Are Cruise Ships Wi-Fi Ready?

Are cruise ships equipped with Wi-Fi? You might want to share some photos of your enjoyment amongst the food, drinking, dancing, and swimming.

However, using your phone plan to access internet service while you are at sea is probably not a good idea. For cruisers, Wi Fi is almost always available. However, the cost and type of service will vary.

Are cruise ships equipped with Wi-Fi?

Many cruise lines now offer onboard internet. However, you will need to pay and not all internet services are the same.

You will usually be able to buy Wi-Fi before you board a cruise. This can help you save money over buying Wi-Fi onboard. It’s not easy to know how reliable the connection will be until you get on board.

Wi-Fi types on cruise ships

The Wi-Fi offering of cruise lines has been improved by cruise line companies. This is a great development, since the options available in the past were slow and sometimes limited. Depending on the person you are sailing with, there may be speeds that support streaming and video calls.

However, it’s not all positive news. It is not a sprint, but a marathon to improve connectivity.

Disney Cruise Line has, for instance, updated its pricing and internet access packages for four of its five ships.

This new service has three tiers that are based on the type of browsing you do. It can be found on these ships:

• 
  Disney Dream.
  

• 
  Disney Fantasy.
  

• 
  Disney Magic.
  

• 
  Disney Wish.
  

Prices can be found for one day or for the entire cruise. This is a common practice in the industry.

The Disney Wonder cruise ship still uses the old internet connection service that used [email protected] to connect guests. This program will charge you a fixed price per month for data usage, not for how long.

Cruise Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi prices on cruise ships vary greatly.

Using Disney Cruise Line as an example: The cheapest internet package on most ships will cost as low as $10 per day. This allows you to upload photos and use social media but not much else.

Premium packages start at $30 per day and allow you to stream music and make video phone calls. These prices are valid for internet access throughout the cruise. Per-day rates will be higher.

The Disney Wonder however, which still offers the old [email protected] service pricing starts at $19.00 per 100MB.

Norwegian Cruise Line offers the ability to pre-purchase different packages at a reduced rate. An unlimited premium Wi-Fi package costs $34.99 per daily (or $39.99 if purchased onboard span>).

The Wi-Fi packages for Carnival start at $12.75 per Day to access social media. Premium access can be purchased at $18.70 per Day.

Can I get free Wi-Fi while on cruise?

Although there are no cruises that offer unlimited Wi-Fi, some charters do provide limited complimentary services.

It makes sense to have in-house Wi-Fi networks for guests, as cruise lines already operate them. Disney Cruise Line did this with their app that provides complimentary messaging for guests aboard the ship.

You can also access showtimes, daily events, menus, and the ability book paid activities from the service without having to visit the front desk.

How to Save Money on Cruise Wi-Fi

Let’s suppose you want to stay connected aboard ship. A Wi-Fi package might be worth it if you are unable to wait for ports of calls or don’t have any international data on your smartphone.

Although prices have dropped over the years it is still quite expensive to buy Wi-Fi for your cruise. There are several ways to lower the cost.

Pre-paying for your Wi-Fi package before you board is a great way to save money. This is an option offered by both Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Line.

Some cruise lines do not offer the option to buy a day pass, but it is worth looking into. This is especially important if you intend to be on the shore as much as possible.

Disney’s day passes are $12 for 24 hour internet access. This is just $2 less than the daily rate for the full-trip package.

Consider a credit card to pay off your debts if you really want to cut down on your expenses.

You can get this card with many cards, but the Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card is the most popular. You can redeem your points at a one-cent per cent rate for any purchase, effectively negating your Wi-Fi subscription.

For Wi-Fi on Cruise Ships

If you are interested in buying a cruise ship, there is internet access. It is faster and cheaper than ever before.

It’s an additional cost so make sure to do the math before you buy. Consider pre-paying if you’re ready to make the purchase. You may also be eligible to redeem points for a reward card that will pay off your purchase.