internet on princess cruise

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Princess cruise wifi in 2023 ⚓ cost + package + is Princess cruise ship internet good?

Your experience with wifi on a Princess cruise ship may vary!

This is based on my experience and understanding!

I am just a fellow cruiser!

I once got the Princess wifi package for a 25-day cruise that was in February and March 2023.

I bought the 1-device wifi package, and it was easy to switch between devices, my phone and my laptop.

I then had Princess cruises in April and May 2023, and I did not buy wifi on either one of the cruises.

I did not get the wifi package or the day-by-day wifi.

But I did look for cruises on princess.com 😆 so I did use the wifi.

You can browse future cruises at princess.com for free when you are on the cruise ship! And if you know you will be taking another Princess cruise, you will want to do the future cruise deposit when you are on the cruise ship. You will get free onboard spending money.

Then I had Princess cruises in September 2023, and I did buy wifi by the day during those cruises.

cruise ship wifi. how much does princess cruise ship wifi cost per day

You don’t need to buy the wifi to use the Princess app on the cruise ship.

But you do need to download the app before you get on the cruise ship.

You will want everyone in your family to download the app before you get on the cruise ship.

I have also read that imessage works without buying wifi if you have an iphone. I don’t have an iphone so I can’t personally confirm that though.

You can buy a wifi package for the whole cruise before you get on the cruise ship, and you can buy it individually every day of the cruise ship that you want it.

For my April 2023 cruise, I did notice that the cost to buy the wifi package before I got on the cruise ship and the cost to buy it on the day I got on the cruise ship was the same.

On a per-day basis, buying the wifi package for the whole cruise is cheaper than buying wifi individually every day.

If you skip using wifi just a few days, it might be cheaper to buy wifi day-by-day instead of buying the wifi package before you leave for your cruise.

You’ll want to calculate it out based on how many days you think you will be fine using the wifi during your cruise.

If your cruise has tons of port days, you may decide that you will be just fine using the data from your phone in port and skip getting online on the sea days on the cruise ship.

During the day on sea days will tend to be the slowest days to use the internet since lots more people will be online at once.

You can see my experience with t-mobile in Alaska cruise ports .

The cost of the wifi package on a Princess cruise ship if you buy it ahead of time is $15 a day. You would be buying wifi for every day of the cruise.

The cost of wifi on a Princess cruise ship if you buy it on a day-to-day basis is $20 a day. You will buy this once on the cruise ship on the day you want the internet.

The cost of Princess wifi can change, but this is my experience for my September cruises in 2023.

It was cheaper for the cruise that started in February.

You also have the option of buying wifi for just 1 device, or for 4 devices.

Even if you buy wifi for just 1 device, you can use it on multiple devices.

It’s just that you can only use it for one device at a time.

cost of princess cruise ship wifi package

If you are at the loyalty level of platinum or elite , wifi is 50% off. ( pdf )

If you get the Princess plus package or Princess premier package , wifi is a part of your package, so you can check that for details.

is wifi included with princess plus package

Trouble shooting: How to connect to the Princess wifi on a laptop

Connect to the free Princess medallionnet wifi, and click where it says you might need to sign in.
If that doesn’t get your to a screen that prompts you to the paid wifi option, type into your browser: login.com
If that doesn’t work, type into your browser: mnet.ap.ocean.com or mnet.di.ocean.com
If that doesn’t work, check to make sure it is not defaulting to include the https (For example, it may or may not work as https://mnet.ap.ocean.com)
If that doesn’t work, then I recommend you go to the Ocean Front desk which is by the photo gallery. They are the medallion people. Check the hours and location for Ocean Front on the back of your Princess Patter (the paper version of the daily activity schedule ). You can call guest services to ask where they are located if you’re not sure… and while you are at it, you can ask guest services for help, and maybe they can. But I feel it could be easier to just go and show the Ocean Front people your laptop so they can connect you, especially if there’s a wait at guest services.

I had trouble a couple of times getting the paid Princess wifi on my laptop.

But my troubles hopefully mean easy solutions for you if you are having trouble! (Above!)

More below about my experience with using internet on Princess cruise ships!

cruise luggage tag holders
basic binoculars for wildlife watching

Now of course, you also want to know…

How good is the wifi on a Princess cruise ship?

Well, individual experiences vary.

For my first cruises, the wifi on Princess cruise ships was not good enough for me to want to buy a wifi package.

But my most recent cruises have given me more inspiration to buy wifi more!

It’s September 2023, and I’m currently on a Princess cruise ship, and I have been bought wifi on many days, because I have been happy with what I have been able to do with the Princess wifi.

This was NOT the case during my first cruise!

Even at that time when I thought it was terrible, I had read a lot of online reports, and there were people who say they have generally had good wifi experiences on Princess cruise ships.

Your internet experience may or may not depend on what cruise ship you are on, where your cruise ship is sailing (aka how remote you are), and how many people on your cruise ship are using the internet at the same time as you (aka using up tons of resources making your internet slow).

And it depends on what you want to do online!

For the best chance at having “good” internet on the cruise ship, try to think of times when less people will be using the internet and use it then.

“Good” is relative on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean!

I have read people say that they have been able to watch netflix on a Princess cruise ship.

During that first terrible internet cruise, I never did try netflix, but I tried several times to watch my CBS, NBC, and ABC shows online.

The shows would not start.

Loading… loading…

I finally gave up.

Later on in the cruise I did try again just out of curiosity, and a show did load.

But it’s not something I could count on.

That was the Diamond Princess sailing across the vast Pacific Ocean, so maybe that had something to do with it.

Also it was a transpacific cruise which means lots of sea days which maybe means lots more people are online throughout the day.

There are lots of TV shows on the stateroom TV in your cabin that you can watch if you are without internet! You can binge watch the Love Boat !

For e-mail and general web browsing, I have found the Princess wifi to be just fine.

But personally, I do not care to spend $20 a day on general web browsing.

I’ve read people say they’ve been able to do zoom meetings and video chats.

While it may work for some people, I think it’s important to also manage your expectations and not be surprised if it doesn’t work for you.

Because the cruise that I bought the wifi package on was across the vast and remote Pacific Ocean, I thought maybe it would be unfair to decide my cruise ship wifi usage based on that.

But then my experience using wifi to browse cruises on princess.com on my 7-day cruise on the Majestic Princess did not inspire confidence.

The princess.com website timed out several times.

We can make the excuse that it was also in a very remote area, because it was at sea in the Gulf of Alaska.

It was the last sea day before getting to Whittier. Sea days = more people using the internet!

But it surely didn’t make me want to buy a wifi package!

But then…

My September cruises happened!

Those were also Alaska cruises.

It was on the Grand Princess.

Overall, I am quite happy with how I’ve been able to use internet while sailing around Alaska, including the Gulf of Alaska.

There was a time that it did seem like maybe it was a little slower in one part of the Gulf of Alaska, but overall, I have been quite happy with it.

I also did watch several episodes of netflix (for research of course 🤣) and I was successfully able to watch netflix.

This cruise ship is soon going to be sailing across the Pacific Ocean (and I’m staying on), so we will see how the internet will be at that time!!

Your experience may vary!

Buy Princess wifi at your own risk! 🤪

How to buy the wifi for your Princess cruise

You can buy the cruise ship wifi before you board the cruise ship or once you get on the cruise.

You will look for “medallion net” in the Princess app in order to purchase cruise ship wifi!

how to buy wifi on princess cruise ship. princess app

And that’s a bit about internet on a Princess cruise ship!

More about getting online in ports during your cruise: t-mobile in alaska

HAPPY USING PRINCESS CRUISE SHIP WIFI!

Dinner menu
Breakfast menu
Desserts menu
Breakfast room service
Premium desserts
How to find your boarding time for a Princess cruise
How to print Princess cruise luggage tags
What is the first day of the cruise like: Embarkation day
What is the day you get off the cruise ship like: Disembarkation day
Sample daily activity schedule on a cruise ship: Princess cruise activities (princess patter)
What to watch on your stateroom TV (really!)
Princess cruise fitness classes (free with Princess package)
Princess cruise group sports (+ more group activities)
What happens when a port is canceled during a cruise?
Inside a cruise ship bathroom
Alaska cruise with time zone change
Princess naturalist talks
puppies in the piazza

Princess / Ship Reviews

How Strong is the Internet on Princess? A Review of MedallionNet

by Prof. Cruise · Published March 21, 2022 · Updated March 21, 2022

A photo of a cruise ship sailing at sunset with an internet signal coming from it with text that reads: How strong is the internet on Princess. A review of MedallionNet

Go ahead, ask about internet speed in a cruise-related Facebook group if you want to be be virtually spanked for not entirely disconnecting on vacation. But don’t worry, I’m here to affirm you (or enable you?) and also answer your question: How strong is the internet on Princess? First though, let us enlighten those who may not understand why anyone would want or need internet access on a cruise ship.

Internet on a cruise ship? What’s the point?

There are many good reasons one may need strong and reliable internet access on their Princess cruise. Here are some of them:

They “forgot” to tell their boss they were going on vacation and plan to “work” virtually.
They guilted an extended family member into taking care of their kids while they cruised: “Come on, you saw so little of them during Covid, you need to make up for lost time.” But they feel obligated to at least check in a few times: “No one dead? Excellent! Love you, but gotta run – I have a spa appointment!”
Nightly video chats with their fur baby whom they actually really miss: “Mommy ordered an extra prime rib at dinner tonight just for you! Paws crossed that I don’t get arrested for sneaking it off the ship.”
So they can feel less guilty about the 10,000 calories they’re eating every day by sitting on an exercise bike at the ship gym while streaming Netflix.

I’m sure there are others too, but those are the ones that popped into my head for some reason (not that any of them are even remotely autobiographical).

Speaking of autobiographical, let me answer some questions you may have about MedallionNet internet on Princess ships by referencing my own recent experience onboard Princess. Remember that this is based on one person’s experience on one ship, but hopefully it can give you a sense of what to expect. I hope that others will chime in in the comments with their experiences too!

Is the Internet Strong Enough to Work from a Princess Ship?

When your professional title is “Professor of Cruising,” AKA “subpar cruise blogger,” you work to cruise and you cruise to work. And I was mostly able to fulfill my duty to keep my one loyal reader (hi, mom!) informed while on the Majestic Princess. There were a few spots and times of day where the internet signal wasn’t as strong, but it usually worked great in my cabin where I preferred to write, answer e-mails, and update my website and social media sites.

For those of you thinking, “But what about those of us with a real job?,” I say this…

I’ll have you know that I had to try six times to get a decent video for Instagram of the atrium as I traveled all the way up on the glass elevator because people kept getting in! If that’s not real work, I don’t know what is!

Also this…

While I wouldn’t feel comfortable guaranteeing that MedallionNet will allow you to accomplish everything you need to do for work from the ship (especially if it’s critical that you be able to always attend live meetings or respond immediately to messages and e-mails), this new and vastly improved Princess internet met my work-related needs MUCH better than any non-Princess ship I’ve ever sailed on.

Can I Stream Videos on a Princess Ship?

A spin bike in the gym onboard the Majestic Princess with a pink iPad sitting on it playing a Netflix series.

Yes. I was able to stream Netflix during a GRUELING hour long workout on a spin bike at the ship gym. Had I been on land, I would have peddled all the way from my apartment to Pike Place Market in Seattle in that time! (Psssst, it’s only two blocks away.)

Can I Zoom from a Princess Ship?

A laptop computer playing a Yoga class near the balcony of a cabin on the Majestic Princess.

Let me tell you from experience that there’s nothing more zen than listening to your live weekly virtual yoga class over Zoom while you gaze out at the ocean and feast on a crap ton of free food delivery (go HERE to see my review of OceanNow food and beverage delivery on Princess along with the complete menu). I really hope I remembered to turn off my camera though, as I said my final “namaste” with a mouth full of chocolate cake.

In summary, Zoom worked well for me.

Can I Video Chat from a Princess Ship?

Prof. Cruise in a chat box talking to her son laying in his bed.

Yes, you can. At least I could – here I am tucking in my son over Facebook video chat before asking could he please put Henry (my dog) on now (remember that thing I said about missing one’s fur baby?).

How Much Does the Internet Cost on Princess?

As I discovered, that depends. But either way, it’s refreshingly reasonable! If you purchase a plan through the OceanMedallion App prior to sailing, the cost of a 1 device plan (meaning you can only use one device at a time) for a 7 night cruise for me was $69.93. For up to 4 devices (meaning you can use up to 4 devices at the same time) it was $139.93. I figured I’d wait to purchase my plan until I got onboard because I had a bunch of onboard credit to burn through.

A screen shot from the OceanMedallion App showing the prices for Medallion Net. $139.93 for a 4 device plan and $69.93 for a 1 device plan.

However, once onboard, I discovered that it’s cheaper to pre-purchase a plan (that’s usually the case on other lines, but I didn’t see or read anything about that with MedallionNet, so I didn’t know). I paid $104.93 for my 1 device plan once onboard. Learn from my mistake and purchase your plan in advance!

A screen shot from Medallion Net onboard the Majestic Princess showing a 1 device plan cost of $104.93.

So, how strong is the internet on Princess? Allow me to pitch this new slogan to the Princess marketing team: “MedallionNet, strong enough to keep you from relaxing on vacation!” Yes? No?

But seriously, it was strong enough to give my dog something to look forward to for 12 days. Unfortunately 8 of those days were unexpected and the prime rib I promised him over video chat went rancid while I sat in jail. Oh! I just thought of another slogan: “MedallionNet > JailNet.”

Cruising Pro Tip: You can’t take fruit, vegetables, dairy, grains, beverages or…prime rib on or off of a cruise ship (only packaged and sealed food is permitted).

*Note: Reports from some ships this week, now that they’re closer to full capacity, are that the internet has been slower and that the app hasn’t been functioning as well (I couldn’t really get the app to work at all on my sailing, but I’d made all my reservations in advance, used the TV to order OceanNow food to my cabin , and appreciated still receiving a hard copy of the Princess Patter for the daily schedule, so I didn’t really need it). So keep in mind, that while it is technically “possible” to do all the things I discussed above with MedallionNet, internet speed slows with increasing demand. Choosing an off time (early in the morning, late at night, or in port while most passengers are off the ship) to accomplish important internet-dependent tasks may be the best option in some cases. And it’s best to have a backup plan for communication with work and home just in case.

And with that…

Class Dismissed!

Don’t forget to PIN this so you can refer back to it later!

Homework (10 points): Share your experiences with MedallionNet in the comments and check out my other recent Princess-related content…

Does Princess Really have the Best Pizza at Sea?

Princess’s 2022 Main Dining Room Dinner Menus

Preparing For Your Princess Cruise in 2022

Princess Cruise Line’s OceanNow Food And Beverage Delivery Menu 2022

Majestic Princess Mini-Suite Review and Tour

Princess Cruise Line’s Elite Lounge: A Review

And don’t forget to subscribe to the blog (scroll up to the top right if on a computer or keep scrolling down if on a mobile device) and follow Prof. Cruise on your favorite social social media sites:

Twitter (@cruiseprof)

Instagram (@profcruise)

TikTok (profcruise)

Celebrity Solstice Review and Tour

June 21, 2023

by Prof. Cruise · Published June 21, 2023 · Last modified June 24, 2023

Norwegian Sun Inside Cabin Tour and Review

October 4, 2022

by Prof. Cruise · Published October 4, 2022

NCL’s Pride Of America Review And Ship Tour

May 7, 2020

by Prof. Cruise · Published May 7, 2020 · Last modified June 24, 2021

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Princess Medallion Net Internet is excellent at middle latitudes (say…south of Ketchikan). They use lower Middle Earth Orbit satellites which provide fast service. Not having to count minutes or worry about logging out is a great improvement. Works well for real estate contracts!

Thanks for sharing your experience! I’m glad it worked well for your needs and thanks for pointing out another important use for it (real estate contracts can’t really wait). Happy cruising!

[…] You can read my full review of MedallionNet (the new fleet-wide internet service on Princess) HERE: […]

[…] the massive technology upgrades required to support Medallion technology, internet service (called MedallionNet), while still not perfect, has vastly improved on Princess. You can read my complete review of […]

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About Prof. Cruise

Given name Sarah, but also answers to Prof. Cruise. Retired after 10 years as a college professor to focus full-time on her primary research interest: travel. With a concentration in cruising. Home port: Seattle. Mom of a shaggy-haired dog and a shaggy-haired human. Lover of books and dessert. Fancies herself a bit of a comedian – you’ve been warned.

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Everything to Know About Internet on a Cruise (Speed, Cost, & More)

It wasn’t that long ago that having internet access at sea was a nice perk, but hardly a necessity. Today, most people must have wi-fi — even if they are on a cruise in the middle of the ocean. In fact, we always sign up for service every time that we sail.

Of course, there are challenges to providing online access for thousands of people on a cruise ship that can be hundreds of miles of miles from the nearest land. That’s why in general you should expect the service on a cruise ship to be more expensive — and slower — than what you’d find back home.

Still, all cruise lines now provide wi-fi on their ships so that you can stay in touch whether it be for work or just checking in on the kids. You can also access social media sites, check email, and even stream movies in some cases.

But before you head out into the middle of the ocean, there’s likely a few things you’ll want to know about getting online on a cruise. We’ve answered some of the biggest questions so that you know what to expect once you board your ship.

In This Article...

How Much Does Internet Cost on a Cruise?

At your home, things are pretty simple. You pay one amount for your internet service and connect as many devices as you want — and they all have access to the full internet.

On a cruise, things are a little different. The cruise lines charge different amounts for different tiers of service. They also charge based on the number of devices used at one time. So if you want to connect two devices at once (such as a husband and wife both surfing the internet), then you’ll pay twice as much.

All that said, expect the price of service on a cruise to be much more than you pay back home. We’ve rounded up the costs of internet for several major cruise lines below.

In general, expect to pay about $20-30 per day, per device for wi-fi access.

Carnival Carnival offers three different tiers of service: Social, Value, and Premium wi-fi plans. Each offers different levels of access to the internet. One tip to save money: purchase your plan ahead of time to save off the rates on the ship .

Social Plan: Carnival’s Social plan offers access to social media sites, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and airline sites. However, most of the internet (such as email and news websites) are blocked. You also can’t stream music or movies. The cost is $18 per day for one device once you are on the ship.

Value Plan: The Value plan offers access to much of the internet, including websites for news, weather, sports, and most importantly — email. The service is also faster than the Social plan. For the extra access, you’ll pay $23 per day if you wait to purchase once you are on the ship.

Premium Plan: If you want the entire internet and you want the fastest speeds on Carnival, the the Premium plan is ideal. It offers full access at triple the speed of the Value plan. Depending on which ship you sail, streaming might be available. (Streaming is often provided on newer ships.) The Premium plan costs $25 per day.

Royal Caribbean When it comes to internet on a cruise, Royal Caribbean is trying to position itself as a leader. The cruise line offers VOOM internet service , which it bills as “the fastest internet at sea.” If booked ahead of time, you can get up to 30% off the rates you’ll pay on the ship.

Surf + Stream: This package offers internet access, including the ability to stream music or movies. On a recent cruise the rate was $23.99 per day for one device when purchased on the ship. The cost was $29.99 if purchased for a single day only. Rates are considerably cheaper when booking ahead of time.

Norwegian Cruise Line Norwegian offers a different take on internet access. That’s because the cruise line has a popular “Free at Sea” sale that allows passengers to get free perks with their booking. One perk is internet access. Still, if you book a cruise without the free internet, you have three different levels of service you can purchase.

Unlimited Wi-Fi : This plan provides full internet access, outside of streaming. It also includes access to email providers, social media, and more. The cost runs $29.99 per day for one device.

Unlimited Premium Wi-Fi : Want to stream Netflix, Hulu or other services? Then you’ll need Norwegian’s highest-level package. It allows streaming movies and music and costs $39.99 per day if purchased on the ship.

Norwegian also offers a packages of minutes of access.

Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Cruises offers wi-fi service to its passengers across the fleet. Like sister cruise line Royal Caribbean, Celebrity now offers one level of service known as the Premium Wi-Fi Package.

This services includes full access to the web and streaming movies and music. While Celebrity doesn’t list costs publicly on their website, the rate for an upcoming cruise was seen $30 per day for one device, with a 20% discount if booking ahead of time.

One thing to know is that Celebrity trips often have a “Always Included” deal. With this offer, drinks and wi-fi service are already included in your fare.

Princess Cruises Princess offers service known as MedallionNet, which is dubs “The Best Wi-Fi at Sea.” The cruise line says that it can reach speeds “often eclipsing 100 Mbps,” which is faster than the average broadband speed on land.

The service is available starting at $24.99 per day for one device when purchased before the cruise.

Like Celebrity, Princess also has special fares with things like drink packages, gratuities, and wi-fi already included. In other words, you may have to pay nothing extra for service if you book one of these deals.

Other Cruise Lines If your cruise line isn’t listed above, that’s ok. Most lines have prices that vary based on the level of service, but most are in the $20-30 range for one device .

Additional devices are usually in the $15-$20 range.

How Fast Is Internet on a Cruise?

Expecting to have blazing fast internet on the ship like you would back at home? Well, it’s time to lower your expectations a little bit before you get online. While the cruise lines love to boast about the speed of their service, the actual speeds you see can vary.

We’ve been on ships with blazing fast connections and others that have been insufferably slow.

In our tests across different cruise lines, the speed of service has varied widely, but seems most consistently in the 3-5 Mbps range. That said, we’ve been on cruises with speeds in the 1 Mbps range and some that approached 60 Mbps .

Bottom line, it’s tough to say exactly what sort of speed you will experience. That said, with the introduction of Starlink (a satellite internet provider) across many lines, speeds do seem to be trending upward.

For lower-tier plans that are less expensive, expect the speed to be slower .

In other words, while you may find service is more than fast enough to meet your needs, be prepared for the possibility of slower speeds than you are used to.

Can I Post to Facebook, Instagram or Other Social Media Sites?

Absolutely. In fact, the cheapest plans usually have access only to the social media sites and apps like Facebook, Twitter, Snap, Instagram and more. If this is the main way you keep in touch with people back home, then it’s a cheap way to stay connected.

Even so, don’t expect the service to be blazing fast. You’ll have access but will still deal with the slower service you often find at sea.

Can I Stream Movies or Music on a Cruise?

Usually you can stream, however there are some caveats. First, you must purchase a plan that allows streaming. Many cruise lines offer lower tiers of service that are less expensive, but do not offer streaming capabilities. Those packages offering streaming are higher-priced.

Second, given the internet speed, you could see some lagging or lower-quality pictures. Many reports from users complain about streaming troubles. We’ve personally have had issues as well in tests we’ve done on cruises. Other times, it’s streamed perfectly.

There can be some hiccups. For example, a show might stream well for a while and then suddenly have a pixelated picture or pause while data loads.

Bottom line: Yes, you can stream while on a cruise, but don’t be surprised if there are times where it doesn’t work as well. If you want to watch a show, we think it’s a better idea to download it before you arrive on the ship. That way you don’t have to rely on internet access to watch.

Can I Use the Wi-Fi to Call or Message With My Phone?

Cell service is provided on the ship at sea, but it can be expensive. A much easier thing to do is simply use the ship’s wi-fi to send messages and even make calls.

Depending on your phone, it may be easiest to use a messaging app like WhatsApp. We’ve noticed that the iMessage service on iPhones seems to work well to send messages to other iPhones, but doesn’t easily text Android users over the wi-fi. Services like WhatsApp work with no issues.

As well, you can setup your phone to call over wi-fi or call through a communication app. Either way, you can use the ship’s wi-fi to keep in touch.

Are There Data Caps on the Plans?

Most of the cruise line plans these days are “unlimited” plans that don’t put a cap on your data.

That said, we wouldn’t push it by trying to download the Lord of the Rings trilogy. First of all, it would take forever at the connection speeds. Beyond that, the internet is being provided by satellite for thousands of passengers at any given time. It’s likely that you would be asked about using such a massive amount of data.

If you’re doing what the service is designed for — streaming shows, checking email, etc. — you likely won’t be running into issues. But if you are using a ton of data, you might be asked about what’s going on.

Do I Have to Buy Internet for Every Day of the Cruise?

When we mentioned pricing above, you noticed that it was on a per-day basis. Most plans are sold this way ( similar to drink packages ). You pay a set amount per day, and the plan is purchased for the entire cruise. So if it’s $20 per day, you’ll pay $140 for a seven-day cruise. This gives you access for the whole trip.

But what if you want to only occasionally check email or post to Facebook? In that case, the cruise lines usually sell a smaller package. It can either be a 24-hour pass (unlimited access for 24 consecutive hours) or a number of minutes to access the web.

This allows you online access without the cost of paying for service during the entire cruise.

Are Websites Blocked or Filtered?

As you might expect, there is some blocking and filtering of websites while on the ship’s wi-fi. Of course, if you buy a lower-tier plan that doesn’t allow full access to the internet (such as Carnival’s Social plan) then you won’t be able to access the full internet. Even if you do have full online access, you can still expect some content filtering.

For most people this will never be an issue. However, if you are trying to look at pages with adult themes, then you’ll likely find you’re unable to connect. For example, Carnival says that “access to certain sites such as mature or violent content is blocked” over their network.

In other words, expect to use the internet like you would at your local library. You’ll be able to access everything you need… but maybe not everything you want.

Can I Use a VPN on the Cruise Ship?

Many people use a VPN in order to access their work privately. Unfortunately, these don’t always work on a cruise.

Carnival, for instance, has stated clearly in the past that “VPN connections are not supported” on their network. Royal Caribbean doesn’t explicitly state one way or the other, but we’ve seen several reports that using a VPN can be hit or miss for passengers. In our experience, using a VPN led to some interruption in the connection.

Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) is one of the few we’ve found that explicitly says they will let you access via a VPN. If you purchase their Unlimited Premium package, you are allowed access using one. Lower-tier packages do not allow VPN access.

In other words, unless you are sailing on Norwegian, then you should just assume you can’t access with a virtual private network. You might get lucky and be able to, but chances are slim.

Cruise Internet Seems Expensive, How Can I Save Money?

You are right that getting online access is pricey on a cruise. The good news is that there are ways you can save. We’ve covered them in more detail here , but here are some ideas:

Book a Cruise With Free Internet as a Perk Norwegian, Celebrity, Princess and other lines have started to offer sales that provide free perks for cruising. One of those perks is usually free wi-fi during your cruise. Book one of these and you don’t have to worry about the cost of access. It’s already included in your fare.

Wait Until You’re in Port to Get Online If you don’t need access every day, there’s a free way to get service: wait until you get to port. In many cruise ports there are stores or restaurants that offer free wi-fi to customers. You can sit down, have a bite to eat, and check email, etc. Now you might not be able to spend all day loitering while you watch a movie on your phone, but it’s a good way to check your email for free.

Pay For a Smaller Package While the internet is most widely sold in a package that lasts the length of your cruise, there are options for smaller amounts of time. Head to the ship’s internet Café and you’ll find that you can access the internet by the minute. It can be pricey on a per-minute basis, but still much cheaper than buying a package for the length of the cruise.

Buy Ahead of Time Want to save? Book ahead of time. Cruise lines offer discounts to passengers who buy the service before they sail. This discount can be significant — often 10-20% off the price of booking onboard.

It won’t make the service “cheap,” but it can take the sting off the high price tag.

Share a Connection Internet plans on cruise ships charge per device. So if you want to have two devices connected at once, then it’s double the cost. However, they also allow you to share a connection.

Say you have a wi-fi package with one device. Once a person is done with it, then another person can login to that account and access the internet from their own device. So a husband can hop online to check email on his laptop, and then a wife can login later to surf the web on her phone without paying for an extra device. It’s just that only one device at a time is allowed.

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Keep in Touch While Cruising at Sea

Our Internet Café is filled with computers so it’s easy to access your mail account or browse the Internet for world news, sports and stock trading. Or bring your own electronic devices and access the Internet through our improved onboard wireless service. The Internet Café is open 24 hours a day. For those looking to absorb more traditional media, our onboard library is fully stocked with up to 2,000 books, many specifically tailored to your itinerary as well as the classics and best sellers.

Do cruise ships have Wi-Fi? A line-by-line guide to internet access at sea

Do cruise ships have Wi-Fi? Yes, but internet access on cruise ships is both better and worse than you might expect. If you're headed on a cruise vacation and want to stay in touch with family and friends — or stream movies and music on board the ship — it is possible to stay fully connected while at sea. But you'll need to adjust your expectations if you think the connectivity will be similar to a hotel. Connectivity can be slow and spotty, although cruise lines are working to change that.

Ships rely on satellites for their internet connections at sea. The strength of the connection depends on several factors, including where you are in the world and the weather. On many lines, certain locations — such as public spaces near the center of the ship — tend to have better connectivity than other places (like your cabin).

Cruise lines are adopting new technologies to make internet access more reliable — and more affordable. Lines like Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line and Royal Caribbean, have installed Starlink in many vessels (fleetwide, in some cases). Starlink technology provides download speeds that range from 40 to over 200 Mbps (megabits per second) and upload speeds that come in at 8 to more than 25 Mbps.

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Here is an overview of what to expect from internet offerings on cruise ships and a line-by-line look at the plans and pricing available on your next cruise vacation.

What types of Wi-Fi plans do cruise lines offer?

Larger mainstream cruise lines typically have several plans available for purchase, with the cheaper plans only supporting email and texting and the pricier plans allowing streaming and Wi-Fi calling. Most upscale and luxury cruise lines offer a complimentary basic Wi-Fi plan to upgrade if you need a faster connection.

Before purchasing a plan, consider how much time you'll be online, how many devices you need to connect (a smartphone, tablet and a laptop?) and how much speed you'll need. If all you want to do is check emails or send texts, you may not need to spend additional money on an upgraded plan at all. Most cruise lines, but not all of them, let you use a one-device plan across multiple devices as long as you're only logged in to one at a time.

Note that you do not need a cruise ship Wi-Fi plan to access the free services — such as ordering food or checking the daily schedule — on a cruise line's app.

Related: Wi-Fi on cruise ships: 5 things to know about internet use on board

Pro tips for using cruise ship Wi-Fi

Before booking your cruise, look for promotions and deals that include basic Wi-Fi. If you can't get cruise ship internet included, don't wait to purchase your internet package until you're on board: It's usually less expensive to purchase Wi-Fi packages before sailing. Buying a package for the entire cruise is typically a better deal than the daily rate.

Keep your phone in airplane mode while on the ship to avoid roaming charges and other fees. Satellite roaming fees are much higher than you realize.

Related: Can you use your cellphone on a cruise?

Download apps, movies and music before your cruise. Not only can you access this entertainment on the flight to your home port, but you will be prepared should the onboard internet be slow on a sea day when you'd like to catch up on your must-watch show or listen to your favorite tunes at the gym.

To find the strongest Wi-Fi signal on the ship, download a network analyzer like NetSpot.

If you don't need to stay connected while on board, head into port and find a restaurant, bar or mall with free Wi-Fi. Ask crew members on the ship about the best places for free Wi-Fi in port; they often know. Or, use apps like WiFi Map that show you locations of nearby hotspots when you're in port.

Related: How can I get Wi-Fi on a cruise for free?

If you're struggling to upload photos on a sea day when everyone is on board and online, wait until folks are off the ship in port to try again. Early morning and late at night, when people are sleeping, are also good times to find faster connections.

Line-by-line guide to cruise ship internet access

Want to know what's available at sea before booking your next cruise? Here's a list of the available Wi-Fi plans and pricing for each of the major mainstream and luxury cruise lines. Most prices listed are per person, per day for the length of the cruise, and for one device unless otherwise indicated. Note that cruise lines can update pricing and plans at any time.

Price: Starting at $19.95 per day

Azamara 's internet access is provided by AT&T and Wireless Maritime Service. Guests on board the line's ships can choose to use one of their own devices to access Wi-Fi, such as a laptop or smartphone, or they can log in at one of the onboard Touch workstations.

You can purchase prepaid packages during the first two days of the voyage, and pricing is based on the number of minutes — or days — guests will need access to the internet. The plans are only available for one device at a time, and unused minutes are nonrefundable. Prepaid options are priced at $19.99 for one hour of usage. A one-day pass is available at $29.95 for a full day. The daily sessions will end within 24 hours of purchase.

If guests buy a Full Cruise Unlimited Package, the cost is $19.95 per day. This plan can be purchased at any time during the sailing, but guests will be charged for the full length of the voyage.

Members of the line's loyalty rewards program, Azamara Circle , receive benefits and perks for internet options based on their level. Members who book a Suite or Verandah Plus category can also combine their loyalty and suite Wi-Fi minutes. Perks of membership range from a 5% savings, including 30 free Wi-Fi minutes, or 20% toward a Full Voyage Unlimited Package at the Azamara Circle Adventurer level. For Discoverer Platinum members, there's a 100% savings on Wi-Fi that provides a Full Voyage Unlimited Package, no matter the category of cabin or length of the voyage.

Carnival Cruise Line

Price: starting at $12.75 per day.

Carnival Cruise Line offers guests the option of three plans via the line's satellite providers.

The Social Wi-Fi Plan provides access to the most popular social media apps, including Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and others. Prices start at $12.75 per day (per person) if purchased pre-cruise. The onboard purchase price is $15 per day.

The Value Wi-Fi plan, at $19.55 per day pre-cruise (onboard price is $23 per day), includes the Social plan features and allows guests to browse the internet and send and receive emails.

The fastest connection available (at three times the speed of the Value plan) is with the Premium Wi-Fi plan. At $21.25 (or $25 on board) per day, guests will be able to place video calls and stream music and videos.

You can also purchase a single 24-hour pass for the Value plan at $25 or the Premium plan at $35.

Celebrity Cruises

Price: Starting at $20 per day

Celebrity Cruises uses Starlink as a provider for internet service across its entire fleet, with the exception of its Galapagos-based ships.

For cabins booked as cruise-only fares, ranging from inside cabins to Concierge class, Wi-Fi can be purchased separately on board the ship at $20 per day per device for a Basic plan, which allows guests to browse the web, send and receive emails and text via messaging apps. The Premium plan costs $35 per day per device and adds the capability for live streaming, video chats and more. With either plan, there's a 10% savings when it's booked pre-cruise.

If guests choose the all-inclusive cruise price , fares include a Classic Drinks Package (with nonalcoholic and alcoholic beverages), Basic Wi-Fi access and gratuities. AquaClass cabins always have Basic Wi-Fi included in the fare; suites in The Retreat always come with complimentary Premium Wi-Fi. If you have Basic Wi-Fi included in your cruise fare, you can upgrade to the Premium Package for $9.99 daily.

Benefits of the line's Captain's Club membership include discounts of between 10% off a Wi-Fi package for Classic-level members to a complimentary Premium Package for Zenith-level guests.

Cunard Line

Price: starting at $18 per day.

All Cunard ships are equipped with Starlink technology. You can purchase internet plans in advance of your sailing or once on board by logging onto the ship's Wi-Fi and going to the line's My Voyage app.

The Essential Internet plan is priced at $24 per day when bought on a day-by-day basis or $18 per day for the entire voyage. This option allows you to browse the internet, send and receive emails and stay connected on social media platforms via text and photos.

The Premium Internet plan includes video streaming and a three times faster connection speed than the Essential plan. The cost for this option is $36 per day, or $24 per day for the whole voyage.

The pricing for either plan is for one device at a time, and these plans can be purchased at any time during your sailing. If you want to connect to the internet using two devices at once, you can purchase an additional plan with a 10% discount.

Cunard World Club members may be eligible to receive credit toward internet on the ships: $45 per person for Gold members, $80 per person for Platinum members and $135 per person for Diamond members.

Disney Cruise Line

Price: Starting at $16 per day

Disney Cruise Line previously offered varied internet plans for different ships and cruise destinations but now offers standard packages across its fleet.

Guests can choose among three different packages, starting with the Stay Connected plan at $18 per day when purchased on a day-to-day basis and $16 per day for the entire cruise. This option will provide enough bandwidth to post photos and send texts on social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly called Twitter), Snapchat and Linkedin.

Basic Surf includes the benefits of the lower-priced plan (posting photos on social media) and the ability to surf the internet and send and receive emails. It costs $28 per day when purchased on a day-to-day basis and $24 per day for the entire sailing.

The Premium Surf plan offers the fastest connection speeds and features access to Apple Music and Spotify. It costs $42 daily (on a day-to-day basis) and $34 for the entire cruise. Guests will also be able to make calls on Zoom or FaceTime and view short-form videos on sites like TikTok and YouTube, along with other benefits like access to emails, web surfing and more.

None of the packages support video streaming on platforms like Disney+, Hulu and Netflix. Discounted pricing is available for up to four devices.

Holland America Line

Price: starting at $17.15 per day.

Holland America completed the installation of Starlink across its entire fleet in December 2023, which enhanced connectivity for the line's guests and crew. The line offers three Wi-Fi plans.

The Surf Voyage package is the most popular option at $17.15 per day per device and provides access to most social media websites and applications.

The Premium package, at $34.99 per day, per device, includes audio and messaging apps, and the ability to surf the web and check emails.

The Stream package is $45.99 per day, per device, and includes streaming capability and all the benefits of the Surf Voyage and Premium packages.

If you're considering other onboard expenses, the line's "Have it All" Premium Cruise Package is an economical way to get internet access and a Signature Beverage Package (with nonalcoholic and alcoholic drinks), specialty dining and a credit for shore excursions. The package is available on most sailings for $55 per person, per day.

Holland America's 5-Star Mariner guests receive a $30 credit toward a Wi-Fi package. Early Booking Benefits for Grand Voyages include 5,000 minutes of complimentary internet access in select suite categories.

MSC Cruises

Price: Starting at $17.59 per day

MSC Cruises offers two internet packages with a 20% discount for booking ahead of your sailing.

MSC's Browse Internet Cruise Package includes unlimited data, 24-hour internet access, chat and texts, and the ability to post photos and send and receive emails. Pricing starts at $17.59 per day per device (pre-cruise cost) and $21.99 per day if you buy it on board.

The Browse & Stream Cruise Package comes with the additional capability to video chat, stream music and movies, and post videos and live stream on social media. Pricing for this option is $21.59 per day, per device. The per-device price drops when purchasing either plan for multiple devices. Note that MSC does not let you switch from one device to another on the same plan, so make sure to sign in to your plan for the first time on the device you intend to use it on.

One-day internet packages are $29.99 per day (for Browse) and $34.99 (for Browse & Stream).

Voyagers Club members also receive discounts on internet packages. Guests sailing in MSC Yacht Club cabins receive a complimentary Browse package for two devices. It's possible to upgrade the package for an additional charge.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Price: starting at $29.99 per day.

Norwegian Cruise Line 's most popular internet plan is the Unlimited Wi-Fi Package. It costs $29.99 per day for one device. You can add a second device for an additional $15.99; discounted pricing is available for up to four devices. This package provides web surfing capabilities and access to email and social media apps (but not TikTok).

If you take advantage of the Free at Sea promotional cruise fare, you'll receive a number of free Unlimited Wi-Fi minutes, depending on the length of your sailing.

The Premium Package starts at $39.99 per day per device (add a second device for $25.99 per day). This package features Unlimited Wi-Fi inclusions, as well as streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, TikTok and more. Discounted pricing is available for up to four devices. Guests can purchase an upgraded package before they sail or on board the ship.

Loyal cruisers and members of the Latitudes Rewards Program receive discounts of up to 25% on Wi-Fi packages based on their membership tier level. Benefits begin with a 15% discount at the Platinum level.

It's also possible to rent a laptop on the ship or surf the internet at one of the workstations in the fleet's 24-hour Internet cafe. Any internet package can be used with a laptop rental or at the onboard cafes.

Oceania Cruises

Price: complimentary to $9.99 per day.

Starlink service is currently available on Oceania Cruises ' Vista and Riviera, with a fleetwide expansion of the service to be completed by the end of 2024.

The line provides free, unlimited internet access with all cruise fares. Guests can log on to the internet throughout the ship, including in their cabins or suites or in public spaces and outdoor areas. They can also use the computers at the Oceania@Sea Internet Center on board their ships if they don't have their own device.

Two free logins are provided per cabin or suite for use on one device at a time. Plans that include access for additional devices can be purchased on the ship, and an upgrade to streaming services for movies or music is available at a cost of $9.99 per day.

Princess Cruises

Price: Starting at $24.99 per day

Princess Cruises claims the "fastest Wi-Fi at sea" with its MedallionNet technology , with download speeds of 12.6 Mbps and upload speeds of 1.9 Mbps. Carnival Corporation and Princess achieve this speed by working with SES Networks, a leading satellite connectivity provider.

With this internet access, you can check email, chat, surf the internet, FaceTime with your kids and pets, post photos and stream shows and music with speeds similar to what you might have at home.

Guests can choose from one-device to four-device packages starting at $24.99 per day that you can purchase through the MedallionClass app pre-cruise. Discounted pricing is available for up to four devices. Platinum and Elite members of Princess Cruises' loyalty program receive a 50% discount on plans that will appear as an onboard credit on the ship.

Guests can also purchase either a bundled Princess Plus or Princess Premier package, which are priced at about a 50% savings of the overall value when purchased pre-cruise through the MedallionClass app. Princess Plus includes a beverage package (with alcoholic drinks up to $15 each), Wi-Fi for a single device and crew gratuities. The cost for this plan is $60 per person, per day.

With Princess Premier, guests will receive the Premier Beverage Package (with drinks up to $20 each), Wi-Fi for multiple devices, crew appreciation, two evenings of specialty dining, a photo package and a chance to win prizes like a free onboard wine tasting, dinner at the Chef's Table or even a free cruise or cash. This package is priced at $80 per person a day.

With the latter option, you can also share the Wi-Fi availability with other passengers in the cabin who do not have Princess Premier.

Regent Seven Seas

Starlink service is currently available on Regent Seven Seas Cruises' Seven Seas Mariner and Seven Seas Grandeur , with a fleetwide expansion of the service to be completed by the end of 2024.

The line offers complimentary unlimited internet access throughout its fleet. Passengers have wireless access in most of the suites on the ships. However, bandwidth-heavy applications such as Netflix, Skype, YouTube and VPN are not included in the free plans.

One login is provided per suite for use with one device at a time. Gold and higher-level members of the Seven Seas Society and guests in Concierge Suites and higher receive up to four logins/devices per suite.

If guests are interested in streaming, they can pay for a higher-bandwidth plan at the cost of $9.99 per day.

Royal Caribbean

Price: Starting at $25.99 per day

Royal Caribbean touts its Voom internet as the "fastest internet at sea," with speeds six times faster than Wi-Fi plans you'll find on other cruise ships worldwide. However, some ships have been upgraded to Starlink service, with a fleetwide expansion of the technology to be completed by the end of 2024.

Royal Caribbean discontinued its basic Surf package and currently offers one plan — the Surf + Stream package. With it, passengers can surf the internet, send and receive emails, use messenger apps, live stream and post on social media and stream music and movies while on board the ship. The plan (for one device) starts at $25.99, and unlimited voyage packages for one device are $19.99 per day.

Passengers can receive a discount by purchasing packages that bundle a drink package with internet access.

Crown & Anchor Society members receive special discounts on pricing ranging from one day of Wi-Fi free to Diamond level members and two free days for Diamond Plus and Pinnacle members.

Related: How fast is the internet on Royal Caribbean ships? We put it to the test

Price: Complimentary to $19.95 per day

Seabourn provides complimentary, unlimited access to the internet to guests during their voyages. The complimentary Surf Wi-Fi Package provides unlimited access on one device per person. This plan includes general web browsing, email access and posting to social media accounts.

Should passengers need faster speeds and more bandwidth, the Stream Wi-Fi Package is an upgraded option that allows up to four devices and offers additional connectivity such as video streaming, internet calling and VPN/cloud storage.

Diamond-level members of Seabourn Club and guests booked in Penthouse and Premium suites receive the Stream plan on a complimentary basis. Passengers in other suite categories can upgrade for a charge of $19.95 per day.

Silversea Cruises

Price: Complimentary to $29.99 per day

All Silversea Cruises vessels feature Starlink connectivity on board. Silversea's standard internet access is complimentary in Vista and Verandah Suites, while premium Wi-Fi (the line's fastest Wi-Fi connection) is complimentary for guests booked in Medallion, Silver, Royal, Grand and Owner's Suites.

On the expedition ships, the level of internet access is also determined by the suite category, except for Silver Origin, which has complimentary standard Wi-Fi for all guests. For guests on Silversea's full world cruises or Grand Voyages, all passengers receive complimentary premium internet access for the sailing.

On all voyages — and with both types of internet access — the complimentary Wi-Fi is unlimited for two devices used at the same time.

If guests have standard internet access but want to upgrade to the premium plan, the price is $29.99 per day (covering two devices connected at the same time).

Price: Complimentary

All of Viking 's ocean ships offer complimentary Wi-Fi. Guests can connect to the internet via a personal device such as a smartphone or laptop, or they can use one of the ship's computers in the Business Center, located on Deck 1. The line relies on a VSAT satellite terminal — what Viking says is "one of the best solutions" for internet connection at sea. VSAT can provide wide variances in speed depending on weather and location.

Viking's expedition ships and river ships in Europe, Egypt and the Mississippi also feature free internet access. On Mekong River cruises in Southeast Asia, the line advises that the best option is to use the public computers on the ship to stay connected, but the internet service is limited throughout the region. Viking also asks that guests limit large uploads, downloads and streaming so that Wi-Fi is more accessible for everyone on the sailing.

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Home » Cruise Ships & Wifi (Free Internet on Cruise Ships?) Updated 2024

Cruise Ships & Wifi (Free Internet on Cruise Ships?) Updated 2024

Last updated on March 9th, 2024 at 08:40 pm

We live in a digital age where social media is prevalent in many aspects of our lives.

Whether we are chronicling our travels, advertising our business interests, getting remote work taken care of, sharing vlogs , or engaging with friends and family – few can go a day, much less extended time periods without Wi-Fi access or means of getting to their accounts.

Especially in this remote-work-driven world, business has become a work-from-anywhere endeavor where you can be cruising the world and still keeping a finger on the heartbeat of your other ventures.

Table of Contents

Do cruise ships have Wi-Fi?

The short answer is yes…but it differs from cruise line to cruise line.

What follows is a breakdown of the advertised services around Wi-Fi by the cruise line and previous cruiser insights on these services for many cruise lines sailing vacationers are considering.

Things to remember about the internet onboard cruise ships:

Ships offer internet via satellite, which will be slower than the internet you will find on land. This also means that weather can affect connectivity.

Ships also will deal with bandwidth and data issues, which means the more people that are using it at the same time, the slower it will generally be.

A common question people ask is if they will be able to work a bit from the ship, i.e. do a Zoom call, etc. The answer is usually “maybe,” but you won’t likely know until you go to actually use it.

It will depend on where in the world/ocean you are, where in the ship you are, how many other people are using at the same time, etc. It’s best not to bank on it.

Royal Caribbean WiFi Packages

After a successful trial of Starlink satellite internet on Freedom of the Seas, RCL says it will be rolling it out to the rest of the fleet soon (2022/2023). A timeline has been set that will see Starlink installed on all Royal Caribbean ships by the end of Q1 2023!

This should vastly improve the speed and reliability of the internet onboard, but for now, RCL’s internet is still touted as the “fastest internet at sea.”

From my own personal experience, I tested StarLink internet onboard the Brilliance of the Seas in January 2023. Download speed was 97.7Mbps while upload was 16.5Mbps. For most users, even heavy users, this speed is more than fast enough for streaming as well as work applications.

Royal Caribbean offers VOOM high speed internet you can add to your cruise to stream and stay connected, but costs will vary based on number of devices you wish to connect as well as your ship and sailing.

The VOOM Surf Voyage Package on average starts at $15.99/day for one device and allows you to surf the web and send emails.

If you want to be able to stream as well as browse the internet, the VOOM Surf and Stream package would be for you at an average of $22.99/day. Again, these prices vary based on ship, sailing and number of devices you wish to connect.

Watch for package deals prior to your cruise and check if your Crown and Anchor member level offers a discount on internet service.

Overall, users have good things to say about the service, though it does appear there can be some spotty coverage depending on your itinerary. You can also use Royal’s app without having to pay to connect to their Wi-Fi.

Celebrity Cruises WiFi Packages

**StarLink Internet has been installed on some Celebrity ships as of mid-2023.

With Celebrity, Premium Wi-Fi is the top-tier package you can add to your cruises on Celebrity for near-constant coverage while cruising. This package is great for those wishing to stream movies and such while underway and seems to have fairly good reviews from previous customers.

Basic Wi-Fi is for those needing some basic email and messaging services for a more value-added cost. This is included in Celebrity’s “ Always Included.”

Costs will vary based on ship, sailing and number of devices, but they do note that Wi-Fi packages are not available on ships sailing from the Galapagos.

Celebrity suggests if you book it in advance, you’ll save 10% than if you were to wait and purchase it on board, but often there will be additional deals when paired with other upgraded packages.

In 2023, Celebrity will be installing StarLink Satellite internet on its ships, which will provide a much faster experience. Stay tuned for more details as they roll out the system across all their ships.

MSC Cruises WiFi Packages

MSC Cruises, following suite with Virgin Voyages and other cruise lines, will be rolling out Starlink across their vessels. Other major cruise operators including Norwegian, Royal Caribbean and Carnibal have also been making the switch to Starlink.

The satellite internet , called Browse (just surfing websites), or Browse & Stream (allows for streaming Netflix) packages on MSC Cruises offer the ability to bring your own devices for public area and café spot coverage.

When added to a cruising package, it is available 24/7 with no data caps, which is nice considering others throttle when available if you read the fine print. The packages vary in price based on the length of the cruise and number of devices you wish to connect, but you can expect to pay approximately $12/day per device for the Browse internet package for a week-long cruise.

They also have cafes with printers and full screens and keyboards to facilitate work or other activities.

You can get discounts on the packages if you purchase them before boarding, or when adding multiple devices because each package is attached to a certain device, so you’d need a separate package for each device you wish to access the internet.

They do advise that if you want to use the internet when it’s fastest, to avoid doing it first thing in the morning, or when the majority of passengers return from shore excursions .

Carnival Cruises WiFi Packages

Carnival is pretty transparent in the three levels of Wi-Fi offered:

Social Plan – $6.80/person per day (can save 15% if purchased online pre-cruise) – allows access to social sites/apps, and airline websites, presumably to allow the user to check in for their flight while aboard, but may not allow access to other websites/apps

Value Plan – 10.20/person per day (can save 15% if purchased online pre-cruise) – allows surfing on websites and access to email, but does not allow for streaming (i.e. Netflix or Spotify) or for video calls (i.e. Skype or Zoom)

Premium Plan – $13.60/person per day (can save 20% if purchased online pre-cruise). boasts three times faster connection to allow for streaming and video calling (where coverage allows).

Check the fine print and ensure that you pick the right package as there are some pre-purchase restrictions that are enforced before embarking .

*Carnival Cruise Lines will be installing StarLink Satellite internet on their ships in 2023. This will be a much faster experience. Stay tuned for more info on when it will be installed on all ships in the fleet.

Holland America WiFi Packages

HAL offers satellite internet through the ship’s Wi-Fi or at workstations in the Explorations Cafe. There are three packages available, all with varying levels of data available:

Social – allows you to access popular social sites and apps, but may not allow for streaming or audio/video calls – $14.99/day

Surf – the most popular option which allows for broader internet surfing including news and sports sites, accessing your e-mail, but also may not allow for streaming or audio/video calls – $24.99

Premium – this has the highest amount of data which allows for everything including streaming and video calls.

The caveats with their internet, however, are that it won’t be as fast as internet on land (and current customers agree), and because it’s provided via satellite, physical blockages will affect connectivity (i.e. inclement weather or mountains). Also, they do have a select number of free sites under “Complementary Browsing.”

*As Holland America is part of Carnival, StarLink Internet will be coming to the fleet in 2023.

Princess Cruises WiFi Packages

MedallionNet is the Wi-Fi service of Princess cruise lines, and recently they announced some improvements to their service even to help accommodate those that might need to work while onboard.

They boast their services being “The Best Wi-Fi at Sea,” and they have several unlimited day packages for as little as $9.99 a day for a one device package. If you are a Platinum or Elite guest, you’ll get 50% off, or if you purchase Princess Plus , your Wi-Fi will be included.

It must be added that there is a lot of good reviews out there that might back this claim but again, read through all the data to make the best-informed decision.

*As Princess is part of Carnival, StarLink Internet will be coming to the fleet in 2023.

Norwegian Cruise Lines WiFi Packages

Norwegian’s services onboard are offered in internet cafes onboard , with some stateroom access on certain ships.

Laptop rentals, email access, and other items for this coverage can be found on their website, but for those needing streaming services or more robust coverage for work, you must take a hard look at this one before booking.

Unlimited Wi-Fi Package – 1 device is $25.50/day when purchased prior to your cruise. This allows you to browse websites, use social media apps (except for TikTok), and access email (no VPN).

Unlimited Premium Wi-Fi Package – 1 device is 34.99/day when purchased prior to your cruise. This allows access to streaming sites, like YouTube, Netflix, etc. as well as if you need to use a VPN to access your email.

Unlimited Social Media Wi-Fi – 1 device – 12.50/day when purchased prior to your cruise allows access to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, but not TikTok.

Norwegian also has an option where you can purchase 250 minutes of internet for use any time during your cruise for the price of $105.00 if purchased in advance of your cruise. If you want to purchase it onboard, it will be $125 plus a $3.95 activation fee. It can be used only on one device at at time.

NCL offers different perks on different cruises, so many bookings come with some complimentary minutes of internet and it’s easy to upgrade your package once on board.

*Norwegian has experimented with StarLink internet on their ships so plan on upgrades coming in 2023.

Disney Cruises WiFi Packages

Connect@Sea is the program covering all of Disney’s Internet packages at sea options. You will pay for the data you use, not by the minute, so if you’re looking to stream Netflix or just upload a few pictures to Instagram, you’ll be able to find the package right for you.

You can also share the package between devices simultaneously, as Disney’s technology will combine the amount of data. There is no discount for purchasing packages before your cruise, as Disney advises to look for a current price list in your cabin, or by talking to Guest Services.

There is free access to the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app, which is also accessible to view other data packages.

Virgin Voyages WiFi Packages

Wanting to stay ahead of the game and to keep current with their innovative approach to cruising, Virgin Voyages will be the first cruise line to incorporate SES Cruise mPOWERED + Starlink PRO services.

SES is a global leader in satellite communications and Virgin will combine Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite coverage in their bid to deliver the fastest internet speeds for their cruise passengers.

The cruise line will be offering speeds up to 1.5 Gbps, well above the standard offerings. The pandemic changes the way the world does business, and has opened up remote working opportunities for many.

The world has also become acutely aware of the importance of connectivity. While most people don’t want to work on a vacation, the ability to remain connected, even for short periods, has made it apparent that combining business and pleasure can work out very well for all concerned.

Younger guests, such as those attracted to Virgin Voyages, tend to attract, feels that connectivity is paramount. Having a reliable internet connection allows for cruisers to check in at work or home with confidence that those important connections will be ready and available when needed.

Passengers will be able to keep up on messaging, emails and make video calls. This valuable service will help keep a cruiser current with business obligations and also give the peace of mind that being able to connect with home brings.

Costa Cruises WiFi Packages

Costa features a Data and Social package for their internet, with access available in all public areas and cabins throughout their ships. They have an Internet Point area where you can use onboard devices or bring your full ship usage.

Additionally, their packages range from 250 MB to 3 GB. Their social package has a list of sites it allows access to in a more economical fashion – or you can pay as you go if you aren’t sure of your needs before sailing.

*As Costa Cruises is part of Carnival, StarLink Internet will be coming to the fleet in 2023.

Viking Ocean Cruises WiFi Packages

Internet access onboard is free , but there are some significant limitations on bandwidth for such activities as streaming. The ships do have a Business Center on board with computers or use your device, but the other amenities onboard are the draw – internet access due to itineraries, and locations along with onboard setup make access to the internet not as spectacular as on other cruise lines.

Oceania WiFi Packages

Wavenet is the internet service provided by Oceania, and the basic levels are free to all sailing with them. Additionally, a Prime option can be tacked for $9.99 a day to more robust access to allow for such things as streaming and the like.

Passengers in the premium Owners and Vista suites even get provided an iPad ensuite for the duration of the voyage for their use in accessing social media, email, and other internet options.

Azamara WiFi Packages

Azmara offers packages that start at $0.33/a minute with one-hour passes to one-day or full cruise packages. Several spelled out limitations to their services, such as Skype and others, so it’s important to go through their exceptionally detailed and transparent services listings before setting expectations for your cruise.

Silversea Cruises WiFi Packages

Silversea has unlimited complimentary internet for all those sailing. Speed limitations depend on the package level and ship, so checking to ensure you have the right service may include additional service level add-ons, but basic levels remain free.

They also feature onboard cafes where you may use their computers and other devices or bring your own and access the internet throughout their ships.

Seabourn WiFi Packages

Seabourn, the luxury cruise line is the newest cruise line to be equipped with Starlink internet . Expect fast internet speeds while you’re cruising to exotic locations offered by Seabourn. Learn more about complimentary WiFi on Seabourn .

A Word of Caution About Cruise Line Wi-Fi

Certain apps, a variety of service options, port of call , and destinations along your cruise can all impact the internet service on a ship.

If these services and having access to friends, coworkers, work, or even social media feeds are important to you, do your research before embarking as not all cruise lines have given their online services the same consideration.

Can you stream movies on a cruise ship?

Wi-Fi is getting better for certain and more readily available. While the speed of an individual cruise ship might be enough to stream movies, you might end up going through your available bandwidth quickly.

Additional charges in most cases will apply for streaming or higher/longer coverage periods and can have a significant impact on the cost of your cruise experience if not booked in advance.

That being said, it is not the same on every ship, and the costs are specific to each cruise line, so don’t make assumptions that just because you sail on one two years ago and want to pick a new line, the services may not be the same.

Why Is StarLink Internet a Game-changer for Cruise Ship Internet?

One of the primary advantages of Starlink Internet is its exceptional speed. Traditional satellite internet systems often suffer from latency issues due to the long distance signals must travel to reach the orbiting satellites and back to Earth.

However, Starlink employs a novel approach by deploying a constellation of thousands of small, low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. These satellites are positioned much closer to the Earth’s surface, significantly reducing the latency and providing faster internet speeds.

Early tests and user reports have shown that Starlink offers download speeds ranging from 50 to 150 Mbps, with latency typically under 50 milliseconds. This makes it comparable to, and sometimes even surpassing, land-based broadband connections.

These innovations are good news for ALL cruise lines passengers. Cruise lines are striving to meet the need of cruisers to maintain a reliable connection with home and work. This will be a benefit for all.

What’s the Verdict on Cruise Ship WiFi?

Depending on the destination, cruise ship capabilities, and even your stateroom location, the variances in coverage can be significant.

Look at the cruise line websites and reviewers on popular websites like the CruiseCritic Forums who can be brutally honest in reviewing such amenities. Real-life examples may help you from being frustrated mid-cruise and not enjoying a hard-earned vacation due to slow internet when you are already out to sea.

This page contains affiliate links for which we may receive financial compensation when a purchase has been made through one of our affiliate partners.

About Jonathon Hyjek

Jonathon is the tech guy behind CruiseportAdvisor.com. When he's not stuck in front of his computer, Jonathon enjoys travel & cruising (even after being on a cruise ship that caught fire - a story for another day!)

Purchasing internet package

By ratherbecruzin , January 23, 2022 in Princess Cruises

ratherbecruzin

I’m trying to pre purchase an internet package for one device. I put my credit card info in and it says failure. I put another credit card number in and it says failure. Can I purchase it onboard? I’m platinum so wold I still get half off. The medallion app has not been kind!

idid purchase a coffee card and that went through!

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23 minutes ago, ratherbecruzin said: I’m trying to pre purchase an internet package for one device. I put my credit card info in and it says failure. I put another credit card number in and it says failure. Can I purchase it onboard? I’m platinum so wold I still get half off. The medallion app has not been kind! idid purchase a coffee card and that went through!

Try using the princess.com web browser Live Chat functionality during office hours to chat with a service rep.

25 minutes ago, ratherbecruzin said: I’m trying to pre purchase an internet package for one device. I put my credit card info in and it says failure. I put another credit card number in and it says failure. Can I purchase it onboard? I’m platinum so would I still get half off. The medallion app has not been kind! i did purchase a coffee card and that went through!

I don't think you can purchase internet package via Chat as you cannot give them a credit card to bill you over Chat. You can phone in and explain the #$*&^&^!)(&&!! MC App won't let you order and pay with your perfectly valid CC and they can do it over the phone.

You can wait and order internet on board. Do it on Day 1 and you are supposed to get the pre-cruise pricing because of the MC App issues. If you have an issue, escalate.

Regardless of when you purchase, and what you purchase, you get 50% off the regular price. If purchasing ahead of the cruise, you are billed full price and the discount comes back to you as refundable OBC. If you order on the ship, they just bill your account for the 50% net cost. The MC App is supposed to be updated to recognize your member level and auto-apply the discount.

I am waiting to see if this is implemented before our next cruise.

1 hour ago, ratherbecruzin said: I’m trying to pre purchase an internet package for one device. I put my credit card info in and it says failure. I put another credit card number in and it says failure. Can I purchase it onboard? I’m platinum so wold I still get half off. The medallion app has not been kind! idid purchase a coffee card and that went through!

I also had a problem. Call Princess & they will add it for you. More expensive if you buy it on the ship.

2 weeks later...

Twinkle cruising

On 1/23/2022 at 12:04 AM, ratherbecruzin said: I’m trying to pre purchase an internet package for one device. I put my credit card info in and it says failure. I put another credit card number in and it says failure. Can I purchase it onboard? I’m platinum so wold I still get half off. The medallion app has not been kind! idid purchase a coffee card and that went through!

I am trying to purchase the internet pacakge on the Medallion app also. I've been having the same problems. I keep getting an error message, and I even tried another credit card. But I get the same error message. I may contact my Princess CVP and order the package over the phone.

I sailed last month and tried to buy the internet the first day and it doesn't discount. I went to the internet person and explained I didn't use an app or smart phone. He manually changed the price but told me that was not the norm. I'm sailing again next week and phoned into Princess and bought the internet package. I was charged full price and told 50% will be credited as refundable OBC.

diane.in.ny

3 hours ago, cruzsnooze said: I sailed last month and tried to buy the internet the first day and it doesn't discount. I went to the internet person and explained I didn't use an app or smart phone. He manually changed the price but told me that was not the norm. I'm sailing again next week and phoned into Princess and bought the internet package. I was charged full price and told 50% will be credited as refundable OBC.

I understood we could buy it onboard at the discounted price. I also have not been able to buy it with the app. Keep getting an error message.

and, yes, gone through the whole business of rebooting my phone, uninstalling, reinstalling, deleting the credit card, entering it again, etc etc.

I can tell you I won't be a happy camper if I don't get the discounted price once on board.

patrickmoran

I thought I had bought the 4 device plan pre-cruise for our Majestic cruise. Got onboard and nope. I had to buy it onboard which cost 50% more even with our 50% off elite discount. Not sure why my purchase went through.

5 hours ago, cruzsnooze said: I sailed last month and tried to buy the internet the first day and it doesn't discount. I went to the internet person and explained I didn't use an app or smart phone. He manually changed the price but told me that was not the norm. I'm sailing again next week and phoned into Princess and bought the internet package. I was charged full price and told 50% will be credited as refundable OBC.

The original idea was the new pricing scheme would be higher cost on board. However, because of MC App issues (see an example below), there is supposed to be a policy that we get the pre-cruise price offer on embarkation day and then the higher price applies. It may not be normal, but Princess Customer Relations has said it is the policy (and I don't see why it would change). Expect it to change when the MC App offers the net cost to be charged to credit card. You can call in and order internet in advance.

1 hour ago, diane.in.ny said: I understood we could buy it onboard at the discounted price. I also have not been able to buy it with the app. Keep getting an error message. and, yes, gone through the whole business of rebooting my phone, uninstalling, reinstalling, deleting the credit card, entering it again, etc etc. I can tell you I won't be a happy camper if I don't get the discounted price once on board.

Regardless of which package price you are offered on board (the pre-cruise $10/day on Day 1, or the higher on-board cost of $15/day), you still get 50% off. Because of your issues, you should be given the pre-cruise price on Day 1 (don't wait until Day 2) and you will be charged the net 50% cost to your room account (no OBC involved). Before going on the cruise, I would write an email to [email protected] and why not copy [email protected]. Include you ship, cruise date, booking code and explain your MC App issue. You might say something like you expect these issues will be resolved someday soon, but you do expect to be paying the pre-cruise price on Day 1, less 50%, and NOT the on-board price. Take the email with you.

If you get any hassle, take it up with the Captain's Circle host, Passenger Services Desk, but first ask the IT Manager to adjust the charge. It seems Princess has not updated MC App to charge the pre-cruise price on Day 1. This is probably because it is not the long-term plan. It is an exception due to the MC App issues and the fact that it is charging full price and then you get OBC.

48 minutes ago, patrickmoran said: I thought I had bought the 4 device plan pre-cruise for our Majestic cruise. Got onboard and nope. I had to buy it onboard which cost 50% more even with our 50% off elite discount. Not sure why my purchase went through.

Too bad if you didn't keep proof of payment with the App screen. Was your credit card charged pre-cruise for the internet cost? That would be a proof and also indicate to you that the order had worked. I know I would be checking my CC as the App has so many issues, I never know where the next one will come from. In any trouble situation, you should have got the pre-cruise price on Day 1 and not had to pay the on-board price. It's unfortunate you don't appear to have raised an issue about it and nicely demanded to get the pre-cruise price.

I am not very happy at a lot of reports I am reading lately where folks who had various issues, were not getting the pre-cruise price without having to ask or make a stink about it. Guests should be offered the pre-cruise price automatically on Day 1 and not have to go begging about it. This is poor on Princess' part as it is like only guests "in the know" about the policy exception are getting the right pricing. It appears the system has not been coded to offer pre-cruise pricing on Day 1 temporarily. I wish more guests knew about this to exercise their rights to the correct pricing.

I have written CR about this again and do not have a response.

disneyochem

I also was not able to purchase the upgrade to 4 devices using the app. I called And spent an hour that I’ll never get back with Princess trying to figure out what was wrong. Rep kept telling me my credit card was no good….

Went to guest services as soon as I got on board the Majestic. I had a dated saved screen shot showing that I had tried to upgrade earlier. Princess gave me the upgrade at 50%.

10 minutes ago, disneyochem said: I also was not able to purchase the upgrade to 4 devices using the app. I called And spent an hour that I’ll never get back with Princess trying to figure out what was wrong. Rep kept telling me my credit card was no good…. Went to guest services as soon as I got on board the Majestic. I had a dated saved screen shot showing that I had tried to upgrade earlier. Princess gave me the upgrade at 50%.

What are you saying above? Just trying to clarify. If you are Platinum or Elite, you get the 50% discount on all internet pricing. The 4-device plan costs $20/day pre-cruise and $25/day on board. (We will always get the 4-device plan as it costs the same pre-cruise as two single-device plans).

Did you mean, they gave you the pre-cruise cost of $20/day, and then 50% off that? That is what should have happened as long as you were ordering it on Day 1 (embarkation day). As I mentioned in above post, this is a temporary policy due to all the issues guests having pre-ordering. Problem is, it is a silent policy and only some "in the know" are aware of it and it doesn't seem to be happening automatically.

If you booked with Princess Plus, the single-device plan is included for both of you, so to upgrade to a 4-device plan is $10/day. (It would be $15/day in theory for on-board purchase). Again, you are eligible for 50% off regardless of when/how ordered. Should be automatic.

8 hours ago, Steelers36 said: What are you saying above? Just trying to clarify. If you are Platinum or Elite, you get the 50% discount on all internet pricing. The 4-device plan costs $20/day pre-cruise and $25/day on board. (We will always get the 4-device plan as it costs the same pre-cruise as two single-device plans). Did you mean, they gave you the pre-cruise cost of $20/day, and then 50% off that? That is what should have happened as long as you were ordering it on Day 1 (embarkation day). As I mentioned in above post, this is a temporary policy due to all the issues guests having pre-ordering. Problem is, it is a silent policy and only some "in the know" are aware of it and it doesn't seem to be happening automatically. If you booked with Princess Plus, the single-device plan is included for both of you, so to upgrade to a 4-device plan is $10/day. (It would be $15/day in theory for on-board purchase). Again, you are eligible for 50% off regardless of when/how ordered. Should be automatic.

I’m Platinum and have Princess Plus. On the Medallion app, tried to upgrade to a four device plan for $70 for a 7 day cruise. Was not able to purchase ahead of time—kept getting a failure message. Called the Medallion folks, cleared our my credit cards, put new credit card in, etc. and was told that my credit card was declined, wrong date, etc.

On board, app allowed me to plan for $70. Went to Guest Services where they allowed me to purchase the plan for $35.

Are you telling me that if I had purchased the plan for $70, my account would only have automatically been charged $35? Not sure how much I trust the app….. we keep getting charged for drinks. It’s a daily CrewChat for us to adjust our onboard account.

1 hour ago, disneyochem said: I’m Platinum and have Princess Plus. On the Medallion app, tried to upgrade to a four device plan for $70 for a 7 day cruise. Was not able to purchase ahead of time—kept getting a failure message. Called the Medallion folks, cleared our my credit cards, put new credit card in, etc. and was told that my credit card was declined, wrong date, etc. On board, app allowed me to plan for $70. Went to Guest Services where they allowed me to purchase the plan for $35. Are you telling me that if I had purchased the plan for $70, my account would only have automatically been charged $35? Not sure how much I trust the app….. we keep getting charged for drinks. It’s a daily CrewChat for us to adjust our onboard account.

I understand. Yes, the upcharge for 4-devices is $10/day either pre-cruise or on-board. If the App is looking to charge full cost on-board, then it looks like either someone does an override or you get the $35 back as Refundable OBC. The Internet Mgr should have been able to adjust as well. Glad to read you got the proper net price.

Rick&Jeannie

I've been following threads of this type for some time now. We all know the app certainly "has its issues" 😄 . On the other hand, has anybody who had issues pre-cruise tried using the Personalizer? That has always worked for me in the past...but most all of my bookings for the past couple of years have had a wifi promotion in place.

2 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said: I've been following threads of this type for some time now. We all know the app certainly "has its issues" 😄 . On the other hand, has anybody who had issues pre-cruise tried using the Personalizer? That has always worked for me in the past...but most all of my bookings for the past couple of years have had a wifi promotion in place.

Ordering internet was removed from CP. Hopefully, will return when the new website CP is released.

Just want to re-affirm a couple of things that I have on good authority from CR (nothing has changed from my many posts on the topic).

Guests who pre-order MedallionNet receive Refundable OBC on-board.
If you wait until on-board - or cannot pre-order due to MC App etc, you can get the pre-cruise price on Day 1.
Supposedly, phone reps cannot adjust the price to 50% when pre-ordering, so not sure how one case I read about happened. I guess it was some sort of override (perhaps I will call some day and see if it works for me).
No date to announce for when MC App will be updated to only charge 50% for eligible guests.

californiagirl

I was having the same issues when trying to order via the app. After several failed attempts I noticed a faint blue box on the payment page, where the credit card comes up. The box says “select”. I clicked the box and voila the payment worked! It is easily overlooked. I hope this helps someone.

4 hours ago, Steelers36 said: Just want to re-affirm a couple of things that I have on good authority from CR (nothing has changed from my many posts on the topic). Guests who pre-order MedallionNet receive Refundable OBC on-board. If you wait until on-board - or cannot pre-order due to MC App etc, you can get the pre-cruise price on Day 1. Supposedly, phone reps cannot adjust the price to 50% when pre-ordering, so not sure how one case I read about happened. I guess it was some sort of override (perhaps I will call some day and see if it works for me). No date to announce for when MC App will be updated to only charge 50% for eligible guests.

I order it with Princess rep. Your discount will appear as OBC when on the ship.

Unlimited and Affordable Internet

Choose from one-device or four-device packages, starting at just $9.99 USD when you purchase pre-cruise through the MedallionClass app. Platinum and Elite guests get an exclusive discount of 50% off.*

*Discount will be applied on board in the form of an onboard credit.

1 hour ago, cruzsnooze said: Unlimited and Affordable Internet Choose from one-device or four-device packages, starting at just $9.99 USD when you purchase pre-cruise through the MedallionClass app. Platinum and Elite guests get an exclusive discount of 50% off.* *Discount will be applied on board in the form of an onboard credit.

What are you trying to say?

10 hours ago, Steelers36 said: Just want to re-affirm a couple of things that I have on good authority from CR (nothing has changed from my many posts on the topic). Supposedly, phone reps cannot adjust the price to 50% when pre-ordering, so not sure how one case I read about happened. I guess it was some sort of override (perhaps I will call some day and see if it works for me).

You might be referring to a post I made a few days ago. I had trouble with my cc on the app when trying to purchase internet for an upcoming 10 day cruise. I called Princess to see what they could do. The woman I spoke to was able to purchase the internet for me at a cost of $100 (rounding). She then told me I would receive the 50% discount once on board the ship. I knew that was what was supposed to happen and that was the end of it.

About an hour later I had to call Princess for something else. During my conversation I mentioned that I had just purchased the internet for $100. This woman said that I should have been charged $50. She said that when the new perk came out there was no way for their system to know who was Elite and Platinum so they devised the system of the up-front payment with the reimbursement on the ship. She then told me that there is now a code that an agent such as herself can enter at the time of purchase to give the discount right away. She then cancelled my previous internet purchase and sold me a new one using the code. I was charged $50. She told me this code was very new and not all the agents even knew about it as yet. It was not an override. To me it was one of those right time right person situations.

If you do decide to call Princess make sure you tell them that there is a code and if the person you talk to doesn't know about it have that person ask his/her supervisor. Good luck. Hope it works.

8 minutes ago, CTGirl said: You might be referring to a post I made a few days ago. I had trouble with my cc on the app when trying to purchase internet for an upcoming 10 day cruise. I called Princess to see what they could do. The woman I spoke to was able to purchase the internet for me at a cost of $100 (rounding). She then told me I would receive the 50% discount once on board the ship. I knew that was what was supposed to happen and that was the end of it. About an hour later I had to call Princess for something else. During my conversation I mentioned that I had just purchased the internet for $100. This woman said that I should have been charged $50. She said that when the new perk came out there was no way for their system to know who was Elite and Platinum so they devised the system of the up-front payment with the reimbursement on the ship. She then told me that there is now a code that an agent such as herself can enter at the time of purchase to give the discount right away. She then cancelled my previous internet purchase and sold me a new one using the code. I was charged $50. She told me this code was very new and not all the agents even knew about it as yet. It was not an override. To me it was one of those right time right person situations. If you do decide to call Princess make sure you tell them that there is a code and if the person you talk to doesn't know about it have that person ask his/her supervisor. Good luck. Hope it works.

Thanks for expanding on your earlier post - I do recall it.

I tried pre-purchasing the 4 device package on medallion app on my tablet, I have an upcoming 7 day cruise with the plus package. After it gave me the credit card error, I called princess and she did not find the code. I did see after the fact that my app had not yet been updated, there was a recent update two days ago. I then pulled out my phone which has the updated app and was able to purchase the upgrade 4 device package, although for the $70.00, so at least partial success but not the discount.

21 minutes ago, JanetGofWI said: I tried pre-purchasing the 4 device package on medallion app on my tablet, I have an upcoming 7 day cruise with the plus package. After it gave me the credit card error, I called princess and she did not find the code. I did see after the fact that my app had not yet been updated, there was a recent update two days ago. I then pulled out my phone which has the updated app and was able to purchase the upgrade 4 device package, although for the $70.00, so at least partial success but not the discount.

If there is a code or way for a Princess rep (or something only a CVP knows???), I am thinking it may only work for a new package order and not the upgrade from free single-device package to 4-device package.

Looks like they may be starting to issue more frequent App updates as they fix bugs.

3 minutes ago, Steelers36 said: If there is a code or way for a Princess rep (or something only a CVP knows???), I am thinking it may only work for a new package order and not the upgrade from free single-device package to 4-device package. Looks like they may be starting to issue more frequent App updates as they fix bugs.

After reading earlier posts I was hoping the could find the proper code and I could possibly post it here, to save searching for others. Unfortunately that didn’t happen. They did look up my upcoming cruise, I told them I was platinum, had the plus package, etc.

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Bigger ship, better views: 3 takeaways from Princess Cruises' newest vessel

I was rushing to make my dinner reservation on Princess Cruises’ new ship. But when I arrived at the restaurant, the view made me stop.

From the windows at the sushi eatery Makoto Ocean – part of a sphere-shaped structure near the middle of the vessel – I saw the sun sinking below the horizon, a reddish-orange dot on the Mediterranean Sea. The Sun Princess facilitates scenes like that by design.

“We wanted to make sure that within how we designed the (venues) and placed the furniture, we gave maximum opportunity for our guests to be able to celebrate those outward views,” Denise Saviss, Princess’ vice president of entertainment experience, told USA TODAY. “It is really, really unique to have so much glass on the ship.”

Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.

That was one of several striking features during a recent sailing (the ship is now cruising the Mediterranean before it moves to the Caribbean in October). Here are three takeaways from the first in the line’s aptly named Sphere Class.

1. The design showcases views at sea and in port

Makoto isn’t the only venue that offers that kind of view.

Other spaces inside the Sphere – which also houses lobby-slash-entertainment venue The Piazza – feature similarly sweeping vistas across decks 7, 8 and 9. I watched the light sparkle on the water while I sipped coffee one morning at International Café, and patrons dining at Alfredo’s Pizzeria can take in the scenery during their meal from many seats.

That’s also true elsewhere on the ship. At Horizons Dining Room, floor-to-ceiling windows face the ship’s wake. At the other end of the vessel, the Dome, a geodesic structure that Princess has said was inspired by the hills of Santorini, is like a massive solarium.

The space – which will also host shows including acrobatics – has multiple tiers of loungers, an indoor-outdoor pool and the Cascade Bar (which comes in handy for cooling off, as it felt a bit muggy in the Dome at one point on a sunny sea day).

The overall effect helped to bring the outside in.

2. The ship is bigger but still intimate

Sun Princess is the largest ship in the Princess fleet, and the 21-deck vessel can accommodate 4,300 guests. But that doesn’t mean everything is huge.

Given the scale of the offerings, a number of spaces on board feel notably intimate. One night, I walked to Good Spirits at Sea, a cocktail bar crafted in partnership with mixologist Rob Floyd that also hosts classes, and thought I was lost before stumbling upon it tucked around a corner on Deck 7. Inside, the 40-person venue offered a laid-back alternative to other more boisterous nightlife options.

On Deck 9, the ship’s buffet-like venue, The Eatery, gives way to narrower hallways toward the aft with backlit wood paneling and benches. At the end, they open back up to reveal specialty restaurants The Catch by Rudi and The Butcher’s Block by Dario (from Princess’ head of culinary arts, Rudi Sodamin, and in partnership with famed butcher Dario Cecchini, respectively).

Even the multi-configuration Princess Arena felt cozier than its near-1,000-guest capacity would suggest. I sat in the second-to-last row of my section for a performance by the vocal group ODY·C and was still close enough to see clearly.

3. The line leans into family-friendly activities

Part of Sun Princess’ expanded footprint has been used to broaden the line’s family offerings.

Park19, a new space on the ship’s top decks, features a variety of activities in an open-air setting. Saviss said the line worked to balance the interests of core customers and a growing family market “and make sure we're prioritizing spaces that everybody can enjoy.”

“There are some attractions that I think naturally, at first blush, people would say, ‘Oh, it's just for kids,’ but actually, the space is really comprehensive,” she said. “Our attractions are available for many different levels of ability and mobility.”

Those include Coastal Climb, an obstacle course that culminates in 360-degree views from The Lookout observation deck (the highest point accessible to guests on the ship, also reachable via elevator) and The Net ropes course.

On Sea Breeze, billed as the first Rollglider on a cruise ship, passengers will glide along the outer edges of the ship on an electric track (the ride will also be ADA-accessible, though Saviss said some mobility is required for maneuvering into the seat).

It’s as close as the ship gets to an amusement park (Princess’ version). “We're not running the rat race, if you will, of like, who can do it bigger, better,” Saviss said. “If you want to just have a really incredible bird's-eye view of Sun Princess, and in and around where the ship is sailing, you can do that. But there is an option to push a little lever while you're riding it and dial up the speed a bit faster, and then it does become a bit more thrilling.”

The ride was not yet available when I was on board, as the line moved through a testing, certification and training process, but is expected to open on April 27. Sun Princess’ original launch was delayed with the cruise line citing “additional technical work” needed at the shipyard, which pushed back the opening of some onboard amenities.

When is the best time to take a cruise?: We broke it down by region.

There is also a hammock area to chill when guests need a break, a recreational court that can host activities from pingpong to morning meditation, a jogging track and more. Elsewhere on board, guests will find the Firefly Park kids club and hangout spaces Neon Grove and The Underground for tweens and teens, respectively.

The reporter on this story received access to this sailing from Princess Cruises. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of content.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bigger ship, better views: 3 takeaways from Princess Cruises' newest vessel

Sun Princess is the first ship in the Sphere Class.

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MedallionNet®
MedallionNet Wi-Fi sets the industry standard for internet at sea, and it's now even better with Starlink access and 5G. FaceTime your pooch in the morning. Stream your favorite shows by the pool in the afternoon. Post your picture-perfect dessert from your dinner table. Thanks to state-of-the-art technology, you can now stay connected with Wi ...
Princess Cruises: MedallionNet®
Unlimited and Affordable Internet. Choose from one-device or four-device packages starting from just $14.99 USD. Packages are available with additional savings as part of our Princess Plus and Princess Premier Packages. They can also be purchased pre-cruise and on board through the MedallionClass app. Platinum and Elite guests get an exclusive ...
Review: Princess Cruises Wi-Fi Service (Speed, Reliability, Cost, and
Princess offers one of the most affordable wi-fi programs in cruising with its MedallionNet service -- an Internet offer the cruise line calls 'the best wi-fi at sea.' And while you might think of a cruise as a place to disconnect from the routine and stresses of back home, the truth is that Internet access has become a necessity more than a luxury for most of us. Whether it's simply checking ...
Princess Cruises MedallionNet WiFi: Speed Test and Review
Princess Cruises WiFi Plans and Prices Pin. MedallionNet WiFi starts at $24.99 per device per day when purchased before sailing. Platinum and Elite Captain's Circle members receive a 50% discount on all internet packages.. You can expect to pay a higher price for the internet plan if you purchase it on the ship.
Wi-Fi on cruise ships: What you need to know about internet use on
At Princess Cruises, customers can get 50 percent off MedallionNet internet packages after reaching the Platinum level in the line's Captain's Circle loyalty program (to qualify, you'll need to complete either five cruises, or 50 cruise days). On Royal Caribbean, the path to free Internet on a cruise is through its high-end suites. Book a room ...
Princess cruise wifi in 2023 ⚓ cost
👆 The cost of the Princess cruise ship wifi package on a 14-day cruise is $210. This means the cruise ship internet costs $15 a day. This is the Princess app for my future cruise that starts in September 2023. 👆 The cost of the Princess cruise ship wifi is $20 per day if you do not buy the wifi package. This is the Princess app when I was ...
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Princess Cruises' MedallionNet offers a package sold by the day or for the entire voyage. Wi-Fi is also included in both Princess fare bundles, Princess Plus and Princess Premier. The plan is the ...
How Strong is the Internet on Princess? A Review of MedallionNet
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Princess Cruises Princess offers service known as MedallionNet, which is dubs "The Best Wi-Fi at Sea." The cruise line says that it can reach speeds "often eclipsing 100 Mbps," which is faster than the average broadband speed on land. The service is available starting at $24.99 per day for one device when purchased before the cruise.
Internet Café & Library
Keep in Touch While Cruising at Sea. Our Internet Café is filled with computers so it's easy to access your mail account or browse the Internet for world news, sports and stock trading. Or bring your own electronic devices and access the Internet through our improved onboard wireless service. The Internet Café is open 24 hours a day. For ...
Major WiFi Price Increase By Princess Cruises (67% More)
Princess Cruises announced a significant increase in the price of their onboard WiFi services. Starting January 22, 2024, the cost for a Princess Cruises single-device WiFi package rises to $24.99 per day, a 67% jump from the previous price of $14.99. The four-device package will see a 12.5% increase from $39.00 to $44.99.. The price increase impacts pre-cruise purchases made after January 22 ...
A line-by-line guide to internet access at sea
MSC's Browse Internet Cruise Package includes unlimited data, 24-hour internet access, chat and texts, and the ability to post photos and send and receive emails. Pricing starts at $17.59 per day per device (pre-cruise cost) and $21.99 per day if you buy it on board. ... Princess Cruises. PRINCESS CRUISES Price: Starting at $24.99 per day.
Using Your Cell Phone on a Cruise
Here's everything to know about using your cell phone on a cruise. Internet Options. If you need to check your email or send photos to loved ones, stop by the Internet Café where there are computers aplenty. We also offer several internet packages with varying price points, so any guest can access Wi-Fi if they need it.
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Internet/Wifi Packages - Princess Cruises. MedallionNet starts at $9.99 per day (24 hours of unlimited use) for a package that lasts for the entire voyage; prorated packages are also available during the course of the sailing. Platinum and Elite Captain's Circle members can opt to use a specified number of minutes via their loyalty benefits or ...
Cruise Ships & Wifi (Free Internet on Cruise Ships?) Updated 2024
Unlimited Wi-Fi Package - 1 device is $25.50/day when purchased prior to your cruise. This allows you to browse websites, use social media apps (except for TikTok), and access email (no VPN). Unlimited Premium Wi-Fi Package - 1 device is 34.99/day when purchased prior to your cruise.
FAQ: Onboard Experience
If you want to request certain items, i.e. a portable crib, please call 1-800-774-6237 (1-800-PRINCESS) or visit your Cruise Personalizer in advance. Many items, such as high chairs and boosters, can be requested once on board by calling the Guest Services Desk. (Quantities are limited.)
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Here's what you need to know when you're using internet aboard cruise ships -- or anywhere on vacation. ... Princess Cruises and Holland America Line. The attacks exposed the personal data of the ...
Cost of Internet Cafe?
Posted January 17. It's $15usd per night for one device package if bought for entire sailing. Onboard, you can buy a one time $20usd 24 hour pass. (And you can, obviously, buy that several different times). Platinum/Elite have half off internet, whether full cruise package or one 24 hour pass.. Enjoy.
Purchasing internet package
Just trying to clarify. If you are Platinum or Elite, you get the 50% discount on all internet pricing. The 4-device plan costs $20/day pre-cruise and $25/day on board. (We will always get the 4-device plan as it costs the same pre-cruise as two single-device plans).
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Bigger ship, better views: 3 takeaways from Princess Cruises ...
Sun Princess is the largest ship in the Princess fleet, and the 21-deck vessel can accommodate 4,300 guests. But that doesn't mean everything is huge. Given the scale of the offerings, a number ...
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