Windstar Cruises, American Queen Voyages add Starlink internet to their fleets
Two more cruise lines will offer Starlink internet on board their ships.
Windstar Cruises launched the service from Elon Musk's SpaceX on its Star Pride vessel during a recent Caribbean voyage and plans to roll it out on other ships, the line said this week. Starlink will supplement its current internet service, provided by Anuvu, according to a news release.
“I am thrilled to be working with Anuvu and Starlink to offer our guests the latest in satellite technology," Gregg Wagner, Windstar's technology director, said in the release. “When the ships are inside the service area, faster speeds will alleviate much of the frustration felt at peak use times."
American Queen Voyages has similarly begun implementing Starlink service on its ships, adding Starlink antennas along with 5G cellular backup, the cruise line said earlier this month.
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The news comes after major cruise operators Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean Group announced similar plans. American Cruise Lines also said in January that it had added the service.
The Federal Communications Commission approved Starlink's use on moving vehicles last summer.
When will Starlink be installed on Windstar and American Queen Voyages?
Windstar plans to add Starlink to most of its worldwide fleet by the middle of 2023, according to the release.
"Star Legend will offer the service this spring, followed by Wind Surf, Wind Star, and Star Breeze," the company said. "Wind Spirit will activate the new technology as soon as it’s available in French Polynesia."
American Queen Voyages said Starlink will be "installed, tested, and ready to use on all vessels before they sail in 2023," according to a news release. The line is already offering the service on American Countess, American Queen and Ocean Navigator.
How much will Starlink cost on Windstar and American Queen Voyages?
Windstar's internet prices will remain the same, a spokesperson for the line told USA TODAY in an email.
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Windstar currently offers several internet usage plans including the email plan, which costs $60 for 200 megabytes of data, and the surfing plan, which costs $120 for 500 megabytes.
An ultimate plan - which offers unlimited internet usage - can be purchased daily for $35 per day on the line's Star Plus Class ships, or for the duration of a sailing at the same rate on its Wind Class vessels, the spokesperson said.
Starlink internet is included in the fare on American Queen Voyages sailings, according to the release from the line.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Windstar Cruises, American Queen Voyages add Starlink internet
