ACL-American Cruise Lines announced it is rolling out Starlink Wi-Fi across its fleet of river/coastal ships, bringing the fast satellite-based Internet system operated by SpaceX a step closer to becoming the dominant player in the industry.
According to ACL, the new Starlink satellite service was a major upgrade, ensuring seamless connectivity/faster upload speeds "nearly everywhere the company's small ships are cruising throughout the country – from Glacier Bay, Alaska to the sunny Florida Keys…"
ACL tested the Starlink service in 2022 and cruise passengers who experienced the service responded with rave reviews, the line said.
Consistent with American's all-inclusive ethos, the high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi is complimentary on all 2023 cruises.
Starlink is powered by LEO (lower Earth orbit) satellites providing a stable connection to cruise vessels. Other major cruise companies using Starlink include Celebrity, Hurtigruten, RCI-Royal Caribbean, Silversea, and SeaDream Yacht Club.