Good news for those who think the only way to get in touch with home from a cruise ship is through a message in a bottle. Cruise ships are equipped with internet, and cruise Wi-Fi connections are rapidly increasing in speed. It’s faster and cheaper.
While checking email or surfing the web on some ships still requires the patience of a job, many ships have a combination of improved onboard technology and new satellite and shore-direct systems that allow you to Internet access is becoming much more similar to that on land.
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If you’re on a cruise ship for the first time, you’re probably most concerned about the basics. Does the cruise ship have Wi-Fi and how much does Wi-Fi cost while on a cruise?Repeat customers who have paid for attentive service will be able to use their devices while avoiding unnecessary charges. You may be wondering the best way to access high-speed connections between.
Learn more about cruise ship Wi-Fi. Here are her top five things to know about onboard internet before you set sail.
Cruise ship Wi-Fi isn’t as fast (or reliable) as it is at home
Yes, all cruise ships today offer internet connectivity, but it may not be the seamless experience you’d expect on land.
I’ve been writing about cruises for years, and the typical internet connection at sea isn’t just slow. It has become a glacier. Clicking on a website can only lead to frustrating seconds. Maybe a page will appear. Probably not. Maybe the cruise ends while you’re still sitting there.
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Why is it slow? First of all, her Comcast cable doesn’t go to the cruise ship. On cruise ships, most of the packets of data you download to your phone or computer are sent via satellite, but this isn’t a quick or cheap method.
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Maritime communications companies that specialize in providing internet connectivity to ships have been striving to increase speeds in recent years. Solutions include adding more satellites, linking the system to towers on land and connecting with ships approaching the coast.
But at the end of the day, there are limits to how well satellite systems can work. First, ships need a clear “line of sight” to the satellite to exchange data, which is not always the case. For example, cruise ships sailing through the famous Norwegian fjords can lose satellite signals due to the height of the surrounding mountains.
Also, in certain parts of the world, satellite coverage is too limited or non-existent, making it impossible to access the Internet on cruise ships. While sailing through the Russian Arctic on a Hapag-Lloyd cruise ship, we were forced to live without internet for the better part of a week due to the lack of satellite coverage in the region (in some ways, it’s great). I can’t help it)).
So while Wi-Fi speeds on cruise ships are improving, they’re never going to be as fast as they are at home, where the signal is wired directly to your router.
In-flight internet speeds are significantly faster
On some cruise ships, the signal is now so fast that you can stream Netflix from the comfort of your cabin. This was unthinkable just a few years ago.
New satellite systems, coupled with multi-million dollar investments in ship technology, are greatly improving the situation. The turning point came in 2014 for him. That’s when cruise giant Royal Caribbean partnered with satellite company O3b Networks to develop a new onboard internet system that he claims is six times faster than other systems at sea. The system, called Voom, uses a new medium-orbit satellite operated by O3b that can fire a beam directly at moving ships.
When we ran Voom’s speed tests on Adventure of the Seas, we found that the fastest option on the line, the Surf + Stream service, typically had download speeds of just around 3 megabits per second. My download speeds never exceeded 4 Mbps, but I did see them drop to 1.5 Mbps. Although it’s considerably slower than many home connections, it’s fast enough to enjoy Netflix and other streaming video services, though I did experience some occasional video graininess and buffering issues.
Royal Caribbean still claims Voom is the fastest and best Wi-Fi option on cruise ships. But we’re a little skeptical. Not because the Wi-Fi is slower than stated, but because other cruise lines like Carnival Cruise Line are quickly catching up.
Carnival Cruises’ Wi-Fi is fast enough to support Netflix streaming on some ships, the company says. The cruise line is using a hybrid system that combines faster satellite connectivity at sea with a network of inexpensive land-based towers that serve as ships near coastal areas.
While sailing on the Carnival Sunrise, one of the Carnival ships with faster internet, I noticed a significant increase in cruise Wi-Fi speeds. However, access to the promised Netflix streaming wasn’t as smooth as I had hoped. When I clicked on my favorite show, I could only watch it for a few minutes before the connection inevitably froze.
In just the past year or so, some lines have begun partnering with Elon Musk’s Starlink system for high-speed internet.
RELATED: How fast is the internet on Celebrity Cruises? We put it to the test
Cruise internet prices have dropped
Just a few years ago, you had to pay a small amount of money for the privilege of accessing the Internet on a cruise ship. For many years, the base price for in-flight Wi-Fi started at 75 cents per minute. One hour online costs $45.
The old pay-per-minute system, which could have resulted in hefty charges for even the most modest Internet user, is now giving way to simpler and more affordable “all-you-can-browse” plans on many lines. It has been replaced.
How much does Wi-Fi cost on a cruise today? Well, the fastest version of Royal Caribbean’s Voom connection currently costs $26.99 per day per device. At the old rate of 75 cents per minute, you could get 36 minutes of Web usage for the same amount.
Royal Caribbean also offers a slower version of Voom that cannot support streaming for $19.99 per device per day. Both cruise internet packages offer discounts when you add a device or purchase your package online before you set sail.
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Another way to dramatically lower your internet costs is Carnival. We currently offer very low-end social Wi-Fi plans that give you access to all major social sites (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) and messaging services like WhatsApp for just $15.30 ($18) a day. Masu. (if purchased on-board). The slightly more expensive Value Wi-Fi plan costs $19.55 per day if purchased in advance ($23 per day if purchased in-flight) and adds email and access to most websites.
The line’s top Premium Wi-Fi plan costs $21.25 per day if purchased in advance ($25 if purchased on-board), triples the speeds of the Value Plan, and provides access to messaging apps such as Skype (FaceTime). Adds access to VoIP calls (not available). Note that even cheaper plans may allow Wi-Fi calling via iPhone or WhatsApp. Passengers who pay for a Carnival Cruise Wi-Fi plan before sailing will receive a 15% discount.
But perhaps the biggest development in cruise internet prices in recent years is that many high-end lines have started offering free internet access. Viking, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and Silversea Cruises include unlimited internet time in the base price of your voyage. Some of these lines, such as Regent, allow you to pay an additional fee for faster service.
Another way to get free or cheap internet time onboard is to join your cruise line’s loyalty program. Many airlines offer free cruise Wi-Fi or discounted package prices to mid- to high-level customers.
For example, on Celebrity Cruises, the top Zenith tier of the line’s Captain’s Club loyalty program comes with unlimited complimentary premium-level internet (the line’s fastest plan). Princess Cruises offers customers 50% off MedallionNet Internet packages when they reach the Platinum level in the airline’s Captain’s Circle loyalty program (to qualify, customers must take 5 cruises or 50 days (must complete the cruise).
On Royal Caribbean, it’s the luxury suites that offer free internet during your cruise. Receive a free His Voom when you book a room in a Sky Class Suite or Star Class Suite (all suites above the Junior Suite level).
App offers an alternative to paid cruise Wi-Fi
In recent years, more and more cruise lines are rolling out free apps for your phone that let you book onboard restaurants, spa treatments and other services without leaving your pool deck lounge chair. On some Carnival-operated ships, you can also use the app to order beer and pizza from anywhere.
Many of these apps can also show you a schedule of daily activities, provide ship deck plans and in some cases port maps to help you navigate, and even provide real-time visibility into your onboard account statements. Masu. On Celebrity Edge and other Celebrity Cruises Edge-class ships, you can also use the app to remotely open cabin doors, change TV channels, and turn off lights.
All of these apps work on your cruise ship’s Wi-Fi, but the good news is that you don’t need to purchase a plan to use them. Also, there are no other types of fees, at least for most features.
For $5 per cruise, Carnival adds a “chat” feature to the line’s free HUB app, allowing you to communicate through text-like messages with other passengers who have enabled the app. Norwegian Cruise Line also requires passengers to pay a fee (currently $9.95 per cruise for him) to use the messaging and calling features of the Cruise Norwegian app.
Cruise Internet Tip: Use Airplane Mode to Avoid Unnecessary Charges
Regardless of whether you purchase a Wi-Fi plan on your cruise ship or not, I have one very strong piece of advice: Don’t worry. That means putting your phone on airplane mode the moment you board the ship and leaving it on for the entire cruise. On a voyage.
This is the safest way to avoid potentially expensive and unnecessary data charges. (Remember the story of the family whose data bill cost her $14,000 while on a cruise?)
International phone plans, such as AT&T’s $10-a-day International Day Pass, don’t apply to cruise ships at sea, as many cruise ships have a difficult path. Roaming his AT&T phone on the ship meant he would pay $2.05 per megabyte of data, even if his basic plan at home offered unlimited data. It also costs $3 per minute to make calls, $0.50 per minute to text, and $1.30 to send a photo. All this results in immediate results.
AT&T offers a “Cruise Plus” plan that allows you to make unlimited calls and text messages during your voyage for up to 30 days for a flat fee of $100. However, you only get 1 gigabyte of data (which may seem like a lot until you start streaming movies), and your overage bill is still a hefty $10 per 100 megabytes. Also, it is not available on all ships. More than 175 vessels are participating in this program.
If you insist on leaving your cell service on while cruising, at least disable all apps running in the background (they consume data and cost you money) and disable automatic email checking. must be.
Personally, I find it easier to just press the airplane mode button. Once in airplane mode, reactivate his Wi-Fi feature on your phone to access cruise Wi-Fi and sign up for an onboard plan that allows you to stay in touch via email or VoIP services such as WhatsApp.
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