Club Med Columbus Isle

We haven't been to a club med in the last dozen or so years.
I understand that cellphones are iffy. Are there land line phones in the rooms these days? Is computer access stable or have people had trouble with internet connections at this property.

Thanks!

This is from CM's web page:

Internet* :
- 3 Internet access points in the library - Wi-Fi access in the lounges, near Reception, the bar and swimming pool.

For information on availability of mobile phone signals and Internet connection, please contact your provider before your departure.
2011/2012 (prices given as an indication), Internet and Wifi access:
1 hour: 5 USD; 1 day: 15 USD; 1 week: 50 USD

There are "land line" phones in every guest room at Columbus Isle, but calling out is very expensive. (Even the so-called "land line" phone service comes in via satellite; this little island is in the middle of the ocean.) What we used to do before we had cell phones that worked on San Sal was just make a quick call home & then have our kids call us back from our NYC home phone, since we have a low-cost international calling plan on that. That was very reasonable in terms of total cost, since calling to the Bahamas from the US is relatively cheap. For anyone to call to the land-line phone in your room, just have them call the Club Med Columbus Isle Reception number and Reception will transfer the call to your room: +1 (242) 331-2000. From the US or Canada, this is a direct-dial number with the same international area code as one would use for a domestic call (1). From anywhere else in the world, the country code is +1.
In recent years our US AT&T cell phones have worked everywhere at Columbus Isle. (Again, if you don't have a special international calling plan on your cell phone account, it will be very expensive.) Not all mobile carriers have service that works on San Salvador Island, though, so you have to check with your own carrier. (And specificially inquire about the Bahamas "out islands" because some service that will work in Nassau will not work on Sal Salvador Island.) If you use an iPhone, or any other internet-enabled "smart" phone, be sure to turn OFF your international roaming when you are in the Bahamas, so your phone is not continuously checking for e-mails & voice mails, etc. Otherwise, you may have a nasty surprise when you get your bill later.
As far as the internet goes, wi-fi is free for Club Med Gold GM's. For others, there are different rates depending on whether you want it for just a few hours, a full day or by the week. Last time we were there (a few months ago), it was US $50 for a week.
Usually it is fairly dependable (although slow so don't expect to be able to easily download large files), but it is not accessible from all parts of the Village. Some folks are able to get the wi-fi signal in their rooms, some not. It is usually available around the Sea Center, near Reception, and in the bar areas. You can inquire with Reception when you get there to find out if it's working well and if you'll be able to get it in your particular room or not. Also, there is a computer room between Reception and the main bar area, with several wired computers that usually work all the time. I don't know what the charges are to use them; again, Reception can tell you. Try to go early in the morning when they are not crowded with groups of teenagers on Facebook, or else you will get very frustrated.
Oh, one last thought, if you will be using a mobile phone in the Bahamas for the first time, make sure to contact your mobile service provider before you leave to ask if your account has to be "unlocked" for international use (note this is not the same thing as "unlocking" a phone for use with any carrier; it has to do with possible default restrictions on your account). With many carriers you can add an low-cost international plan for just a small extra fee each month, and then remove that extra service (& the fee) when you get home. If you plan to use the mobile phone more than once while you are in the Bahamas, you will make up the amount of that small extra fee and may save yourself a hefty bill...
If you have a computer with you, you can also use the wi-fi to Skype. Most of the GO's there use Skype. And if you have an iPhone or iPod Touch, you can use the wi-fi & a (free) Skype app for your phone calls also. (Worked well with my iPod Touch, for free phone calls; since we got free wi-fi as Gold GM's.)

Adria

Thanks for the comprehensive response. I'm not planning on spending much time on the phone, but have purchased an inexpensive phone card which I hope will work! Linda

The last time I was there, in 2010, internet access was free because the internet connection was so spotty that the club couldn't guarantee it would be working at any given time. Has that changed? Robin

It is USD50 per week now, there are as well hourly and daily rates

bam bam !!

Not sure if it is the same in CI but in Turks you had to specifically log-off the internet provider to stop the clock running on the hourly rate. Closing the browser was not enough to stop the clock from running. Less of an issue with a daily or weekly pass but cause the rate is not time based.

quote:

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Originally posted by Chicago Jim

Not sure if it is the same in CI but in Turks you had to specifically log-off the internet provider to stop the clock running on the hourly rate. Closing the browser was not enough to stop the clock from running. Less of an issue with a daily or weekly pass but cause the rate is not time based.

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Yes, you need to log off at Columbus Isle as well, which they will (or should) explain to you at Reception when they give you the access code for the wi-fi access. Also, they will explain that the access code will only work for one device at a time. That means that if there are 2 people in a room, sharing the same access code, only one of you can be logged on at a time. Or for one person only using the access code, you need to log off your computer if you want the same access code to work for an iPhone or iPod Touch or other device.

Last summer the internet service was much more reliable than the previous summer. I even got wi-fi on the beach on my iPod Touch. And service was only down for a few hours when Hurricane Irene side-swiped the island in August. (GO's were already posting storm videos on Facebook the morning after.)

Adria

It's very expensive to call from the rooms. If you have a laptop, I'd suggest downloading and purchasing time with Skype, then using skype to make your calls.