By doing some cruises where I booked Internet access, I’ve been able to learn a thing or two – or 20 – about how the Internet works onboard. I’ll pass along those tips to you, starting now.
1. It’s probably going to be slower and less reliable than the Internet you have at home
Broadly, the satellite Internet access that you’ll find on the ship will have speeds of 1 to 10 Mbps down and up, with pings in the 150 to 800 ms range. This isn’t good enough for action games, but less demanding online games should work. The higher speed ranges will stream OK at the lower sharpness levels if your particular plan allows streaming. You’ll have to decide if you can stand watching streams at that low a level. It will be fine for checking e-mail and browsing most relatively undemanding Web sites.
Starlink could change things. It’s being installed on cruise ships in the Royal Caribbean Group. Scattered reports of its trials show high speeds compared to other cruise ships and relatively low ping.
2. It’s probably going to be much more expensive than the Internet you have at home
In order to figure out how bad a deal most Internet packages are, let me describe one of the better ones. For Princess cruisers with status (Platinum or above), they can get Internet access for a single device for the full cruise for $5 per day. This adds up to about $150 per month. Do you pay more than this for your Internet access at home? You probably do not; if you do, your speed is almost certainly far faster than Princess can provide.
3. Many factors affect Internet speed
Some factors include how many users on your cruise are using it, how many other users are using the satellite, the number of satellites covering your area, the weather, how many obstructions are in the way, where you’re trying to use the Internet… and many more.
4. If possible, head for an upper deck with a clear line of sit to the sky
5. Interior cabins and rooms are the worst places for Internet access
6. If you need access for the whole cruise, it will cost less to buy it before you board
7. Consider other ways to get Internet access in port
Cell phones and some tablets can grab a 4G or 5G signal if it’s available. If you happen to be calling at a U.S. port, you can use it without the need for an on-ship Internet plan or an international calling plan. In addition, there is some WiFi access available in stores on land – though a purchase may be required. And the crew may know of additional places in port to get a WiFi signal; it can be worth asking about.
8. Consider carefully how many separate logins you will need
Some Internet plans offer more than one login for a higher price. Two or more people can share a plan if they have the login data. But only one can be logged on at the same time.
9. You don’t need to purchase Internet to use the ship’s app
10. There may be a few Web sites you can access with the ship’s basic WiFi
One of the sites that’s available with Carnival’s plan is carnival.com . It’s a good place to look at what cruises are being offered and take a look at what protocols apply to various cruises. Another thing it’s good at is figuring out if the Internet is good enough for your needs. If carnival.com loads slowly for free, other sites are probably not going to be much faster when you pay for access to them.
11. If you can live with the limitations on sites that can be accessed with a lower cost plan, then that plan can be a good value for you
12. Internet plans that offer unlimited data for a day or the entire cruise are better for you
13. If you have a plan with limited minutes, be diligent about logging off as soon as you’re done
14. If you have a plan with limited minutes or data, do as much work as possible offline
15. If you have a plan with limited data, try to seek out sites that are designed for mobile browsers
16. Consider buying a single day’s worth of Internet midway through the cruise
The per day rate is almost always going to be more than the daily rate for the entire cruise, but it can be a good value if you can compress most or all of your Internet needs into that single day, or if you can use alternate sources for the Internet on some other days.
17. Download as much as possible to your devices before boarding
18. Some sites may be blocked or restricted; plan accordingly
For example, on Carnival, my experience was that gambling sites and adult sites are blocked. Other lines may have different restrictions. If sites in restricted categories are essential to your Internet experience, then you’ll either have to live without them, or do without Internet access entirely.
19. Some times are better for access and speeds than others
I have found that accessing the Internet between 4 and 10 PM local time offers the worst experience, because it seems that the most people are using the ship’s Internet. I’ve had the most success and best speeds between midnight and noon.
20. Ask for a refund if the ship’s Internet doesn’t meet your needs
Whatever you decide to use for your Internet access while cruising (if you choose to use any at all), I hope these tips have been helpful for you. Happy cruising!