June 10, 2022 via email Tom Sullivan Bureau Chief, International Bureau Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street, SW Washington, D.C. 20554 Thomas.Sullivan@fcc.gov Re:
Earth Stations onboard Cruise Vessels File Number: SES-LIC-20210803-01360 File Number: SES-LIC-20210803-01361
Dear Tom, Early on during the COVID-19 pandemic we wrote to Commissioner Rosenworcel (now Chairwoman Rosenworcel) to outline acute challenges facing the cruise industry as a result of satellite internet service provider actions detrimental to the health and safety of our quarantined crew and vessels at sea. With your intervention and swift action, we restored connectivity to impacted vessels – allowing crew members who were then confined to their quarters to reestablish communications with family members as well as with the relevant maritime authorities and our shoreside offices. We write today to respectfully request that you act expeditiously and look favorably upon the pending application filed by SpaceX Services, Inc. and referenced above. Since we last worked together on the acute problems evident at the early stages of the pandemic, our shoreside teams and onboard crew have worked tirelessly to bring our fleet back to service. In doing so, we continue to experience the same structural challenges and limitations in the satellite internet service provider industry that were present at the onset of the pandemic. The increase in marine vessel operations – 1
whether cargo, cruise, commercial or personal watercraft – as well as the technology industry shift to cloud-based software solutions, has meant an increase in satellite internet service demand. Yet the supply side of the satellite internet equation has suffered from attrition, bankruptcies and consolidation. This challenging landscape has resulted in negative guest experiences onboard, with bandwidth constraints that have slowed our desired business advancements. In short, during these past two years, the satellite internet service provider landscape has been largely static both in terms of capacity and innovation. As we return our fleet to full strength and look to grow our business through new and more innovative ships with larger and more reliable bandwidth demands, we are eager for more innovative competition in what is largely a stagnant internet service provider market. We know that additional entrants in the satellite internet service provider space will benefit the cruise industry at large as well as other industries such as airlines. Because of the geographically dispersed nature of our operation, as well as the bandwidth demands of the tens of thousands of guests and crew who are onboard with us at any given time, we face the same challenges of a shoreside hospitality industry: an operation that needs to be connected all the time for our business and guests that expect connectivity and connectivity-enabled experiences equal to what is found shoreside. These challenges require a next generation solution in the marketplace. Working with SpaceX Services, Inc., we believe we have identified a true nextgeneration solution for our vessels that meets the rigorous technical and operational requirements commensurate with our growth plans. We believe our work with SpaceX, the first of its kind in the cruise industry will set the standard for other cruise operators and will mean a leap in terms of guest experience and business operations while at sea. For this reason, we are eager to advocate for new market entrants to drive a marketplace innovation step change. We again urge you that you act expeditiously and look favorably upon the pending application filed by SpaceX Services, Inc. referenced above. Thank you again for all your work at the Commission. I invite you to reach out to me at your convenience so that I may help answer any questions you may have.
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Respectfully, /s/ John Maya John Maya Vice President, Operational Excellence Royal Caribbean Group
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