From time to time, cruisers make the costly mistake of using their phone on a cruise ship without checking with their providers first to see if they have coverage. Until now, the answer was usually no.
While it is true that there are internet packages and other cellular at sea plans you can get, any time your phone is roaming or using data, expect an unwanted bill.
It seems like a no-brainer, but a recent passenger who was unaware was just slapped with $1,300 in fees from their mobile provider when returning from their cruise.
With more cruisers seeking coverage, AT&T and Verizon have announced that they are introducing new international calling plans that will be accessible on cruise ships.
The International Day Pass will be offered by AT&T — a plan that covers up to 400 different cruise ships in more than 200 international land destinations.
The pass will allow guests to use their phones just as they normally would for only $12 per device per day — and can add additional devices for only $6.
To put into perspective why a pass like this is important, if a family of four was on a 5-night international cruise and used their phones without getting a plan, they could be charged up to $4,100 in fees by AT&T.
That family could pay 94% less by purchasing the new pass being offered by this carrier, spending just $240.
AT&T allows for customers to pay in advance — but they can also set up the pass at any point during their cruise — though it will not retroactively cover any charges made prior to coverage.
Customers can set up coverage on both AT&T’s website and the myAT&T app, or can contact customer support.
Verizon’s new plan is more specifically catered to cruisers — as it will not be valid while at international ports. The idea is that they are providing coverage specifically when people are at sea.
A big difference with this plan is that customers have to manually set up the Cruise Daily Pass — and it must be done prior to or during embarkation at the latest.
However, most passengers might see this extra bit of coverage as an unnecessary expense — especially if it cannot be used at the ports.
Wi-Fi and Other Alternatives
One of the most well-known tips in the cruising world is to never take your phone off of airplane mode while sailing internationally.
Of course, if you purchase a phone plan like the ones above that allow for cruise ship coverage, you can use it, but be aware of the maximum daily usage.
For example, Verizon’s new $20 plan includes unlimited data, talk, and text — but once you exceed 0.5 GB of data use a day it will switch you over to high-speed 3G connectivity for the remainder of the 24-hour period.
In those situations, something like streaming a show for just 30 minutes could use an entire day’s worth of data — which can then lead to additional fees.
But you could always go with what’s tried and true — nearly every cruise ship now offers multiple Wi-Fi packages, and usually at discounted rates when purchased in advance.
Read Also: Do Cruise Ships Have Wi-Fi – 5 Things to Know
Usually, this option relies on your phone being in airplane mode — but most modern phones can operate normally without cell signal and solely off of Wi-Fi.
So, how do these new cellular plans compare to cruise ship packages? They may be less expensive depending on your sailing length and the number of devices to cover.
Carnival Cruise Line’s internet plans range from $18.70 to $23.80 per person per day — but also offers an $84.00 per day premium plan for up to four devices.
While Carnival does not mention the maximum data usage, all packages allow for the use of social and streaming platforms.
Royal Caribbean has its own Wi-Fi system called VOOM — which promises to be six times faster than any other cruise line’s internet offerings and costs $24.99 to $30.99 per device per day.
The one package available is the VOOM Surf + Stream Internet Package — allowing passengers to use their devices for social media, messaging services, and streaming content.
Both Carnival and Royal Caribbean’s internet is provided by Starlink — which has over 8,000 satellites orbiting close to earth allowing for faster speeds in more locations, making Wi-Fi even more accessible for cruisers.
Since the ship’s Wi-Fi is in no way connected to mobile providers, there is nothing they can do to fight the charges if a passenger did not get coverage before using cellular data.
If you are concerned about getting fined for usage, make sure to work with your cellular provider directly to find out the best coverage options ahead of your cruise.
Or, you know, just keep your phone on airplane mode and enjoy your vacation! There is also another option, you could always try the special Cruise eSIM from GigSky.
