Per a press release shared today, Royal Caribbean Group is partnering with Juneau-based, Alaska Native corporation Goldbelt Incorporated to kick-off a community-based program to bring Starlink high-speed internet to locals, cruise guests, and popular businesses in Juneau.
Locals and vacationers will soon be able to take advantage of the free service by logging on at participating businesses across downtown Juneau. Installation begins this week at the Goldbelt Tram Lower Terminal and will continue north on Franklin Street as the pilot program’s full range becomes active in the coming weeks.
“Royal Caribbean Group greatly values its longstanding partnership with the City and Borough of Juneau. We are constantly striving to find innovative solutions to support our communities and enhance the travel experience for residents and cruise guests alike. Our new pilot program aims to alleviate internet congestion and provide additional bandwidth for locals, while providing internet connectivity for our guests from ship to shore,” said Preston Carnahan, Associate Vice President, West Coast Destination Royal Caribbean Group. “Goldbelt and the local business community have been key in bringing this pilot to life and we look forward to collaborating further to ensure the success of this program.”
“As Juneau’s Alaska Native Corporation, Goldbelt takes community feedback seriously. The number one complaint from this summer was a slow-down of internet speed during busy days downtown,” said McHugh Pierre, President and CEO, Goldbelt, Inc. “We are excited to collaborate with Royal Caribbean Group to explore a solution and add satellite internet capacity to town. This project will help locals and visitors have a better internet experience every day of the week.”
As the first in the cruise industry to adopt Starlink, the world’s first and largest satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit, in 2022, Royal Caribbean Group is now deploying Starlink high-speed, low-latency internet for residents of Juneau while also enhancing the digital experience for vacationers visiting the region. Access points and networking provided by Peplink, will help maximize coverage and improve accessibility with users seamlessly moving from location to location while remaining connected.
The pilot program will be monitored closely to assess its impact and effectiveness. Feedback from local businesses and their patrons will be invaluable in refining and potentially expanding the initiative to other destinations in the future.
