From holiday snaps to answering emails, our phones help us feel connected whilst on a cruise. A recent study carried out by Frontier Bundles, an authorised sales agent for Frontier Communications, has revealed which cruise ship’s have the best Wi-Fi.
The best cruise ship Wi-Fi in 2018
The study was carried out eleven cruise lines, including top names in the cruising industry, revealing those which offer the best internet packages and quickest Wi-Fi speeds.
The results are below:
| Rank | Cruise Line | Speed | Price |
| 1 | Viking Ocean Cruises | Fast | Free |
| 2 | Regent Seven Seas Cruises | Medium | Free |
| 3 | Hapag-Lloyd Cruises | Medium | Free |
| 4 | Silversea Cruises | Slow | Free |
| 5 | Crystal Cruises | Slow | Free |
| 6 | Carnival Cruise Line | Medium | $ |
| 7 | Seabourn Cruise Line | Fast | $ |
| 8 | Royal Caribbean International | Medium | $$ |
| 9 | Azamara Club Cruises | Fast | $$ |
| 10 | Disney Cruise Line | Fast | $$ |
| 11 | Windstar Cruises | Slow | $$ |
Source: The Best Cruise Lines for Wi-Fi in 201, Frontier Bundles
Overview of each cruise line Wi-Fi
Viking Ocean
Viking offers free Wi-Fi across all its cruise ships, with a VSAT satellite connection which is one of the best solutions for ocean cruising. The Wi-Fi reaches an average speed of 50mbps download and 8mbps upload, though guests are advised to download content prior to your sailing as the bandwidth can not be fully guaranteed.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Free, unlimited Wi-Fi is included on all Regent sailings, with one login provided for each suite. These can be used across a number of devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops for ease of use.
The cruise line has recently increased its bandwidth to make internet more accessible, similar to a home network, with the average speed reaching 50 mbps.
Hapag-Lloyd
When sailing on-board the MS Europa 2 all guests will receive free Wi-Fi for one hour, after which they are charged €0.19 per minute. Those staying in selected suites can enjoy free internet at all times, with each guest able to have a maximum of two devices online at any time. Hapag-Lloyd’s Wi-Fi reaches an average speed of 5mbps.
Silversea Cruises
Silversea now offers free Wi-Fi to all guests on-board, with those booked into larger suites able to enjoy free, unlimited premium internet access for up to two guests. The average speed for Silversea’s Wi-Fi reaches up to 2.9mbps.
Crystal Cruises
Crystal Cruises also offers complimentary Wi-Fi, however the speed only reaches 256bps, lending to its low place in the rankings!
Seabourn Cruise Line
All guests are subject to a nominal charge when sailing with Seabourn, starting with the Silver Package at $19.95 for two hours access. The Gold Package is then $29.95 for three hours and the Platinum Package for four hours at $39.95. Guests can also purchase unlimited plans if they prefer. The cruise line’s speed average is 5.1mbps.
Azamara Club Cruises
Azamara also offers a range of internet packages, starting with a 60-minute package at $19.95, then a one-day pass at $29.95 and an unlimited pass for the full voyage at $19.95 per day. The average speed is 25mbps.
Do you use your phone while on holiday? Is the Wi-Fi something that can make or break a cruise for you? Let us know in the comments below.
MAGIC