Surf the Internet at Sea: First Experience on SuperStar Aquarius

By Wei Ruiwei, compiled and reported

Starting now, passengers and crew aboard the cruise ship SuperStar Aquarius can stay in touch with friends and family while visiting various destinations across the Asia-Pacific region via wireless communication, including making calls, sending and receiving text messages and emails, with charges similar to international roaming rates, calculated according to the roaming fees of each port.

Genting Hong Kong’s Star Cruises, the world’s third-largest cruise company, together with Wireless Maritime Services (WMS), a leading global provider of wireless communication services for fleets, officially announced this month the launch of wireless communication services across Star Cruises’ Asia fleet. WMS enables cruise passengers and crew to use their mobile phones while at sea just as they would on land. The WMS network automatically activates when the ship leaves port and shuts down when it connects to a terrestrial network.

Mr. Ng Chun Ming, Senior Vice President of Information Technology at Genting Hong Kong, said: “While enjoying their cruise holiday, passengers can share their onboard experiences with friends and family via mobile phone. The Sanya–Vietnam route of SuperStar Aquarius will commence its maiden voyage this month, giving passengers the chance to be among the first to experience the convenience brought by this new service while enjoying a delightful journey.”

Mr. Ian McKenna, Vice President of Customer Support and Product Management at WMS, said: “Every one of our customers is an important partner, and we are excited about this first collaboration with Star Cruises, as it marks WMS’s expansion into the Asia-Pacific region. We already work with hundreds of telecom operators around the world and have strong expertise in international roaming services, including partnerships with the world’s largest mobile provider – China Mobile. We look forward to leveraging these resources to deliver high-quality services to Star Cruises and Asian passengers.”

This service is expected to be gradually rolled out to SuperStar Virgo, SuperStar Libra, and SuperStar Pisces between the end of this year and next year.