RCI-Royal Caribbean is looking to partner with Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starlink in order to bring Wi-Fi capability to its cruise ships.
Starlink is Elon Musk’s satellite internet that is currently becoming increasingly popular. Though not as fast as fiber optic, the service is becoming a strong option for the travel-related business, especially the one with mobility like cruise ships and airplanes.
RCI revealed the potential partnership in a public filing with the FCC-Federal Communications Commission.
The cruise company said that working with SpaceX Services Inc, they believed they had identified "a true next-generation solution" for their vessels that met the rigorous technical and operational requirements commensurate with their growth plans.
However, the Commission still has yet to approve Starlink’s application to operate on moving vehicles.
Royal Caribbean has been one of the travel-related companies that are pushing the government agency to approve the plan.
In its filing, the company said:
“We believe our work with SpaceX, the first of its kind in the cruise industry will set the standard for other cruise operators and will mean a leap in terms of guest experience and business operations while at sea.
“For this reason, we are eager to advocate for new market entrants to drive a marketplace innovation step change. The increase in marine vessel operations—whether cargo, cruise, commercial or personal watercraft—as well as the technology industry shift to cloud-based software solutions, has meant an increase in satellite internet service demand. Yet the supply side of the satellite internet equation has suffered from attrition, bankruptcies, and consolidation.”