Starlink

[edgee]

Embarking today (Easter Sunday) from Miami for Splendor repositioning TA. Internet manager told me that Starlink equipment is being put on Splendor today BUT likely will not be operational until July. Makes sense that since today is last day for the ship to be in the U.S for many months, it is a logical time to install the hardware, but wonder why it will take several months before it is operational. Perhaps contractual issues...who knows?

[Zqueeze1]

I am currently onboard the Grandeur and am getting much better reception than from days gone by.

 

Z and TB

[edgee]

1 hour ago, Zqueeze1 said:

I am currently onboard the Grandeur and am getting much better reception than from days gone by.

 

Z and TB

So on a different note, from your point of view, are the walls on Grandeur so "thin" such that you hear conversations and tvs from neighboring cabins?

[-Lew-]

1 hour ago, edgee said:

So on a different note, from your point of view, are the walls on Grandeur so "thin" such that you hear conversations and tvs from neighboring cabins?

 

When we cruised on Grandeur in January and February we could very rarely hear muffled conversation, but never the TV...

[briar14]

1 hour ago, edgee said:

So on a different note, from your point of view, are the walls on Grandeur so "thin" such that you hear conversations and tvs from neighboring cabins?

We were in 733 in Nov./Dec. one morning we clearly heard a phone conversation, including home address and credit card number. These were not loud voices. Never heard TV.

[Tsunami74]

13 hours ago, edgee said:

So on a different note, from your point of view, are the walls on Grandeur so "thin" such that you hear conversations and tvs from neighboring cabins?

Has anyone been in a penthouse cabin on Grandeur and can comment on noise (or lack of)?

[The Hudson Co. Landlubber]

On 3/31/2024 at 4:07 PM, edgee said:

Embarking today (Easter Sunday) from Miami for Splendor repositioning TA. Internet manager told me that Starlink equipment is being put on Splendor today BUT likely will not be operational until July. Makes sense that since today is last day for the ship to be in the U.S for many months, it is a logical time to install the hardware, but wonder why it will take several months before it is operational. Perhaps contractual issues...who knows?

Bummer!  I was hoping it would be operational for my trip in May.  Thanks for the information though, I can plan accordingly now.  Hope you are having a great trip!

[-Lew-]

1 minute ago, The Hudson Co. Landlubber said:

Bummer!  I was hoping it would be operational for my trip in May.  Thanks for the information though, I can plan accordingly now.

 

Don't be bummed if Starlink isn't up and running in time for your cruise.  As I previously mentioned, internet speed on Splendor was about twice as fast without Starlink than on Grandeur with it.

[edgee]

9 minutes ago, -Lew- said:

 

Don't be bummed if Starlink isn't up and running in time for your cruise.  As I previously mentioned, internet speed on Splendor was about twice as fast without Starlink than on Grandeur with it.

Well, after just 24 hours on Splendor I am already missing Starlink excellent service I enjoyed on Oceania Vista and Celebrity Ascent in the last 6 months. Not throwing a "pitty party" for us dealing with this first world problem.....really really enjoying the Splendor, our first Regent cruise on one of the newer ships!

[wcsdkqh]

Ridiculous to compare two ship’s internet service if they aren’t in the same location.

[-Lew-]

2 hours ago, wcsdkqh said:

Ridiculous to compare two ship’s internet service if they aren’t in the same location.

 

It's not a scientific analysis...just an observation.

[edgee]

2 hours ago, wcsdkqh said:

Ridiculous to compare two ship’s internet service if they aren’t in the same location.

Not ridiculous. Location is one important variable but observations can be instructive. I was on Oceania Vista with Starlink for nearly 30 nights. Near perfect internet in a variety of locations. 

Sould tell you something.

[Pcardad]

I have a couple of hundred Speedtest results from multiple ships in multiple locations both with and without Starlink. About 99% of the results show Starlink at 4MBPS down - substantially faster (not to mention FAR more stable) than the old system. I'm really looking forward to the full implementation of Starlink across the fleet.

[wcsdkqh]

9 minutes ago, edgee said:

Not ridiculous. Location is one important variable but observations can be instructive. I was on Oceania Vista with Starlink for nearly 30 nights. Near perfect internet in a variety of locations. 

Sould tell you something.

Yes, it tells me that starlink satellites were providing coverage whever the ship was located at given times. All ships and locations not so lucky given that less than 50 percent of starlink satellites have been launched to date.

[edgee]

12 minutes ago, wcsdkqh said:

Yes, it tells me that starlink satellites were providing coverage whever the ship was located at given times. All ships and locations not so lucky given that less than 50 percent of starlink satellites have been launched to date.

Yeah, well I go by results, not percentages of satellites. Since 2020 I have cruised on 5 ships with Starlink in locations including the Mediterranean, Alaska, Pacific Coast/Mexico, Panama Canal and Caribbean. All have had near perfect internet similar to what I would experience in a hotel in the U.S. I have cruised on two ships since 2020 without Starlink and the internet was equally iffy on both..same old cruise ship internet quality we had grown to (unfortunately) expect pre Starlink.  

[brownieldr]

Does anyone know which ships have Starlink up and running currently?

[Jlhalldc]

On 4/1/2024 at 9:16 AM, Tsunami74 said:

Has anyone been in a penthouse cabin on Grandeur and can comment on noise (or lack of)?

We were in Penthouse 743 on Grandeur in January and very rarely heard our neighbors. No more than usual. 

[Pcardad]

10 minutes ago, brownieldr said:

Does anyone know which ships have Starlink up and running currently?

Grandeur and Mariner.

[ddsun1]

Currently sailing Grandeur, Penthouse, deck nine.  From our living area (and some from our bedroom), we can hear entire conversations from the F1 suite next to us.  Have been aboard all Regent ships, except Navigator, never have we experienced this on Regent's four other ships.  As we schedule busy days, of course, presumed our suite would be quiet and relaxing upon our return.  Unfortunately, the folks in the suite next to us are always there and we easily hear all conversations.  Our solution is to turn up the calming music of the bridge cam.  Although this is most likely a result of the ship's build, and we have heard about this 'insulation' situation, management claims there have not been complaints...

 

 

[mnocket]

I think sometimes people complain about Starlink simply because of who owns it.  As @Pcardad said, reports from passengers on ships with Starlink almost always give very positive reports.

[RetiredOnVacation]

On 4/2/2024 at 5:52 PM, Pcardad said:

Grandeur and Mariner.

Any word yet for Voyager? On it twice later this year, although both being European & largely coastal transits we'll be in 4/5g most of the time. 

[Gilly]

33 minutes ago, RetiredOnVacation said:

Any word yet for Voyager? On it twice later this year, although both being European & largely coastal transits we'll be in 4/5g most of the time. 

We are currently on Voyager and I have been able to upload my photo rich blog (edited photos to minimise upoad speed) every day of our cruise so far (16 days and counting) from our suite without the need for me to go to my "secret place" to connect as previously on this ship.  Speeds are not super fast but they are manageable and better than I have experienced on board previously.

[RetiredOnVacation]

43 minutes ago, Gilly said:

We are currently on Voyager and I have been able to upload my photo rich blog (edited photos to minimise upoad speed) every day of our cruise so far (16 days and counting) from our suite without the need for me to go to my "secret place" to connect as previously on this ship.  Speeds are not super fast but they are manageable and better than I have experienced on board previously.

Maybe Voyager has Starlink working then! 🤞 Thanks! 

[Gilly]

6 hours ago, RetiredOnVacation said:

Maybe Voyager has Starlink working then! 🤞 Thanks

No, I am pretty sure it doesn't have it yet   Nothing has been said and I'm sure that I would have read or heard that news if Starlink was here.

What I was highlighting is the patchy nature of internet connection which relies on so many variables: location of the ship, location *on* the ship and the number of people using it .  I have no idea why everything worked so well during our cruise but am simply thankful that it did!

[papaflamingo]

On 4/2/2024 at 1:17 PM, ddsun1 said:

Unfortunately, the folks in the suite next to us are always there and we easily hear all conversations

We were in an F-2 on Grandeur in Jan.  The only time we heard our neighbors was when I was on the sofa and he was on his sofa (on the other side of the wall).  We were traveling with friends on the other side of the cabin (TV wall) and never heard them, nor did they hear us.  Anyway, it sure seems to be a  problem.  Have you mentioned this to your neighbors?  Perhaps you could "ask" if they are hearing you as a lead in to letting them know that you hear them?  Anyway, seems different cabins have different issues.  It's too bad as Grandeur is a beautiful ship.