Cruise & Ferry
What you need to know about internet access before you board
One of the questions I’m most frequently asked by anxious, always-connected travellers is whether Wi-Fi on ships is any good.
Ha. I’d need a doctorate in physics, a crystal ball and six hours to answer that question, but here goes.
Wi-Fi at sea is supplied by satellite, or land-based towers while sailing close to shore, so it isn’t as good as at home. It may cut out in remote places or amid unhelpful landscapes such as the Norwegian fjords.
Check Wi-Fi costs before you sail… maybe it’s a good time to pick up a book instead of your phone.Credit: Alamy
Wi-Fi is nevertheless widely available and has become much faster recently. However, the quality varies depending on the cruise line, individual cruise ship (some still use older systems) and the type of internet package you pay for.
The time of day influences speed too. Aim for early morning, late night and mealtimes if you’re downloading big files, for example.
The fastest options allow you to stream movies and watch social-media videos, though you’ll sometimes have buffering issues and fuzzy quality. Best download movies, music and e-books onto your device before boarding.
You shouldn’t have a problem accessing emails, websites and more static social-media apps, or making Wi-Fi phone calls.
Upmarket cruise lines include this sort of Wi-Fi in the cruise fare with a paid option to upgrade for streaming.
So, the good news is that Wi-Fi is available on every cruise ship and works well. The bad news is the expense and confusing packages available.
Frank M
Frank is a seasoned travel journalist with over a decade of experience covering hospitality, cruise, and air travel.
He has traveled extensively by land, sea, and air, collaborating with industry giants like Marriott, Hyatt, Disney, and Carnival Corp. His work has been featured in major international and industry publications across four continents.
Villa Vie Residences is set to make its debut in Asia and the Far East in August, as the Odyssey crosses the Pacific for the first time.
The residential ship is currently cruising to Hakodate, following the completion of its Alaska program in late July.
Following 11 days at sea, the 650-guest ship is set to arrive at the Japanese port on August 7, 2025.
The Odyssey then kicks off a series of visits to destinations in Japan and South Korea, including Sendai, Shizuoka, Kochi, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Fukuoka and Jeju.
Highlights of this segment of the itinerary include a four-day visit to Yokohama, from which guests will be able to visit Tokyo, as well as a three-day visit to Kobe, which serves as a getaway to Osaka and Kyoto.
After sailing to Amami, Ishigaki, and Naha, the Odyssey completes its schedule in Japan in early September.
The ship then heads south for visits to destinations in Taiwan and the Philippines, including Keelung, Anping, Subic Bay, Manila, Boracay Island and Puerto Princesa.
Continuing its deployment in Asia, the vessel is scheduled to visit ports in Guam, Micronesia, Palau, Indonesia, Australia, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and Papua New Guinea through December.
The itinerary also features visits to Wallis and Futuna, Samoa, American Samoa and French Polynesia before the end of the year.
The Odyssey will continue to sail in the South Pacific in early 2026, visiting additional destinations in Australia, as well as New Caledonia, Tonga, the Cook Islands and more.
Villa Vie recently celebrated another milestone after sailing to its 100th port since launching service in late 2024.
According to the company, the breakthrough was reached during a visit to the port of Icy Strait Point in Alaska.
Before arriving in Asia, the Villa Vie Odyssey visited destinations in Africa, the Atlantic, the Caribbean, South America, Central America and the Caribbean.
The ship then sailed to Hawaii and the Mexican Riviera, in addition to the U.S. West Coast and Alaska before repositioning to the Far East.
Cruise & Ferry
Important feature found on cruise ships you’ve probably never noticed | Cruise flags explained
Holidaying on a cruise ship is unique. There are certain traditions, rules and processes which come with sailing.
Many of them are age-old and formed from superstitions.
Others follow strict procedures for safety.
READ MORE: How to cruise to Antarctica – without spending tens of thousands of dollars
Cruisers have to get used to jargon when on board. There are also secret codes used for announcements passengers might hear on board.
But there’s a hidden detail flying above cruise ship decks you may not have noticed- the flags.
READ MORE: ‘Soulful and seriously special’: Cruising the Mekong with Scenic
Cruise ships always fly the individual flag of their nation of registration.
They also fly the flag of the place they are sailing, changing them as they arrive in a new port. They probably also fly their cruise line’s logo flag.
READ MORE: Little-known rule about alcohol on cruise ships
How cruise ships communicate
But ships also use other flags to communicate at sea.
These flags are also used as part of the International Code of Signals. And they all have different meanings.
We were shown the different flags neatly stored on a visit to the bridge on cruise ship, Crown Princess.
Marine Rescue NSW says the 26 square flags represent the letters of the alphabet. They feature five colours: red, blue, yellow, black and white.
Specific flags let other vessels know things.
For example Alpha, which is blue and white, means diver down; keep clear.
W, or Whiskey which is squares of red, white and blue, indicates required medical assistance.
A yellow flag, known as Quebec, indicates the vessel is “healthy” and requires free passage.
Flags can also be used in combinations, which means they then have other meanings.
Sometimes a whole string of the different flags are used as decoration, flying above the decks like bunting.
Sound and radio signals are also used by ships to communicate. A ships horn, for example, is one such thing and the number of blasts means different things.
Three blasts means the ship is reversing. Five means there is an emergency.
It’s also used as a fog horn when visibility is bad so other vessels know it’s there.
Another cruise ship tradition explained
Another tradition is for ships to be christened.
Maritime historian Chris Frame told 9Travel that the smashing of the Champagne on the hull is believed to have been begun by Queen Victoria, when she named naval ships.
Frame says “it’s a traditional ritual steeped in superstition from a historical perspective, that today is undertaken largely for media and public relations purposes.”
Royals and celebrities are named as ‘godparents’ with actress Hannah Waddingham TV host Drew Barrymore along recent A-listers to be given the honour.
Meanwhile, there are plenty of sailing rules passengers may not know about.
Shaking hands with the captain may seem courteous and respectful, but is banned on many vessels.
In several countries, particularly parts of Africa and the Caribbean, camouflage-patterned clothing is reserved for military personnel.
Plus many regions have strict agricultural controls to prevent the introduction of pests and diseases.
The first ship to take passengers on a cruise from Australia, rather than transporting them from one place to another, was P&O ship Strathaird.
Originally a mail ship that sailed for the first time in 1931, it was mainly used to transport ‘ten pound poms’ between England and Australia.
But on December 23, 1932, it set off Australia’s first cruise from Sydney to Brisbane and Norfolk Island with 1,100 passengers for five days.
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