Communications service provider, Marlink has provided more than half a gigabit per second of throughput on its global Sealink VSAT network for MSC Cruises’ ‘MSC Seaside’, at its service launch ceremony in Monfalcone, Italy on 30th November, 2017.
‘MSC Seaside’ will officially be named at a ceremony in Miami, Florida, on 21st December, 2017, where Marlink is scheduled to provide similar throughputs that will also apply for its maiden voyage.
This cruise ship is the 14th addition to the Swiss-based company’s fleet and the second new MSC Cruises ship to come into service this year, the first being ‘MSC Meraviglia’, which enjoyed a then record-breaking 300 Mbps service for its maiden voyage last July.
Marlink provides connectivity for MSC Cruises’ entire fleet in an optimised, dedicated ‘cloud of bandwidth’, claiming to provide the highest availability and redundancy available today on its continuously expanding Sealink network made up of 25 satellites and 32 overlapping beams.
Guests can expect a connected cruise experience on board, through the ‘MSC for Me’ digital innovation programme that uses the latest technology to connect holidaymakers seamlessly, whether at sea or on land. Marlink’s VSAT services are a key enabler, ensuring that guests enjoy fast and reliable access to social media platforms where they can share their experiences with friends and family at home.
The record-breaking throughput for ‘MSC Seaside’ will be provided by Marlink on Intelsat’s new EpicNG High Throughput Satellites, which provide extensive coverage throughout the planned sailing area. The temporary throughput will meet extra demand from media and guests to connect to the Internet on board.
On completion of the maiden voyage, ‘MSC Seaside’ will continue to experience high throughput on the Sealink network, ensuring widely available connectivity for all guests.
“Working closely with our partners, we achieved milestone throughput earlier this year for the ‘MSC Meraviglia’ maiden voyage, but reflecting the potential in our Sealink VSAT services, we have been able to almost double the previous record for the introduction of ‘MSC Seaside’,” said Tore Morten Olsen, President Maritime, Marlink.
“While these record breaking figures show what is possible with cutting-edge satellite technology, it’s important to remember that our network continuously delivers the highest throughput services for cruise ships on a daily basis. The cruise industry will soon expect throughput in gigabits and not megabits which is why we are pushing the borders of what the current technology can offer our cruise customers.”
