You
may be sailing on the ocean
thousands of miles away from
home, but on a cruise ship you
can stay in touch with the rest
of the world.
“While many
travelers like to ‘pull
the plug’ on links to
their everyday lives while on
vacation, others feel the need
to stay connected,” says
Terry L. Dale, president and
CEO of the Cruise Lines International
Association (CLIA), the non-profit
organization representing the
North American cruise industry
and nearly 16,000 travel agencies.
“Today’s cruise
ships make it easy for guests
to stay in touch with family,
friends and even business, if
they so choose.”
Technological
advances have made it easier
to stay connected when away
from home. Most ships offer
satellite telephone service
and Internet access 24 hours
a day. Some vessels have multi-station
computer centers, while others
provide in-stateroom Internet
access for guests who bring
their own laptops. Some even
have wireless connections so
guests can use their laptops
or one rented onboard from remote
locations, such as on deck.
“Internet
access lets guests send and
receive e-mail messages, check
stock quotes, catch up on the
latest news and sports results,
and access various business
applications,” says Dale.
“It’s even common
today for people to send pictures
from their cruise back home
to friends and family from the
ship.” Those who may not
be computer-literate can take
courses onboard to learn how
to use the computer, navigate
the World Wide Web and design
Web sites.
But computers
are only the beginning of the
communication at sea. Satellite
telephone systems enable guests
to make direct-dial phone calls
while in port or at sea. Through
interactive in-room televisions,
guests can book shore excursions
or make reservations at the
spa or specialty restaurants.
Access to facsimile machines
is also available.
The cruise lines
also do their best to keep guests
up-to-date with the latest happenings
around the world. Guests can
view news and sports channels
on television, and news summaries
are generally included in the
ship’s daily bulletin.
“While there
is usually a charge for e-mail
or telephone services, many
guests think staying connected
is worth it,” says Dale.
“The best part, however,
is that the choice of whether,
how and how much to stay connected
is up to each guest.”
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