Behind the Scenes: Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines - Fastest Internet at Sea

This blog post was published before O3b Networks transitioned to SES Networks.

Cruise lines have been exploring the idea of internet at sea since 1999 – but high latency and an even higher price tag left customers frustrated. Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines has partnered with O3b Networks to alleviate that frustration by equipping our vessels with the fastest internet at sea. With VOOM Internet, passengers can stream, share and connect with their friends & family around the world with the same quality connectivity they would find on land.

As the ability to stay connected at all times has become increasingly important to our customers, providing reliable broadband at sea became a major priority. Even on vacation, people want the option to connect with their business, social life and news. Echoing our commitment to customer satisfaction, we set out to provide our guests with the best connectivity possible.

The amount of technology needed to provide our guests with the fastest Internet at sea is extensive. O3b’s constellation of Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites send signals of communication to our ships in the middle of the ocean, establishing a satellite link that is faster than we have ever seen at sea. Both customers and staff have been blown away by the speed and reliability of service, some even reporting that it is better than their connection at home. Fifteen years ago we had limited capabilities to make ship to shore calls, so fact that we can offer this type of connectivity on our ships is a ground-breaking industry development.

VOOM Internet powered by O3b Networks is giving our customers the best of both worlds, allowing our guests to enjoy their vacation, while staying in touch with their loved ones at home.