Do cruise ships have Wi-Fi? In short, Yes.
In today’s day and age, travelers would be hard-pressed to find a cruise ship that is not equipped with some form of internet service. Except for a few barebones expedition ships, all major cruise lines offer their guests a variety of internet packages to choose from.
What you need to know about Wi-Fi at sea:
What Kind of Wi-Fi do Cruise Ships Have? Satellite Internet v. Broadband:
- At home, you may be used to your ultra-fast, ultra-reliable broadband internet. At sea, satellite internet is used.
- Satellite internet is usually not as fast or reliable as the broadband internet you may be accustomed to on land.
- However, satellite technology is only becoming more advanced every day. Several years ago, it may have taken minutes to load a webpage. This can now be accomplished in a matter of seconds.
Cruise Ship Wi-Fi Packages
- Cruise lines will usually present guests with several different Wi-Fi packages to choose from, often in the ballpark of $30-50 per day.
- These packages generally vary in price based on speed, data usage, and how each guest plans to use the internet.
- For example, Celebrity Cruises offers “Xcelerate Stream,” and “Xcelerate Surf” Wi-Fi packages. “Xcelerate Stream” allows guests to use the full functionality of the internet including streaming, messaging, video-chat and more, while “Xcelerate Surf” is more modestly priced and allows only for web-browsing and sending email and text messages.
- Many cruise lines now include free Wi-Fi internet in their base fares!
- As a traveler, it is important to know how much Wi-Fi you plan to use and what you want to use it for to ensure you get the best plan for your needs.
For more information on Wi-Fi at sea or to book your dream vacation today, call The Cruise Web at 1-800-377-9383 and speak with one of our expert travel consultants, or visit us online at www.cruiseweb.com.