Cruise travelers have reached a crossroads as far as onboard internet is concerned. Speeds are finally getting better, but connection packages are still bloody expensive. My friend and colleague, Chris Owen, and I often discuss how we feel free, fast internet should be as common as air to breathe anywhere you go by now, but that has not yet happened.
And that doesn't mesh with most travelers, especially millennials like me. Our expectation is instantaneous connections.
Now don't get me wrong. I fully understand the arguments that say shipboard internet takes an entirely different kind of super expensive infrastructure to implement, and I can appreciate that reality. However, I believe the time is coming (like yesterday) when the cruise lines will just need to swallow that cost or at least greatly subsidize and bundle it in to the overall cruise fare. In the meantime, I have a wish list to tide us all over.
Free Social
At the bare minimum, now is the time for cruise lines to make access to social media networks free across the board. Sure, Carnival Cruise Line offers a reduced social media-only package at $5 per day, but these should really just be entirely complimentary.
Brands should know that word of mouth is the best way to attract new customers, and these days that is done through social media. Royal Caribbean International is taking the Periscope baton and running with it to promote its experiences via live video feeds from onboard. Passengers are effectively promoting the cruise lines with these channels, so they should definitely be free. Of course, the flip side is that lines open up the possibility for the easy distribution of negative publicity as well as positive impressions, but surely the vast majority of cruisers are satisfied. It's a risk they should take.
Time or Data
When internet packages were first offered onboard - yes, in the old days of slow-as-molasses connections - they were priced by data usage. Now, most are time-based, with the exception of Disney Cruise Line which uses the temporal model. Each method has its own pros and cons.
Basic email reading and web browsing uses little data but takes time, and checking your Facebook feed can be done quickly but eats lots of data throughput. So for example, the former approach would best match a data plan while the latter would best be served by a timed plan. My solution: offer both. Let the guest choose which plan is most cost-effective for them. There is probably less revenue to be generated by the cruise lines this way, but at least more customer goodwill would be generated.
One Rate to Rule Them All
Another desire of mine, as I'm sure it is for many other frequent cruisers who sail on various lines, is a recurring plan that would apply to multiple cruise lines like Gogo offers on multiple airlines. Granted this works on flights because they are the primary provider for the bulk of the brands, but a similar value-based system across several cruise companies would sure be nice.
MTN (Maritime Communications Network), now part of EMC, remains most common across many cruise ships and would be the best bet for making this work within a single provider, but as new technologies are implemented by lines to deliver broadband-equivalent speeds, other companies are being employed as well.
Totally Gratis
So, that only leaves us with one other option, and it's the best one yet. Just make onboard internet, regardless of the cruise line or infrastructure, completely free. The time will come, and I believe it is upon us sooner than later.
Let's now all hope and wish, and provide our requests and feedback to the lines, accordingly.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
