SpaceX’s Starlink has revolutionized connectivity for cruise lines.
Did you know that there are now an estimated 454 ocean-worthy cruise ships worldwide as of December 12, 2023? That’s a lot of ships!
Interested in Starlink Maritime? They offer three packages as of early 2023.
50 GB $250 per month, unlimited mobile data inland, and best for low bandwidth applications
1 TB $1,000 per month, unlimited mobile data inland, and best for vessels that support small crews, cloud applications, and video calling
5 TB $5,000 per month, best for vessels that support large crews, enterprise applications, IoT, and more
Did you realize that 400 Cruise ships paying $60k per year would be $23 million per year? That’s a major investment in connectivity.
Looking to buy a plan? Keep in mind that all plans can only be purchased new with a $2,500 flat HP dish. Starlink also charges a $300 management fee and a $50 activation fee.
As of 2021, there were over 50,000 ocean-going vessels worldwide. This would include yachts and cargo ships – quite a few ships that could benefit from Starlink!
Time to check in with the cruise lines. AIDA Cruises and Carnival Cruise Line were the first to add Starlink to their entire fleet, kickstarting the trend of maritime connectivity. Now that’s exciting!
But that’s not all. American Queen Voyages, Carnival, and Celebrity Cruises ships all offer Starlink service onboard. Imagine the possibilities!
And it doesn’t stop there. Cunard, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Oceania Cruises have also joined the Starlink movement, with plans to incorporate the service on all their ships. It’s great to see so many cruise lines embracing new technology!
Looking to explore other cruise lines for Starlink access? Stay tuned, because there are plans from its parent company Carnival Corporation to make this service available on all Princess Cruises ships in the future. An exciting time for connectivity in the cruising world!
