Review: Princess Cruises Wi-Fi Service Speed, Reliability, Cost, and More
Table Of Content
Many cruise lines offer lower tiers of service that are less expensive, but do not offer streaming capabilities. Guests can connect to the internet via a personal device such as a smartphone or laptop, or they can use one of the ship's computers in the Business Center, located on Deck 1. The line relies on a VSAT satellite terminal — what Viking says is "one of the best solutions" for internet connection at sea.
THE FASTEST INTERNET AT SEA
All three are “surf” plans, with no video streaming capabilities. The Stay Connected package allows access to popular non-video social media channels. The Basic plan adds web browsing, email and Wi-Fi voice calling.
Price: Starting at $16 per day
Virgin Voyages Deploying Unmatched Internet Speed at Sea - Cruise Hive
Virgin Voyages Deploying Unmatched Internet Speed at Sea.
Posted: Mon, 26 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
The cost for this option is $36 per day, or $24 per day for the whole voyage. Most upscale and luxury cruise lines offer a complimentary basic Wi-Fi plan to upgrade if you need a faster connection. However, they still don’t run as smoothly as those available on land. New cruisers will want to know whether the ship has Wi-Fi and at what cost. Meanwhile, experienced cruisers are aware of how temperamental some systems can be. They want to know the best way to access a faster connection across devices while reducing unnecessary expenses.
Price: Starting at $20 per day
The Browse and Stream package includes streaming of music and video, as well as video uploads and chats. Discounts are offered for pre-cruise purchases and for multiple devices. Once a device is activated on the plan, it cannot be changed.
You can also earn this free spending money by booking your next sailing while onboard a ship at the future cruise desk. Even owning a cruise line's stock can get you onboard credit each time you cruise with the line. 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.
How Do You Access the Internet Once on the Ship?
Pre-purchasing the WiFi package is a good idea if you need internet at sea. If you plan on catching up on your favorite shows or watching movies, you should expect to pay a premium for streaming capabilities. That’s because your internet connection relies on the number of satellites the ship can connect. The connection may drop if you’re in a northern or southern region or sail between a gap in satellites.
Can I Use a VPN on the Cruise Ship?
Be aware that international phone plans may not apply to cruise ships. For some, if you permit your phone to roam, you can be charged $2.05/megabyte of data. When sailing on a cruise ship, the internet speeds are slower than you’re used to at home. The slower speeds are due to the cruise ship’s reliance on satellite-based connections, which can suffer from latency issues and interference. Though cruise ships may have slower connections, recent technological advancements have made it possible for you to access the internet at more affordable rates and increasing speeds.
What our guests are saying about MedallionNet Wi-Fi
Whether it’s simply checking in back home, wanting to stream your favorite shows on vacation, or even trying to get a little work done, wi-fi may as well be a requirement. Kids and parents both score with the Classic Soft Drinks Package + 1 VOOM Device. Our experience, however, is that you can actually stream at least some of those services that are supposedly no supported. To transfer access between devices, you simply follow the login procedures as normal. It will notify you that the account is already in use and ask if you want to switch devices.
Viking Ocean Cruises WiFi Packages
This package is great for those wishing to stream movies and such while underway and seems to have fairly good reviews from previous customers. Cruise Hive was established back in 2008 and among the earliest blogs in the industry. Since the start, it's been our aim to provide the latest cruise news covering all the major cruise lines. You can purchase packages with your cell phone provider, but they may be more expensive than packages on board.
For example, both Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Line have this option. When you book a cruise, you’ll generally be given the opportunity to purchase Wi-Fi before boarding. However, it's difficult to tell how good the connection will be before you arrive. For example, Norwegian Cruise Line has frequent (almost perpetual) sale deals known as "Free at Sea," that allow you to pick from among a menu of perks. 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. Complimentary Wi-Fi access is available to all Explora Journeys guests.
Only Cunard offers genuine free Wi-Fi, starting at two free hours after two voyages or 20 nights onboard. The free time online increases to four hours at the Platinum level and eight complimentary hours at the Diamond level. Crystal Cruises offers complimentary internet access, but does not specify which connectivity service the line employs. American Queen Voyages bundles in free Starlink internet access across its entire fleet of river, ocean and lake (discontinued in December 2023) vessels.
Unlimited Wi-Fi Package – 1 device is $25.50/day when purchased prior to your cruise. This allows you to browse websites, use social media apps (except for TikTok), and access email (no VPN). When added to a cruising package, it is available 24/7 with no data caps, which is nice considering others throttle when available if you read the fine print. You can further reduce costs by joining loyalty programs or using onboard credit.
Traditional satellite internet systems often suffer from latency issues due to the long distance signals must travel to reach the orbiting satellites and back to Earth. The cruise line will be offering speeds up to 1.5 Gbps, well above the standard offerings. The pandemic changes the way the world does business, and has opened up remote working opportunities for many.
However, many readers have written to us reporting significantly slower speeds, especially on older ships and northern sailings. Streaming, video calling, and texting over WiFi are all possible, though the quality may vary depending on the connection speed. The cost is $14.99 per day for one device or $25 per day for up to four devices. However, you can receive complimentary WiFi as part of the larger Princess Plus or Princess Premier packages, including items like drink packages and gratuities. Instead, you’ll find available options on the DCL-GUEST WiFi network after boarding.
They do advise that if you want to use the internet when it’s fastest, to avoid doing it first thing in the morning, or when the majority of passengers return from shore excursions. It will depend on where in the world/ocean you are, where in the ship you are, how many other people are using at the same time, etc. In terms of performance, Princess claims that MedallionNet download speeds can exceed 100 Mbps and upload speeds can exceed 60 Mbps.
Comments
Post a Comment