P&O Cruises & Cunard improved Wi-Fi connectivity on board with the rollout of SpaceX’s Starlinkrlink
Starlink, the leader in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technology will provide guests with greater capacity across P&O Cruises and Cunard ships, allowing for sharing photos and videos, streaming films and enjoying other content on board at even faster speeds. P&O Cruises & Cunard Wi-Fi
The roll-out of Starlink on P&O Cruises and Cunard ships began in June 2023, with the service due to be available in both public spaces and cabins on Cunard ships Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth by the end of 2023. Cunard’s newest ship, Queen Anne will launch with the service in May 2024.
P&O Cruises ships Britannia and Azura have introduced Starlink to the public spaces on board and it will be available in both public spaces and cabins on Arvia, Iona, Ventura, Arcadia and Aurora by the end of 2023.
Carnival UK and P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said: “Sharing unforgettable moments with friends and family back at home is an important part of any holiday. Whether it’s uploading a picture of a sunset as you sail away from a newly discovered destination or catching up with the news, live events or content from home, Starlink will make it even easier for our guests and colleagues to stay connected.” Starlink vice president of commercial sales Jonathan Hofeller said: “High-speed internet is critical to our modern lifestyle both at home and when travelling. We’re excited that P&O Cruises and Cunard guests and crew will benefit from an improved Wi-Fi service on board wherever they are in the world.”
About P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises is Britain’s favourite cruise line, welcoming guests to experience holidays with a blend of discovery, choice, relaxation and exceptional service catered towards British tastes. Each of the seven ships has its own appeal family-friendly or exclusively for adults. With over 200 destinations worldwide, P&O Cruises itineraries are carefully curated to inspire discovery and are varied to suit newcomers and experienced guests alike. Arvia joined the P&O Cruises fleet in December 2022 as the second LNG-powered, Excel-class ship embodying the newest trends in travel, dining and entertainment. Arvia offers a Caribbean/winter season of fly-cruise holidays from homeport Barbados and Mediterranean holidays from Southampton during the summer.
P&O Cruises works with the best of the best including Gary Barlow who is music director of The 710 Club on Arvia and Iona and has delivered a number of unique musical moments on board. Crafted to Gary’s creative vision, The 710 Club showcases an eclectic range of performances and offers an opportunity for up-and-coming musicians to get their break. Gary also joins guests for exclusive performances on the Arvia and Iona holidays. Multi-award-winning performer Nicole Scherzinger will be the creative force behind contemporary and breath-taking night shows to be performed in SkyDome on board Iona and Arvia and P&O Cruises Food Heroes include chefs Marco Pierre White, Jose Pizarro, Shivi Ramoutar and Kjartan Skjelde who has created Norwegian speciality dishes, as well as award-winning drinks expert Olly Smith. Recent awards for P&O Cruises include British Travel Awards Winner 21/22 – Best Cruise Line for Family Holidays. Cruise Critic Editors’ Picks Awards Winner 2022 – Best for Families. The company is part of Carnival Corporation & PLC.
About Cunard P&O Cruises & Cunard Wi-Fi
Cunard is a luxury British cruise line, renowned for creating unforgettable experiences around the world. Cunard has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic, since 1840, celebrating an incredible 183 years of operation. A pioneer in transatlantic journeys for generations, Cunard is world-class. The Cunard experience is built on fine dining, hand-selected entertainment and outstanding service. From five-star restaurants and in-suite dining to inspiring guest speakers, the library and film screenings, every detail has been meticulously crafted to make the experience unforgettable. Destinations include Europe, the Caribbean, the Far East and Australia.
There are currently three Cunard ships, Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria and a fourth ship, Queen Anne, will be entering service in early 2024. This investment is part of the company’s ambitious plans for the future of Cunard globally and will be the first time since 1999 that Cunard will have four ships in simultaneous service.
Starlink & cruise companies
Almost all of the major cruise lines and some niche brands have already announced their partnership with Starlink to provide internet services onboard their ships. These include American Cruise Lines, American Queen Voyages, Carnival Corporation (AIDA, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, P&O Cruises, P&O Cruises Australia, and Seabourn), Hurtigruten, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises), the Royal Caribbean Group (Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises), SeaDream Yacht Club, and Windstar Cruises. Scenic Group also added Starlink to its fleet of yachts (Scenic Eclipse, Scenic Eclipse II, Emerald Azzurra and the upcoming Emerald Sakara). Starlink is either already onboard some or all of the fleet or will be installed by the end of the year. Other cruise lines will no doubt be signing up soon.