AIDA Cruises deploys OpenRoaming Wi‑Fi across fleet

AIDA Cruises has rolled out Wireless Broadband Alliance OpenRoaming across its fleet of 11 ships, changing how passengers and crew connect to onboard Wi‑Fi and reducing the need for repeated logins as they move around the vessel.

The deployment covers ships that host about 1.5 million guests a year. The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) describes AIDA as the first cruise brand to introduce OpenRoaming at sea.

OpenRoaming is a connectivity framework that uses a roaming federation to let devices connect to Wi‑Fi networks automatically and securely. It relies on a profile stored on a user's device, enabled through native smartphone support, an existing profile, or a third-party app.

Onboard networks face different constraints than many land-based venues. Ships run systems around the clock, operate far from terrestrial infrastructure, and must deliver Wi‑Fi across multiple decks and compartments while keeping sessions intact as people move through the ship.

At AIDA, the network supports passenger internet access and a range of onboard digital services, including an information portal for daily programmes, port details, onboard chat, and booking tools. It also supports operational systems, safety-related processes, and entertainment services such as streaming.

Network overhaul

The OpenRoaming rollout is part of a broader modernisation of AIDA's network architecture, carried out by Cisco Services, according to the WBA.

Dry-dock windows were used to retrofit ships. The first vessel was upgraded under a 14-day, repeatable programme that combined the OpenRoaming deployment with a wider network overhaul. The programme is set to continue across the rest of the fleet as ships rotate through dry dock in the coming months.

Initial validation on the first upgraded ship involved 107 live access points, covering areas from the engine room to the top deck. The WBA said the test recorded "zero drops" across those access points.

The rollout uses Cisco Wireless products across the fleet, including Cisco Wireless 9800 series controllers and Cisco Wireless 9100 series access points.

Passenger experience

OpenRoaming is designed to reduce friction when connecting to Wi‑Fi. Instead of using a captive portal and entering credentials each time, passengers can connect using profiles already stored on their devices.

It is also intended to keep connections stable as people move around the ship. That matters for common uses such as messaging, social media, and video calling, and for crew workflows that depend on reliable connectivity across working areas.

Gordon Poppe, CIO at AIDA Cruises, said: "We're in the middle of the open ocean, but we actually exceed the connection standards you would experience in many places on land. If you're on a FaceTime call and you move around the ship from deck to deck, you will always be connected and won't drop. Connectivity is not only about being connected to the internet, but it's also being able to connect to our digital touch points on board, from the minute you enter the ship."

Roaming beyond ship

A key element of OpenRoaming is its federation model, which can extend beyond a single venue. This raises the prospect of passengers using the same profile to connect to participating Wi‑Fi networks in ports and cities during a cruise, depending on local availability and partnerships.

Tiago Rodrigues, President and CEO of the WBA, said: "Cruise guests want connectivity that feels effortless and secure from the moment they step onboard to access ship services and use their own devices. With their OpenRoaming profile they can even seamlessly connect to OpenRoaming enabled Wi-Fi at each port and city they visit. By enabling OpenRoaming across its entire fleet, AIDA Cruises is showing how open, interoperable Wi-Fi roaming can remove friction at scale, improve the guest experience and support operational performance in one of the most demanding connectivity environments."

Cisco said the project required coordination beyond shipboard hardware. Cruise connectivity typically depends on satellite backhaul for internet access at sea, alongside shore-based links when available, and deployments must accommodate the operational reality of vessels moving between regions.

"The network is critical to AIDA's guest experience, and connectivity that performs reliably both at sea and on shore is essential. In close collaboration with AIDA Cruises and satellite providers, we defined the deployment strategy and rapidly delivered a robust, large-scale Wi-Fi installation across 11 ships - ensuring seamless connectivity for guests and crew, no matter their location," said Bhaskar Jayakrishnan, SVP Engineering, Cisco Customer Experience.