verizon international cruise plan

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It’s easy to stay connected at sea or in-flight.

Add a Cruise or In-Flight Daily Pass to your line and start your trip off right—without any surprise costs.

Cruise Daily Pass

$30 /line per day

Smooth sailing, sharing and scrolling ahead. Keep in touch and cruise worry-free.

How it works

You’ll only pay on days you use your phone at sea. Text “CRUISE” to 4004 before or at the start of your cruise to add a daily pass to your line. Or add it now via Trip Planner .

• 0.5 GB of data per day
• 50 minutes of incoming/outgoing calls per day (Overage: $1.99/min)
• Unlimited texts

Your Cruise Daily Pass is a 24-hour session which begins when you make or answer a call, send a text or use data (including background data) while onboard your cruise ship at sea. See if service is available on your cruise line . If you disembark the ship during a Cruise Daily Pass session, you’ll pay applicable rates for the country you’re visiting. You’ll only be charged for the days you use Cruise Daily Pass at sea, so there’s no need to remove it when you return home. It will stay on your line and be ready for your next cruise.

In-Flight Daily Pass

$20 /line per day

Now the sky has no limits, so you can stay connected.

If you’re onboard a participating international flight, you’ll automatically receive a welcome text. Reply with “FLIGHT” to add a daily pass to your line.

• Unlimited data 
• Talk for $1.99/min, when available
• $0.50 sent texts, $0.05 received texts

Your In-flight Daily Pass is a 24-hour session which begins when you use data (including background data) while onboard a participating international flight. If you disembark your international flight during an In-flight Daily Pass session, you’ll pay applicable rates for the country you’re visiting. In-flight Daily Pass is automatically removed from your line when your 24-hour session ends.

Prefer to pay as you go?

If you choose not to add a Daily Pass to your plan, you’ll be charged Pay as You Go rates for talk and text.*

Pay As You Go rates

• Call for $1.99 /minute
• $0.50 sent texts
• $0.05 received texts

Have questions about Verizon’s Cruise or In-Flight Daily Pass? We’ve got answers.

Here’s more information on our cruise daily pass, what is cruise daily pass.

Cruise Daily Pass lets your phone stay connected when you're at sea. You can access:

• 0.5 GB of high speed data
• 50 minutes of talk to any destination ($1.99/minute is charged thereafter).
• Unlimited texts.

How much does Cruise Daily Pass cost?

Cruise Daily Pass costs $30/day per line. Note: If you're traveling with multiple cell phones to use on your cruise, each phone needs its own Cruise Daily Pass.

How do I get more data once I use the 0.5 GB allowance?

When you've used your daily 0.5 GB high speed data allowance, cellular data is blocked unless you buy more data. We'll send you a text message giving you the option to buy an additional 0.5 GB high speed data for the rest of your 24-hour Cruise Daily Pass session. The cost of the additional 0.5 GB is $25.

Is the Cruise Daily Pass available on all cruise ships?

Verizon's Cruise Daily Pass is available on select cruise lines. You can find a list of cruise lines you'll be able to use the daily pass on above. Click the Review details button under the Cruise Daily Pass section and then click the link within "See if service is available on your cruise line."

Here’s more information on our In-Flight Daily Pass

What is in-flight daily pass.

In-flight Daily Pass helps your phone stay connected to data when you're flying internationally*. With Verizon's in-flight Daily Pass, browse the web, use apps and check your email. *Available while in the air on international flights that offer In-flight Daily Pass service.

How much does In-flight Daily Pass Cost?

In-flight Daily Pass gives you unlimited In-flight data for just $20/day per line.* *Available while in the air on international flights that offer In-flight Daily Pass service.

International services support

While in the US: 800-711-8300

Traveling outside the US: 908-559-4899

If your device is lost, stolen or broken, or you experience a device issue while you’re traveling outside the US, please use these instructions to reach the International Support Team from a landline phone:

• Dial the toll-free number for the country you are visiting. Find the toll-free number
• Enter your 10-digit mobile number when prompted by the International Hotline

If a toll-free number is not available for the country you’re in, please dial 908-559-4899 (toll charges will apply).

International Travel Terms & Conditions

Participating Cruise Lines

Cruise Daily Pass coverage is available on the following participating cruise lines:

• AIDA Cruises
• Algerie Ferries
• Ambassador Cruise Line
• Andreassens Rederi
• Arctic Swan AS
• Asbjørn Selsbane
• Askøy havfiske
• Aspire Norway
• Atløy fisk AS
• Azamara Club Cruises
• Bergtun fiskeriselskap AS
• Bluestar ferries
• Bluewild Ocean I AS
• Brittany Ferries
• Carnival Cruise Line
• Celebrity Cruises
• Celestyal Cruises
• Compagnie du Ponant
• Compagnie Tunisiene De Navigation
• Condor Ferries
• ConocoPhillips
• Corsica Ferries
• Corsica Linea
• Costa Crociere
• CroisiEurope
• Crystal Cruises
• Cunard Line
• DFDS Baltic
• DFDS Seaways
• Disney Cruise Line
• Endre Dyrøy
• Engenes Fiskeriselskap
• Enterprise Seafood AS
• Ervik Havfiske
• Fiskeriselskapet Norli AS
• Fred. Olsen Cruise Line
• Frøyanes Junior AS
• Galaxy Seaways SA
• Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV)
• Grimaldi Lines
• Gruppo Vidanta
• Gunnar Langva AS
• Halstensen Holding AS
• Halstensen Prawn
• Hapag-Llyod Cruises
• Hargun Havfiske
• Havforskningsinstituttet
• Holland America Line
• Holm Agency
• Husøy Kystfiske
• Irish Ferries
• Ivan Ulsund Rederi AS
• Kolbjørn Ervik og Sønner
• La Meridionale
• Larvik Shipping
• Lomvia Skipsdrift AS
• Majestic Int Cruises
• Mano Maritime
• Marella Cruises (TUI UK)
• Mikal Solhaug
• MSC Cruises
• Mystic Cruises
• Neptune Energy Norge AS
• Nergård havfiske
• Nordbanken Kystfiske
• Nordfjord havfiske
• Nordic Wildfish As
• Norwegian Cruise Line
• Novita Værøytrans AS
• Nybo Holding AS
• Nye Giske Havfiske
• Oceania Cruises
• Oceanwide Expeditions
• P&O Australia
• P&O Cruises
• P&O Ferries
• Phoenix Reisen
• Princess Cruises
• Regent Seven Seas
• Remøy havfiske
• Rolf Asbjørn AS
• Royal Caribbean International
• Seabourn Cruises
• Silversea Cruises
• Smyril Line
• Sørøyfisk AS
• Star Clippers
• Stokksund Fiskeri
• Strand Fiskeriselskap
• Strand Sea Service AS
• Swan Hellenic
• The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
• Tidewater Rederi AS
• TUI Cruises
• UME Shipping
• Vela Seafood AS
• Ventouris Ferries
• Vestbris fiskeriselskap
• Vestkapp AS
• Viking Ocean Cruises
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Best international phone plans in 2024 — what travelers need to know

Heading overseas? Find out what your cellphone provider charges if you use your phone

• T-Mobile phone plans
• Verizon phone plans
• AT&T phone plans
• Google Fi plans
• Other options
• Device compatibility and eSims
• 5G coverage when traveling

Before your summer travels overseas, you should look into whether you've got one of the best international phone plans for staying connected during your upcoming adventures. In the U.S., all the major wireless carriers offer some kind of travel benefit with their best cell phone plans , but they also have supplementary packages for travelers to augment the data plan you already have in place. The trick is to make sure those options keep you covered around the globe.

1. T-Mobile : Best choice for travelers 2. Verizon : TravelPass options 3. AT&T : Best for travel in Latin and Central America 4. Google Fi : An underrated traveling companion 5. Other options : Other international phone plans to consider

The best international phone plans will let you make calls and browse the web when you're in another country (though there might be a fee on top of your normal monthly rate, depending on which carrier you use). Different plans might cover different countries, and how long you plan on traveling could also impact your choice of plans. Your method of travel — be it by plane or cruise ship — also affects which plan is best for you.

All of these are things for globetrotters to consider when shopping for wireless coverage. You're going to want one of the best unlimited data plans since they tend to offer the most travel-related perks. If you haven't travelled internationally in a while, it's smart to double-check what options are out there since the best phone carriers have overhauled their plans and packages available to travelers.

Here’s a look at the travel policies and perks for the three top U.S carriers along with information on Google Fi, which offers a plan that definitely appeals to frequent travelers.

T-Mobile international phone plans

T-Mobile offers an expanded array of plans, though most of its unlimited data plan options have some benefits for overseas travel. Subscribe to Magenta, Magenta Max, Go5G, Go5G Plus or Go5G Next, and you enjoy unlimited data and texting in more than 215 countries around the world. If you want to place or receive calls, you’ll be subject to the local rate depending on where you want to go. You don’t need to notify T-Mobile of your travel for your overseas benefits to kick in.

T-Mobile Go5G Plus Plan | Unlimited Data | $90/month T-Mobile's Go5G Plus plan has the edge over Magenta Max for world travelers, even if the latter plan is $5 cheaper for a single line. That's because Go5G Plus customers get more data when traveling in Mexico and Canada (15GB vs. 10GB for Magenta Max) and 10GB more hotspot data. Otherwise, the two plans are identical: You can use your data in 215-plus countries at no extra cost. The first 5GB of data you use use will be high-speed data (with 5G speeds supported where available). The cheaper Go5G and Magenta plans ($75/month and $70/month, respectively) also feature travel benefits, including high-speed data in 11 European countries. Otherwise, data speeds are capped at 256 kbps.

Travel perks in current plans: As part of T-Mobile's Beyond Connected program, data speeds now reach 256 kbps when you're overseas. If you subscribe to either the standard Magenta or Go5G plans and you're in one of 11 European countries, you can enjoy 5GB of high-speed data every month, thanks to a partnership with T-Mobile parent Deutsche Telecom.

The perk gets better when you upgrade to either Magenta Max or Go5G Plus, both of which cost $15 more a month than their respective base plans. In that case, you can benefit from 5GB of high-speed data in 215 countries.

Go5G Next, T-Mobile's most expensive plan at $100/month for a single line, has the same travel benefits as Go5G Plus, but adds the ability to upgrade your phone every year. If that's not important to you, stick with Go5G Plus and pay $10 less each month on your wireless bill.

T-Mobile customers can take advantage of free Wi-Fi on American, Delta, Alaska Airlines and United flights. Magenta Max and Go5G Plus subscribers get full texting and Wi-Fi with streaming during flights, where wireless is available. If you go with the standard Magenta or Go5G option, you're covered on four flights per year with full streaming, plus unlimited texting; after those four flights, you can stream one hour of video. Delta SkyMiles members also get free Wi-Fi on domestic U.S. flights courtesy of T-Mobile — even if they get their wireless service from another carrier.

In Mexico and Canada, T-Mobile allows you to use up to 5GB of data whether you've got Magenta or Magenta Max; speeds are slowed to 2G after that. Go5G customers get 10GB of data in those two countries, while Go5G Plus members enjoy 15GB.

T-Mobile includes travel benefits in two of its remaining senior plans, with identical travel perks between the $100 Go5G Plus 55 option and the $120 Go5G Next 55 plan. (Note that those monthly prices cover two lines of data; one line of either Plus or Next cost $70 and $80, respectively.) Travel perks include high-speed data and text when you travel abroad, plus unlimited in-flight connectivity. When you travel to Canada or Mexico, you get 15GB of high-speed data. Both plans also include a year's membership to AAA for road travel in the U.S.

If you opt for T-Mobile's lower cost Essentials unlimited plan, you'll get 2G roaming in Canada and Mexico, but have to pay for data elsewhere.

Trip-specific passes: T-Mobile offers International Pass options for travelers who want high-speed data during lengthier stays overseas. A 5GB International Pass gives you that much high-speed data along with unlimited calling for 10 days. It costs $35. T-Mobile's $50 International Pass increases high-speed data to 15GB and extends the length of the pass to 30 days. The carrier also offers a $5 daily pass that gives you 512MB of high-speed data, and unlimited calling between the 215 or so Simple Global destinations. 

Cruise rates: Pricing on cruises will vary according to which cruise you’re taking. You can check T-Mobile’s site to see what your pricing will be.

Verizon international phone plans

Verizon phones generally work all over the world, especially if you've got a phone built in the last few years. But where you travel significantly influences how much you’ll have to pay. As for which is the best Verizon phone plan for travelers, that all depends on how frequently you go overseas. There's a clear choice for regular globetrotters, but Verizon's less expensive offerings allow you to tack on travel benefits, too.

Verizon Unlimited Ultimate | Unlimited Data | $90/month Verizon's Unlimited Ultimate plan offers the most benefits for world travelers. Verizon promises "full international connectivity," meaning you'll be able to use talk and text for free when overseas; you also get 10GB of high-speed data every month that you can use in other countries. Unlimited Ultimate is Verizon's most expensive plan, so unless you take frequent trips, you may be better served by Unlimited Plus ($80/month for one line) or Unlimited Welcome ($65/month). Those two plans can add on a $10/month Travel Pass options that provides three days of talk, text and data when you're overseas. You can drop the Travel Pass add-on from your plan in months were you don't need it. Verizon lets family plans mix and match lines so one person can get Unlimited Ultimate, while the others subscribe to the cheaper options.

Travel perks in current plans: Of Verizon's three unlimited plans, the best for frequent travelers is the Unlimited Ultimate option, which lets you use talk and text in other countries just like you would in the U.S. You also get 10GB of high-speed data to use overseas every month.

Unfortunately, Unlimited Ultimate is Verizon's most expensive plan, costing $90 a month for one line. (And that's after a discount for enrolling autopay.) There are cheaper options — Unlimited Welcome and Unlimited Plus — that include travel perks. Both plans let you text internationally to 200-plus countries. You can also use LTE data when traveling in Mexico and Canada. You're limited to 0.5GB of data consumption per day in those two countries before your speeds are slowed to 2G, and you can't use more than half of your talk, text and data in those countries over a 60-day period.

In addition to the base Welcome Unlimited and Unlimited Plus packages, you can opt for $10 monthly add-ons for your Verizon plan — some covering streaming services, another providing hotspot data and so on. The relevant package is Verizon's $10/month 3 TravelPass Days add-on, which saves you $20 a month on travel benefits as you pick up three passes during monthly billing cycles. You can accrue up to 36 passes for using talk, text and data when traveling overseas.

Unlimited Welcome starts at $65/month for one line, while Unlimited Plus is $80. If you have a family plan, you can mix and match so that different lines of data subscribe to different plans — helpful if there's one person in the family who travels a lot and would benefit from the Unlimited Ultimate perks.

Trip-specific passes: Let's talk a little bit more about the TravelPass . It's Verizon's daily option for international coverage, and it’ll cost you $5 per day per device for each day you’re out of the country if you travel to Mexico or Canada and don't have an unlimited plan. In 185 other countries — including China, France and Germany — Verizon charges $10 per device per day. TravelPass gets you 2GB of 5G data, and unlimited data at 3G speeds after that; the passes also come with unlimited talk and text.

If you know you’ll be traveling for a bit more time, consider Verizon’s monthly option, which the carrier recommends for trips lasting at least 10 days. International Monthly Plans at Verizon cost $100/month, but in exchange, you get 250 minutes of talk, unlimited texts and 20GB of high-speed data. (Use that, and you get unlimited data at 3G speeds.)

Verizon also offers pay-as-you-go pricing for international travel. You’ll pay 99 cents per minute in Canada and Mexico, Guam and the Northern Marianas Islands. Rates go up to $1.79 in 130-plus countries and $2.99 in 80 other places. Each text message you send will cost you 50 cents, and each received text will set you back 5 cents. Your data will be charged at a rate of $2.05 per megabyte no matter where you are.

Cruise rates: Pay-as-you go rates on cruise ships cost $1.99 for each minute of talk and 50 cents for every sent text message. You’ll pay 5 cents per message received. Verizon has a data plan for cruise passengers, too, with $30/day giving you 500MB of data plus unlimited texting and 50 minutes of talk time. For in-flight connectivity, you can opt for the same pay-as-you-go rates for cruise trips or you can pay $20 per day for unlimited data.

AT&T international phone plans

AT&T also comes with varied international pricing depending on where you want to go. Canada and Mexico travel is covered in many top AT&T plans, and if you pay up for the Unlimited Premium option, you can use your plan in many Central and South American countries. Traveling elsewhere? Then you had best look into AT&T's travel passes.

AT&T Unlimited Premium| Unlimited Data | $85.99/month It's AT&T's most expensive unlimited plan, but Unlimited Premium has the best perk for travelers — you can use your talk, text and data at no extra cost in 20 Latin American countries.  As with other AT&T unlimited options, you also enjoy talk, text and data coverage when traveling in Canada and Mexico.

Travel perks in current plans: If you’re heading to Mexico or Canada, AT&T already covers all of your voice, data and text with its four different unlimited plans — Starter, Extra, Premium and the entry-level Value Plus option. AT&T offers a lone tiered data plan with 4GB of data that you can use in Canada and Mexico (though roaming may be at 2G speeds). Both unlimited and tiered data plans feature unlimited texting to 120-plus countries.

The Unlimited Premium plan is the best option for travelers headed to the Americas, as you'll be able to enjoy unlimited text, talk and data at no additional cost in 20 Central and South American countries. 

If you do a lot of international calling from home, AT&T offers unlimited calling to 85-plus countries from the U.S. for $15 per month for each line. Calls to another 140-plus countries get discounted rates under this plan.

Trip-specific passes: For anyone off to Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America or the Asia Pacific region on a short jaunt, AT&T recommends its $10-a-day International Day Pass, which comes with unlimited talk and text and data governed by your plan. (Note that each device you take overseas will need its own Day Pass.) That service is available in 210-plus countries, and you can add extra phones for just $5 a day.

You'll never have to pay for more than 10 days of day passes on any one bill, even if your trip lasts longer. International Day Passes also kick in automatically when you use your phone abroad — you get a text message letting you know you're covered.

Cruise rates: On cruises , AT&T offers a $60/month Cruise Basic plan that covers 100 minutes of talk and unlimited texting while also offering 100MB of data. Need more of everything? Then try the Cruise Plus plan ($100/month), which includes 1GB of data on top of unlimited talk and text. 

Google Fi international phone plans

If you do a lot of international traveling, don't ignore Google Fi Wireless , the wireless service set up by Google that uses cellular towers of T-Mobile and US Cellular to provide coverage. International travel is built into two of Google Fi's plans — the Unlimited Plus and Flexible options.

Google Unlimited Plus| Unlimited Data | $65/month The Unlimited Plus plan is the way to go with Google Fi, as you can use your data at no extra cost when traveling overseas. Google Fi customers who pay by the gigabyte of data used are also eligible for this perk.

Travel perks in current plans: You've got two options with Google Fi — tiered data through the company's Flexible plan or a pair of unlimited data options. Flexible coverage costs $20 a month for talk and text plus $10 for each GB of data you use. (Data usage is rounded off to the nearest megabyte so you only pay for the data you consume.) Google stops charging you after you use 6GB a month, meaning you'll never pay more than $80. 

If you find unlimited data plans more appealing, Google has you covered there, too — it also offers a $65 Unlimited Plus option that rolls in unlimited talk, text and data. Unlimited Plus subscribers now get a year of YouTube Premium as a perk. 

The real benefit to either Unlimited Plus or Flexible is that those plans cover you when you're traveling in 200-plus countries. When you're overseas, Google Fi charges the same rate for data usage, whether you're on an unlimited data plan or paying by the gigabyte. Voice calls cost 20 cents (though calls placed over Wi-Fi are free) and you get unlimited SMS messaging. 

Alas, Google's $50/month Simply Unlimited plan is not eligible for the free data perk when traveling. That said, all three of Google Fi's plans let you use talk, text and data in Mexico and Canada.

Google Fi is even more appealing now that Google has opened up service to all phones, including iPhones. Note that phones optimized for Google Fi — Google's Pixel phones (currently the Pixel 8 , Pixel 8 Pro , Pixel Fold and Pixel 7a )  along with a selection of Samsung phones and Motorola budget devices — can switch seamlessly between cellular networks and Google's Wi-Fi hotspots, while other phones cannot.

Trip-specific passes: Unlike the other carriers here, Google Fi doesn't offer travel passes for extended trips. Your only option is to get coverage through the Flexible and Unlimited Plus plans.

Cruise rates: Google Fi is not available when you're at sea — only when you're on land in one of the 200-plus countries covered by the carrier.

Other international phone plan options

Discount carriers typically don't provide much in the way of benefits for travelers, but there are some exceptions. The most noteworthy alternative is Visible , which has expanded the travel perks for subscribers to its $45/month Visible Plus plan .

Visible is owned by Verizon and uses its parent company's network for coverage. The Visible Plus plan features unlimited data, including access to Verizon's high-speed 5G network. Travelers will be particularly interested in the unlimited talk, text and 2GB of daily data available through Visible Plus when traveling in Canada and Mexico. Visible Plus customers are also eligible for one free Global Pass day per month, in which they can use talk, text and data at no charge in 140 countries. Globla Passes normally cost $10.

Best international phone plan: Device compatibility and eSims

Traveling overseas used to mean checking to see if your phone would be compatible once you set foot in another country. But those days are drawing to a close now that 3G networks are shutting down, eliminating much of the distinction between phones that work on either GSM and CDMA. If you've got a recent smartphone that connects to LTE, chances are strong it's going to work just fine in other countries. (You still might want to confirm that your phone works on the LTE bands available in the country you're heading to prior to your trip, just to avoid any unpleasant surprises.)

Many phones now support electronic SIM cards or eSIM technology, where you no longer need to swap in a local SIM card to make your smartphone work with an overseas network. (Since the iPhone 14 , Apple devices sold in the U.S. only feature eSIM support — that includes the newer iPhone 15 models.) One of our editors took an international trip using an eSIM for her phone and found it easy to setup and use with a local network — in fact, she plans to use the eSIM approach on all future travel. 

That said, not every country supports eSIM. And depending on your phone carrier in the U.S., you might already have options that cover your phone use in other countries.

International phone plans: What about 5G?

As noted above, many of the plans that offer international travel either have you connect at whatever speed is available locally or at a reduced speed in cases where you're drawing from your own data plan. But what if you've got a 5G phone that can connect to faster networks overseas?

For the most part, we'd expect your phone to operate as before, either at whatever speed the local network offers or a capped speed if that's part of your carrier's travel plans. However, in a few instances, U.S. phone carriers have started making deals with overseas wireless providers that allow their customers to access 5G speeds when roaming. You should check with your carrier for information about the country you're going to travel in.

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Philip Michaels is a Managing Editor at Tom's Guide. He's been covering personal technology since 1999 and was in the building when Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone for the first time. He's been evaluating smartphones since that first iPhone debuted in 2007, and he's been following phone carriers and smartphone plans since 2015. He has strong opinions about Apple, the Oakland Athletics, old movies and proper butchery techniques. Follow him at @PhilipMichaels.

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Cruise Daily Pass & In-Flight Daily Pass

• Cruise Daily Pass overview

You’ll only pay on days you use your phone at sea. Text “CRUISE” to 4004 before or at the start of your cruise to add a daily pass to your line. 

• 0.5 GB of data per day
• 50 minutes of incoming/outgoing calls per day (Overage: $1.99/min)
• Unlimited texts

Before traveling:

Before traveling, the Account Administrator must enable Cruise Daily Pass in My Business for the end user..  This will allow the end user to add Cruise Daily Pass to their line.

• Cruise Daily Pass is a 24-hour session which begins when you make or answer a call, send a text or use data (including background data) while onboard your cruise ship at sea. 
• If you disembark the ship during a Cruise Daily Pass session, you’ll pay applicable rates for the country you’re visiting.
• You’ll only be charged for the days you use Cruise Daily Pass at sea, so there’s no need to remove it when you return home. It will stay on your line and be ready for your next cruise.
• In-flight Daily Pass overview

If you’re onboard a participating international flight, you’ll automatically receive a welcome text. Reply with “FLIGHT” to add a daily pass to your line.

• Unlimited data
• Talk for $1.99/min, when available
• $0.50 sent texts, $0.05 received texts

Before traveling, the Account Administrator must enable In-flight Daily Pass in My Business for the end user.  This will allow the end user to add In-flight Daily Pass to their line.

• Your In-flight Daily Pass is a 24-hour session which begins when you use data (including background data) while onboard a participating international flight.
• If you disembark your international flight during an In-flight Daily Pass session, you’ll pay applicable rates for the country you’re visiting.
• In-flight Daily Pass is automatically removed from your line when your 24-hour session ends.
• Enabling in My Business

To enable the feature from My Business All Wireless Numbers page:

• Log in to My Business .
• In the top page navigation, click Manage,   then Account , then View wireless numbers .
• On the All Wireless Numbers page, select the line(s) you want to enable, then click I want to....
• In the “Plans and Features” section, click Manage plans (100 lines max) .
• Scroll to the "Additional Services" section or search for Cruise Daily Pass/In-Flight Daily Pass.
• Toggle the slider to On (green) for the required plan.
• Review remaining features and make any additional changes, then click Continue .
• Review your selections and choose an effective date for the feature change, then select the appropriate email to send confirmation or order approval.
• Click Submit .

Related topics

Adding or removing features in my business.

You can change your features for an individual line, up to 99 lines on an account, on 1 account, or 2-5 accounts. We'll show you how to do all of them.

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Verizon International Phone Plans — Countries, Coverage, Rates, and More

Andrew Kunesh

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Table of Contents

Breaking down verizon’s international data plans, verizon’s supported countries, pros and cons of verizon’s international data plans, final thoughts.

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Being at the forefront of the move to 5G connectivity, Verizon is often referred to as one of the best carriers in the U.S. But how does the carrier compare to competitors like AT&T , T-Mobile , and newcomer Google Fi when traveling abroad?

That’s a good question, and it’s an important one to ask if you find yourself out of the country often. So in this article, we’re going to dive deep and take a look at how Verizon’s U.S. phone plans work abroad. We’ll start out by looking at the company’s international plans and their respective pricing. Then, we’ll look at the supported countries and compare the pros and cons of using Verizon abroad.

Spoiler alert: like AT&T, the international options are pretty limited on Verizon. You’ll want to study this article if you’re a current Verizon customer who’s about to travel abroad, or if you’re a traveler that’s considering a switch to Verizon.

As teased in the intro, Verizon has a limited (and expensive) set of international plans. There are 3 different plans available, ranging from a monthly international data allowance to a plan that lets you use your U.S. data plan while traveling abroad.

Here’s a look at all of the available options:

Pay As You Go

All Verizon customers are automatically enrolled in pay as you go international data, texting, and calling. If you don’t enroll in another plan on this list and take your phone out of airplane mode when abroad, you’ll automatically be charged at the following rates:

• Talk: $0.99-$2.99 per minute, depending on the country
• Text: $0.50 to send, $0.05 to receive
• MMS: $0.25 to send or receive
• Data: $2.05 per megabyte

There’s no doubt that these prices are absolutely astronomical, hence why we don’t recommend relying on pay as you go international data — it can get very expensive very quickly.

For example, sending a 3 MB picture message on Facebook Messenger would cost a whopping $6.15! And since modern smartphones use data in the background to fetch email, notifications, and more, you may end up being charged just for taking your phone out of airplane mode.

Hot Tip: Thankfully, you can call Verizon to have pay as you go international data disabled on your account. We highly recommend doing this so that you can protect yourself from an astronomical bill on your next trip.

TravelPass℠

Verizon’s TravelPass plan is nearly identical to AT&T’s International Day Pass plan. This plan lets you use your U.S. data, talk, and text plan abroad for a daily fee.

This plan costs $10 per day per line, and — once enrolled — you’ll only be charged for the days you actually use your phone abroad. This means you can set the plan and forget it. Then, instead of worrying about pay as you go data, you’ll be charged a flat-rate fee for your international phone usage.

Note that you’re billed in 24-hour increments, so if you fly to Brazil and connect to data at 5 p.m. on a Monday, your single $10 fee will be valid until 5 p.m. on Tuesday. You’ll be billed for another 24-hour increment if you continue using your phone after this initial period.

Further, this plan still pulls from your U.S. data, text, and calling allowance, so make sure to keep an eye on how much you use your phone. Otherwise, you might come back home with overage fees.

You can use this plan in any of Verizon’s 185+ supported countries and if needed, you can roam in multiple countries on the same day without paying extra. Don’t worry — we’ll discuss supported countries later in the article.

Monthly Travel Plan

Finally, you can enroll in a Verizon Monthly Travel Plan. This gives you a set amount of data, calls, and texts to use when you travel abroad. However, the amount of data, calls, and texts included with each plan is limited at best.

Here’s a look at what’s included with Verizon’s 2 Monthly Travel Plans:

If you exceed your data, talk, or text allowance, you’ll be charged at the following rates:

• $0.35 per minute of talk
• $0.05 per text message sent
• $25 per 0.5 GB of data used

Like the TravelPass, this plan works in 185+ countries and can be used across multiple countries if needed. Note that — also like TravelPass — this plan is billed per line, so multiple lines can’t share the same Monthly Travel Plan.

Free North American Roaming

A handful of Verizon plans come with free data, call, and text roaming within North America. This means that when traveling within Canada or Mexico you can continue to use your phone as you would as if you were in the U.S. The plans that include this type of roaming are:

• All Unlimited plans

If you’re subscribed to one of Verizon’s other plans, you can add North American roaming for $5 per day. This works the same as the TravelPass plan we mentioned earlier — you’re charged per day, but only when you actually use your phone in Canada or Mexico.

Which Verizon Data Package is Right for You?

So, there are 3 different options for international mobile data on Verizon, but which is the best for you? Here’s why you might pick 1 plan over another.

Stick With Pay as You Go Data If You

• Don’t plan on using your smartphone or will purchase a local SIM card upon arrival. In our opinion, this option is just too risky to be justified.

Subscribe to TravelPass If You

• Are only traveling for a few days at a time — $10 per day can add up quickly!
• Need access to your full data plan and U.S. phone number when traveling abroad.
• Have a data plan with a high (or unlimited) data limit.

Buy a Monthly Travel Plan If You

• Plan to travel for an extended period of time.
• Don’t need to use your phone constantly — unfortunately, the data, text, and call limits are low.

Bottom Line:  Think about how much you need to use your phone when traveling and pick a plan based on that info. Note that you may be better off buying a local SIM card if you need to use your phone extensively for multiple days — this will save you money in the long-run.

How to Sign up for an International Data Package

Thankfully, enrolling in both the TravelPass and Monthly Travel Plan is simple.

You can enroll in TravelPass by texting “Travel” to 4004 from the phone whose line you’d like to enroll in TravelPass. Then, a new TravelPass will be added every time you use your phone abroad. We recommend doing this before your trip to avoid possible pay as you go charges. Alternatively, you can enroll using this page on the Verizon website.

Further, you can enroll in a Monthly Data Plan by going here . After you log in, you’ll be prompted to choose between the 0.5 GB or 2 GB plan. You can cancel this plan at any time by navigating to the same web page.

Like many carriers, Verizon has international coverage in most parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. However, it’s always wise to check that the country you’re visiting is covered by your carrier before you depart — otherwise, you could have a hard time finding a ride out of the airport once you land.

Verizon posts its full list of supported countries on its website. The carrier boasts that it supports “185+ countries” and while this is less than T-Mobile’s “210+ countries,” we’re unable to find any notable exclusions on the Verizon website. Every tourist destination we could think of was listed on the Verizon website, so you likely won’t have any issue connecting during your travels.

However, this could cause pose problems for those who partake in adventure travel by visiting off-the-beaten-path locations.

There’s no doubting that Verizon isn’t the best plan for most travelers. For the most part, it offers a very limited set of expensive international plans, and none of its plans offer free international roaming like T-Mobile or Google Fi.

However, it’s still important that we run through the carrier’s international data pros and cons so that you can make an informed decision on if Verizon is right for your travel needs.

Pros of Verizon’s International Data Plans:

• Free international roaming within North America on most plans
• Monthly international plans include calling
• TravelPass is automatically enabled once you enroll

Cons of Verizon’s International Data Plans:

• Expensive monthly international plans with small data allowances
• TravelPass can get expensive on long trips
• Likewise, TravelPass pulls data from your domestic data, call, and text allowance
• Less supported countries than T-Mobile, Google Fi, and others

Being frank, we recommend that people who travel often steer clear of Verizon.

Its international data plans are too expensive to be deemed practical, so if you have the choice, we recommend checking out T-Mobile or Google Fi instead. Both of these plans offer free international roaming and more supported countries, giving you a smaller bill and more places to bring your connection.

However, we do understand why one would pick Verizon when traveling within the U.S. The carrier has industry-leading coverage at home and has been shown to offer some of the best speeds. It’s unfortunate that these perks don’t carry over to the carrier’s international coverage.

But now we want to hear from you. Do you use Verizon when traveling abroad? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my smartphone work abroad.

Most modern smartphones are properly equipped to work internationally. However, you should refer to your smartphone’s manual or call Verizon to check if your smartphone is properly configured.

Do any Verizon plans come with free international data roaming?

The Start, Play, Do, and all Unlimited plans come with complimentary international roaming within North America. However, none of Verizon’s international plans come with free data roaming outside of this region.

Where can I see the full list of Verizon's supported countries?

You can view a full list of supported countries on Verizon’s website .

Can I bring my phone if I switch to Verizon?

You may be able to bring your device to Verizon — use this tool on Verizon’s website to check if your phone, tablet, or smartwatch is compatible with the Verizon network.

Where can I find more info on buying a local SIM card?

You can use the Prepaid SIM Card Wiki to find more info on buying a local SIM card in most countries. Buying local SIM cards is often cheaper than roaming on U.S. carriers like Verizon.

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About Andrew Kunesh

Andrew was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs and now splits his time between Chicago and New York City.

He’s a lifelong traveler and took his first solo trip to San Francisco at the age of 16. Fast forward a few years, and Andrew now travels just over 100,000 miles a year, with over 25 countries, 10 business class products, and 2 airline statuses (United and Alaska) under his belt. Andrew formerly worked for The Points Guy and is now Senior Money Editor at CNN Underscored.

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Going On A Cruise? Here's What You Need To Know About Using Your Phone

Setting sail on the high seas allows you to disconnect from everyday life and relax completely. However, travelers rarely want to be disconnected completely for days or weeks on end, and the thought of waving goodbye to regular cell service can be anxiety-inducing for many people. The good news is that nowadays, you can use your phone on a cruise ship and in the ports that you visit so you can stay connected with family and friends. However, that leads to the question of how.

We've all heard the horror stories: someone answers their phone on a cruise ship and comes back to a $1,000 from their service provider. Luckily, urban legends like this are usually just that. However, it is easy to incur hefty charges if you try to use your phone in the same way on a cruise as you do back home. When you leave the port behind and sail into international waters, your cell will do its best to keep you connected. At great expense to you, as you will begin to incur satellite roaming charges. In port, international roaming charges will apply. We've put together a few tips to follow if you want to use your cell on your cruise vacation and not head home to a pile of bills.

Using your cell on the ship

For most people, the best piece of advice is to put your phone on airplane mode before your ship sets sail out of port. This prevents your cell from trying to stay connected, thereby eliminating roaming charges. Of course, this also stops you from making and receiving calls and text messages. If that isn't an option for you, check with your service provider to see if they have a cruise package. As of this article's publication, Verizon offers a cruise data plan for $20 per month for 50MB on select cruise ships and offers pay-as-you-go rates for calls and texts. AT&T provides 30 days of unlimited calls and texts plus 200MB of data for $100. Because these rates may change at any time, do your research before committing. 

The other option is to use Wi-Fi to make calls and send messages while you're on board. You can still use Wi-Fi and Bluetooth while your cell is in airplane mode, so make sure they're switched on. Wi-Fi packages are available on cruise ships, but they tend to be expensive. The cheapest Wi-Fi package from Carnival Cruises costs $12.75 per person per day, which can add up. Unfortunately, on top of being expensive, Wi-Fi on cruise ships tends to be unreliable and slow. Some cruise lines, like Princess Cruises, offer an internet café (remember those?) where you can jump online too.

Using your phone in port

Days in port mean time to explore, and for most of us, we need our phones. Whether it's for navigation, translation, or finding a restaurant, most of us rely on our cell when we're on vacation even more than during life at home. But don't start Googling with abandon as soon as you step off the ship, as international roaming charges cost a pretty penny.

Before you leave for your vacation, look at where your cruise calls and then contact your service provider. If you're going to Mexico or Canada, you might be in luck. Roaming is included in many plans in those countries on both AT&T and Verizon. If you're going elsewhere in the world, both providers also offer an international plan that will allow you to use your phone in over 210 countries for $10 a day. Make sure to check the terms and conditions before buying or using these plans.

Other options are to use the free Wi-Fi that often exists around ports and in cities, though be aware that these networks are not secure. Alternatively, you can buy an international SIM card. There are a ton of options and these SIMs offer lower rates for calling, texting, and using data abroad. Finally, if you're cruising in one country or only in countries in the European Union (EU), consider buying a local SIM when you get to port. (Roaming is free between EU countries.) This will almost always be the most affordable option for data and local calling.

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Cell Phone Plans on a Cruise Ship: Comparing AT&T, Verizon, & T-Mobile

How much does it cost to use your cell phone on a cruise ship?  We compared the plans, cost, and services from the three largest cell phone providers.

The cost depends on your cell phone carrier and how much data you plan to use. Some cruise travelers have been shocked by their cell phone bills after returning from a cruise, when they realized they were being charged for data usage throughout the voyage.

For this reason, we recommend putting your cell phone in airplane mode and using the ship’s Wi-Fi once you leave port. However, some people prefer the convenience and simplicity of using a cell phone carrier’s cruise plan.

This article will compare Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile’s cruise plans to help you choose the best option for your needs.

With Wi-Fi plans starting around $18 a day on most cruise lines, it’s usually the more economical way to stay connected through your personal devices.  This is especially useful if you have Wi-Fi calling enabled.

This comparison is for cell phone use on a cruise ship, not when in international cruise ports.

Below is the basic breakdown comparison for using these cell phone providers on board a cruise ship.

• Voice: $3/minute (cruise package for $100 – unlimited Talk)
• Text: .50/text, $1.30 for images and video messages
• Data: $2.05/MB  (1GB data with $100 cruise package)
• Voice: $5.99/minute
• Text: $.50/sent message (potentially free to receive)
• Data: Not available on board
• Voice: $2.99/minute
• Text: $0.50 per text sent, $0.05 per text received
• Data: $20/50MB

AT&T offers two cruise package plans .  They each are a one-time charge with benefits that will last for 30 days.

• Unlimited Talk
• Unlimited Text
• 1GB of Data
• Overage of $10 per 100MB of data
• 100 minutes of Talk (Overage: $1/minute)
• 100MB of Data

These cruise package plans will be activated once your cruise ship is away from shore and will display as “Cellular at Sea, wmsatsea, 901-18, or NOR-18” once you are connected.

Pay-per-use rates

For cruisers who would rather pay as they go, the cruise ship rates with AT&T are $2.05/MB of use.  This does not require having a cruise package plan.

What cruise ships will allow me to use AT&T plans?

There are 175 cruise ships that will facilitate the use of AT&T cell phone plans.  Usage of these plans still also requires a compatible device with domestic postpaid wireless service.

You can find the full list of ships here , but here are the cruise lines that are on the list:

Azamara, Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Celestyal Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Seabourn, Silversea Cruise Line, TUI Cruises, Virgin Voyages, Windstar Cruises.

Verizon does not offer any specific cruise packages. However, customers on most Verizon plans can use their regular plan at sea, but with some restrictions.

• Talk: $2.99 per minute

Monthly Plan

With a $20/month plan users can get 50MB of data.  This plan will be offered on select cruise ships if the ship has data service.

Any data used over the 50MB mark will be charged at another $20 per 50MB of use.

Here is a list of cruise lines Verizon states on their website where service is available: Azamara, Carnival Cruise Line, Crystal Cruises, Cunard, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, Paul Gaugin, P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Seabourn, Silversea, TUI Cruises, Windstar Cruises.

Verizon also offers a TravelPass service that can be used on cruise ships. TravelPass costs $10 per day and includes unlimited talk, text, and data.

Verizon customers can use the international trip planner on Verizon’s website to know exactly what kind of costs to expect while traveling abroad.

While T-Mobile has some of the best international coverage baked into their basic plans, there are some limitations if trying to use data while on a cruise.

T-Mobile recommends that cruisers turn off roaming when the ship is docked in a U.S. cruise port and then turn it back on once the ship is out at sea.  Otherwise, users may pick up the ship’s network and be charged cruise ship roaming charges.

Here are the rates from T-Mobile when on a cruise ship.

• Text: $.50/Text when sending, and received texts are the same as your plans domestic rate
• Talk: $5.99/minute

There are no data plans available on cruise ships with T-Mobile.  For usage of voice and text on a cruise you will need to check on the T-Mobile website , as availability is limited and not available on every ship within a fleet.

You will also need to make sure your device is compatible with cruise ship roaming on the network.

Once in port, you can really make use of T-Mobile’s robust international perks.  With most Go5G plans there are no international data-roaming charges in over 215 countries and you can make use of unlimited basic data and unlimited texting with calls only costing $.25/minute.

Even the Essentials plan has unlimited data and texting with data speeds up to 128kbps in Mexico and Canada.

Bottom Line

Cell phone rates on cruise ships can vary widely, so it is important to compare your options before you sail.  I prefer to use T-mobile’s international perks for use in foreign ports and the cruise ship’s Wi-Fi when on the ship.  This has worked well for me.  But AT&T’s cruise ships plans can be attractive for those who want to use their cell phone provider instead.

However you decide to stay connected while at sea, make sure you know exactly what you are being charged so you don’t rack up a huge cell phone bill.

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Verizon Cruise Ship/Airline Plan Question

By llarsen , January 5, 2023 in Princess Cruises

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We will be on the Sky Princess next month visiting Cozumel/Honduras/Belize/CostaMaya.

I notice Verizon now has a CruiseShip/Airplane plan that I've never seen before. 

It's $20 for a month for 50MB.

Has anyone used this aboard a cruise ship? It seems a lot cheaper than a cruise internet package.

Just wondering how it works and that I won't incur additional charges connecting to the ships tower.

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4 minutes ago, llarsen said: Hi, We will be on the Sky Princess next month visiting Cozumel/Honduras/Belize/CostaMaya.   I notice Verizon now has a CruiseShip/Airplane plan that I've never seen before.  It's $20 for a month for 50MB.   Has anyone used this aboard a cruise ship? It seems a lot cheaper than a cruise internet package. Just wondering how it works and that I won't incur additional charges connecting to the ships tower.   Thanks!  

Interesting. It wasn't available in November on my ship. I wonder if you can then use your phone as a hotspot for your laptop.

Looks like plan came out in 2020:

https://www.verizon.com/articles/verizon-unlimited-plans/4-ways-to-stay-connected-on-a-cruise-ship/  

Rick&Jeannie

You will burn through 50mb in NO TIME!  I personally would not count on it.

2 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said: You will burn through 50mb in NO TIME!  I personally would not count on it.

I would agree. I go through 5 GB on my phone with out really using it.

OK...I looked a bit more in-depth in that article.  It only covers talk and text...no internet!

5 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said: You will burn through 50mb in NO TIME!  I personally would not count on it.

I'm not good at figuring out how much MB, or GB equals.

I would only use it to connect and send off an email or maybe post pics on FB. 

Not sure how much that would use?

Just now, llarsen said: I'm not good at figuring out how much MB, or GB equals. I would only use it to connect and send off an email or maybe post pics on FB.  Not sure how much that would use?

See post #5

2 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said: OK...I looked a bit more in-depth in that article.  It only covers talk and text...no internet!

There is a talk and text plan. But it also says for those on cruiseships who want to use data...there is $20 Monthly plan?

Verizon international plans  on a cruise ship.

Verizon offers a new $20 International Monthly Plan for travelers interested in using data on select cruise ships and airplanes. Should service be available aboard, customers will receive a SMS offer for a 50 MB allowance. After that, you’ll just need to respond “yes” to get started. Please note that this a non-recurring plan.

Talking and text messaging are available on more than 400 ships from well over a dozen different cruise lines.  Check whether texting and calling service is available  on your cruise ship and whether your device will work.

Perhaps I am interpreting it wrong...wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong!

26 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said: Perhaps I am interpreting it wrong...wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong!

LOL, who knows? It sounds awfully cheap, so I'm wondering what the catch is...

It says for talk/text you can pay as you go at $2.99 a minute or .50 text sen and .05 for texts received.

But it says for data on cruise ships to get the International Plan for Cruiseships and Airplanes $20.00 for 50MG. 

Hopefully someone here will have used it and be able to inform us about it.

1 hour ago, llarsen said: I'm not good at figuring out how much MB, or GB equals. I would only use it to connect and send off an email or maybe post pics on FB.  Not sure how much that would use?

You would potentially be fine with basic emails but you will burn through that extremely quickly if you even get on FB or any social media that is loaded with pictures and/or videos. You may not even get through a day if you start trying to post pictures on FB.

Confused. Ships at sea connect via satellite. I can see the use when you are close to land or in port. But, how will you connect your phone or device to the network if you don't use the ship's satellite connection system?

1 hour ago, skynight said: Confused. Ships at sea connect via satellite. I can see the use when you are close to land or in port. But, how will you connect your phone or device to the network if you don't use the ship's satellite connection system?

I'm not sure exactly how it works. I think I will pass on this Verizon plan. As others said...I would burn through the data very quickly posting photos etc. 

As a Verizon user you should be able to utilize wi-if calling and pay nothing for calls or texts assuming you’re buying a WiFi package on the ship or in a hotel overseas. We’ve done it many times.

12 minutes ago, gottagocit said: As a Verizon user you should be able to utilize wi-if calling and pay nothing for calls or texts assuming you’re buying a WiFi package on the ship or in a hotel overseas. We’ve done it many times.  

Really no different from making free international calls via wifi from a hotel room. I’ve done that many times. 

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Complete Guide to Using Your Phone on a Cruise (Carnival, Royal Caribbean & More)

At this point, it’s beyond the debate of taking a cruise without bringing a phone. Phones are so much more than a simple device to call or text. Now they are our social lives, our entertainment devices, our cameras, and more.

And on the cruise ship they do all that, plus they are useful for the cruise line’s app, which features schedules, maps, and more, all right on your phone.

Of course, while it’s a good idea to put the phone down for a while and enjoy your vacation, it’s also reasonable to wonder if your cell phone will work on a cruise.

The good news? Yes, you can use your phone on a cruise . This includes major cruise lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian and more.

The bad news? It might be expensive, and there are several details you need to know about how your phone uses cell service at sea — or the shipboard wi-fi — before you get started.

Below, we’ve outlined what you need to know about using your phone to call, text, and browse the web. In addition, we’ve added some specifics for certain cruise lines.

One thing to keep in mind is that internet and cell phone service are regularly being updated on modern cruise ships . As time goes on, you can expect your access to improve.

In This Article...

How to Use Your Phone on a Cruise

First things first, you have to understand that there are no cell towers in the middle of the sea. Meanwhile, even the strongest cell towers with the best range in perfect conditions can only extend about 30-45 miles. In other words, after the first hour or two of your cruise, you’ll be too far away to pick up any reliable cell signal.

So what do you do in the middle of the water?

To use your cell phone on your cruise, you have two options — either connect to the ship’s cellular service or connect to the ship’s wi-fi . Both will cost you extra.

Cellular Service on Ships For traditional cell service, today’s modern cruise ships use providers such as “Cellular at Sea” or “Wireless Maritime Services”.

For the vast majority of plans, these services are considered international roaming plans by your cell phone company, and you will be charged accordingly for use. That said, if you want to (or need to), you can simply make a phone call or send a text as you would back home — you’ll just be charged significantly more than usual.

Keep in mind that sometimes data service isn’t available through this method. For data, you’re better off using a wi-fi plan (discussed below).

Cell providers offer packages you help cruisers better budget. For example, AT&T offers a couple of cruise ship packages, starting at $50 for a package of minutes and texting. Other carriers will have something similar.

Just be warned of high prices. On AT&T’s $60 plan, it includes only 100 minutes of phone calls, and a $1 per minute overage cost.

In other words, if you use the ship’s cellular service, it’s considered international roaming and will cost you quite a bit of money. This applies to any carrier you have.

Luckily, there is a cheaper way to use your cell phone on the ship — wi-fi.

Cruise ships have cellular service that you can connect to. However, it’s usually considered international roaming and means you’ll be charged high rates to access.

Wi-Fi Service to Use Your Phone on Ships (Recommended) You likely know that instead of using a cell signal, you can hook your phone up to wi-fi and use the internet to make calls, send texts, and surf the web. Some apps like WhatsApp also let you make calls, chat, and even chat via video. You can use these features while a cruise ship.

Today’s cruise ships all come equipped with wi-fi, but there is a charge for passengers to use it. For example, Carnival offers three levels of service — Social (~$15 per day), Value (~$20 per day), and Premium (~$21 per day) — which all offer different speeds and access.

Wi-fi allows you to connect just like you were at home. This includes doing things like making calls from within communication apps like WhatsApp, iMessage, texting, and surfing the web.

Just like at home, you can hook up to the ship’s wi-fi and use your phone as normal. Just keep in mind that you will want to ensure any calls you make are over wi-fi or else they will be considered international roaming calls if connected over the ship’s cellular service. (For that reason, we suggest setting your phone to airplane mode once you get on the ship and then just connect through wi-fi.)

One other thing to know is that different cruise lines and even different ships within a cruise line may offer different online experiences. Some ships are updated with the latest technology while others can have slower service or more limited options of what you can do regarding video calling or streaming.

More details on specific ship wi-fi plans are featured later in this article.

• Read more about using internet/wi-fi on a cruise

We’d recommend accessing the ship’s wi-fi with your phone to use it as you would back home. This gives you the ability to access the internet, send messages, use apps, and even make calls with some plans/cruise lines.

Using Your Phone in a Port of Call

While most of your time is spent on the ship, there will be large chunks of the day spent in port. You might wondering about using your phone during this portion of your cruise.

Cellular Service in Ports of Call In port (and off of the ship’s cellular or wi-fi service), you phone will work just as if you had taken a flight to another country. That is to say you will be reliant on international cellular services.

The good news? Cell phone companies offer short-term international plans that are surprisingly affordable and provide calls, texts, and data.

In addition, many companies — such as T-Mobile — include calling in Mexico and Canada (home to several popular cruise ports) automatically in their plans. You can use the phone exactly as you would at home for no extra charge.

Below, we’ve charted out the cost for some international plans offered by cell phone companies. Remember that these prices could change, so you’ll want to contact your provider before heading out on your cruise.

You can read more about international service from the major carriers below:

• https://www.att.com/international/day-pass/
• https://www.verizon.com/plans/international/international-travel/travel-pass/
• https://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone-plans/international-roaming-plans

Understand that this is only for service while onshore in a port. When you are on the ship and in the middle of the ocean, you will need to use the ship’s wi-fi or cellular service. It may be worth it to use just one service or another instead of paying for both during your cruise.

When in port, you’ll be connecting to international towers. Phone companies have international plans (sometimes you can simply pay for a single day pass) that allow you access just as you would have at home.

Wi-Fi Service to Use Your Phone in Port Want to save some money? Then you may be able to skip dealing with international plans altogether and just connect to wi-fi hotspots in port. In fact, it may even be free.

To be sure, your wi-fi plan from the ship won’t work in port (unless you are at a private island; sometimes ships extend service to their islands.) But many ports of call offer wi-fi service.

Sometimes there is service sold that will cover the port area. Other times spots like restaurants or shops will offer free wi-fi service to customers as a perk for shopping there.

Either way, it’s a cheaper and easier way of using your phone in port if you are fine with having access on a more limited basis.

Many ports have wi-fi service at shops or restaurants that can get you access while you’re there. It’s an easy way to check in back home if you don’t need constant access.

Using Your Phone on a Carnival Cruise

As mentioned above, we recommend using the ship’s wi-fi to use your phone . This will allow you to make calls (you may have to use an app like WhatsApp to do so), send messages, email, and browse the web.

To access Carnival’s wi-fi, you’ll have to sign up for one of three packages :

Social (~$15 per day) — Offers access to social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, Snapchat and more. It also provides access to airline sites. However, it doesn’t include access to most of the web, nor does it support in-app calling, streaming services (Netflix, Spotify, YouTube), or Skype.

Value ($20 per day) — Offers everything in the Social package, with the addition of popular news, weather, banking, finance, and entertainment sites. However, it still doesn’t allow streaming or Skype/FaceTime calling.

Premium (~$21 per day) — Offers the fastest speeds on the ship and full web access. While Carnival’s website says this plan doesn’t support video streaming (outside Netflix) or FaceTime calls, we’ve personally done both with this plan. If you are a heavy phone user on your cruise or want to make video calls, then you’ll likely want the Premium package.

You can purchase a plan at a discount before your cruise starts or you can simply purchase when you are on the ship. Note that shipboard prices are higher than what’s shown here.

Read more about Carnival’s internet service here .

Using Your Phone on a Royal Caribbean Cruise

Just like with Carnival and other major cruise lines, we think you’ll be best off connecting to the ship’s wi-fi in order to use your phone on a Royal Caribbean ship.

The cruise line offers VOOM internet access across its fleet, which is touted as one of the fastest wi-fi services of any major cruise line. With it, you can hook up your phone to wi-fi and make calls (via wi-fi), text, use apps, and browse the web.

Prices are not set in stone, but vary between around $15-25 a day. Discounts are available for ordering online ahead of time.

Read more about Royal Caribbean’s Internet service here .

Using Your Phone on a Norwegian Cruise

Norwegian offers two different levels of wi-fi access on their ships that allow you to connect with your phone. From there, you can use wi-fi to send messages, talk, and send email to keep in touch.

First is the Unlimited Wi-Fi Package ($30 per day) that includes access to things like Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat, along with the rest of the web. This includes apps like WhatsApp, iMessage, and FaceTime, allowing you to keep in touch. However, it doesn’t allow streaming services.

Second, there is the Unlimited Premium Wi-Fi Package ($40 per day), giving you full access to the web and streaming services — including YouTube, TikTok, and Netflix. With this level of service, making calls, sending texts, and video chats are no issue.

You can read more about NCL’s internet service here .

Using Your Phone on Other Cruise Lines (Disney, Celebrity, Princess, and Others)

As you can see, the easiest way to use your phone on a cruise is to use it to connect to the ship’s wi-fi. While we’ve spelled out more details for Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line, this method will work on any ship you sail.

Through the wi-fi offered on your cruise ship, you should be able to connect and use your phone just as you would on land. This includes web browsing, messaging, and calls through wi-fi. Just keep in mind that you might have to upgrade to the highest-tier service in order to get full benefits of the internet like streaming and video calls. In our experience, lower-tier wi-fi plans are slower, meaning choppier connections on things like video calls.

Have more questions about using your phone on a cruise? Let us know in the comments below.

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I have Google fi unlimited plan. They told me my phone will work data,etc while cruising. I am confused. I thought I would have to put the phone in airplane mode and buy the ship WiFi package. Cruise is on Disney

Hey Tanner: Thanks for the great article. We are going on Norwegian to the Panama Canal. My cruise buddy has Verizon and wants to make a voice call to her husband. He does not know how to use WhatsApp or FaceTime. Can they make regular voice calls using the ships Wi-fi? We understand that she can call him from ports with her Verizon Travel Pass, but she is concerned about sea days. Thanks!

Typically phones have a “call over wi-fi” setting. I’ve used it before and it worked well, but usually I use Facetime to call back home.

Tanner – I will going on a Norwegian cruise and would like to use WhatsApp for audit calls. I don’t need to make any viedo calls. Can I get by with the Unlimited plan or do I need the Unlimited Plus?

My advice is to always go with the fastest plan just because in general speeds are slower on cruises (getting better in some cases with Starlink).

But it looks like voice calls don’t require that much bandwidth. My suggestion is if you only want access for these calls, then opt for the cheaper plan and test it out. If it’s not enough, then you can always upgrade.

Tanner, my brother in – law just started his job on a cruise ship – they are provided only 5 gigabytes per month for phone use – he uses what’s app – what can advise him to do to get more gigabytes ? Approximate cost ?

I’ll be perfectly honest: the Royal Caribbean cruise was fantastic except for the beverage package issue, gratuity, and the cell service/internet packages. For the price of the cruise, surely you could include water, tea, coffee, and fountain soda. Those are cheap! I did know ahead of time that 18% gratuity was added to everything, yet for some reason I bought the gratuity package. Then would forget and add tip above the 18% plus the gratuity package. I know I’m responsible, but still felt taken advantage of. AT&T charged me 100.00 within 3-4 hours (started before we even left port). Then cut off service to “protect” me. So I pay another 100.00 for their “international data plan”- which is NOT 10.00 a day. Then I pay 75.00 for better internet speed through Royal. Guess what- 275.00 and I STILL couldn’t use my phone half of the time. I felt nickeled and dimed to death between just getting a bottle of water and checking my work email. And now that I’m home, my phone has ZERO internet. Sigh. FYI: This was my first cruise, but I did research the best I could ahead of time. I didn’t even think about the cell issue. But really- RC is first class.

Do you know if you can get reception on the ship from an island nearby if you are docked at a tender port, or is that still too far away? I have a virtual doctor visit the day I’m in Grand Cayman that I really don’t want to cancel and I would rather use my international phone plan then waste my limited ship wifi minutes.

We’re traveling on Cunard next month. Their website says that even if a phone is in airplane mode but connected to the ship wifi, voice call charges will still be incurred by the cell provider. That doesn’t make sense. Are they just saying that to protect their “assests”?

Never heard that before. I’d likely just take them at their word and plan around it.

If I purchase the cruise plan through AT&Tfor 100$ Do I still have to purchase the wifi on princess as well?

Does regular wi-fi calling (Not WhatsApp) work on Carnival social plan?

That I don’t know. I haven’t personally tested it.

I have straight talk, would I still be able to call or txt since it’s a pay as I go an each month. We will be on Carnival Horizon in October.

Well at sea you won’t have service, but you can hook up to the wi-fi and use your phone that way.

If I purchase the International Plan on Verizon, will it connect to the ship’s tower? I am going on Carnival Horizon in March 2023 to the southern Caribbean (Aruba, Bonaire, Dominican Republic). If I’m signing up and paying for this plan, I want to make sure I actually have coverage my entire cruise (on and off the ship). Can you help?

I’m not sure how the service works on the ship (I personally use wi-fi). You’ll need to contact your carrier to ask as it’s their plan.

GOING TO BAHAMAS AND ORLANDO FLORIDA. WHEN IN FLORIDA AND I AM OFF THE SHIP CAN I USE THE PHONE TO CALL AND TEXT WITHOUT BEING CHARGED MORE THAN MY NORMAL BILL. I WONT BE ON THE SHIP USING THE PHONE ONLY FOR PICTURES. I AM GOING ON NCL AND I AM A VERIZON CUSTOMER

Depends on your plan, but likely not. Most of the time, however, you can get a short-term international plan for cheap:

https://www.verizonwireless.com/solutions-and-services/international-travel/

everyone gives info for making calls, etc. what about getting calls???? have a disabled son and I need contact with him each morning around 6 am Central. how do I arrange that?

The best idea we can suggest is to sign up for the Internet package and use a program like WhatsApp to talk.

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