Royal Caribbean To Be First In Cruise Industry To Equip Ships With “Kickass” Starlink Internet

Royal Caribbean Group announced it would be the first in the cruise industry to equip its vessels with SpaceX’s Starlink — making it possible for those who work remotely to enjoy a cruise around the Caribbean with high-speed, low-latency internet. The standard internet on cruise ships is awful and would make anyone absolutely frustrated trying to conduct a video conferencing call.

The “high-speed, low-latency connectivity” will allow “for a better onboard experience for guests and crew fleetwide,” Royal Caribbean said in a statement. 

Installation on Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises ships and all new vessels for each brand should be completed in 1Q23.

“This technology will provide game-changing internet connectivity onboard our ships, enhancing the cruise experience for guests and crew alike. It will improve and enable more high-bandwidth activities like video streaming as well as activities like video calls,” said Jason Liberty, president and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean.

SpaceX Vice President of Starlink Sales Jonathan Hofeller said Starlink on cruise ships “will make their passengers’ getaways even more luxurious.”

SpaceX’s founder, Elon Musk, tweeted: “Kickass Internet connection coming Royal Caribbean ships soon!” 

Kickass Internet connection coming Royal Caribbean ships soon! https://t.co/8qJRiUuNah

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 30, 2022

In June, Royal Caribbean asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to clear the way for high-speed internet from space via Starlink’s 3,000 low-orbit satellites.

Besides cruise ships, several airline carriers (read: here) have been discussing Starlink service, though rival satellite internet operators, including Dish Network and Viasat, have filed complaints with the FCC over interference concerns with Starlink’s sprawling mesh satellite network. 

So will so-called ‘digital nomads’ now sail around the world on Royal Caribbean cruise ships early next year when the high-speed internet option becomes available?