No more bad WiFi at sea? SpaceX’s Starlink is providing high-speed internet on CRUISE SHIPS after inking new deal with Royal Caribbean
- Royal Caribbean is partnering with SpaceX’s Starlink to offer high-speed internet onboard its fleet of cruise ships
- ‘We couldn’t be more excited to work with Royal Caribbean Group to ensure travelers at sea can stay connected,’ said SpaceX’s VP of Starlink sales
- Royal Caribbean previously deployed a pilot version of the technology on Freedom of the Seas and received a ‘tremendous amount of positive feedback’
- The service, intended to bolster typically poor connectivity at sea, will begin immediately and be fully deployed by March 2023
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is providing high-speed internet connectivity with Starlink for all of Royal Caribbean’s cruise ships after inking a new deal this week.
The low-latency broadband will be installed on all of the company’s International, Celebrity and Silversea cruise ships – as well as all new vessels for these brands – and will be completed by March 2023.
‘Royal Caribbean Group selecting Starlink to provide high-speed, low-latency internet across their fleet will make their passengers’ getaways even more luxurious,’ said SpaceX Vice President of Starlink Sales Jonathan Hofeller in a statement.
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SpaceX is providing high-speed internet connectivity with Starlink for all of Royal Caribbean’s cruise ships after inking a new deal this week
The low-latency broadband will be installed on the company’s International, Celebrity and Silversea cruise ships – as well as all new vessels for these brands
‘We couldn’t be more excited to work with Royal Caribbean Group to ensure travelers at sea can stay connected with a great internet experience.’
Internet connectivity at sea is historically bad and this partnership is aimed at changing that.
‘This technology will provide game-changing internet connectivity onboard our ships, enhancing the cruise experience for guests and crew alike,’ Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, said in a statement.
‘It will improve and enable more high-bandwidth activities like video streaming as well as activities like video calls.
‘Royal Caribbean Group selecting Starlink to provide high-speed, low-latency internet across their fleet will make their passengers’ getaways even more luxurious,’ said SpaceX Vice President of Starlink Sales Jonathan Hofeller in a statement
‘This technology will provide game-changing internet connectivity onboard our ships, enhancing the cruise experience for guests and crew alike,’ Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, said in a statement
‘Using Starlink is one more example of our continued focus on innovation and excellence for our guests, our crew, the communities we visit and our shareholders.’
Royal Caribbean previously deployed a pilot version of the Starlink technology onboard Freedom of the Seas, which received a ‘tremendous amount of positive feedback’ from guests and crew members.
‘Starlink is a game-changer, and we can’t wait to revolutionize the seas with faster and more reliable internet, making it easier for guests and crew to remain connected to work, family and friends, no matter where they choose to travel,’ said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and CEO of Celebrity Cruises.
In July, SpaceX unveiled a new service for superyachts, oil rigs and merchant vessels that will cost $5,000 per month – plus $10,000 for two ‘ruggedized’ Starlink dishes. Of course, these costs are a drop in the bucket for a company like Royal Caribbean, which had $1.5 billion in revenue last year.
The Starlink constellation currently only works near waters closer to land masses, but it will be rolled out to mid-ocean areas in the northern hemisphere by the end of this year and the southern hemisphere by early 2023.
In comparison, the space-based internet costs $110 a month with a $599 one-time equipment fee for residential customers; it’s also available for businesses and RVs.
In July, SpaceX unveiled a new service for superyachts, oil rigs and merchant vessels that will cost $5,000 per month – plus $10,000 for two ‘ruggedized’ Starlink dishes
ELON MUSK’S SPACEX BRINGS BROADBAND INTERNET TO THE WORLD WITH ITS STARLINK CONSTELLATION OF SATELLITES
Elon Musk’s SpaceX has launched more than 3,000 of its ‘Starlink’ space internet satellites into orbit and hopes to have 30,000 in the sky.
They form a constellation designed to provide low-cost broadband internet service from low Earth orbit.
While satellite internet has been around for a while, it has suffered from high latency and unreliable connections.
Starlink is different. SpaceX said its goal is to provide high-speed, low-latency internet all over the world – especially to remote areas.
Musk has previously said the venture could give three billion people who currently do not have access to the internet a cheap way of getting online.
It will also help fund a future city on Mars.
Helping humanity reach the Red Planet and become multi-planetary is one of Musk’s long-stated aims and was what inspired him to start SpaceX.
Musk’s rival Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, also plans to launch a constellation of low Earth-orbit satellites to provide broadband access to remote areas, as part of its Project Kuiper.
However, astronomers have raised concerns about the light pollution and other interference cased by these satellite constellations.
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