Starlink equips MSC Cruise fleet
March 4, 2024
By Chris Forrester
Swiss-owned MSC Cruises has completed equipping two-thirds of its fleet with Starlink onboard terminals. MSC says the whole fleet will be equipped with Starlink by May this year.
The low earth orbit solution is currently providing faster internet speeds, improved wi-fi in cabins and public spaces, reduced latency levels and lower operational costs for 15 of the line’s fleet of 22 ships following bandwidth and data traffic trials in 2022.
The first of MSC Cruises’ vessels to be equipped with Starlink was MSC Magnifica in December 2022.
The cruise operator says it has seen on board bandwidth consumption continue to rise, driven by both the increase in the number of connected devices and the number of apps that guests like to use.
Starlink will provide MSC Cruises with enough capacity to keep up with the future requirements of its guests, crew and also the technical requirements of its fleet of vessels.
MSC Cruises’ ships currently equipped with Starlink are MSC Divina, MSC Euribia, MSC Fantasia, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Lirica, MSC Magnifica, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Orchestra, MSC Poesia, MSC Preziosa, MSC Seascape, MSC Seashore, MSC Seaside, MSC Seaview and MSC Virtuosa.
MSC Opera and MSC World Europa will be added this month and the line’s other five ships set for enhanced connectivity ahead of the summer 2024 season are MSC Armonia, MSC Bellissima, MSC Musica, MSC Sinfonia and MSC Splendida.
EXPLORA I, the first of six luxury ships of MSC Cruises’ sister company Explora Journeys, is also equipped with Starlink and EXPLORA II will be fitted with the enhanced connectivity when she first sets sail in August 2024.