NCL to improve internet speeds. About time!

[mianmike]

"Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (or “the Company”) (NASDAQ: NCLH) announced today it will quadruple the current bandwidth across its Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises fleets in the coming months to meet the rising internet expectations of cruise guests. The quadrupling of bandwidth is part of a long term strategic agreement with EMC to significantly enhance the internet experience onboard all 23 ships in the Company’s fleet.

 

To support the new WiFi network, multi-million dollar bandwidth and performance-boosting technology upgrades will be installed fleet-wide before the end of June, including new state of the art satellite dishes, and EMC’s patented SpeedNet program. The SpeedNet program delivers popular websites at speeds that mimic high-speed fiber optic networks, similar to those available in homes and offices. The WiFi experience is further enhanced by the recent deployment of high speed shoreside connectivity in key ports of call."

 

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/norwegian-cruise-line-holdings-deliver-high-speed-wifi-miguel-sanchez

[triptolemus]

Maybe this improvement will bring on shore-side enhancements, too. Like finding ship's pictures online once you return home. Seems like an obvious easy money-grab, but the lack of bandwidth required to get all those pics off the ship might have prevented this rather obvious venture.

[Sonora5]

We cancelled our unlimited internet package on our most recent cruise because the internet just did not work. Fortunately our ATT package enabled us excellent coverage on shore in all our ports. I would love to be able to cruise more, and upgraded internet service is key for me to be able to do that.

[Turtles06]

We typically "unplug" on a cruise, but I needed to be available to my office during a TA this fall on RCI's Anthem of the Seas. The new "VOOM" internet on board was amazingly fast, no reason NCL can't and shouldn't provide similar service for those who need it.

[kcwingwalker]

Wonderful:) Hope the Dawn is upgraded by October!

[terracool]

They had to do this to keep American customers. The reality is that it is increasingly becoming an expectation that Americans have decent access to email and other internet capability, even while on vacation. It would get to the point, sometime, that US workers wouldn't be able to take a vacation without decent internet.

 

And the increasingly cloud-based, entrepreneurial economy will also steer people to vacations where reliable internet that doesn't take forever is a must-have, not an amenity. Someone on our recent TA said that his wife, who owns a solo CPA firm, simply can't go on a cruise if she can't work while on board - and this is not unusual for the new economy in which there are so many solo practitioners and contractors. She had gotten up at 4:00 that morning because it was a payroll processing day and that was the only time she would be able to download the data packets for processing.

 

There was only so long that people were going to be okay with that. Very nice that NCL is joining the times! I'll love having "real" internet access.

 

.

Edited May 5, 2016 by terracool

[numberguy]

At some point, if it's offered again before I sail, maybe I'll switch my Shore Excursion credit for unlimited internet.

 

--Michael

[BirdTravels]

At some point, if it's offered again before I sail, maybe I'll switch my Shore Excursion credit for unlimited internet.

 

--Michael

 

The offer is not unlimited internet. It is up to 250 minutes.

[BirdTravels]

Wonderful:) Hope the Dawn is upgraded by October!

 

The Dawn is in dry dock now. The press release talked about July rollout. I am hoping for better internet on the Dawn by September for our fall foliage cruise.

[numberguy]

The offer is not unlimited internet. It is up to 250 minutes.

Thank you

[cmdchiefthom]

Well if NCLH is going to outfit 23 ships with all the hardware, software etc. by the end of June, I think I'll wait and see how that all shakes out before getting too excited.:rolleyes:

[mking8288]

Well if NCLH is going to outfit 23 ships with all the hardware, software etc. by the end of June, I think I'll wait and see ... before getting too excited.:rolleyes:

Of course, indeed - given NCL IT Dept's in-house reputation on managing simple changes ... would be smart to outsource the work on a fast track, t minus 8 weeks. It's more than just swapping a few servers, routers & pushing out the apps with the ships on the move daily. ;)

 

We have excellent overlapping low-cost roaming coverage once on virtually all the popular foreign ports these days that staying connected onboard is no longer a necessity - others do, however. The million dollar question is the upgraded costs for the end users, as we all know & appreciate NCL catching up with times by blessing the investment, behind other major cruiselines - what is the pricing or will the package costs go higher :D

[TheDougOut]

Yes!! :)

[Yorkvillain]

Great news!

[Rileyz]

What is the cost for unlimited internet? When I go to the NCL site I just see the price per day. I'm on the Jewel in July and would like it for the whole 7 days. Is it just 29.95x7?

[txagfan]

Well if NCLH is going to outfit 23 ships with all the hardware, software etc. by the end of June, I think I'll wait and see how that all shakes out before getting too excited.:rolleyes:

 

 

 

The vendor is probably doing the install. Also, they aren't changing the whole network.

[triptolemus]

The vendor is probably doing the install. Also, they aren't changing the whole network.

 

Yup.

 

This sounds like a web cache concept with some on board and shore side wi-fi improvements, mostly. Some new network and server gear for the ships along with some component-level changes to the sat dishes. Should be relatively simple to deploy. We're not talking about ripping down the existing domes!

Edited May 5, 2016 by triptolemus

[SPB in da RVA]

We typically "unplug" on a cruise, but I needed to be available to my office during a TA this fall on RCI's Anthem of the Seas. The new "VOOM" internet on board was amazingly fast, no reason NCL can't and shouldn't provide similar service for those who need it.

 

 

As long as you are willing to pay for it! :eek:

[SPB in da RVA]

They had to do this to keep American customers. The reality is that it is increasingly becoming an expectation that Americans have decent access to email and other internet capability, even while on vacation. It would get to the point, sometime, that US workers wouldn't be able to take a vacation without decent internet.

 

And the increasingly cloud-based, entrepreneurial economy will also steer people to vacations where reliable internet that doesn't take forever is a must-have, not an amenity. Someone on our recent TA said that his wife, who owns a solo CPA firm, simply can't go on a cruise if she can't work while on board - and this is not unusual for the new economy in which there are so many solo practitioners and contractors. She had gotten up at 4:00 that morning because it was a payroll processing day and that was the only time she would be able to download the data packets for processing.

 

There was only so long that people were going to be okay with that. Very nice that NCL is joining the times! I'll love having "real" internet access.

 

.

 

Email takes VERY little bandwidth.

[triptolemus]

Email takes VERY little bandwidth.

 

Until I attach my image-laden 950 page pdf, or fetch some CAD drawings from an ftp server.

 

Get with it maywell.

[Turtles06]

We typically "unplug" on a cruise, but I needed to be available to my office during a TA this fall on RCI's Anthem of the Seas. The new "VOOM" internet on board was amazingly fast, no reason NCL can't and shouldn't provide similar service for those who need it.

 

As long as you are willing to pay for it! :eek:

 

As long as my office is willing to pay for it. :)

 

Actually, I think NCL's charges for internet service are quite expensive.

[BirdTravels]

Of course, indeed - given NCL IT Dept's in-house reputation on managing simple changes ... would be smart to outsource the work on a fast track, t minus 8 weeks. It's more than just swapping a few servers, routers & pushing out the apps with the ships on the move daily. ;)

:D

 

It is all out sourced. If you ever talked to the "Internet cafe manager", they are not NCL employees. They are MNT communications employees who openly tell you how NCL could improve service if they spent some $$$

[janpo]

'll

Until I attach my image-laden 950 page pdf, or fetch some CAD drawings from an ftp server.

 

Get with it maywell.

 

 

Seriously??? Maywell reborn? Nooo

[Demonyte]

They had to do this to keep American customers. The reality is that it is increasingly becoming an expectation that Americans have decent access to email and other internet capability, even while on vacation.

 

 

What exactly makes you think this is somehow limited to Americans? Cruise lines need to do this to keep many of Generation X (and at least pretty much all of Generation Y) customers, no matter their nationality.

 

The reasons (requirements) you listed only apply to small group of people (majority of jobs don't utilize internet for personal emails etc, even in the workplace), a lot more people (and especially their Gen Y kids) have their personal expectations of having internet access just like at home for social media, streaming, etc.

 

Royal has VOOM on several newest ships, they have upgraded (or are at least in the process of upgrading) the whole Celebrity fleet, and Carnival in their corner has much more reasonably priced internet packages for example social media. NCL was clearly losing the battle among big mass market lines.

 

P.S. Here, in the home of Nokia, unlimited mobile data packages are still the norm (unfortunately this might change next year as EU roaming regulations will take the final step) and majority of people born since the 60s are definitely used to being connected no matter where they go.

[Victorious8]

Oh I wonder if this is why I can't select and internet package on my July 31st Escape cruise. I'm really excited about this, this pretty much solidifies my decision to do a "live" review!