How fast is the internet on Virgin Voyages ships? We put it to the test
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In the age where being online is nearly as essential as sunscreen for many, the question of Wi-Fi access onboard is more than valid. Cruises have evolved, and with this evolution, staying connected via Wi-Fi has become a standard service. Here's what you need to know when you're using internet aboard cruise ships -- or anywhere on vacation. Q - Can I access video streaming and conferencing onboard? A - Yes, you access streaming with our Premium Wi-Fi plans. A - Yes, Norwegian Cruise Line guests can be contacted by calling the guest’s cell phone number directly.
What our guests are saying about MedallionNet Wi-Fi
All internet access charges will be billed directly to your onboard account. Q - How much will I be charged when I use my cell phone onboard? A - Rates vary, depending on your cellular service provider.
Fast. Reliable. Unlimited. Affordable. Now on all ships.
As more ships install the latest technology, the need to be in a certain spot on the ship to get a good signal is quickly becoming a thing of the past on most mainstream lines. Lack of service on today's modern ships is more likely to come from the location of the ship on the globe than from its onboard distribution system. Royal Caribbean has an extensive app for guests to manage their cruise experience both before and during the sailing. The Cruise Norwegian app allows users to tap into their onboard passenger information and manage their onboard account, make their own dining and excursion reservations, and view all ship activities. The Cruise Norwegian app is free to download, but there is a nominal one-time fee to make and send unlimited calls and messages to other passengers while onboard. Passengers on Crystal Cruises' ocean ships can surf the internet on complimentary standard Wi-Fi throughout the ship on both Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity.
Celebrity Cruises
Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. Benefits of the line's Captain's Club membership include discounts of between 10% off a Wi-Fi package for Classic-level members to a complimentary Premium Package for Zenith-level guests. If guests choose the all-inclusive cruise price, fares include a Classic Drinks Package (with nonalcoholic and alcoholic beverages), Basic Wi-Fi access and gratuities. AquaClass cabins always have Basic Wi-Fi included in the fare; suites in The Retreat always come with complimentary Premium Wi-Fi. If you have Basic Wi-Fi included in your cruise fare, you can upgrade to the Premium Package for $9.99 daily. If you are close to land then any Internation Romaing package may work – but as soon as you get out to sea you will find yourself connected to the “Cellular At Sea” service which is MEGA-expensive.
Conclusion – Internet on Cruise Ships is not cheap and look for Starlink if speed and reliability is important
So before we get into the nitty gritty of what different cruise lines have to offer, let’s cover the basics of what you need to know about Internet and WiFi on cruise ships. Yet, it’s important to know that while Wi-Fi is widely available across all major cruise lines, it’s rarely complimentary, and speeds can be significantly slower than you’re used to on land. The 2,770-passenger vessel is one of the newest cruise ships at sea, and -- as I'll explain below -- that's a factor in the internet speeds it's able to offer.
If my cruise doesn't include free internet, how much will it cost?
Note that Virgin Voyages' internet service not only works on Scarlet Lady but also at The Beach Club at Bimini, the line's private beach destination in the Bahamas. Every Virgin Voyages sailing out of Miami makes a stop at Bimini for a day at the beach club. No matter which one of the two levels of service you choose, you'll find that the internet is "always on" on your device while you're on board.
The service, called Voom, is very speedy and can be used for streaming movies and music, and video chatting via services such as Netflix, FaceTime and Spotify. Ships also have computers available for passenger use in their iCafe internet cafes. MSC offers five tiers of connectivity, with connections that work onboard or on the line's private Bahamian island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. The Browse plan provides access to email, websites, all social networks and chat apps but without the ability to watch video or use video chats. But perhaps the biggest development in cruise internet costs in recent years is that many higher-end lines have begun offering internet access for — get this — free. Viking, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Silversea Cruises are among lines now including unlimited internet time in the base cost of a voyage.
Phone/Email/Mail
Fortunately, all ships in their fleet now have Starlink, so that boast now actually means something. They also offer a 15% discount for purchasing the package prior to boarding, as well as the option to purchase services by the day rather than the whole cruise. Carnival has rolled out Starlink across its entire fleet. You may have heard about Starlink Internet, a game-changer that has transformed how we browse the internet onboard many ships. Created by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Starlink uses a network of low-Earth orbit satellites, aiming to deliver high-speed internet across the globe, even on the open ocean.
Do I need to bring my own laptop or tablet with me to connect?
Well, the highest-speed version of Royal Caribbean's Voom connection currently costs $26.99 per day for one device. In the old days of 75 cents-a-minute pricing, that same amount of money would have gotten you just 36 minutes of web time. Once a person is done with it, then another person can login to that account and access the internet from their own device. So a husband can hop online to check email on his laptop, and then a wife can login later to surf the web on her phone without paying for an extra device.
We reached out to Norwegian Cruise Line to ask what measures they have in place to safeguard passengers’ private information when sailing with the line. They referred us to the Sail & Sustain 2021 EOS Report for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH), the parent company for Norwegian, Regent Seven Seas and Oceania Cruises. Most users can check their messages by pressing and holding the "1" key.
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In those areas, you'll find you can check email, update Facebook, upload photos and do general web searches without much difficulty. The Sailor app allows guests to manage almost every aspect of their cruise, including check in for their cruise, order champagne and plan their time on shore. The line's free MSC for Me app offers real-time event and activity listings, an interactive ship map and a chat feature for connecting with other onboard passengers.
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Lines like Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line and Royal Caribbean, have installed Starlink in many vessels (fleetwide, in some cases). Starlink technology provides download speeds that range from 40 to over 200 Mbps (megabits per second) and upload speeds that come in at 8 to more than 25 Mbps. Ships rely on satellites for their internet connections at sea. The strength of the connection depends on several factors, including where you are in the world and the weather. On many lines, certain locations — such as public spaces near the center of the ship — tend to have better connectivity than other places (like your cabin).
Internet service is available at computers in internet cafes on MSC ships; Wi-Fi is available on personal devices in all cabins and common areas with the purchase of a package. All Cunard ships offer computer stations in libraries or ConneXions internet cafes, and all internet stations are open 24 hours a day. Satellite Wi-Fi onboard works on all personal devices and is available throughout the ship.
Crew rely on ship Wi-Fi to stay in touch with their families back home, as they can spend months at sea. The prices for Norwegian's plans are at the higher end for the cruise industry. For unlimited access to just social media sites, the cost is $14.99 per day ($105/week). An unlimited Wi-Fi package that does not support streaming of any kind (music or video) is $29.99 per day ($210/week), while an unlimited plan that supports streaming is $34.99 per day ($245/week). The internet is provided primarily by way of satellites, though some cruise ships have technology onboard that allows them to switch to land-based signal towers when sailing within a certain distance from land. Because satellite service can be spotty, cruise ships do not guarantee that you will always have connectivity.
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