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The Social plan allows access to most popular social media channels. All plans can be purchased by the day or for the duration of the cruise. Cruise ships have Wi-Fi and they have offered Wi-Fi for some time. Wi-Fi on cruise ships has improved dramatically in recent years, but there are several things you should know about Wi-Fi on cruise ships before boarding. While the internet on cruise ships can be helpful, it's also important to remember that it will never be quite what we have on dry land. At Celebrity Cruises, for instance, the top Zenith tier in the line's Captain's Club loyalty program comes with unlimited free Premium-level internet (the fastest plan at the line).
Virgin Voyages internet service at a glance
The ship will sail year-round out of Miami through at least April 2023. Following the rollout of Starlink and our recent experience on a cruise to The Bahamas, we’ve changed our tune for Royal Caribbean’s VOOM service. During this most recent cruise the connection was solid with no hang-ups or dropped connections. While connected, we used WhatsApp to both message and make calls through the app.
Phone/Email/Mail
Of course, there are challenges to providing online access for thousands of people on a cruise ship that can be hundreds of miles of miles from the nearest land. That’s why in general you should expect the service on a cruise ship to be more expensive — and slower — than what you’d find back home. If guests are interested in streaming, they can pay for a higher-bandwidth plan at the cost of $9.99 per day. MSC Cruises offers two internet packages with a 20% discount for booking ahead of your sailing. Holland America completed the installation of Starlink across its entire fleet in December 2023, which enhanced connectivity for the line's guests and crew. If guests buy a Full Cruise Unlimited Package, the cost is $19.95 per day.
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With varying internet speeds, will I still be able to stream movies or music or use programs like Skype and FaceTime?
Other major cruise operators including Norwegian, Royal Caribbean and Carnibal have also been making the switch to Starlink. In 2023, Celebrity will be installing StarLink Satellite internet on its ships, which will provide a much faster experience. Stay tuned for more details as they roll out the system across all their ships.
It’s always a good idea to check directly with any cruise line for the most up-to-date information on their Wi-Fi offerings before you embark. As part of the Royal Caribbean Group, Celebrity Cruises has also completed its Starlink rollout. They take a different approach to Royal in that they still offer a “tiered” access system.
Loyal cruisers and members of the Latitudes Rewards Program receive discounts of up to 25% on Wi-Fi packages based on their membership tier level. Benefits begin with a 15% discount at the Platinum level. The package is available on most sailings for $55 per person, per day. You can purchase internet plans in advance of your sailing or once on board by logging onto the ship's Wi-Fi and going to the line's My Voyage app. Celebrity Cruises uses Starlink as a provider for internet service across its entire fleet, with the exception of its Galapagos-based ships.
MSC Cruises
Wireless internet is available in most public areas and cabins on all Windstar ships, and passengers can access computers onboard. High-bandwidth online activities are not recommended by the line. Princess Cruises' MedallionNet offers a package sold by the day or for the entire voyage. Wi-Fi is also included in both Princess fare bundles, Princess Plus and Princess Premier. Cunard does not offer a downloadable app, but rather a planner (My Voyage) for use while accessing the ship’s Wi-Fi.
Can I Work or Attend School With the Service?
Like MSC, Norwegian Cruise Line offers two “unlimited Internet” packages, one for basic Internet and their Unlimited Premium Wi-Fi package for streaming. They also include 150 minutes of complimentary Internet with their “Free At Sea” package, although this is on their basic unlimited wi-fi package. Rates for mobile phone use are determined by your home carrier. Please note that calls to 800, 888, 866,and 877 numbers are not toll free. You will be billed by your home carrier for international roaming usage on your regular mobile phone bill.
The good news is that an increasing number of cruise lines—Celebrity Cruises and Viking among them—are including at least a basic internet package in their cruise fares. Lines such as Holland America, Norwegian, and Princess Cruises also run promotions that include free Wi-Fi. On river cruises, Wi-Fi is included, with ships relying on cell towers (because they are always near land), but it can be rather slow at times. Luxury ships also tend to include some Wi-Fi, with the option of upgrading to a premium package.
Platinum and Elite members of Princess Cruises' loyalty program receive a 50% discount on plans that will appear as an onboard credit on the ship. You can purchase prepaid packages during the first two days of the voyage, and pricing is based on the number of minutes — or days — guests will need access to the internet. The plans are only available for one device at a time, and unused minutes are nonrefundable.
Most carriers offer special cruise packages you can use while sailing. The charges incurred will appear on your regular cellular bill you receive at home. For more information on exact pricing contact your carrier or visit their webpage. Scarlet Lady, the first cruise ship from Virgin Voyages, may not offer internet that is as fast as you get on land. But for a cruise vessel, it boasts reasonably solid internet service -- assuming you pay the upcharge to get the line's faster Premium Voyage service. But delivering fast, inexpensive internet to people on ships that are on the move in the open ocean is neither easy nor inexpensive.
All these advancements cost cruise companies big time—up to hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Check the fine print and ensure that you pick the right package as there are some pre-purchase restrictions that are enforced before embarking. Ships also will deal with bandwidth and data issues, which means the more people that are using it at the same time, the slower it will generally be. 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. If you've brought a laptop, it might not fit in the safe, so you'll need to leave it packed away in a suitcase or drawer if you don't want to leave it out in the open.
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Once onboard, access to the app is available without buying a Wi-Fi plan, in fact, it’s where you go to sign in to or purchase your Celebrity Wi-Fi package. The Celebrity Cruises app allows guests to preview menus, find venues onboard, book shore excursions and plan their entire cruise. Checking in and performing the onboard safety drill are easier with the app.
Seabourn has an app to help guests curate their cruise experience while onboard. All Seabourn ships have satellite Wi-Fi access in suites and most public areas, as well as via terminals located in Seabourn Square. Passengers can sign up to gain access on a shared computer in the Oceania@Sea Internet Center, or by connecting to the network directly from their personal devices. Crystal does not have an app, but rather an intranet page that appears when you log in to the Wi-Fi. The page leads you to dining choices, ship position, entertainment, shore excursions and ship services during your cruise.
Seabourn includes complimentary basic Wi-Fi for one device per guest, or you can pay to upgrade to a streaming package. Packages are sometimes based not on minutes but on speed, bandwidth and restricted access. For example, Carnival offers a plan that only includes access to social media sites and apps, plus major airline sites. The price is $6.80 per person per day when booked pre-cruise.
If you’re doing what the service is designed for — streaming shows, checking email, etc. — you likely won’t be running into issues. But if you are using a ton of data, you might be asked about what’s going on. You’ll have access but will still deal with the slower service you often find at sea. In other words, while you may find service is more than fast enough to meet your needs, be prepared for the possibility of slower speeds than you are used to.
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