Princess Cruises MedallionNet WiFi: Speed Test and Review
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Princess Cruises promises guests the “best internet at sea.”
But is it really the best? And how fast are MedallionNet internet speeds?
We’ve tested Princess Cruises MedallionNet WiFi to determine if it lives up to the name. Read our review on Princess’ internet plans.
Princess Cruises WiFi Plans and Prices
MedallionNet WiFi starts at $24.99 per device per day when purchased before sailing. Platinum and Elite Captain’s Circle members receive a 50% discount on all internet packages.
You can expect to pay a higher price for the internet plan if you purchase it on the ship.
Princess Cruises offers some of the lowest wifi prices in the cruise industry.
Still, you can get it even cheaper!
Guests who purchase the pricier Princess Plus fare receive free drinks, gratuities, and wifi. You’ll pay more for the Princess Plus or Princess Premier package. But the added perks make Princess Plus worth it.
Princess Plus includes free WiFi, gratuities, and a Princess Cruises beverage package.
How Does MedallionNet Work?
Before discussing the speed of Princess Cruises WiFi, it’s essential to understand how MedallionNet works.
Cruise ships often travel to remote destinations around the globe and spend vast amounts of time far away from land-based cell phone towers. For this reason, cruise ships rely on satellite connections to keep passengers connected at sea.
In the past, cruise ships connected to satellites in geostationary orbit – up to 22,000 miles (36,000 kilometers) from the Earth. Although radio waves travel at the speed of light, the distance means up to 240 milliseconds of travel time.
It may not sound like much, but consider that your home internet likely has a connection speed below 30ms.
What makes Princess Cruises MedallionNet WiFi so fast?
Princess Cruises partners with Starlink to provide high-speed internet to guests. Starlinks low earth orbit satellints provide faster internet speeds, reduced latency, and much more bandwidth.
Internet speeds on Princess cruises aren’t as fast as you’re used to back home, but they are fast enough to browse the web, use social media, and stream movies.
How Fast is Princess Cruises MedallionNet WiFi?
We conducted several speed tests during our Caribbean cruise on Regal Princess to accurately measure MedallionNet’s internet speed.
We found average download speeds of 5.3 Mbps and upload speeds of 1.2 Mbps.
We conducted our speed tests multiple times daily to get the most accurate data sample.
In our experience, MedallionNet Wifi provides similar internet speeds compared to other mainstream cruise lines.
However, it’s important to note that the internet speeds aren’t as fast as you might be used to back home. The onboard WiFi is great for basic web browsing, emails, and messaging, but you will notice pages take slightly longer to load.
Further, while you can video chat and stream movies, TV, and music, don’t expect 4k video.
That said, for a cruise ship traveling in the middle of the ocean, Princess Cruises provides incredible internet speeds.
How Do You Access the Internet on Princess Cruises?
Accessing the MedallionNet internet is a straightforward process. Just follow the steps below to get your device connected in minutes.
- Open your device’s WiFi settings and select the MedallionNet WiFi connection.
- After connecting, you’ll be automatically redirected to the login page.
- Sign in using your cabin number and birthdate.
If, for some reason, your device won’t connect to the ship’s internet, visit guest services for assistance.
MedallionClass Wearable and App
Unsurprisingly, Princess Cruises offers fast internet speeds thanks to Starlink’s internet service. Every ship in Princess’ fleet is equipped with OceanMedallion – the cruise line’s award-winning wearable device program.
OceanMedallion replaces traditional room cards with a wearable that provides passengers with touchless boarding, room access, locating family on the ship, ordering food and drinks, and making purchases around the vessel.
The OceanMedallion wearable and accompanying app create a more personalized experience for passengers.
With thousands of passengers simultaneously using the technology, Princess cruise ships require a serious internet connection.
Final Thoughts
Princess Cruises MedallionNet WiFi provides comparable internet speeds among mainstream cruise lines.
While not as fast as you’ll find at home, the internet connection works perfectly fine for web browsing, emails, and messaging. It’s even fast enough to video chat back home and stream videos from Netflix, Amazon Prime, and YouTube.
