Royal Caribbean Group, one of the largest cruise line operators in the world, is looking to adopt SpaceX’s satellite internet system Starlink for its ships.
Royal Caribbean Group mentioned the partnership in a filing with the FCC on Friday. “Working with SpaceX Services, Inc., we believe we have identified a true next generation solution for our vessels that meets the rigorous technical and operational requirements commensurate with our growth plans,” the company said.
Adopting Starlink promises to upgrade internet speeds on Royal Caribbean’s cruise ships. According to reviews and users, current Wi-Fi download speeds on ships range from only 3-5Mbps. Starlink is capable of download speeds of 50-250Mbps for residential consumers.
The problem is that the FCC has yet to grant SpaceX mainstream approval to operate Starlink on moving vehicles, including planes and naval ships. In response, Royal Caribbean is urging the US regulator to quickly grant the license.
“We believe our work with SpaceX, the first of its kind in the cruise industry will set the standard for other cruise operators and will mean a leap in terms of guest experience and business operations while at sea,” the company added. “For this reason, we are eager to advocate for new market entrants to drive a marketplace innovation step change.”
Royal Caribbean added that it’s been desperate for better satellite internet access on board its ships, citing a dearth of service providers.
“The increase in marine vessel operations—whether cargo, cruise, commercial or personal watercraft—as well as the technology industry shift to cloud-based software solutions, has meant an increase in satellite internet service demand. Yet the supply side of the satellite internet equation has suffered from attrition, bankruptcies, and consolidation,” the company said.
“This challenging landscape has resulted in negative guest experiences onboard, with bandwidth constraints that have slowed our desired business advancements,” it added.
Starlink is also set to arrive on at least a few airliners, including Hawaiian Airlines. However, rival satellite operators, including Dish Network and Viasat, have filed complaints with the FCC over concerns that roving Starlink access will interfere with their own satellite networks. This week, Dish sent a letter to the FCC, demanding that it crack down on the unauthorized use of Starlink dishes on moving vehicles until full clearance has been approved.
Neither SpaceX nor Royal Caribbean immediately responded to a request for comment.