Cruiseships

Royal Caribbean Adds Tech Item to its List of Banned Items

Cruisers will now not get away with a considerably widespread hack to keep away from paying to make use of the web – a minimum of not on Royal Caribbean sailings. 

Some techies throughout the cruise group don’t prefer to set sail with out packing their useful dandy transportable journey routers – which they use to remain related throughout their voyage. 

Not solely are the gadgets tiny and transportable, however they will hook up with the web with only a information plan and a SIM or eSIM card, relying on the router’s compatibility. 

They then create a non-public Wi-Fi community that solely the passenger’s personal gadgets can hook up with – with out ever needing to pay for the cruise line’s web package deal. 

Whereas Wi-Fi onboard Royal Caribbean’s ships has improved drastically due to the rollout of Starlink, the web can generally nonetheless be spotty – which is likely to be problematic for cruisers who have to work remotely. Nonetheless, this problem can even normally be averted with journey routers. 

Nonetheless, Royal Caribbean is cracking down on the usage of these transportable Wi=Fi routers after quietly including the gadgets to their listing of banned objects. They weren’t listed as not too long ago as November 22, 2024, however they’re definitely included as of December 4, 2024. 

“Cybersecurity and deliberate digital crime: Satellite tv for pc dishes, routers, and different networking tools,” the listing now reads.

Whereas the wording now clearly contains the routers, it additionally leaves the choice open for Royal Caribbean to confiscate extra objects it has not but particularly named. 

Certainly, the household pleasant cruise line has begun imposing the ban – with current passengers reporting that gadgets discovered in the course of the safety verify on embarkation day had been compensated.

It’s additionally potential that room stewards may report or confiscate routers they uncover whereas performing housekeeping providers if company handle to sneak them by way of the baggage scans. 

Royal Caribbean Web Plans

With the ban already in impact, future Royal Caribbean company might want to put money into a VOOM Surf + Stream Web package deal in the event that they wish to keep related throughout their voyage. 

Based on Royal Caribbean, their VOOM packages provide the quickest web at sea – permitting company to stream their favourite exhibits, music, and films, verify their emails, browse the online, submit on social media, and partake in video calls at sea. 

“VOOM is 6x quicker than another web at sea! For the primary time it is possible for you to to stream music and films, add footage, video chat with household and pals utilizing FaceTime or Skype, verify your e-mail, take a look at your inventory costs, surf the online and keep related with work,” reads Royal Caribbean’s web site.

Docked Royal Caribbean Ships
Docked Royal Caribbean Ships (Picture Credit score: fitzcrittle)

The precise pricing is dependent upon the crusing and what number of gadgets are included within the web package deal – with plans out there to cowl particular person gadgets, in addition to extra inclusive household plans. 

Learn Additionally: Royal Caribbean Facilities You Ought to Pre-E-book

There are additionally reductions out there for reserving web packages early – which company can do on-line by way of their My Royal Cruise account. 

However whereas some shall be pissed off with the change – particularly after Royal Caribbean already banned multi-plug retailers earlier this yr – they aren’t the one cruise line to make this alteration. 

Carnival Cruise Line additionally cracked down on transportable routers in September of 2024 – which got here to gentle after a YouTuber named Richard Shillington had his Starlink Mini confiscated throughout his crusing. 

Shillington reportedly paid $599 to buy the system and $250 a month to make use of it throughout his travels. 

He bought caught after he posted a video displaying how his transportable router considerably outperformed the obtain pace of Carnival’s Premium Wi-Fi package deal – which was seen by the cruise line. 

He was quickly known as to the lodge director’s workplace, the place the Starlink Mini was confiscated attributable to a violation of Carnival’s coverage – and the prohibited objects listing was up to date accordingly. 


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Ryan

Ryan O'Neill is a maritime enthusiast and writer who has a passion for studying and writing about ships and the maritime industry in general. With a deep passion for the sea and all things nautical, Ryan has a plan to unite maritime professionals to share their knowledge and truly connect Sea 2 Shore.

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