Crew members aboard the Norwegian Prima received seven days of free basic internet access following persistent complaints about extremely slow connection speeds. Despite the ship being equipped with high-speed Starlink, many crew reported being unable to access even basic messaging apps, raising frustrations among those who rely on internet access to stay connected with family. While the complimentary internet package was seen as a small step forward, crew members remain hopeful that the root of the issue will be addressed and resolved as soon as possible.
The free access applies to the Basic Internet Package, which includes unlimited browsing and messaging but excludes video streaming and VPN access.
“They just announced 7 days of free WiFi for those purchasing an internet package,” one crew member told Crew Center. “But the one they offered has no access to YouTube. I’m paying $120 for full access including streaming and now we’re stuck with basic speed that doesn’t even let us message properly.”
The crew member said that the internet speed has been significantly reduced in recent days, especially while the ship is sailing to Iceland. However, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has not issued a clear explanation regarding the source of the problem if it lies with onboard equipment, satellite signal limitations, or software capacity.
Despite the 7-day free basic package, many crew feel the cruise line isn’t doing enough. Those who purchased premium access say they’re not receiving the service they paid for and the lack of transparency about the root cause only adds to the frustration.
“It’s a nice gesture, but it doesn’t solve the problem,” the Prima crew member told Crew Center. “We just want reliable internet, especially after a long day when we need to talk to our families.”
As of now, the connectivity issue remains unresolved aboard the Norwegian Prima, and no official statement has been made by NCL addressing the ongoing limitations or providing a timeline for resolution.
These are the NCL Crew Internet Packages (via Starlink)
- Daily Basic Wi-Fi $5.00 Unlimited browsing (no streaming/VPN)
- Daily Streaming Wi-Fi $8.00 Unlimited + streaming and VPN
- Monthly Basic Wi-Fi $75.00 30 days, no streaming
- Monthly Streaming Wi-Fi $120.00 30 days, with streaming & VPN
- 80-Minute Plan N/A Browsing only (time-limited)
- 300-Minute Plan $20.00 Browsing only (time-limited)
The issue isn't isolated to Norwegian Prima. Crew aboard Norwegian Aqua have reported similar concerns. One crew member said:
“We’re paying $75 to $120, and after 10 PM we can’t use the internet at all. We can't send messages or even call our families after work. It’s a big concern.”
A similar disruption was also reported last year on the Norwegian Sun while sailing to Hawaii. In that case, NCL issued partial refunds for the affected period and acknowledged the problem as being due to limited satellite beam coverage.
