The cruise company Royal Caribbean announced that they will add SpaceX's Starlink internet service, as reported by TechCrunch. According to the company that also operates Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises that the decision will make the internet experience faster and more reliable while at sea.
Over the summer, Royal Caribbean trialed the service, and now they will be rolling it out fully on September 5th with the Celebrity Beyond ship. Their goal is to have the service fully deployed across its fleet by the first quarter of 2023.
This has cost the company approximately $5,000 monthly and has at least $10,000 upfront hardware fee for the special terminals to use it. Additionally, all the dishes will be added to all vessels in the Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises fleets.
There are no technical details revealed just yet. However, the company promises that people can stream services and make video calls aboard the ship.
Everyone knows that the internet experience at sea is notoriously bad, but Starlink will make it better.
Also Read: Royal Caribbean's Contact Tracing Wristband is Mandatory for Cruise Ship's Passengers
Starlink Maritime
The Starlink Maritime is a boat-focused internet service is relatively new as it only debuted earlier this summer. Currently, it is being used on coastal waters in some parts of North and South America, Europe, and around Australia and New Zealand. However, SpaceX said that it plans to cover most of the world's oceans y the first quarter of 2023, according to The Verge.
SpaceX is really busy with its Starlink. Recently, it partnered with T-Mobile to send texts and calls to cell phones via second-gen satellites that will be launched next year. They are also working with Hawaiian Airlines and charter carrier JSX to provide Wi-Fi in-flight. Furthermore, they also launched a Starlink for RVs.
Better Internet Across the Sea
The cruise company wants to offer services that people can use wherever they are, and Starlink Maritime is one of the solutions that ship passengers can pay for. It is still a good option for those who don't have LTE or Wi-Fi, although many cruise ships already have Wi-Fi and LTE as standard features. Additionally, Starlink Maritime is also considered to be a reliable internet connection.
Royal Caribbean is not the only one that will benefit from the Starlink Maritime service. It also has benefits to the environment and technology, too. It will mark the first time a satellite operator will be using radio frequencies that are shared with aviation. The service also helps prevent interference and makes it easy to manage the frequency.
With the deployment of this new internet solution on Royal Caribbean's fleet, it is evident that the company is eager to offer a better internet experience on the sea.
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This article is owned by Tech Times.
Written by: April Fowell
