Carnival Corporation has announced it will enhance wi-fi connectivity across its entire fleet after it signed a new agreement with SpaceX’s Starlink.
The rollout of the next generation Starlink technology began in December 2022 with Carnival Cruise Line and AIDA Cruises ships and will continue to the company’s other brands including Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, P&O Cruises (Australia), Costa Cruises, P&O Cruises (UK) and Cunard.
With the upgrade, Carnival says it will have nearly tripled ship bandwidth since 2019.
Utilising Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technology, Carnival says the new internet connectivity will “provide faster service, greater capacity and more reliable wi-fi on a global scale” that will rival on-land connectivity.
In a practical sense, the new technology will allow Carnival guests to more easily and quickly share photos and videos, stream movies and live events, and enjoy other content onboard.
“For many of our guests, it has become more and more important to maintain the type of connectivity at sea that they’ve become accustomed to at home, and of course to share the unforgettable experiences of their cruise with friends and family,” Carnival Corporation CEO Josh Weinstein said.
“We are in the business of delivering happiness, and Starlink makes it as easy as possible for our guests to share all their great moments and memories, giving them even more joy out of their cruise vacation.”
Weinstein added that the extra bandwidth would give brands “the capabilities and flexibility to introduce new guest services and features, as well as help boost operational functions like onboard equipment monitoring and real-time communications between ship and shore teams”.
“And importantly, adding Starlink’s innovative technology to the company’s existing connectivity platform will also help our amazing crew stay in touch with friends and loved ones.”
In October 2022, CCL marked 10 years of providing Aussie cruising holidays.
