Kindling on a Mexican Cruise

[Whidbeyislandgirl]

Hi Folks,

Am I correct in assuming my Kindle will not have wireless access in Mexico? I have a Kindle 2, not the new international one.

Has anyone been on a cruise ship down that way?

Just checking before I download a weeks worth of reading.....

Thanks!

Vicki

[telracs]

The whole point of the kindle is that you can have many, many books on it, so why are you hesitating to download stuff to read while you're away?

[Whidbeyislandgirl]

I'm not hesitating, I just don't know what I'm going to want to read several days in to a trip. I may download six new books, then decide I don't like what I have and not be able to download anymore till I come home.

I do get the point of a kindle, that's why I have one. I've got 160 books on it, but they are archived, and you have to have wireless to get them back, just the same as buying new ones, so I can't count on being able to read something old.

I'm trying to avoid wasting money on books I may not like.

[telracs]

I'm not hesitating, I just don't know what I'm going to want to read several days in to a trip. I may download six new books, then decide I don't like what I have and not be able to download anymore till I come home.

I do get the point of a kindle, that's why I have one. I've got 160 books on it, but they are archived, and you have to have wireless to get them back, just the same as buying new ones, so I can't count on being able to read something old.

I'm trying to avoid wasting money on books I may not like.

My suggestion is to download all 160 before you go.  That way you can pick and chose without having to worry about having wireless connectivity.

[Betsy the Quilter]

You don't need to download 160, but I would surely download 30 or 40 at least from the archive....  Of course, this is from someone who has 500 books on my Kindle so I always have a library with me.

Betsy

[Seamonkey]

I have a huge number of books ready to read and when I finish one, I'm right there, trying to decide who comes next and off I go. Too impatient to wait to bring them over from archive ;-)~

[The Hooded Claw]

I'd make sure and have a good selection from your archive downloaded.  And check out the free book and bargain book threads in "The Book Bazaar Forum" here on this website, and find a few more that interest you.

If worst comes to worst, if you can get access to a computer with internet access, you can download books to the computer, and transfer them to your Kindle with a USB cable.  I'd be sure to take a compatible USB cable with you.  Maybe even an extra, if you are depending on the one in the K2 power cord.

[Betsy the Quilter]

Note that Internet access may or may not be free on the cruise ship....seems to me some friends who went on a cruise recently were pretty miffed that they had to pay for access even using their own computers....

Betsy

[carlobee]

yeah. Betsy is right. you may have to pay for internet access .. better yet just download all of the books you probably would need while you're away.

[marianneg]

I like The Hooded Claw's idea, except that I would download all my books to my laptop before leaving (a good idea anyway to have a local backup), and then you would have them all available whenever the mood strikes.

[The Hooded Claw]

Note that Internet access may or may not be free on the cruise ship....seems to me some friends who went on a cruise recently were pretty miffed that they had to pay for access even using their own computers....

I avoid going on cruises when I travel if I possibly can....One of the reasons is that I hear from reliable sources that Carnival Cruise Lines is trying to research a way to bill passengers for the air they breath while on the cruise ship!

[The Hooded Claw]

I like The Hooded Claw's idea

Marianner is clearly a wise person!  <hee hee>.  And with the Kindle PC reader (assuming the laptop is a PC and not an Apple) you could even read off the laptop.  Not as nice as reading on eInk, of course.

[Chris W]

Internet access when you are on the water is usually VERY expensive. Since you don't have a new K2i, you should download everything you need onto your Kindle ahead of time. Side loading from your computer via USB might become very costly if you wait and expect to download via WiFi or Ethernet. That's the advantage of having the memory for up to 1500 books.

[pidgeon92]

Note that Internet access may or may not be free on the cruise ship....

Free? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha 

My husband and I were avid cruisers.... Internet (which is connected via satellite) has so far always cost 75¢ per minute, or you can get a package of minutes for the entire cruise. And let me tell you, it takes foreeeeeever for the screens to come up. We used to cruise at least once a year, but it has been two years since our last cruise. I doubt the price of any extras have come down.

I remember when soda was a free drink, now they want $30 up front for unlimited soda on a cruise.

[Whidbeyislandgirl]

So what I am getting is that I will have internet access at a high cost, which is also slow, but if I'm willing to pay I can obviously downloand books that way. But I probably won't have wireless on my Kindle.....

Gotta say, I don't intend to re-download 160 books I've archived because I have already read them. I'll just take the risk and buy a handful of new books to download before I go. If I get desperate I'll pay to use the internet and download a new one.

I do understand I can download lots of books before I go, again that's why I bought a Kindle, but I don't have the money to spend on books that I may or may not like. I tend to buy only one at a time, maybe two. If I'm reading a series, I read one, if I like it I buy the next and so on. I don't feel the need to buy a bunch and sit on them, that was another reason I bought a Kindle, instant access to books, so I don't have to stock up when I go to the bookstore. Can't say how many times I've bought a series of books, only to dislike the first one.

Thanks to the folks who mentioned the internet access onboard, I hadn't thought about that.

[Rebekah]

If anyone happens to cruise or otherwise travel to Nassau, Bahamas, stop by their public library.  It's an old prison and is on the walking tour that we downloaded.  Their internet is FAST and CHEAP.  Something like a buck or two for 15 minutes.  We needed to check our email and didn't want to pay for the cruise ship's internet.

[pidgeon92]

I do understand I can download lots of books before I go, again that's why I bought a Kindle, but I don't have the money to spend on books that I may or may not like.

Might I suggest getting a bunch of classics? Absolutely free, and a large selection to choose from....

By the way, every cruise ship I have been on has a small library, where you can check out books for the length of the cruise. There are usually a few recent releases, and a lot of classics.

And yes, most ports will have an inexpensive internet cafe within walking distance... If you choose this route to download books, bring your USB cord, and remember to log out of your Amazon account when you are done.

[R. M. Reed]

I suspect that even a K2 International would have trouble finding a signal when you are out at sea. Cell phone systems don't cover every inch of the planet yet.

[DoubleDog]

one note on downloading from the ship.

I was on a cruise a few weeks ago and I thought the same thing... I thought I might use the usb on the ships computer to download a new book.

To keep people from messing with the computers, the CPU is in a locked desk. so you only can get to the keyboard, mouse and monitor.... so I'm doubtful you can get a usb hub.

Just a thought.....

[geekmama]

Vicki,
I suggest you take advantage of the samples. They are usually long enough that you can get a good idea if you like the book or not.

Vanessa

[Anju No. 469]

There are so many free and bargain books listed in the Book Bazaar, in fact go back several months because some of them may still be available.  That's all I get any more, mostly, sorta    I have never been on a cruise but have heard lots of horror stories about the phone, internet, etc.  You will be making stops too and the places will all have internet access because they are tourist places and the cost will not be prohibitive.

If you get some books, free or inexpensive, you can always delete them from your kindle if you don't like them.  Besides you might just find some new genres and authors.  Our kindleboard indie authors are pretty durn good and they don't cost an arm and a leg to get.

Have fun - and TAKE PICTRES, to post of course.

[Rie142]

while you are on the ship.  Talk to the dancers and singers or other employees of the cruise lines.   They know where all the free internet is on shore.   Internet connection for them is even more expensive on the ship than it is for passengers.         My oldest son has worked on a cruise ship for the last 5 years.   

[Betsy the Quilter]

So what I am getting is that I will have internet access at a high cost, which is also slow, but if I'm willing to pay I can obviously downloand books that way. But I probably won't have wireless on my Kindle.....

Gotta say, I don't intend to re-download 160 books I've archived because I have already read them. I'll just take the risk and buy a handful of new books to download before I go. If I get desperate I'll pay to use the internet and download a new one.

Aaaah....I didn't realize you had already read the 160 on the archive.  By all means check out the bargain and free book threads here and download a bunch.

Betsy

[Sandpiper]

Whidbey, I take it you live on Whidbey Island?  I don't know how many live on the island.  Do you know Jim and Linda? 

[Whidbeyislandgirl]

Oh, about 40,000 I'd say. Where do Jim and Linda live? It's a fairly big island, about 45 miles long, four small towns and a bigger one with a Navy Base.