Costa Cruises, which is one of the Carnival Corporation’s brands, has implemented SpaceX’s Starlink Wi-Fi on its new ship. Guests will be able to enjoy better internet connectivity when they stream, scroll, and chat during sailings.
Costa Toscana Adds Starlink Wi-Fi
Costa Cruises now has SpaceX’s Starlink internet aboard the Costa Toscana. Starlink’s Low Earth Orbit satellite technology is available to guests sailing on seven-day itineraries cruising to the Western Mediterranean. The new technology provides blazing-fast speeds, a secure connection, and a more reliable Internet experience.
Starlink’s new maritime system will enhance communication and make it more secure between ships and land-locked departments. In addition, crew members will have a better internet connection to converse with family and friends back home, which will be an added benefit for cruisers as well.
“Costa remains committed to embracing innovative solutions that enhance the onboard services and exceed guest and crew expectations. Thanks to the revolutionary capabilities of Starlink low orbit satellites, our ships will have access to high-speed, reliable internet connectivity like never before,” said Giuseppe Carino, VP Guest Experience & Onboard Revenues of Costa Cruises.
Starlink’s Internet services will be added to the entire Costa lineup over time. The Costa Smeralda will be up next, and installation will be completed for all ships by December 2023. Guests can choose from a variety of Internet packages, including “Pay per Minute,” “WhatsApp,” “Social,” and “Full” package options.
“Our goal is to transform the way our ships operate, delivering an even better experience to our guests and crew, through a combination of different technologies, services and broadband connections,” Carino added.
The Costa Toscana is sailing the Mediterranean this summer on itineraries that include stops in France, Spain, and Italy. The ship, which debuted in 2021, weighs 185,010 gross tons and can house a total of 6,730 guests, or 5,224 cruisers, comfortably. In addition, the ship is one of the top 10 largest cruise ships in the world.
Costa Cruises Isn’t the Only Carnival Brand to Use Starlink
Despite Carnival tripling its bandwidth on ships, Wi-Fi issues have plagued the largest cruise line in the world. That’s why the company’s announcement to add Starlink Internet to its brand of ships received such positive feedback.
A number of Carnival brands use Starlink internet services on its ships. Back in January, it was announced that Carnival Cruise Line and AIDA Cruises will begin debuting Starlink Internet.
Since then, a number of Carnival ships have made the switch over, including Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, Carnival Venezia, Carnival Panorama, Carnival Magic, Carnival Vista, Carnival Elation, Carnival Sunrise, Carnival Pride, Carnival Valor, and Carnival Sunshine. AIDA Cruises will also have Starlink Internet aboard every ship by October 2023.
Carnival will continue implementing the new technology on Princess Cruises, Seabourn, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises (Australia), P&O Cruises (UK), and Cunard.
Other popular cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Hurtigruten, and SeaDream moved to Starlink Maritime in 2022. In addition, Norwegian Cruise Line tested the technology on the Norwegian Breakaway, and it plans to implement Starlink on all three cruise brands if testing goes well. American Cruise Lines recently installed new Starlink Internet as well.
