Royal Caribbean Partners with Starlink for High-Speed Internet on Cruises

Royal Caribbean Group is taking big steps forward when it comes to connectivity at sea. The cruise conglomerate has announced they’re updating all current and future fleet with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet access. Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises ships will all receive the upgrade and all future cruise ships will have it built in.

According to Royal Caribbean, the fleet-wide upgrade will be complete by the first quarter of 2023. After undergoing a trial run onboard Freedom of the Seas, Starlink performed well enough to prompt the fleet-wide change. 

“Our purpose as a company is to deliver the best vacation experiences to our guests responsibly, and this new offering, which is the biggest public deployment of Starlink’s high-speed internet in the travel industry so far, demonstrates our commitment to that purpose,” said Jason Liberty, president and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean Group. “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. Using Starlink is one more example of our continued focus on innovation and excellence for our guests, our crew, the communities we visit and our shareholders.”

What is Starlink?

Currently providing internet to 40 countries around the world, Starlink is a system of satellites built by private space exploration company SpaceX, which was founded by Elon Musk. 

“Royal Caribbean Group selecting Starlink to provide high-speed, low-latency internet across their fleet will make their passengers’ getaways even more luxurious,” said SpaceX Vice President of Starlink Sales Jonathan Hofeller. “We couldn’t be more excited to work with Royal Caribbean Group to ensure travelers at sea can stay connected with a great internet experience.”

Is fast internet something you care about when you cruise? Let us know in the comments!