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Do cruise ships have free WiFi or Internet?

Last updated on September 18th, 2023 at 09:30 pm

On ships belonging to major cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, Princess and Norwegian, Wi-Fi is installed throughout public areas and in staterooms for use with your own device. But it’s not free.

Yes, cruise ships are equipped with Satellite Internet and most have Wi-Fi (wireless), however there is a cost to access it.

Almost all cruise lines offer internet packages allowing users a certain number of minutes or megabytes per day or week for a set fee, however it can be quite expensive.

For occasional use, cruise ships are often equipped with Internet Cafes. These internet cafe’s have computers connected to the Internet, similar to what you would find at your local library, however per minute fees may apply.

Keep in mind that while away from land, internet speeds may not be as fast as what you have at home and reliability is still a work-in-progress. Downtime and slower speeds are to be expected.

CONNECTING TO WIFI WHILE IN PORT

If your plan is to stay offline while at sea and connect only while in port, be aware that many tourist venues, especially those in the Caribbean, may charge a fee for connecting to Wi-Fi at a cafe or restaurant. Don’t expect free Wi-Fi to be as easy to find as it would be at home.

If you absolutely need to stay connected while at sea, check with your cruise line or travel agent to purchase an Internet package to suit your needs prior to departure.