Built for 24/7 cruise operations, safety, guest services and entertainment, WBA OpenRoaming enables seamless, secure and reliable connectivity for staff and 1.5 million passengers a year
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, February 23, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA), the global industry body dedicated to driving the seamless and interoperable services experience of Wi-Fi across the global wireless ecosystem, has today announced the deployment of WBA OpenRoaming onboard AIDA Cruises whole fleet by Cisco Services, delivering seamless Wi-Fi for staff and passengers as they move around ships, wherever they are in the open sea. Germany’s most recognized tourism brand, AIDA Cruises carries 1.5 million guests around the globe each year. AIDA is the first cruise brand to introduce OpenRoaming at sea.
Cruise ships operate in some of the most challenging environments and remote locations in the world. The reliability and ease of deployment of OpenRoaming, made it the perfect choice for AIDA Cruises, whose Wi-Fi network needs to operate 24/7, span 12-20, manage densely packed connections, and sustain them as users move around the ship. The network supports operational systems, entertainment such as streaming services and safety. It also provides critical guest services including the onboard information portal for daily programs, ‘next port’ information, onboard chat and booking services.
Flawless Wi-Fi for crew and passengers
Implemented as part of a broader modernization of AIDA Cruises’ network architecture, OpenRoaming enables a frictionless user experience by eliminating repeated logins in future and supports seamless, secure Wi-Fi access for passengers and ship staff. Passengers can connect instantly to Wi-Fi using pre-existing profiles, removing complex login screens and enjoy a consistent connectivity experience as they move around the ship. OpenRoaming enables uninterrupted streaming and social sharing for guests, and reliable connectivity for crew workflows throughout vessels, including mission critical tasks such as servicing and safety-related tasks.
WBA OpenRoaming is an open connectivity framework for automatically and securely connecting billions of users and things to millions of Wi-Fi networks globally through its roaming federation service. It enables users to connect automatically to Wi-Fi securely using a profile of their choice on their device. Users with OpenRoaming natively on their phone, via an existing profile or their preferred app, can access Wi-Fi automatically with no usernames or passwords, safe in the knowledge that the connection is secure, and their privacy protected.
“Connections better than many places on land” across the fleet
The onboard experience was validated on the first ship fitted out as part of a 14-day repeatable dry-dock program, in which AIDA and Cisco Services executed a complete network overhaul within a tight window of opportunity before returning the ship to sea. There were “zero drops” recorded across the 107 live access points from engine room to the top deck. That program is now being repeated across AIDA Cruises’ full fleet of 11 ships when they turn into dry-dock over the next months.
AIDA Cruises utilizes Cisco Wireless family of products to enable OpenRoaming across 11 ships, including Cisco Wireless 9800 series controllers and the Cisco Wireless 9100 series access points.
Gordon Poppe, CIO, 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.”
Tiago Rodrigues, President and CEO of the Wireless Broadband Alliance, added: “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.”
Bhaskar Jayakrishnan, SVP Engineering, Cisco Customer Experience, said: “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.”
To learn more about OpenRoaming and its benefits, visit: https://wballiance.com/openroaming
About the Wireless Broadband Alliance
Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) is the global organization that connects people with the latest Wi-Fi initiatives. Founded in 2003, the vision of the WBA is to drive seamless, interoperable service experiences via Wi-Fi within the global wireless ecosystem. The WBA’s mission is to bring together global industry leaders, collaborating to accelerate the development, integration and adoption of next-generation Wi-Fi and wireless technologies to deliver business growth, through innovation, technical and standards development, and real-world deployment programs.
Its key programs include NextGen Wi-Fi, OpenRoaming, 5G, 6G, IoT, Smart Cities, Testing & Interoperability and Policy & Regulatory Affairs.
Membership in the WBA includes major operators, service providers, enterprises, hardware and software vendors, and other prominent companies that support the ecosystems from around the world. The WBA Board comprises influential organizations such as Airties, AT&T, Boingo Wireless, Boldyn Networks BT, Charter Communications, Cisco Systems, Comcast, HFCL, HPE, Intel, Reliance Jio, RUCKUS Networks, Telecom Deutschland and Turk Telekom.
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