Sharing Starlink Internet on Cruise Ships with the Other Travelers
If you’ve ever been on a cruise, you know the frustration of slow internet speeds while at sea. With cruise ship WiFi often delivering speeds under 4 Mbps, many travelers are wondering if they can bring their own Starlink satellite internet system on board, especially with the Starlink Mini being available for roaming.
Watch the video below from the Between Two Palms discussion series and read this blog post to find out what you need to know about using Starlink on cruise ships.
Should you get a backup connection for Starlink?
Yes. Starlink goes down every day — an always-on dish averages about 34 minutes of downtime daily from routine satellite handoffs. A second connection keeps you online when Starlink drops.
What’s the best backup connection for Starlink?
A 4G/5G cellular hotspot or SIM is the most practical backup for most Starlink users — it works anywhere Starlink works, requires no installation, and uses a different network so outages rarely overlap. Cable or DSL broadband is a strong option if you have it at a fixed location. A second Starlink dish is also possible if you need maximum throughput.
How do you use two internet connections at once with Starlink?
Speedify combines Starlink with any other connection — cellular, cable, Wi-Fi, or a second dish — into one bonded connection. Speedify runs on your phone, laptop, or router. When Starlink drops, Speedify moves your traffic to the backup instantly, so calls don’t cut out and downloads don’t stall. Speedify is free to try.
71% of Speedify’s Starlink users already run a second connection. Speedify’s Starlink Index tracks real-world Starlink performance data from thousands of dishes.
See the full dataset →Use Speedify to stay online during Starlink satellite handoffs every 15 seconds
Research confirms Starlink switches between satellites every 15 seconds on a fixed schedule. Each satellite handoff is a potential dropout, and on a congested network or with any obstruction, those Starlink dropouts become real interruptions.
Speedify fixes Starlink connection drops by combining your Starlink internet connection with another satellite dish, Wi-Fi, 4G/5G cellular, or wired Ethernet at the same time. When Starlink drops, Speedify keeps your traffic moving on the backup internet connection instantly.
Speedify alerts you about your Starlink dish status
Speedify software alerts you about your Starlink dish status as soon as your dish experiences an issue - e.g. when your actuator motor is stuck, the mast is not vertical or there's a thermal throttle.
Speedify's Starlink Control Center helps you monitor all your Starlink dishes, read obstruction maps, and align multiple dishes all in the Speedify app. Get a real-time view of each dish's health and optimize the position of each Starlink dish, so you get the best possible performance out of your Starlink connections.
Most Cruise Ships Restrict Personal Starlink Internet Use
A notable incident involving YouTube content creator Richard Shillington from the “No Pants Profits” channel highlighted the complexities of using personal Starlink devices on cruise ships. After experiencing slow internet speeds of less than 4 Mbps on Carnival Cruise’s WiFi, Shillington decided to set up his Starlink Mini device.
The results were impressive – his Starlink connection delivered speeds exceeding 100 Mbps, dramatically outperforming the ship’s standard internet service. However, this success was short-lived. The ship’s captain eventually confiscated the Starlink device, citing that such devices were not permitted on board.
Is It Legal to Restrict Personal Starlink Internet Use Aboard Cruise Ships?
The legality of restricting personal satellite internet devices on cruise ships operates in a grey area – it’s best to check the terms and conditions when you book a cruise and know what to expect in terms of Internet speeds. While there are precedents protecting consumers’ rights to use their own WiFi devices in certain situations (such as the Marriott case, see below), these regulations may not apply in the same way to cruise ships or satellite communications.
For context, in the Marriott case, the federal government ruled that blocking WiFi in the ISM 2.4 GHz band and 5 GHz band violated citizens’ rights to use these frequencies. However, this ruling specifically pertained to WiFi frequencies and land-based properties, not necessarily satellite communications or maritime vessels.
Alternative Solutions for Better Internet on Cruise Ships
When you need reliable internet connectivity while on a cruise ship, you can consider these alternatives:
- Use the ship’s premium internet packages
- Bring a mobile router that can utilize multiple connection types, such as the Miri X510 bonding network router
- Consider devices and apps that can bond multiple internet connections together
- Use cellular data when in port or near coastlines.
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Read T&Cs Before Bringing Your Own Personal Starlink on Cruise Ships
While Starlink technology offers good speeds and can provide excellent internet connectivity at sea, current cruise line policies generally prohibit passengers from using personal Starlink devices.
Before packing your Starlink for your next cruise, check with your cruise line about their specific policies regarding personal satellite internet devices to avoid any uncomfortable situations or potential device confiscation.
Until clearer regulations emerge or cruise lines change their policies, passengers will likely need to rely on ships’ provided internet services or seek alternative connectivity solutions for their time at sea.
Connectivity Tech Discussions
Our Connectivity Tech Discussions Between Two Palms video series shines the spotlight on Alex and technical guests, diving deep into caonversations about the latest Internet technology, including Starlink satellite, WiFi 7, Apple, fiber optics, new routers, remote connectivity, and networking protocols.
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