Skift Travel News Blog

P&O Cruises and Cunard have announced the rollout of SpaceX’s Starlink across its fleet in order to improve on-board Wi-Fi connectivity and bandwidth.

The new technology from Starlink has been introduced to provide guests with a greater bandwidth capacity across P&O Cruises and Cunard ships, which facilitate the sharing of photos and videos, the ability to use streaming services and enjoying other on board content at higher speeds.

According to a release from Carnival Corporation, the service will be available in both public spaces and cabins on the Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth – which are operated by Cunard – by the end of 2023. Queen Anne, which is Cunard’s newest ship, will launch with the service in May 2024. 

Britannia and Azura, which are operated by P&O Cruises, have already introduced Starlink to the public spaces on board. The service will be available in both public spaces and cabins on Arvia, Iona, Ventura, Arcadia and Aurora by the end of 2023.

“Sharing unforgettable moments with friends and family back at home is an important part of any holiday. Whether it’s uploading a picture of a sunset as you sail away from a newly discovered destination or catching up with the news, live events or content from home, Starlink will make it even easier for our guests and colleagues to stay connected,” said Paul Ludlow, president at Carnival UK and P&O Cruises.

Red Sea Global and Zain KSA have unveiled the world’s first zero-carbon 5G network, which is powered by 100% renewable energy.

The tower, which is located at Six Senses Southern Dunes resort at The Red Sea, will bring guests ‘the highest speeds for 5G connectivity in the region’ according to a release from Red Sea Global.

Utilizing 3D printing technology, the tower has been designed to seamlessly blend with the landscape by imitating rock formations, ensuring the tower has a minimal visual impact on the surrounding environment.

The network is also set to powered by over 760,000 solar panels, which have been built by Red Sea Global to power the entire 28,000km2 destination. 

“We aspire to be global pioneers of regenerative tourism development, adopting 100% renewable energy at our flagship destination, The Red Sea, and working towards the achievement of a 30% net conservation benefit by 2040. These ambitious goals demand ambitious partners, and our collaboration with Zain KSA transcends telecommunications, extending into sustainability and environmental protection,” said John Pagano, group CEO at Red Sea Global.