Yes, cell phones do work on cruise ships.

Cruises have both cellular and Wi-Fi networks.

You can make voice and video calls, send text messages, and use the internet.

You have to buy a roaming plan from your service provider or a Wi-Fi package from the cruise line.

Table of Contents

How will your cell phone work on a cruise ship?

There are three ways to call, text, and video chat on cruise ships.

Your mobile phone will connect to the cruise ship’s cellular network or their Wi-Fi network.

Such networks are Celluar At Sea, Nor-18, 901-18, etc.

The ship’s cellular service is an international roaming network.

Hence voice calls and sending text messages using cellular data will be costly.

But internet data through Wi-Fi are not considered as international roaming calls.

So, using Wi-Fi to call and send text messages is cheaper.

When I was on the Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas, the WiFi-Guest-Odyssey was my Wi-Fi network.

Insider tips for using a cell phone on cruise ships

If you want to use your cell phone on a cruise ship, follow this guidelines:

Always turn the airplane mode on.
Download the cruise line’s app. You can send text messages for free on some cruise lines.
Subscribe to a Wi-Fi package, if you want to make voice calls or check emails. You can use apps like WhatsApp, Skype, etc. to call back home.
You can get free Wi-Fi through special offers at the time of booking.
If you are a loyal customer of a cruise line, you may get an onboard credit for a future cruise. You can use it to buy a Wi-Fi package.
Do not send videos or large files.
Log off the Wi-Fi when you are not using it.

You May Also Like: