Carnival Cruise Line To Offer High-Speed Internet With Starlink
Carnival Cruise Line has signed an agreement with SpaceX’s Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite technology company, for super fast and reliable Wi-Fi for their guests. In these modern days, people expect to be able to check their email, even when in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
Carnival Cruise Line will offer fast Internet with Starlink
In the past, anyone enjoying a cruise had difficulty getting a decent Internet connection. Admittedly, to many, a little peace and quiet away from the outside world can be a boon. However, for those people who rely on a high-speed Internet connection, this has become a must, even when sailing away in the middle of an ocean.
Many transportation companies are investing in high-speed Internet and now Carnival is doing the same. Carnival Corporation made the announcement on Wednesday that they have signed an agreement with Elon Musk’s satellite company, SpaceX for a Starlink connection for their cruise ships. Meanwhile, this will provide faster and more reliable Wi-Fi for their passengers.
Carnival is now busy in the process of rolling out Starlink Internet on its global fleet, for Carnival Cruise Line and AIDA Cruises ships. The process already began in December 2022, and will also expand to other brands, such as Holland America Line, Cunard, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, Costa Cruises as well as P&O Cruises UK and Australia.
Besides Carnival, a few months ago, Celebrity Cruises announced the installation of the same high-speed Internet technology on the new Celebrity Beyond cruise ship.
What can travelers expect from Carnival’s new Internet service?
Passengers on Carnival cruise ships will soon enjoy a new, modern era of cruise travel. Starlink will allow both passengers and crew members to download and stream content, just like they would at home. In the meanwhile, they can also stay easily in touch with their family and friends while sailing.
The Starlink connection will allow guests to share photos and videos, watch live sporting events and stream movies. Meanwhile, they will have a convenient facility to share and update their social media.
Jonathan Hofeller, Vice President of Starlink sales for SpaceX made a statement as follows:
In even the most remote waters, guests onboard Carnival Corporation ships will be able to share real-time updates with friends and family.
Reportedly, customers using the Starlink service have shared their praise on social media. Meanwhile, they are now looking forward to using the new technology on their future trips.
According to Cruise Hive, the performance of the Starlink Maritime connection is expected to surpass many traditional home Internet services. As the system uses a dual satellite connection, speeds can range from 100-350 Mbps for downloads and 20-40 Mbps for uploads.
When can Carnival passengers expect the technology?
Carnival has yet to reveal exactly when the deployment of the new Starlink service will be completed. Bearing in mind that Carnival Corporation owns almost 100 ships, it will take some time. Meanwhile, there are no details available as to the price, or if the Internet service will be included with the price of the cabin. However, hopefully, details will be released soon.
Carnival improves its services
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, cruises are coming back in a big way. For that reason, Carnival Corporation is making efforts to compete in the industry and to attract more guests. However, with the new Starlink service, travelers from all over the world are already excited.
Meanwhile, Carnival is to add another new ship to its cruise line fleet next year, the Carnival Jubilee. The company has a number of popular routes to Alaska, Australia, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico and more.
However, other aspects of the travel industry are also investing in Starlink Internet for their travelers. Major US airlines like Hawaiian Airlines have already invested in the technology. More recently, Delta has announced that it will provide free in-flight Wi-Fi to all passengers with T-Mobile. This year will surely see more travel businesses going the same way.