SpaceX's satellite internet system Starlink is coming to Royal Caribbean Group, one of the largest cruise line operators in the world.
The companies announced the deal on Tuesday, which will represent the largest Starlink deployment in the travel industry thus far.
“The innovative broadband internet service will be installed on all Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises ships, along with all new vessels for each of the brands,” the cruise line operator said.
Royal Caribbean plans on deploying the Starlink dishes immediately. Travelers can expect the company to complete the necessary hardware installation during Q1 2023. However, the cruise line operator didn't say how much it will charge for access. Its current Voom internet service can range from $12.99 to $19.99 per day per device, depending on the package.
Royal Caribbean selected SpaceX’s satellite internet service after conducting a pilot with Starlink on its Freedom of the Seas ship. The trial received “tremendous positive feedback from guests and crew,” the company said.
Earlier this year, one blogger also tried out Starlink on Freedom of the Seas and found it was able to achieve speeds of up to 77Mbps download and 15Mbps upload, allowing them to stream videos with no lag. However, speed can decline depending on your location on the cruise ship.
Still, the broadband quality promises a significant improvement over the previous internet options on Royal Caribbean cruise ships, which offered broadband speeds ranging from 3Mbps to 5Mbps, according to reviews.
In June, the FCC cleared SpaceX to operate Starlink on moving vehicles, including cars, boats, and planes—shortly after Royal Caribbean informed the agency about its plans to use Starlink should the FCC approve it for ships. This opened the door for the company to offer Starlink Maritime, which is designed for commercial ships, oil rigs, and luxury yachts.
In addition, SpaceX is working with at least two airlines, including Hawaiian Airlines, to bring Starlink to commercial planes.