Royal Caribbean appears to have introduced a new, unannounced Wi-Fi option that might fit your cruise needs nicely.
Internet on a cruise ship has slowly moved from novelty to must-have for so many people. It's less about doing work from a cruise ship, but rather being connected and being able to stay in touch with friends and social media.
For those that want non-stop connectivity, the internet packages offered are fantastic. But what about someone that has more casual needs? Believe it or not, there's no free wi-fi on Royal Caribbean cruises.
Royal Caribbean has sold a 24-hour pass on its ships that isn't well known, but that's still much more access than just a quick task. Plus, it costs $29.99 and is more expensive than the daily rate of the unlimited packages.
It looks like we may have a fix for those that need very limited internet.
New 60-minute Wi-Fi package
Guests on at least two Royal Caribbean ships this week report there's a new option for short-term internet needs.
Elizabeth Wright is an Associate Editor with Cruise.Blog and is sailing on Icon of the Seas this week. She confirmed the new option of a 60-minute package that costs $9.99.
It's only available once you're onboard, not pre-cruise.
There's one more catch, you actually have to ask them at the Voom desk to purchase it.
Just like the longer duration packages, it's the same high speed Starlink internet access that works quite well. Our team has consistently found good success with Royal Caribbean's Voom options.
Better option for quick needs
Adding a one hour internet package may not be important for most cruisers, but it should serve a need that some have always wanted.
There are plenty of reasons why someone might want a short duration internet package but don't want or need to invest in something much longer. Royal Caribbean's internet options were previously "all or nothing."
Some people prefer to completely disconnect on vacation, and that means not having internet during their cruise. However, they may have reasons to be connected periodically.
- Checking in for flights
- Submitting school work
- Checking in with family periodically
- Emergencies
There's clearly a niche need, and those people may have skipped Royal Caribbean's internet all together in favor of using wifi in the ports they visit instead.
One good cruise hack is to find internet hot spots in the ports of call you visit because it can either be free or quite inexpensive.
The problem with this hack is finding an actual place offering it. In my experience, the free spots are inundated with other people and speeds can be abysmal.
Plus there's the security concerns of using public hotspots.
A Royal Caribbean option is certainly going to be more convenient and safer.
It's an effective option, but costs add up quickly
I think this new 60 minute option is perfect for people that have limited needs, but there's an argument for buying an unlimited package anyway.
The hour long package is only sold onboard the ship and for now is something you have to physically go to the Voom desk to get added to your account. There is no way to pre-purchase or plan ahead.
That alone is a hassle, especially when the line for the Voom desk is inundated with cruisers who are trying to get their device working.
While it's only $10, that's a cost you could get more mileage out of with an internet package you pre-purchase, especially on short cruises.
As an example, for my 3-night Utopia of the Seas cruise in 2026 I have booked, it would cost just $65.97 if I pre-purchased an unlimited package. That is 6 times the price of the one hour package, but the it's a better value per minute, and I can use it throughout the cruise.
The more of these one hour packages you buy, the quicker the unlimited package makes more financial sense.
Keep in mind you can always change your mind on the ship.
Royal Caribbean allows you to buy an internet package for a pro-rated amount as the cruise goes on. You could wait until the last day and buy it then, or even half way and only pay for the remaining days.
A new option that should make someone's cruise better
Ultimately, I think this new 60 minute internet package should be a benefit for at least some cruisers.
It will bring a little more revenue to Royal Caribbean from people that might of otherwise tried to find internet ashore or simply not bought it at all.
I think adding more flexibility is great for consumers. Now the question is could we see even more flexible Voom packages in the future?
