Are you considering the Royal Caribbean cruise holiday as your next getaway? If so, you may encounter a wave of doubts and questions. Which destination should you choose? What’s included and what’s free on your cruise vacation? Many questions will need to be answered. Among those, we are sure you have thought about digital connectivity once you start sailing on your leisure cruise.
In the present world, not a day passes without looking at your phone and scrolling to know what’s happening in the world or wanting to keep in touch with your people. Even on vacation, this habit of being on the phone isn’t going to change. So, what do you do when you go on a cruise vacation? How do you manage your mobile data and Wi-Fi connections when drifting on an endless sea and hopping from port to port? You can turn on your international data roaming service, but using it for long periods can become costly. Also, the reception you get onboard a cruise during a sea day may not be of good quality. That’s why, when you look up things to know before booking a cruise, you should be clear if you get internet connectivity or Wi-Fi onboard. If you are sailing on any of the Royal Caribbean cruise holiday packages, let us make this query less of a worry for you.
Is Wi-Fi Free on Royal Caribbean Cruises?
Most leisure cruise liners do not offer a free Wi-Fi package on their cruise holidays. So, does Royal Caribbean cruise have free Wi-Fi? The answer is no. Unfortunately, Royal Caribbean does not offer free Wi-Fi service unless you are a Cruise Loyalty member or have booked a Royal Star Suite Class. Otherwise, when you book a cruise vacation with Royal Caribbean, you only receive accommodation onboard the ship, meals and beverages in selected dining venues, and entertainment. For Wi-Fi, you would have to purchase a Royal Caribbean internet package at an extra cost.
On a Royal Caribbean cruise, you have two options:
• Head to iCafes: Onboard Royal Caribbean cruise, you will find wired Internet stations set up in dedicated spaces in all its fleets. The connection here is stable, making it ideal for work, digital entertainment, or connecting with loved ones without worrying about a glitchy network. iCafes are perfect for those who prefer a larger screen or want to avoid using personal devices.
• Get a VOOM Wi-Fi package: Purchase this wireless option when you book a Royal Caribbean cruise vacation or once you are onboard the cruise. This allows you to stay connected anytime from anywhere on the ship, including your stateroom, the pool deck, or even Royal Caribbean’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
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Featured Types of Wi-Fi Packages
Royal Caribbean proudly offers VOOM service which sets it apart from other cruise liners. VOOM is the fastest internet connectivity at sea, as Starlink powers it. Being 6 times faster than other cruise lines, it definitely has the advantage of being the preferred choice for modern travelers who want to stay plugged in. As of now, the cruise line offers just one package – the VOOM Surf + Stream Wi-Fi Package for its guests. The Surf + Stream package allows web browsing, emailing, accessing social media, streaming videos, and connecting through messenger chats and video calls. Previously, Royal Caribbean offered a basic VOOM Surf package for lighter usage, but it has been discontinued.
Pricing of VOOM Wi-Fi Package
You can purchase the VOOM Surf + Stream Package for approximately $15 to $25 per day per device. The price includes 24-hour access, allowing you to browse websites, chat or start video calls on messengers, keep your email communications up to date, watch movies, stream music, and go live or post on social media handles to keep your journey posted in real-time. In the end, your Royal Caribbean Wi-Fi cost varies based on the ship you are sailing, the sailing date, and the duration of the cruise.
Ways to Get Free or Discounted Wi-Fi
1. During your cruise, you will dock at many ports, most of which have free Wi-Fi at terminals, cafes, or restaurants. These are ideal for quick updates or reading emails.
2. Royal Caribbean Cruises offers discounts on Wi-Fi rates if booked in advance. So, don’t wait until the last moment to book a VOOM package. If you buy a package before you board the cruise, you can take advantage of the price slash.
3. Additionally, opt for premium services like Royal Suite Sky or Star Class, which include the VOOM Surf + Stream package. Royal Caribbean also has the Crown and Anchor Society, a loyalty program for returning guests who have booked multiple cruises in the past. In this program, each time you complete a cruise with Royal Caribbean, you get points, which you can accumulate and use in future bookings to get attractive discounts, including discounts on Wi-Fi packages. You can take note of this program and use it in the future if you wish to be an ardent leisure cruiser and plan to sail with Royal Caribbean again.
4. eSIM is a great alternative to cruise Wi-Fi packages. Search for eSIM providers that let you access data on land and sea. Services like GigSky offer Cruise + Land eSIM data plans, which are good options for use at sea and onshore, and are quite cheaper than VOOM.
Is It Worth Buying Wi-Fi on a Cruise?
Whether you should choose to use Wi-Fi onboard your cruise or not depends entirely on your preference. If you need to be digitally connected – for instance, if you are a travel vlogger or someone combining leisure with work, then you should definitely purchase a Wi-Fi package for your cruise duration for the convenience of staying connected at sea. If the cruise duration is shorter, a Wi-Fi cruise package won’t be too expensive.
However, cruise guests who look forward to a digital detox vacation, prefer to be present at the moment, and don’t mind spending the vacation without connecting with the world can skip this unnecessary cost. If you are looking to unplug and embrace the cruise experience by lounging by the pool, enjoying live shows, or exploring ports, ignore the Wi-Fi package.
The Royal Caribbean cruise has a myriad of entertainment, fitness, wellness, and other recreational thrills available onboard, which will definitely make you want to check them out and enjoy your time without screens in your hand. If you feel the urge to access the internet at all, the cruise’s iCafes or connecting to onboard cellular services are enough.
Conclusion
To sum it up, if you anticipated a positive response to your query ‘Is there free Wi-Fi on Royal Caribbean cruise?’, you are in for a disappointment. However, the Royal Caribbean cruise’s VOOM service offers impressive quality and speed, although it does weigh a bit more on your holiday budget. With a VOOM Wi-Fi package, you can seamlessly work, stay in touch with loved ones, or simply relax and enjoy online entertainment while at sea.
Then again, you also have the option to rely on eSIMs, which are cheaper than cruise internet packages. So, don’t worry about being adrift at sea with no connection to the world beyond your Royal Caribbean cruise holiday package. Additionally, you have the option of letting go of the virtual world, going off the grid, and enjoying a digital detox cruise vacation! So, choose your preference; there’s a solution for all!
