Phone plans on your cruise: Everything you need to know
Should I bring my cell phone on a cruise?
We highly recommend you bring your trusted mobile phone along on a cruise. Most cruises and cellular providers offer Wi-Fi® and a cellular network onboard and on land, making it easy to stay connected. Your phone can be handy quite often, even if you prefer to turn it off most of the time to immerse yourself fully in vacation mode.
On the flip side, using the ship’s network can be quite expensive. Unless you plan ahead and add an international add-on to your cellular package, such as an AT&T International Day Pass®, you may pay more than you planned.
Why it's important to have a cell phone on board
A mobile phone can be handy on a cruise ship because it allows you to stay connected—when you want and if you need it. You can use it to access the cruise line's app to view schedules, maps, and more. You can go online to watch a movie when you need a break from the many activities around you. And, if you’re a content creator, you can document your adventures on shipboard via social media. For those who want to keep connected often with friends and family back home, the cell phone will allow you to do that easily.
Cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity options at sea and on land
On board the ship
The ship’s in-house cellular with data service is considered international roaming and is rather expensive. If you’re looking to budget yourself to avoid high per-minute talk and data charges onboard a ship, you’ll be happy to know many providers offer packages for that purpose. Let’s compare the most popular options available:
- Provider’s international voice and data plans at sea + land: AT&T offers AT&T International Day Pass for cruise travel. You can purchase a plan covering both land and sea for $20 per day for all lines on all days used. This way, you can cruise without worries with unlimited1 talk and text, plus 500MB of data per day.2
- Cruise line's voice and data plans: Most cruise lines offer their own cellular and data plans, yet they can vary widely in pricing, coverage, and features. These plans are typically more expensive than land-based services.
- Cruise line's Wi-Fi-only plans: If you prefer to pay only for the ship’s Wi-Fi, you can call using apps such as WhatsApp and Viber for free instead of using a cell signal. Just connect your phone to the ship's Wi-Fi and use the internet to make calls, video chat, send texts, and surf the web. Yet, these plans are usually more expensive than other Wi-Fi access options.
- Cruise line's pay-per-minute rates for voice and data: If you plan to use your cell phone rarely for random browsing or calls, you might find the ship’s pay-per-use rates appealing. But they cost more, have surprise charges, and offer limited data and speed.
Onshore
- Provider's international voice and data cruise + land plan: AT&T has recently added an AT&T International Day Pass cruise travel option for offshore and onshore roaming for $20 per day. This saves you the hassle of having different plans for when you're out at sea and when touring on land.
- Provider's international voice and data plan for land use only: If you plan to use your mobile phone only on land, consider the AT&T International Day Pass for $12 a day.3 This plan lets you use your phone just like at home with unlimited high-speed data, talk, and text in over 210 destinations.4 With this plan, you'll only pay for the days you use it and won't have to pay an extra charge after ten days (for each line and bill). Also, if you have more than one line, you can use them on the same day for an extra $6 per day. And don't forget AT&T’s domestic unlimited plans include Mexico, Canada,3 and 20 Latin America countries with AT&T Unlimited Premium® PL. So, if your cruise plans include these destinations, you can use your cell phone in port for no extra charge.
- Provider's pay-per-use plan rates for land use only: These rates apply if you prefer to pay on the go while traveling abroad rather than sign up for an international phone and internet package. Depending on where you go, rates vary separately for text, talk, and data. Data speed also varies by country. And remember, pay-per-use charges can stack up quickly with even moderate usage.
- eSIM: Another option is purchasing an eSIM from a local provider or your provider in the U.S. Its main disadvantages include:
- Device compatibility: Not all devices support eSIM technology (especially older phones).
- Technical difficulties: Activating an eSIM can be complex and frustrating. It may also require contacting technical support. Yet, providers may offer limited (or not at all) eSIM support globally.
- SIM card: Buying a traditional, local SIM card is another solution. Its main disadvantages include:
- Inconvenience: It’s a delicate task exchanging SIM cards, and you’re at risk of losing or damaging it.
- Activation delays: If you want to rely on local SIM cards, you’ll need to factor in the time it’ll take to buy one at each location and the wait time to activate each card.
- Limited usage: Unlike an eSIM that allows you to have two profiles on a single phone, a physical SIM card typically only allows one profile. This means you’ll need to swap cards to change providers and numbers.
- Local free Wi-Fi: Some ports offer free Wi-Fi in their immediate vicinity. Some local restaurants and shops may offer complimentary Wi-Fi, too. However, there are a few tradeoffs to consider:
- Weak security: When you connect to open-access Wi-Fi, you expose your device to hackers, potentially risking your personal information.
- Limited and unreliable connection: Open-access free networks often cover large areas. This can cause a weaker signal the further you are from the router. Also, with many people connecting to the same network, you’ll likely experience reduced speeds due to the high traffic.
1When added to your unlimited plan. Coverage and data speed vary by destination and may be changed.
2After 500MB, data speeds are up to a max of 512Mbps.
3When added to your unlimited plan. Coverage and data speed vary by destination and may be changed. International usage should not exceed domestic usage.
4Off-net (roaming) data may be at 2G speed.
What’s included in the AT&T International Day Pass for cruise ship travel?
With AT&T International Day Pass package for cruise, setting sail and taking a tour on land while staying connected is easy.
Many of you may be familiar with AT&T Cruise, a plan available until recently that applied only when at sea. There were two packages to choose from, Basic and Plus. Those who needed flexibility could sign up for AT&T Cruise Day Pass, designed for flexibility, allowing you to pay only for the days you need.
As of April 16, 2025, AT&T simplified its connectivity options when traveling internationally by land and sea. Now, when going on a cruise, you can choose a plan that combines offshore and onshore roaming for just $20 per day.
Here are the plan's highlights:
- Sign up before you leave, or we'll automatically add it for you as soon as you arrive at your destination.
- Simply use your phone on land and at sea for $20 per day.
- Cruise without worries with unlimited* talk and text, plus 500MB of data per day.**
- Get unlimited* talk, text, and data in-port and on land excursions.
- Stay connected in over 210 destinations and on over 400+ cruise ships.
- Only pay for the days you use and nothing more.
- Continue to enjoy International Day Pass for $12 per day even if you’re still abroad after your cruise.
- No need to remove it; you won't be charged for usage until your next trip abroad.
*When added to your existing unlimited plan. Coverage and data speed vary by destination and may be changed.
**After 500MB, data speeds are up to a max of 512Mbps.
Factors to consider when choosing a phone plan for a cruise
Before you commit to a specific phone plan for your cruise, we recommend comparing plans to find the right one for your needs. It's important to avoid overpaying for cellular services and ensure you pay only for what you need on the cruise. Here are some things to check:
- Determine what coverage areas you'll need: Consider where you'll likely use your phone during the cruise—only while sailing or in port, too.
- Research your cruise line and the ship's available services:
- Different cruise lines and even ships may offer different connectivity experiences. Some ships are equipped with the latest technology, while others can have slower or restricted service, affecting video calling or streaming.
- AT&T International Day Pass is now available on 400 cruise ships, but verifying your ship is on the list is always a good idea.
- Duration: Consider how long your cruise is going to be.
- Evaluate amount of data you'll need: Follow these steps:
- Check your usage report to see how much data you've been using in the past month or two. Then, estimate your needs for the cruise duration based on what you learn.
- Factor in what activities you do on your phone when using cellular data (sending messages or emails uses less data than streaming HD movies, music, or downloading material).
Discover valuable tips for using a cell phone on a cruise
Regardless of the solution you choose for using your phone during the cruise, follow these steps to avoid running up a high phone bill during your trip:
- First, try to minimize data usage. This is important because some wireless providers offer limited talk, text, and data usage and charge for overage use at a higher rate. To avoid extra costs, keep an eye on your usage and keep your cellular connection off. If you don't know how to turn off cellular connection, just keep your phone on airplane mode by default and turn off airplane mode when you want to use your device. With AT&T International Day Pass, you don’t need to worry about this too much, as you’ll get 500MB of data per day**
- Second, consider using messaging apps to make calls. Apps like WhatsApp and Viber allow regular talk and video calls over the internet, making for a cheaper call solution.
- Finally, download files for offline access. To avoid using excess data during the cruise, download necessary files, movies, and music to your device in advance to access them offline. With AT&T International Day Pass, you don’t need to worry much about this either, as you’ll enjoy unlimited* talk and text per day.
*When added to your existing unlimited plan. Coverage and data speed vary by destination and may be changed.
**After 500MB, data speeds are up to a max of 512Mbps.
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