Wi-Fi on transatlantic

[gmevld]

On the reflection sailing on April 18. Wondering how the Wi-Fi works in the middle of the ocean…my dw and I both will be using it a lot…any experiences/

thanks

[omeinv]

Over the past several years, since they've branded the WiFi as "Xcellerate", it's been pretty good everywhere.  Before that, at mid-ocean points it could be pretty spotty.  I've still had times where service has been lackluster since, but it's not as predictably related to location.  Now, it's just the variables of satellite based service. 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

[jelayne]

We have done TAs in the past and the wi-fi was fine.   My concern is that now with AI most passengers will have unlimited wi-fi that will slow down the speed significantly.

Edited March 4, 2022 by jelayne

[canderson]

Their link is through geostationary satellites, and the signal is pretty much the same everywhere unless at extreme latitudes.

[gmevld]

Thanks for the info all.

[LDEE]

13 hours ago, gmevld said:

On the reflection sailing on April 18. Wondering how the Wi-Fi works in the middle of the ocean…my dw and I both will be using it a lot…any experiences/

thanks

I believe its satellite based so should work about the same as always with a few blips.

[capsplace]

Thx for the question.  We are sailing with you!

[bama4cruisin]

We were on the Apex TA last October.  This was a L&S from 2020 so prior to AI.  Our perks included “surf” level which we chose not to upgrade as we only wanted to email, text by wi-fi and social media.  Many days I had difficulty accessing Cruise Critic, and while I could usually get to “that other site”, I could post, but almost impossible to add photos.

 

I am certain “stream” would have been better, but I heard many comments that others were also having slow connection.  I did have much better luck if I woke early (6:00 or so) and connected.

[Covepointcruiser]

There are certainly more geosynchronous satellites over continental areas, so there could be spotty areas in the mid Atlantic and Pacific.    Certainly not the same requirement for internet when only a few passenger vessels require it and for only one or two voyages a year.   

[rmalbers]

I'm not sure the on board internet is using geosync sats,  I think it's actually using a medium earth orbit network of sats. 

[Turtles06]

We’ve done a number of transatlantics. The best time to use WiFi is around 3am. Same for any other cruise. 😁

[canderson]

4 hours ago, rmalbers said:

I'm not sure the on board internet is using geosync sats,  I think it's actually using a medium earth orbit network of sats. 

Just for fun, I ran down this whole rabbit hole about a year ago.  Figuring out whose service they were using, then whose high MEO satellites their service was using (they don't own any), etc etc.  I wish I'd written it all down.

 

At one time, Celebrity was using Wireless Maritime Services, and that's still showing on some outdated Celebrity online pdf files.  Then it seems they switched carriers, and that carrier got sold to the current one.  It was a couple of hours figuring it out. 

 

Dunno why, but I seem to recall that the HughesNet 'constellation' (such as it is) was the final link.  If curious, you might be able to backtrack through HughesNet customers and find out more quickly.

 

[rmalbers]

20 hours ago, canderson said:

Just for fun, I ran down this whole rabbit hole about a year ago.  Figuring out whose service they were using, then whose high MEO satellites their service was using (they don't own any), etc etc.  I wish I'd written it all down.

 

At one time, Celebrity was using Wireless Maritime Services, and that's still showing on some outdated Celebrity online pdf files.  Then it seems they switched carriers, and that carrier got sold to the current one.  It was a couple of hours figuring it out. 

 

Dunno why, but I seem to recall that the HughesNet 'constellation' (such as it is) was the final link.  If curious, you might be able to backtrack through HughesNet customers and find out more quickly.

 

Check out 03b networks for info. (SES networks) 

Edited March 6, 2022 by rmalbers

[canderson]

56 minutes ago, rmalbers said:

Check out 03b networks for info. (SES networks) 

Right you are.  Couldn't for the life of me remember who RCG had contracted with.  Thanks for uncovering that again.

 

As recalled earlier, these are all geostationary, making comms a bit rough for cruises in the extreme latitudes.  However, when I threw the 03b TLE list into my sat tracking program (designed for control of our telescopes at DFM Engineering), I noted that they are spaced very evenly along the equator; so unlike a prior comment, there is no more or less issue when at sea in the Atlantic or Pacific than over land. 

 

I suspect the reason that performance sometimes seems spottier on at-sea days may be related to both a greater possibility of higher seas (not sure tracking has really been perfected yet with a great deal of antenna motion) and more important, a great many more pax using the service since everyone is aboard 24/7 during those periods of time.