Wi-Fi And Roaming — Staying In Touch On Your Cruise
Updated October 2017
Mobile Phone Data Roaming In The EU
As of June 2017 the European Commission announced an end to roaming charges in the EU. Meaning that mobile phone users travelling in the EU will now pay the same price that they pay at home, with no extra or hidden charges. This is great news and eliminates the chances of returning home to a hefty mobile phone bill after your holiday. Some non-EU countries (e.g Norway, Switzerland, Turkey) are not included in the new agreement and mobile phone use in these countires may still incur an extra charge. However the good news is that most large network operators have decided to include these countries in the single market for mobile communications. If you are unsure which countires are included in your deal, check with your provider before you travel.
With Britiain set to leave the EU as a result of the 2016 referendum there is uncertainty as to whether or not the current agreement will remain. Therefor we suggest you always check the latest price guidance before you travel.
Cruise Ship Wi-Fi Packages and Costs
Cruise ship Wi-Fi can be a convenient benefit on your holiday. As long as the ship has satellite signal you can browse and upload to your hearts content. Unfortunately the cost and the speed of Wi-Fi at sea can sometimes leave little to be desired, but the good news is that most cruise lines respond to this feedback by consistently working to improve their connectivity offerings.
As the need for connectivity varies, so do the Wi-Fi packages that are available for purchase. Keen Instagrammers or social media savvy cruisers can often now opt for a simple social package. Those who require more time online can check out the more comprehensive connection packages at sea.
Below is a guide to the package prices* from some our most popular cruise lines:
| Carnival | Social Wi-Fi Plan (from $5 per day), Value Wi-Fi Plan (from $12 per day), Premium Wi-Fi Plan (from $17.70 per day) |
| Celebrity Cruises | Xcelerate unlimited packages from $140 pp for 5-9 day cruises and from $199 pp for 10+ day sailings |
| Cunard Line | From $45 for 120 minutes of satellite internet credit |
| Disney Cruise Line | Connect@Sea Packages from $25 per MB PAYG. Small package from $19 per 100 MB, Large package from $89 per 1000 MB |
| Fred. Olsen | From £13 for 30 minutes PAYG or £41 for 120 minutes. From £10 per day for 5 days continuous access |
| MSC Cruises | Social Package from $4.50 per day, the Surfer Package from $11 per day and the Streamer Package from $22 per day |
| NCL | Ultimate Cruise Plan from $29.99 per day for voyages of 1-12 days and various other packages available |
| P&O Cruises | The Connect Package (ideal for social media) from £7.75 for 24 hours. The Browse Package from £12.50 for 24 hours. The Works from £24.95 for 24 hours |
| Princess Cruises | From $69 for 120 minutes , from $99 for 240 minutes, from $159 for 460 minutes or from $199 for 680 minutes |
| Royal Caribbean | Surf from $9.99 per device or Surf + Stream from $14.99 per device |
*These prices are meant as an indication of cost as cruise lines can change their pricing at any time. Please check with your cruise line at the time of booking for live prices.
See more cruise line Wi-Fi packages detailed here.
Top Tip for using Wi-Fi at sea
Why not spend your free time at sea preparing your images, writing you draft tweets and offline blog updates, and actually do the online sending when you're in port? In some ports you may even find cafes and bars with free Wi-Fi, which is a win-win situation — enjoy a good coffee in the sun while uploading your photos without the worry of how much data you are using.