Holland America’s Oosterdam ship is now equipped with Starlink internet service. Photo: Holland America

Cruise company Holland America Line is more than halfway through updating the internet on its fleet of 11 ships to SpaceX’s Starlink service. Holland America announced Monday that it expects to have Starlink internet installed on the remaining five ships in its fleet by mid-December 2023.

Its ships Koningsdam, Oosterdam, Volendam, Westerdam, Zaandam and Zuiderdam all have the Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) high-speed internet on board. The company said it has received positive guest and employee feedback from sailings in Alaska, the Mediterranean and Canada. 

“Our goal is to continue keeping all guests connected to the internet to share their memorable experiences, and to allow our team members to stay in touch with their loved ones back home,” said Kathleen Erickson, vice president of technology for Holland America Line. “It’s important we stay up to date with evolving technology to ensure the best experience for everyone stepping foot on our ships.”

Recently, SES announced it will include Starlink into its offerings for cruise companies, offering a hybrid Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) and Medium-Earth Orbit (MEO) solution. SES said this offering came out of customer demand, from SES customers who also adopted Starlink.