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It’s important to note that unlike most of the cruise lines on this list, MSC Cruises doesn’t let you switch devices. You can’t change the device once you connect a device to the ship’s WiFi. And you’ll save 20% on either internet plan when you purchase a package before sailing. Traditional cruise ship internet relies on medium and high earth orbit satellite providers such as SES, O3b, and Marlink. You’ll often find pre-booking discounts offered by the cruise line.
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Even if you do have full online access, you can still expect some content filtering. This allows you online access without the cost of paying for service during the entire cruise. But what if you want to only occasionally check email or post to Facebook? In that case, the cruise lines usually sell a smaller package.
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The Premium plan adds video calling and video channels like TikTok, as well as music streaming. However, many cruise ships do not allow passengers to use a VPN while on board (an exception is Norwegian, with it’s premium plan). When we mentioned pricing above, you noticed that it was on a per-day basis.
How to Save Money on Cruise Ship Wi-Fi
You will save tons of time by downloading your e-books, audiobooks, podcasts, and movies in advance. If you purchased the cruise ship’s Wi-Fi, you could message your friends and family on the cruise or back home by using Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp or iMessage. Luxury cruise lines like Viking Ocean and Silversea Cruises include WiFi for the duration of your cruise. When it comes to mainstream cruise lines, Virgin Voyages includes basic internet with the cost of the cruise. Wi-fi can be expensive, so getting Wi-Fi or internet for free on a cruise is always good.
However, many cruisers are making huge mistakes when it comes to cruise ship WiFi. Cruise lines offer discounts to passengers who buy the service before they sail. This discount can be significant — often 10-20% off the price of booking onboard. Book a Cruise With Free Internet as a PerkNorwegian, Celebrity, Princess and other lines have started to offer sales that provide free perks for cruising. Book one of these and you don’t have to worry about the cost of access.
By the end of 2023, Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic will offer three new internet package tiers, all utilizing Starlink connectivity. Access the internet everywhere on board so you can text, post photos, video chat and stream your favorite shows, movies, music and sports with ease. Read on to learn just how revolutionary MedallionNet Wi-Fi is and how popular it is with our guests. All that said, this is no guarantee that the Internet will be the same as our experience across every ship and every cruise. Unfortunately, our limited experience on Princess was that it was a challenge doing even light work on the cruise ship due to the connection speed (see our review below). Like all cruise lines, Princess has an app that you should download before taking your cruise.
Our own speed tests show service in the under 2 Mbps range, with some tests coming in under 1 Mbps. Some people need to use a virtual private network (VPN) when working or simply use one for more privacy online. While we didn’t specifically test out a VPN while sailing, Carnival says they do not support VPNs on their ships. In that case, messaging apps like WhatsApp might be a better option. We didn’t test any messaging apps on our cruise, but they are specifically mentioned by Carnival as being supported on its wi-fi service.
Princess Cruises Makes a Significant Price Increase - Cruise Hive
Princess Cruises Makes a Significant Price Increase.
Posted: Mon, 22 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
This is great news, as options in the past were both slow and spotty. Depending on who you’re sailing with, you can now find speeds that’ll support streaming, video calls and more. For example, The Points Guy did a recent sampling of fares on the Amex site, checking them against Holland America's and found that the fares were quite similar, but the bonuses were not. Amex was offering onboard credit of $150 on a seven-night Alaska sailing in a balcony cabin, with no mention of any other specials or perks. The same fare on Holland America's website included four perks with a total value well over $150. One of the perks the cruise line offered was free Wi-Fi for the cruise.
It offers up everything from the ability to check-in for the trip to ship maps, the daily calendar and more. Just like with streaming, you have the ability to FaceTime or make video calls over the MedallionNet service from Princess. The issue is if the connection speed will allow you to do that. There are no different tiers for different speeds or different tiers for social media, streaming, and web browsing.
Share a ConnectionInternet plans on cruise ships charge per device. So if you want to have two devices connected at once, then it’s double the cost. In fact, the cheapest plans usually have access only to the social media sites and apps like Facebook, Twitter, Snap, Instagram and more.
That said, we had Internet included as part of the Princess Plus offer that also included other perks like gratuities and the drink package. Therefore, we didn’t pay a specific charge just for the wi-fi, but it was included as part of the deal. In that case, it’s hard to pinpoint if it’s worth it or not due to the lack of a specific charge just for wi-fi. Our personal experience (covered below), however, was decidedly different. During a 2023 cruise aboard Discovery Princess, we found the service to be slow.
This section will explore the WiFi packages available on various cruise lines. By comparison, most people use internet speeds of 50 to 200 Mbps at home. There are plenty of cards that’ll do this, but an especially popular choice is the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card. This card will allow you to redeem your points at a rate of one cent each toward any purchase you make — effectively negating the entire cost of your Wi-Fi. It’s possible to save money on your Wi-Fi purchases by pre-paying for a package before you board.
MedallionNet Wi-Fi sets the industry standard for internet at sea, and it's now even better with Starlink access and 5G. Thanks to state-of-the-art technology, you can now stay connected with Wi-Fi coverage as you sail. As mentioned above, it’s not clear if this sort of speed we experienced is unusual or if it is the norm. But if we had to pay the full $15 per day for the service, we would have been disappointed. While you will connect to the ship’s wi-fi, the app works automatically without needing to pay.
Cruise lines have loyalty programs which reward their guests with points that accumulate. Once cruise passengers reach higher levels, they are often able to get access to some loyalty perks and discounts. Celebrity’s all-included plan includes basic WiFi, a beverage package and tips for the crew. Holland America’s Have it All promotion is all-inclusive plan consisting of WiFi , a beverage package, and specialty restaurant. Other cruise lines that offer a similar all-inclusive plan are Celebrity Cruises and Holland America. Cruise ship WiFi has changed over the years, making it more accessible, less expensive, and faster than ever.
There is a discount if you buy service before the cruise compared to the onboard price. The good news is that cruise lines — including Carnival — offer wi-fi access across their fleets. Whether you want to hook up to the Internet with your laptop or post to Facebook from your phone, you can get service anywhere on the ship on any device.
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