The Wi-Fi quality during a cruise can be very important for many cruise guests as staying connected is an important part of life. A new study has been done to find out which cruise line has the best wi-fi service.
And the Best Cruise Line Wi-Fi is…
Frontier Bundles put together a study into which cruise line has the best wi-fi network. To get all the data and research it took three weeks and this included contacting twenty cruise lines but the only ones who responded and proved the details needed are features in the lists.
Alex Williams, data analyst for Frontier Bundles:
“We did this study because we were interested in comparing the connection capabilities of such a popular means of travel. Cruise vacations offer ‘having it all’ when you’re on the ship, but if you don’t have a wifi connection — or you think you do because you’re paying for one, but it’s so slow and spotty that you can barely even check you’re email — then it seems like there’s a disconnect between cruise lines and folks who are buying those packages.”
Viking Ocean Cruises came out on top as the best cruise line for Wi-Fi access and for business use. Their offering beat major cruise lines like Carnival and Royal Caribbean.
For the best Wi-Fi access, the company prioritized by cost for daily social media access which is essential for most cruise ship passengers. The internet was compared for a 5-day voyage or for 4 hours per day where daily rates weren’t available. Viking Ocean Cruises were chosen for offering guest free access to Social media and having a fast connection over the period.
Alex Williams, data analyst for Frontier Bundles:
“Overall cruise lines were very hesitant to share this information with us — very few of them were interested in being transparent about what you’re really getting when you pay for their wifi.”
For more advanced users rankings were prioritized by speeds for streaming voice and video along with price over a daily usage. The comparisons were done for a 5-day sailing but 7-day sailings were taken into account where the 5-day was not available.
Alex Williams, data analyst for Frontier Bundles:
“It’s important to keep in mind that wifi speeds can vary quite a bit when you’re out in the middle of the ocean. You really can’t expect a connection like you have at home, or even in an airport.”
Cruise Line Wi-Fi Speed and Prices
Viking Ocean Cruises
- Average speed: 50 Mbps download and 8 Mbps upload
- All ships offer free Wi-Fi
Azamara Club Cruises
- Average speed: 25 Mbps
- 60 Minute Package: $19.95
- One-Day Internet Pass: $29.95
- Full Voyage Unlimited: $19.95/day
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
- Regent recently quadrupled their bandwidth to make your internet experience as close to your home fiber-optic network as possible, achieving an average speed of 50 mbps!
- Wi-Fi is included in the price of admission Â
Disney Cruise Line
- Average Speed: 25 Mbps download and 8 Mbps upload (in ideal conditions)
- Email Plan: $60 (up to 200 MB of data)
- Surfing Plan: $120 (up to 500 MB of data)
- Unlimited Plans: Prices vary by destination and duration. Seven day plans typically start at $250.
Seabourn Cruise Line
- Average Speed: 22 Mbps download and 9 Mbps upload
- Silver Package: 2 hours for $19.95
- Gold Package: 3 hours for $29.95
- Platinum Package: 4 hours for $39.95
- Unlimited Plans: Prices vary by destination and duration.
Carnival Cruise Line
- Average Speed: 5.1 Mbps
- Value Plan: Access to basic internet communication like email.
- Social Plan: The Social Plan includes access to popular websites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Linkedin, Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp, SnapChat, and popular airlines sites, but doesn’t include any access to video or audio streaming services.
- Premium Plan: The Premium plan includes access to all of previously mentioned sites, but at 3 times the speed of the other plans, and with additional access to skype calling.
Royal Caribbean International
- Average Speed: 4.58 Mbps down, 5.25 Mbps up.
- Surf and Stream Voom: $16.99-$19.99 per day, per device (discounts given for each additional device up to 4)
- Surf: $12.99-15.99 per day, per device (discounts given for each additional device up to 4)
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
- Average Speed: Approximately 5 Mbps, with peaks of 8 Mbps and lows of 2 Mbps
- First hour of service is free
- Each additional minute is approximately $.22 per minute.
Crystal Cruises
- Average Speed: 256 Bps
- Wi-Fi is complimentary
Silversea Cruises
- Average Speed: Speeds reach up to 2.9 Mbps
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
Windstar Cruises
- Average Speed: 1 Mbps
- Email Plan: $60 for up to 200 MB
- The Surfing Plan: $120 for up to 500 MB, with lifted sanctions against browsing and small file transfers
- Unlimited Plan (prior to sailing): $250-$525 depending on duration and destination of travel.
Also Read:Â 18 Things About The Carnival Hub App
Do note that the internet speeds were based on what each cruise line provided and this does not mean that could apply to your cruise. Weather and technology upgrades can all play a factor depending on the ship.
