HAL’s ship Konigsdam is the first to offer Starlink Wi-Fi in Alaska, historically a difficult location for high-speed internet on cruise ships.
Listen to this articleHolland America Line has announced that its ship Konigsdam, now sailing in Alaska, is now using high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi from SpaceX.
Guests and crew have been using the new internet service for the past four weeks, after the technology was installed during an April drydock.
Since the Starlink installation, Konigsdam has sailed an 18-day itinerary roundtrip from Vancouver to Hawaii. The ship is now in the midst of a series of 7-day Alaska Inside Passage voyages from Vancouver, visiting Glacier Bay, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway.
Related: UnCruise Alaska Review – Northern Passages and Glacier Bay
SpaceX’s Starlink uses Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technology to provide faster, more reliable internet access. Speed and reliability are especially important for ships in Alaska where the terrain and weather can challenge traditional Wi-Fi technology.
Related: What to Pack for an Alaska Cruise – Plus Free Packing List!
“For our guests and our team members, maintaining the connectivity they are accustomed to at home is an important part of the cruise experience,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line.
“Added bandwidth means our guests can share the joys of exploring Alaska in real time and our team can stay in touch with their loved ones back home,” Antorcha continued.
“While it’s early in our usage, the feedback from guests and team members has been very positive so far,” said Kathleen Erickson, vice president of technology for Holland America Line.
“We’re hearing from guests that emails and social media are performing well, and team members tell us that internet calls home to loved ones are much stronger. That’s a connection that means a lot.”
In a press release, Jonathan Hofeller, VP of commercial sales for Starlink, shared that the company is “excited that Holland America Line is seeing strong results in Alaska, and [they] look forward to helping Holland America Line and other Carnival Corporation ships continue to bring the connectivity experience for their guests and crew into the modern age.”
Related: Carnival Corporation to Install Starlink Wi-Fi Internet Across Global Fleet
Holland America plans to add Starlink internet capability on more ships this year, with the goal of Starlink being available across the full Holland America Line fleet.
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Are you looking forward to trying Starlink on Holland America ships? Or have you already sailed with the new technology? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
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