I Changed my Mind After Trying a Special eSim for Internet Access on my Cruise

Trying GigSky - Better than ship wifi?Maybe when you cruise you disconnect, which is great.  I, however, always purchase internet access when cruising.  Sometimes this is because I’m working from a cruise ship, sometimes it’s for the same reason we all have internet access these days.  This isn’t without challenges, as some lines, like Carnival, block VPN services some may require for work.  On a recent cruise, we found that Virgin Voyages made some changes that meant if we wanted to use Zoom, we'd have to pay up.  So, we tried something new instead...

Starlink May Come to Cruise Lines, But It's How They Use it That Matters

Internet access on cruise ships varies in speed and reliability, but is often known for being slow. Recently, Royal Caribbean announced their intention to work with Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service and even appears to be testing it on one of their vessels.  The reality is, however, that what stands in the way of staying connected at sea isn’t fast satellite service, it’s how cruise lines use it, and Royal Caribbean isn’t using it well...

Princess Cruises' Dine My Way – Highly Personalized & Flexible Dining

Princess OceanMedallion Dine My Way Princess’ OceanMedallion program already gives guests ultra-fast WiFi at sea, the ability to access staterooms, make onboard purchases, book excursions, and more, right from a smartphone.  While cruising has been paused, Princess Cruises certainly hasn’t stopped moving forward.  As part of the MedallionClass experience available on all Princess ships, guests can now use a mobile device (or other means) to arrange dining for their entire cruise, and flexibility is the name of the game...

From Trash to Treasure, Virgin Voyages Lets You Navigate Your Cruise with Wristbands Made from Recovered Plastic

Virgin Voyages "The Band"Virgin Voyages sets sail with passengers for the first time in less than two months, and they're sharing a little bit more about how you'll get things done on-board: with marine plastic.  While it's no surprise that this paradigm-breaking brand will use technology to enhance guest experiences, there are a few interesting new twists with "The Band"...

Using Cruise Line Apps - The Difference Between WiFi (free) and Internet (not free)

The Difference Between Cruise Ship WiFi and InternetMost major cruise lines now have apps or mobile websites that you can access on your smartphone to view the day's schedule, book shore excursions, chat with other guests, and more.  Generally, these apps are free to use, but it can sometimes be a bit confusing since we often see costs associated with "WiFi".  Really, this confusion is just a matter of wording, and we'll clear it up so you can use your device worry-free...

What Is Cold Ironing and What Is Germany Doing to Get Ships to Do More of It?

Cold Ironing Diagram - Courtesy abb.com

As cruise lines and other parts of the tourism industry continue to take steps to be better environmental stewards, one of the simplest things that ships and ports can do is to connect to shore side power while in port - and now Germany is making that an even easier decision for cruise lines and shipping companies...

Shipboard Internet Gets Faster & More Affordable on More Ships

Princess MedallionNet - High-Speed Internet at SeaMedallionNet, Princess Cruises' high speed shipboard internet/WiFi service, part of the Ocean Medallion program is itself picking up steam.  While available only on Regal Princess just months ago, the service, allowing guests fast and affordable internet access, as well as a number of guest experience enhancements, is now available on four Princess ships, and will soon be available on a total of ten ships - nine of them before the end of 2019...

Carnival Nears Completion of $2B Fleet Enhancement, Changes Ship Names, Marries Pizza & Tech

It’s not just the newest ships at sea that glimmer and host a great time but keeping the entire fleet fresh is the goal of every cruise line.  Often lines will spruce up entire classes of ships, adding the latest features and venues.  Carnival however has announced a drydock that represents the final phase of a $2 billion eight-year project, and this phase involves a real transformation.  Let’s look at some of the new features and venues still to come, how this all relates to pizza, and then get Billy’s take on how this positions Carnival compared to their competitors...