Cruise line Princess Cruises is to become the first global shipping line to roll out satellite based connectivity through the O3b mPOWER network from Luxembourg based satellite network operator SES SE.

Satellite connectivity will be provided to Princess Cruises through SES’s hybrid medium earth orbit (MEO) and geostationary (GEO) network. The combination of the globally-deployed Princess MedallionClass ships, the Ocean Guest Experience “Cloud Connected” Platform and SES’s Multi-Constellations Satellite network will provide global Wi-Fi service levels with a seamless land and sea digital experience, including OceanView TV. 

An expanded partnership between SES and Princess Cruises will boost the Ocean Guest Experience Platform with real-time xIoT, edge, cloud and shore-side intelligence synchronisation on Princess MedalllionClass Ships. 

Princess MedallionClass is planned to be fully active on 11 ships by the end of 2020 with a new ship activated every 60 days.

SES will keep bandwidth ahead of demand with multi-Gbps capacity whenever and wherever needed. The company says that bandwidth constraints will not be a factor at any point, whether activating a new MedallionClass ship, visualising real-time ship digital clones or powering virtual ship/shore collaboration.

“The future is now with real solutions and proven technology delivering real experiences to floating smart cities around the globe powering a coveted experience. SES integration into the Global Experience and Innovation team not only provides world-leading connectivity technology and fuelling OceanMedallion capabilities, but most importantly provides expertise that is passionate about creating amazing experiences through the fusion of creativity, story, connectivity and media across the world,” said John Padgett, chief experience and innovation officer for Carnival Corporation. “Our first joint creation, MedallionNet, has significantly elevated the cruise experience for our guests and crew, but more importantly stimulated the creation of leading-edge, cloud-based edge compute models that were previously considered impossible.”

“The relentless focus of the Princess Cruises and Carnival Corporation’s Global Experience and Innovation teams to create personalised, simplified and connected guest experiences inspired us to push the boundaries of the connectivity norm at sea, and set a higher benchmark for connected guest experiences,” said JP Hemingway, CEO of SES Networks, the data-centric business unit of SES.  “With MedallionNet, we helped deliver a new and holistic model that sets an entirely new standard for cruise ship connectivity around the world. By extending and expanding our Premier Innovation Partner relationship, we are leveraging our unprecedented position in multi-constellation satellite networks and consistently focusing on delivering high performance and pushing the envelope of what’s possible.”