Has Hal Launched Star Link WiFi On Their Ships?

[aliaschief]

In January we were on a Azamara cruise that had recently installed Star Link WiFi on the ship. It was the fastest WiFi we have ever experienced on a ship. Could even watch video streams.

Has Hal fitted any of their ships with Star Link? If not, has anyone heard whether they plan too in the future?

[Alphen]

1 minute ago, aliaschief said:

In January we were on a Azamara cruise that had recently installed Star Link WiFi on the ship. It was the fastest WiFi we have ever experienced on a ship. Could even watch video streams.

Has Hal fitted any of their ships with Star Link? If not, has anyone heard whether they plan too in the future?

According to captain Werner Timmers, it was operational on Rotterdam VII on our voyage in October 2022.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

The Zuiderdam is having it done May 12, 2023

[aliaschief]

Thanks for the replies.

Anyone know if Eurodam has it? We embark Sunday.

Edited April 5, 2023 by aliaschief

[DevilinaBluDress]

I don't know. On the Zaandam right now with premium internet. Here are some speed tests from yesterday afternoon, night, and this morning.

[jbecker6469]

4 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

Thanks for the replies.

Anyone know if Eurodam has it? We embark Sunday.

Following.   I am on this sailing as well.

 

[aliaschief]

49 minutes ago, jbecker6469 said:

Following.   I am on this sailing as well.

 

Should be a good one. 

[FlorenceItaly]

2 hours ago, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

The Zuiderdam is having it done May 12, 2023

WOW!  We board on May 12 so hope it transpires!

[sltgator]

Anyone know when Nieuw Statendam is supposed to get it? 

[Hllb]

I hope Eurodam gets this before late June....how do people know the install date for some of the ships? Did HAL announce those?

[aliaschief]

1 hour ago, Hllb said:

I hope Eurodam gets this before late June....how do people know the install date for some of the ships? Did HAL announce those?

Believe it’s passed on or discussed when folks are onboard sailing.

[SDARCH]

On 4/5/2023 at 8:54 AM, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

The Zuiderdam is having it done May 12, 2023

Awesome.  We are boarding on the 12th.

[Florida_gal_50]

12 hours ago, Hllb said:

I hope Eurodam gets this before late June....how do people know the install date for some of the ships? Did HAL announce those?

To me it would have made sense to do it during the drydock the eurodam just had.

[oakridger]

On 4/5/2023 at 7:50 AM, Alphen said:

According to captain Werner Timmers, it was operational on Rotterdam VII on our voyage in October 2022.

 

I was on the Rotterdam in November for 3 weeks.  The internet was intermittent and had spotty service in different areas of the ship (including my cabin)! I got disconnected quite often.  Would this be considered "normal" Starlink service?  I hope not, because I saw no difference on that cruise than any other cruise I have been on.

 

~Nancy

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, oakridger said:

 

I was on the Rotterdam in November for 3 weeks.  The internet was intermittent and had spotty service in different areas of the ship (including my cabin)! I got disconnected quite often.  Would this be considered "normal" Starlink service?  I hope not, because I saw no difference on that cruise than any other cruise I have been on.

 

~Nancy

Starlink is the satellite system being used. Spotty coverage on the ship is WiFi, not Starlink. Dropped signal can be either.

[jbecker6469]

On 4/5/2023 at 1:42 PM, aliaschief said:

Should be a good one. 

It should be.  Very excited about doing the full transit.  Also have never done any of the ports up the west coast.  Hope to meet you on this cruise as I have followed your postings for several years.  Do you Casino? I am easy to find, usually wearing a red Georgia Bulldogs cap.  Go Dawgs!

 

[DevilinaBluDress]

I asked guest services onboard the Zaandam yesterday. No, it's not Starlink, yet.

[aliaschief]

40 minutes ago, jbecker6469 said:

It should be.  Very excited about doing the full transit.  Also have never done any of the ports up the west coast.  Hope to meet you on this cruise as I have followed your postings for several years.  Do you Casino? I am easy to find, usually wearing a red Georgia Bulldogs cap.  Go Dawgs!

 

Don’t do Casino. This will be our third transit. Don’t forget to try a Panama Roll. A Hal pastry tradition during transit. I’ll be looking for a Go Dawgs hat. A very proud year to wear that hat.

[shipshapegirl]

19 hours ago, SDARCH said:

Awesome.  We are boarding on the 12th.

We will also be joining you.  

[WriterOnDeck]

My understanding from officers on the Zuiderdam now is that installation crews are getting on May 12 and it may take a couple of weeks to install. No word about when operational. I'm on until July 22 so hope to get to experience it.

 

The company is installing it first on the Zuiderdam and Zaandam.

 

[Rcriley34]

Any word on the installation on the NA?

[Reagan0712]

On 4/6/2023 at 9:10 PM, oakridger said:

 

I was on the Rotterdam in November for 3 weeks.  The internet was intermittent and had spotty service in different areas of the ship (including my cabin)! I got disconnected quite often.  Would this be considered "normal" Starlink service?  I hope not, because I saw no difference on that cruise than any other cruise I have been on.

 

~Nancy

Were you getting disconnected on your phone or on laptop/iPad?  If phone, what type phone do you have? IPhone, Android, Apple?

Asking because I’ve experienced same issues.

[oakridger]

6 minutes ago, Reagan0712 said:

Were you getting disconnected on your phone or on laptop/iPad?  If phone, what type phone do you have? IPhone, Android, Apple?

Asking because I’ve experienced same issues.

 

iPhone 10R (XR) and my Windows 11 laptop.

Edited April 9, 2023 by oakridger

[Reagan0712]

Just now, oakridger said:

 

iPhone 10X and my Windows 11 laptop.

Thanks. First I’ve heard of this issue with an iPhone or a laptop. I was on the Rotterdam last October and the Eurodam last month and experienced the same internet trouble with my android phone. It was especially bad on the Eurodam in my cabin. Then I ran into someone else on the Eurodam having the same problems with an Apple phone.  A young lady from Guest Services even came to my cabin to verify there was a problem.  The only thing she could think of was that there were too many pages open in Chrome but closing them still didn’t help in the cabin, as she found out.

[oakridger]

@Reagan0712My phone and laptop both worked better in some other places on board.  Specifically, I tried the Seaview pool deck area and the Ocean Bar by the windows which were both less troublesome.

Edited April 9, 2023 by oakridger