If you've tried to use internet access aboard a cruise ship, you know
it can be an exercise in frustration -- the connection is rarely speedy
or reliable enough to make you feel at home. You might not have that
problem on your next pleasure trip, however. Carnival is now rolling out
WiFi@Sea,
a "smart hybrid" network that automatically switches between satellite
data and land-based antennas depending on whichever is quickest. In
theory, this leads to service that's not just 10 times faster, but more
reliable; you should have an easier time uploading vacation photos, even
if you're between ports.
You'll need to time your next voyage carefully if you want to try
this speedier service for yourself. WiFi@Sea will be available before
the end of the year, but only in North America for Carnival ships headed
to the Caribbean; it'll reach Alaskan cruises next summer, and you'll
see it in other corners of the globe between 2015 and 2016. That's
potentially a long wait, but it beats having to grapple with sub-par
wireless while you're traveling the seas.
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