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When we mentioned pricing above, you noticed that it was on a per-day basis. Most plans are sold this way (similar to drink packages). You pay a set amount per day, and the plan is purchased for the entire cruise. So if it’s $20 per day, you’ll pay $140 for a seven-day cruise. You can further reduce costs by joining loyalty programs or using onboard credit.
Is there a best time to use the onboard Wi-Fi?
When you’re on a cruise, staying connected with friends or sharing your vacation photos on social media can be important to you. To make things easy, here’s a clear breakdown of what you can expect regarding Wi-Fi options on various cruise ships including the prices for internet packages as they currently stand. Nearly every cruise line offers onboard wifi to its guests. However, while nearly every cruise vessel has wifi available, most cruise lines have very different wifi policies and packages. Not every cruise line is the same when it comes to wifi and internet access.
Have an iPhone? You May be Able to Text for Free Onboard
Passengers who choose to sail in MSC Cruises' Yacht Club suites, an exclusive luxury cruise area within each ship, get free premium unlimited Wi-Fi for the duration of their cruise. Cruise lines that include free Wi-Fi for all passengers are luxury lines like Seabourn, Silversea and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, along with upscale cruise lines Oceania Cruises and Viking. The world has also become acutely aware of the importance of connectivity. MedallionNet is the Wi-Fi service of Princess cruise lines, and recently they announced some improvements to their service even to help accommodate those that might need to work while onboard. Premium – this has the highest amount of data which allows for everything including streaming and video calls. In 2023, Celebrity will be installing StarLink Satellite internet on its ships, which will provide a much faster experience.
Will internet be free on my cruise?
The per-device price drops when purchasing either plan for multiple devices. Note that MSC does not let you switch from one device to another on the same plan, so make sure to sign in to your plan for the first time on the device you intend to use it on. Disney Cruise Line previously offered varied internet plans for different ships and cruise destinations but now offers standard packages across its fleet. Here is an overview of what to expect from internet offerings on cruise ships and a line-by-line look at the plans and pricing available on your next cruise vacation. The premium package, starting at $30 per day, grants you the ability to stream music and make video calls. These prices are valid when you purchase internet for the entire duration of the cruise; per-day rates are higher.
Carnival Cruise Line raises prices for specialty restaurants, Wi-Fi - USA TODAY
Carnival Cruise Line raises prices for specialty restaurants, Wi-Fi.
Posted: Wed, 06 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
At Carnival, you'll pay $5 per cruise to add a "chat" feature to the line's otherwise free HUB app that will let you communicate via text-like messages with other app-enabled passengers. Norwegian Cruise Line also requires passengers to pay a fee (currently $9.95 per cruise) to use a messaging and calling feature of its Cruise Norwegian app. On Royal Caribbean, the path to free Internet on a cruise is through its high-end suites. Book a room in a Sky Class or Star Class suite (all suites above the junior suite level), and you'll receive free Voom. But, in the end, there are limits to just how well a satellite system can work. For starters, a ship needs a clear "line of sight" to a satellite to exchange data, something that isn't always the case.
Cruise Ship Wi-Fi Comparison Table (Including the Different Type of Wi-Fi Service Offered)
Whether your ship's internet is working at any given moment depends primarily on satellite availability. Are you in the middle of the Alaskan or Norwegian fjords? Internet on riverboats -- at least in the United States and Europe -- is slightly different, as most boats are connecting to land-based signals. These tend to be of average speed but can be blocked by landmarks like shipping locks and high towers or landscape features like hills and mountains.
They may not be super close to where you dock, and sometimes, they’re not open when you need them. Before heading out, do a quick Google search for the best spots, and always log out of everything once you’re done. If Cruise Wi-Fi seems too steep for your wallet, you’ve got some other choices to stay connected. Right now, Norwegian is slowly rolling Starlink out across their fleet, so if speed is important to you, you’ll need to do some research to find out if your ship has it installed. The wi-fi tends to be slower during the day, as many people are using the internet at the same time and there is some congestion.
Price: Starting at $16 per day
Wi-Fi is not available on NCL’s private island experiences Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas and Harvest Caye in Belize. Wi-Fi plans available for purchase by the day or for the cruise duration include a Premium plan that has full Internet connectivity other than video streaming. To stream video from services like Netflix, Disney Plus and Prime, the Stream plan is available at a higher price. Keep in mind that these services often have licensing restrictions outside the U.S. and some content may not be available.
I tried the newest ships from Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Norwegian. Here’s how they compare
Azmara offers packages that start at $0.33/a minute with one-hour passes to one-day or full cruise packages. Wavenet is the internet service provided by Oceania, and the basic levels are free to all sailing with them. Additionally, a Prime option can be tacked for $9.99 a day to more robust access to allow for such things as streaming and the like.
Passengers have wireless access in most of the suites on the ships. However, bandwidth-heavy applications such as Netflix, Skype, YouTube and VPN are not included in the free plans. Most upscale and luxury cruise lines offer a complimentary basic Wi-Fi plan to upgrade if you need a faster connection. Because satellite service can be spotty, cruise ships do not guarantee that you will always have connectivity. Most cruise lines offer a couple different WiFi packages. Basic packages often allow access to popular social media platforms, text messages and email.
Many luxury cruise lines include a very basic internet plan, which you can then upgrade to fit your needs. Regardless of the plan or cruise line, you'll typically receive a discount for purchasing before you board. On most cruise lines, you'll need a minimum of $100 in onboard credit per device for a week's worth of free basic Wi-Fi. On lines that offer premium plans designed for streaming, you'll need around $20 per day per device. The line offers complimentary unlimited internet access throughout its fleet.
When I ran a speed test of Voom on Adventure of the Seas, I found the line's fastest option, the Surf + Stream service, usually offered download speeds of just around 3 megabits per second. I never found download speeds exceeding 4 Mbps, but I did see it drop as low as 1.5 Mbps. The maritime communication companies that specialize in providing internet connections to ships have been trying to speed things up in recent years. Solutions have included adding more satellites and linking their systems to land-based towers that connect with ships as they near shore. To start, there is no Comcast cable wire running to your cruise ship.
Windstar offers three options and an all-inclusive bundle. The Email plan is 200 MB, which would amount to between 15 and 60 minutes of time online. The Surfing plan provides 500 MB, suitable for light surfing for approximately five hours. 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. Cunard does not offer a downloadable app, but rather a planner (My Voyage) for use while accessing the ship’s Wi-Fi.
