of accessing the worldwide web for years now, so why is it priced so ridiculously high when cruising?  Here are just some examples of what you can expect to pay;

Azamara Club Cruises – $60 for 120 minutes.

Celebrity Cruises – $49.95 for 200 minutes.

Cunard Line – $47.95 for 2 hours.

P&O Cruises – £62.50 for 250 minutes.

Princess Cruises – $100 for 250 minutes.

I don’t know about you but looking at Azamara Club Cruises it will cost you almost £40 for 2 hours internet access! Personally I think that’s daylight robbery! Besides 2 hours isn’t exactly a long time when browsing an online newspaper, talking to loved ones on Skype, finding out how badly your football team performed at the weekend or keeping abreast of work emails.  What if you fancied watching a movie on your ipad not currently showing in your ships movie theatre….. no problem that will be £40 – it’s ridiculous.

Assuming you were consumed enough by your mobile electronic device, phone or tablet to want 24 hour access, as some people seem to be, certain cruise lines (like Azamara Club Cruises above) would be charging you upwards of £450 per day…that’s over £3000 on a weeks cruise!

An over-the-top example I know but the internet is part of the fabric of life these days, many businesses (including cruise lines) simply wouldn’t be able to function without it and in my opinion that defines it not as a luxury but as a necessity and should be priced as such.

I’d love to hear your thoughts, and particularly any stories of any surprisingly large bills encountered upon return from your holiday, cruise or not.