Successful installation of SpaceX's Starlink on the first ships of the AIDA fleet
This will enable AIDA Cruises to offer the best available Wi-Fi experience at sea before the end of the year.
By October 2023, all ships in the AIDA fleet will be equipped with SpaceX's innovative Starlink broadband service.
"Our project team has already equipped three ships in the AIDA fleet with Starlink antennas and the field test has been very convincing. Guests and crew appreciate the faster internet connections and enjoy the more comfortable web surfing. Digital work on board is also made easier. We are very much looking forward to offering this new standard on all ships very soon," reports Steffi Heinicke, Senior Vice President Guest Experience & OBR.
On AIDAblu, AIDAbella and AIDAstella, guests can already benefit from a Starlink special offer with increased data volumes in the Internet packages from mid-July. With the special introductory offer "Starlink Special", the Internet packages L, XL and XXL can be purchased at the usual price with twice the volume. The volume is doubled automatically for packages that have already been booked. Parents of kids and teens can look forward to a 50% discount when booking the social media flat rate "Fifty" on the myAIDA service portal.
The connection of the fleet to the new broadband connection that AIDA makes possible, is a significant benefit for their crew. This milestone improves communication to AIDA shore colleagues and thus intensifies cooperation. The lived AIDA culture becomes even more alive as a result. By increasing the data volume, each individual crew member benefits in terms of private use. The regular exchange with family and friends gives employees a feeling of being at home at sea. Their shared moments from life and work on board on their own social media channels offer individual insights into the diverse AIDA job worlds.
The fleet rollout of Starlink within Carnival Corporation started in December 2022 with Carnival Cruise Line and AIDA Cruises ships. Thanks to the exemplary and dedicated work of the AIDA project team, the fleet-wide connection to Space X's Starlink low earth orbit (LEO) satellite technology and associated IT infrastructure will be completed on AIDA ships ahead of schedule, by mid-October 2023.
In the future, AIDA guests and crew members will have access to a reliable, fast and even more affordable Internet connection in all AIDA destinations through a combination of different technologies, services and broadband connections. This opens up completely new possibilities for travelers who cannot do without the Internet or who want to stay in touch with friends and family and share their travel experiences.
