Even on a vacation cruise, it’s tough to disconnect entirely. You want to share photos with family and friends, check emails, even keep up with news headlines.
That means cruise lines compete for who has the best internet at sea, along with competing for the best buffets, entertainment and itineraries.
The winner for best internet at sea may be Royal Caribbean Group, which has partnered with Elon Musk’s Starlink to supersize on-board internet across all its ships and lines – which include Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and luxury Silversea Cruises.
According to Royal Caribbean, the new partnership will revolutionize the onboard experience for guests and crew, with Wi-Fi connection as strong in their staterooms as in their own homes and offices. And best of all – it’s FREE. No more add-on costs for daily access.
The service rolls out first on Celebrity’s newest ship, Celebrity Beyond, on Sept. 5, and will be on all of Celebrity’s Edge Series ships by the end of 2022.
Installation will continue into 2023 and be complete by mid-year on the entire fleet, including RCI and Silversea ships.
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Executive Statements
“Starlink is a game-changer, and we can’t wait to revolutionize the seas with faster and more reliable Internet, making it easier for guests and crew to remain connected to work, family and friends, no matter where they choose to travel,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and CEO of Celebrity.
“Our purpose as a company is to deliver the best vacation experiences to our guests responsibly, and this new offering, which is the biggest public deployment of Starlink’s high-speed Internet in the travel industry so far, demonstrates our commitment to that purpose,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group.
“This technology will provide game-changing Internet connectivity onboard our ships, enhancing the cruise experience for guests and crew alike. It will improve and enable more high-bandwidth activities like video streaming as well as activities like video calls. Using Starlink is one more example of our continued focus on innovation and excellence for our guests, our crew, the communities we visit and our shareholders. Our work with SpaceX is another example of how Royal Caribbean Group continues to lead the cruise industry in innovation and adoption of cutting-edge technology.”
SpaceX Vice President of Starlink Sales Jonathan Hofeller said Royal Caribbean Group selected Starlink to provide high-speed, low-latency Internet across their fleet to make its passengers’ getaways even more luxurious. “We couldn’t be more excited to work with Royal Caribbean Group to ensure travelers at sea can stay connected with a great Internet experience,” he said.
For more information, visit www.royalcaribbeangroup.com or www.spacex.com.
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