Internet speeds on cruise ships have typically been a disappointment to guests, but Carnival Cruise Line is looking to change that with its newest ship, Carnival Jubilee.
Carnival Cruise Line has announced the ship will be the first Carnival ship and first vessel in North America to offer 5G connectivity to its guests through a partnership with Wireless Maritime Service (WMS), a leading cellular provider.
Luis Terife, vice president of onboard commerce at Carnival Cruise Line, said, “Carnival Jubilee will be the fleet’s most-connected ship – literally raising the connectivity bar for our guests and serving as another big step in a period of vigorous advancement of our onboard connectivity. The ongoing enhancements we’re rolling out on all of our ships, such as SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, make it significantly easier for guests to share the memorable experiences of their cruise with friends and family.”
Carnival Jubilee will launch as 5G-enabled in time for the holiday in December 2023, and the service will be available early 2024. Guests will access the enhanced connectivity through their wireless carriers service plan for cruise ships. Carnival Cruise Line plans to extend the 5G coverage across its fleet. Carnival has already rolled out enhancements to its WiFi offerings by completing upgrades on its entire fleet. The upgrades installed the necessary infrastructure to use SpaceX’s Starlilnk Satellite service. Carnival has also partnered with other vendors to ensure guests have access and dependable service while onboard.
“We’ve received very positive feedback from our guests who are enjoying the more reliable Wi-Fi across the fleet as we continue to increase our capacity through Starlink and other service providers,” said John Harshaw, vice president of global infrastructure at Carnival Cruise Line. “Our multi-provider, multi-orbit strategy minimizes single-provider supply chain constraints and improves overall connectivity in support of our operations and the enhanced experience for our guests and team members.”