Do Cruise Ships Have Wi-Fi 5 Things to Know

Table Of Content

• Is There WiFi on Cruise Ships? : Wi-Fi and Internet Access at Sea Explained
• Connectivity May Be Slow on Some Cruise Ships
• FAQs about Wifi on Cruise Ships
• Do Cruise Ships Have Wi-Fi? And 6 Other Things You Need to Know About Internet at Sea
• Royal Caribbean WiFi Packages
• You’re our first priority.Every time.

There are no different packages for different speeds or types of access; instead, you simply choose whether or not you want to purchase WiFi access. Some ships, like the Disney Wish, offer two packages, Basic Surf for $20 per day and Premium Surf for $30 per day. You’ll often find pre-booking discounts offered by the cruise line. Pre-purchasing the WiFi package is a good idea if you need internet at sea. If you plan on catching up on your favorite shows or watching movies, you should expect to pay a premium for streaming capabilities. You may find inconsistent internet speeds throughout the day and in different areas of the ship.

Is There WiFi on Cruise Ships? : Wi-Fi and Internet Access at Sea Explained

It should be left this way the entire time you are at sea to avoid roaming charges. Despite working off Wi-Fi, they do not require guests to purchase an internet plan to operate them. Additionally, most don’t have an added fee for most of the features. The cruise line will be offering speeds up to 1.5 Gbps, well above the standar offerings. The pandemic changes the way the world does business, and has opened up remote working opportunities for many.

Do cruise ships have Wi-Fi? A line-by-line guide to internet access at sea - The Points Guy

Do cruise ships have Wi-Fi? A line-by-line guide to internet access at sea.

Posted: Thu, 04 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Connectivity May Be Slow on Some Cruise Ships

These services provide a more reliable and faster internet connection compared to the ship’s wifi network. However, they can come at a higher cost and may have limited availability, depending on the cruise line and the ship. Norwegian Cruise Line provides wifi access to guests on all their ships, allowing them to stay connected while at sea. The cruise line offers different wifi packages, including per-minute plans, per-day plans, and unlimited packages.

FAQs about Wifi on Cruise Ships

The line offers discounts for multi-device plans and on voyages of 16 nights or more. The cruise lines charge different amounts for different tiers of service. They also charge based on the number of devices used at one time. So if you want to connect two devices at once (such as a husband and wife both surfing the internet), then you’ll pay twice as much. Hurtigruten Expeditions uses Starlink onboard and offers the service for free to guests and crew. The adventure line’s entire fleet, except its ship in the Galapagos, utilizes the new internet connection in collaboration with long-time partner Speedcast.

One of the primary advantages of Starlink Internet is its exceptional speed. Traditional satellite internet systems often suffer from latency issues due to the long distance signals must travel to reach the orbiting satellites and back to Earth. The world has also become acutely aware of the importance of connectivity. Wanting to stay ahead of the game and to keep current with their innovative approach to cruising, Virgin Voyages will be the first cruise line to incorporate SES Cruise mPOWERED + Starlink PRO services.

Younger guests, such as those attracted to Virgin Voyages, tend to attract, feels that connectivity is paramount. Having a reliable internet connection allows for cruisers to check in at work or home with confidence that those important connections will be ready and available when needed. Guests who need faster speeds and streaming services like Skype, Netflix, YouTube, or VPN services can upgrade to the Stream WiFi package for $19.95 per day. When you switch devices, the previously connected device is kicked off the network once the new device signs in. Regent Seven Seas Cruises provides basic complimentary WiFi for all guests.

It is important that you understand how much bandwidth you’ll need so that your connection remains secure and consistent. Unfortunately, there isn't much else an individual cruiser can do. Users won't find much difference between connecting via Wi-Fi at the ship's internet center versus other locations on the ship.

If You Want to Stream or Have a Video Call, You'll Need to Pay More

Celebrity Cruises uses Starlink as a provider for internet service across its entire fleet, with the exception of its Galapagos-based ships. If guests buy a Full Cruise Unlimited Package, the cost is $19.95 per day. This plan can be purchased at any time during the sailing, but guests will be charged for the full length of the voyage. If you're struggling to upload photos on a sea day when everyone is on board and online, wait until folks are off the ship in port to try again.

So before we get into the nitty gritty of what different cruise lines have to offer, let’s cover the basics of what you need to know about Internet and WiFi on cruise ships. Yet, it’s important to know that while Wi-Fi is widely available across all major cruise lines, it’s rarely complimentary, and speeds can be significantly slower than you’re used to on land. With this internet access, you can check email, chat, surf the internet, FaceTime with your kids and pets, post photos and stream shows and music with speeds similar to what you might have at home. The Surf Voyage package is the most popular option at $17.15 per day per device and provides access to most social media websites and applications.

Passengers can receive a discount by purchasing packages that bundle a drink package with internet access. While the speed of an individual cruise ship might be enough to stream movies, you might end up going through your available bandwidth quickly. Unlimited Social Media Wi-Fi – 1 device – 12.50/day when purchased prior to your cruise allows access to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, but not TikTok. From my own personal experience, I tested StarLink internet onboard the Brilliance of the Seas in January 2023. For most users, even heavy users, this speed is more than fast enough for streaming as well as work applications.

Additionally, look for deals on Wi-Fi packages – if you purchase in advance you can usually save up to 20%. The Viking Voyager app allows guests to preview and book shore excursions, learn about upcoming ports and view weather forecasts, among other things. In other words, unless you are sailing on Norwegian, then you should just assume you can’t access with a virtual private network.

We live in a digital age where social media is prevalent in many aspects of our lives. You can connect per plan or purchase a second plan with a 10% discount. By comparison, most people use internet speeds of 50 to 200 Mbps at home. Celebrity Cruises Edge Class will enable guests to use the app to remotely open cabin doors, turn off lights, and change television channels.

Premium internet access is also available, free of charge, to all passengers on world cruises. Passengers on Silversea can use their own personal devices to access the internet in their cabins or throughout the ship. Computers with internet access are also available onboard via internet cafes on all ships. Seabourn offers a complimentary Surf package to all guests, one device per guest. A package suitable for four devices, plus streaming and VPN capabilities is available for purchase.

Additionally, the ship’s location, weather conditions, and congestion can impact the quality of the internet connection. Carnival Cruise Lines offers wifi on all of its ships, ensuring that guests can stay connected throughout their voyage. The cruise line offers various wifi plans, allowing passengers to choose the package that best suits their needs.

Depending on your phone, it may be easiest to use a messaging app like WhatsApp. We’ve noticed that the iMessage service on iPhones seems to work well to send messages to other iPhones, but doesn’t easily text Android users over the wi-fi. For lower-tier plans that are less expensive, expect the speed to be slower. On most ships, you can fit a tablet, e-reader or cellphone in your in-cabin safe when not using it -- though there might not be room for everyone to store all their electronics inside at once.