04/15/2024

WMS Attendee Survey at Seatrade Cruise Global 2024 Reveals Passenger Wireless Connectivity Preferences

[MIRAMAR, FLA., April 15, 2024] – WMS, the premier global provider of wireless connectivity services, wrapped up its Attendee Survey at Seatrade Cruise Global 2024 on April 11. The Survey unveiled passenger wireless connectivity preferences across a variety of facets – from Internet usage frequency to preferred cellular service provider and more.

On the last day of the three-day survey, conference attendees responded to how often they use the Internet when cruising for leisure. 63 percent responded they use the Internet for several hours each day. This consumer behavior aligns with usage growth WMS has supported with its services.

“Demand for connectivity has exploded since the industry’s return to sea, with passengers and crew members indicating communication and entertainment is becoming more essential,” said Pramod Arora, President & CEO, WMS. “Connectivity in the most challenging and hard-to-reach places requires best-in-class technology and service. WMS pioneered the first wireless network on a cruise ship 20 years ago, and has continued innovating, from offering 3G and 4G LTE to daily passes and bundles, with 5G connectivity at sea coming.” 

Research WMS conducted in 2023 showed that passengers are most satisfied with their onboard connectivity experience when using both cellular and Wi-Fi services together. Similar to on land, Internet-over-cellular is an ideal option for secure banking and moderate emailing, browsing, social posting, video calling, and music streaming. In contrast, Wi-Fi is ideal for heavy internet use; emailing; browsing; streaming services for video, movies, and music; and data-intensive app usage. 

Overall, findings from the three-day period revealed three major trends:

• 80% of cruise passengers surveyed said they used the internet for a combination of personal and business use.
• The top three communication services used on cruises include text messaging, messenger apps, and phone calls.
• 63% of cruisers use the internet for several hours a day.

WMS launched the first wireless network on a cruise ship 20 years ago. WMS provides cellular service at sea to 25 cruise lines and more than 200 cruise ships in operation. WMS meets the evolving needs of guests so they stay connected throughout their voyages, while also providing a source of revenue for cruise line partners. 

About WMS 

WMS is the premier global provider of wireless connectivity services connecting people and business…anywhere. WMS pioneered the first wireless network on a cruise ship 20 years ago. It remains the trusted strategic partner for connectivity in the most challenging and hard-to-reach places, for passengers, crew, and onboard operations, delivering best in class technology, service, and revenue growth for its clients. Passengers and crew of cruise and ferry lines rely on its hundreds of networks, its unmatched engineering expertise, its global roaming partners, and its leading customer support to connect…anywhere. For more information, please visit www.wmsatsea.com.  

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