How Strong is the Internet on Princess? A Review of MedallionNet
Go ahead, ask about internet speed in a cruise-related Facebook group if you want to be be virtually spanked for not entirely disconnecting on vacation. But don’t worry, I’m here to affirm you (or enable you?) and also answer your question: How strong is the internet on Princess? First though, let us enlighten those who may not understand why anyone would want or need internet access on a cruise ship.
Internet on a cruise ship? What’s the point?
There are many good reasons one may need strong and reliable internet access on their Princess cruise. Here are some of them:
- They “forgot” to tell their boss they were going on vacation and plan to “work” virtually.
- They guilted an extended family member into taking care of their kids while they cruised: “Come on, you saw so little of them during Covid, you need to make up for lost time.” But they feel obligated to at least check in a few times: “No one dead? Excellent! Love you, but gotta run – I have a spa appointment!”
- Nightly video chats with their fur baby whom they actually really miss: “Mommy ordered an extra prime rib at dinner tonight just for you! Paws crossed that I don’t get arrested for sneaking it off the ship.”
- So they can feel less guilty about the 10,000 calories they’re eating every day by sitting on an exercise bike at the ship gym while streaming Netflix.
I’m sure there are others too, but those are the ones that popped into my head for some reason (not that any of them are even remotely autobiographical).
Speaking of autobiographical, let me answer some questions you may have about MedallionNet internet on Princess ships by referencing my own recent experience onboard Princess. Remember that this is based on one person’s experience on one ship, but hopefully it can give you a sense of what to expect. I hope that others will chime in in the comments with their experiences too!
Is the Internet Strong Enough to Work from a Princess Ship?
When your professional title is “Professor of Cruising,” AKA “subpar cruise blogger,” you work to cruise and you cruise to work. And I was mostly able to fulfill my duty to keep my one loyal reader (hi, mom!) informed while on the Majestic Princess. There were a few spots and times of day where the internet signal wasn’t as strong, but it usually worked great in my cabin where I preferred to write, answer e-mails, and update my website and social media sites.
For those of you thinking, “But what about those of us with a real job?,” I say this…
I’ll have you know that I had to try six times to get a decent video for Instagram of the atrium as I traveled all the way up on the glass elevator because people kept getting in! If that’s not real work, I don’t know what is!
Also this…
While I wouldn’t feel comfortable guaranteeing that MedallionNet will allow you to accomplish everything you need to do for work from the ship (especially if it’s critical that you be able to always attend live meetings or respond immediately to messages and e-mails), this new and vastly improved Princess internet met my work-related needs MUCH better than any non-Princess ship I’ve ever sailed on.
Can I Stream Videos on a Princess Ship?
Yes. I was able to stream Netflix during a GRUELING hour long workout on a spin bike at the ship gym. Had I been on land, I would have peddled all the way from my apartment to Pike Place Market in Seattle in that time! (Psssst, it’s only two blocks away.)
Can I Zoom from a Princess Ship?
Let me tell you from experience that there’s nothing more zen than listening to your live weekly virtual yoga class over Zoom while you gaze out at the ocean and feast on a crap ton of free food delivery (go HERE to see my review of OceanNow food and beverage delivery on Princess along with the complete menu). I really hope I remembered to turn off my camera though, as I said my final “namaste” with a mouth full of chocolate cake.
In summary, Zoom worked well for me.
Can I Video Chat from a Princess Ship?
Yes, you can. At least I could – here I am tucking in my son over Facebook video chat before asking could he please put Henry (my dog) on now (remember that thing I said about missing one’s fur baby?).
How Much Does the Internet Cost on Princess?
As I discovered, that depends. But either way, it’s refreshingly reasonable! If you purchase a plan through the OceanMedallion App prior to sailing, the cost of a 1 device plan (meaning you can only use one device at a time) for a 7 night cruise for me was $69.93. For up to 4 devices (meaning you can use up to 4 devices at the same time) it was $139.93. I figured I’d wait to purchase my plan until I got onboard because I had a bunch of onboard credit to burn through.
However, once onboard, I discovered that it’s cheaper to pre-purchase a plan (that’s usually the case on other lines, but I didn’t see or read anything about that with MedallionNet, so I didn’t know). I paid $104.93 for my 1 device plan once onboard. Learn from my mistake and purchase your plan in advance!
Conclusion
So, how strong is the internet on Princess? Allow me to pitch this new slogan to the Princess marketing team: “MedallionNet, strong enough to keep you from relaxing on vacation!” Yes? No?
But seriously, it was strong enough to give my dog something to look forward to for 12 days. Unfortunately 8 of those days were unexpected and the prime rib I promised him over video chat went rancid while I sat in jail. Oh! I just thought of another slogan: “MedallionNet > JailNet.”
Cruising Pro Tip: You can’t take fruit, vegetables, dairy, grains, beverages or…prime rib on or off of a cruise ship (only packaged and sealed food is permitted).
*Note: Reports from some ships this week, now that they’re closer to full capacity, are that the internet has been slower and that the app hasn’t been functioning as well (I couldn’t really get the app to work at all on my sailing, but I’d made all my reservations in advance, used the TV to order OceanNow food to my cabin, and appreciated still receiving a hard copy of the Princess Patter for the daily schedule, so I didn’t really need it). So keep in mind, that while it is technically “possible” to do all the things I discussed above with MedallionNet, internet speed slows with increasing demand. Choosing an off time (early in the morning, late at night, or in port while most passengers are off the ship) to accomplish important internet-dependent tasks may be the best option in some cases. And it’s best to have a backup plan for communication with work and home just in case.
And with that…
Class Dismissed!
Don’t forget to PIN this so you can refer back to it later!
Homework (10 points): Share your experiences with MedallionNet in the comments and check out my other recent Princess-related content…
Does Princess Really have the Best Pizza at Sea?
Princess’s 2022 Main Dining Room Dinner Menus
Preparing For Your Princess Cruise in 2022
Princess Cruise Line’s OceanNow Food And Beverage Delivery Menu 2022
Majestic Princess Mini-Suite Review and Tour
Princess Cruise Line’s Elite Lounge: A Review
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Princess Medallion Net Internet is excellent at middle latitudes (say…south of Ketchikan). They use lower Middle Earth Orbit satellites which provide fast service. Not having to count minutes or worry about logging out is a great improvement. Works well for real estate contracts!
Thanks for sharing your experience! I’m glad it worked well for your needs and thanks for pointing out another important use for it (real estate contracts can’t really wait). Happy cruising!