[SatNews] Staying in touch with business concerns and friends and family while enjoying cruise ship amenities is becoming more and more important to passengers.

MTN Satellite Communications (MTN) has been awarded a five-year contract extension with Crystal Cruises to provide its VSAT satellite communication services. “We’ve been very pleased with MTN’s superior level of service and support aboard the Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony,” said Bill Roberts, director of systems and operations at Crystal Cruises. “MTN has consistently delivered the best value proposition for at-sea communication needs. This partnership and decision to extend the relationship with MTN will help deliver quality services, secure communications, and increase our guest experience.” According to Brent Horwitz, senior vice president, MTN cruise and ferry services, MTN will continue providing a full range of satellite communication services for guests and crew, including onboard cellular phone service, OceanPhone crew calling, inbound dialing, and MTN Worldwide TV. The agreement calls for each ship to have a guaranteed committed information rate (CIR) of 1 MB with the ability to burst to significantly higher bandwidth levels.