Royal Caribbean Partners With SpaceX For Faster Internet
On Aug. 30, the Royal Caribbean Group said it had become the first cruise ship operator to use SpaceX’s Starlink satellite broadband service.
Royal Caribbean expects the Starlink service to only get better over time as SpaceX launches more and more satellites into orbit. According to statistics, there are already about three thousand active Starlink spacecraft in orbit.
According to the head of Royal Caribbean Jason Liberty (Jason Liberty), the technology will improve the quality and availability of some Internet services on board that require a large bandwidth, such as video streaming services and video calls.
Starlink Maritime coverage is limited to coastal waters for now, but speeds are much better than those offered by existing providers. The service will cost companies about $5,000 per month and will require at least $10,000 upfront payment for special terminal equipment.