We have previously written about using your cell phone on a cruise. While several of the major carriers offer some form of cruise packages, the AT&T cruise packages have historically been the most extensive and reliable.
As of April 16, 2025, AT&T has revamped its cruise offerings to simplify the experience for travelers. Instead of purchasing a separate cruise package in advance, AT&T now extends its popular International Day Pass to participating cruise ships — making it easier to use your phone while you’re sailing. The prior cruise package options have been discontinued.
Here’s what you need to know to stay in touch without racking up a surprising bill.
AT&T’s New Cruise Coverage: What Changed?
Previously, AT&T offered two separate cruise packages with limited minutes, texts, and data. The AT&T International Day Pass has now replaced those options, and it is now available both on land and at sea.
How it works:
- $20 per device, per 24-hour period.
- Unlimited talk and text.
- 500MB of high-speed data (after which speeds slow to 512 Kbps for the remainder of the period).
- Automatic activation when you make or receive a call, send a text, or use data onboard participating ships.
There’s no need to manually sign up for a cruise package anymore. If your line already has International Day Pass enabled, it will work automatically both while in port and while sailing on participating ships.
Which Cruise Ships Are Covered?
The new Cruise International Day Pass works on over 400 ships across major cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Princess, Celebrity, MSC, and others.
To verify whether your ship participates:
- Visit AT&T’s Cruise Ship Coverage Tool.
- Search for your ship name before sailing.
If your ship is not included, pay-per-use rates apply (more on that below).
What About Ports and On Land?
When you’re docked at international ports (outside of the U.S.), the regular International Day Pass terms apply:
- Still $20 per day.
- Same access to your U.S. talk, text, and data allowance.
- Available in over 210 destinations worldwide.
You are charged only on days you use your phone.
Watch Out for Pay-Per-Use Rates
If you’re on a ship or in a location not covered by the Cruise International Day Pass and you use your phone without disabling roaming, you’ll pay much higher pay-per-use rates:
- $3.00 per minute for calls.
- $0.50 per text ($1.30 for picture or video messages).
- $2.05 per MB of data.
To avoid these charges, use Airplane Mode when in doubt — and manually connect to ship Wi-Fi if you need to get online.
What You Can Do with 500MB of Data?
AT&T’s cruise plan now includes 500MB of high-speed data per day, after which your speeds will slow significantly.
But what can you actually do with 500MB?
Think of it as enough for light to moderate usage, but not for streaming video or large downloads. Here’s a breakdown:
| Activity | Approx. Data Used | What You Can Do with 500MB |
|---|---|---|
| Send a basic email (no attachments) | ~75 KB per email | ~6,800 emails |
| Browse a standard webpage | ~2.5 MB per page | ~200 pages |
| Post or view a photo on social media | ~2–4 MB per photo | ~125–250 photos |
| Stream music (standard quality) | ~40–70 MB per hour | ~7–12 songs |
| Stream SD video (480p) | ~700 MB per hour | ⚠️ Less than 45 minutes |
| Use WhatsApp/iMessage (text only) | ~1 KB per message | Virtually unlimited for daily use |
| Video call (e.g., FaceTime, Zoom) | ~540–700 MB per hour | ⚠️ Less than 45 minutes |
With 500MB of high-speed data per day, you can comfortably handle typical everyday tasks like emailing, casual browsing, and messaging. However, anything involving a substantial amount of video will consume your data rapidly. Once you exceed the 500MB limit, your data speeds will be significantly reduced, affecting the quality of these activities.
How much of a reduction can you expect? The public statement from AT&T says: “After 500MB of data use within a 24-hour period, data speeds may be reduced to a maximum of 512Kbps on certain ships.” So, it’s not clear that you will definitely be booted to slowpoke speeds, and it’s also not clear whether certain ships will still have better data speeds than 512Kbps.
So, what does life at 512 Kbps mean?
After using 500MB of high-speed data in a 24-hour period, AT&T may reduce your data speeds to 512 Kbps on some cruise ships. But what does that really mean?
512 Kbps (kilobits per second) equals 0.5 Mbps, or about one-tenth the speed of typical home Wi-Fi. It’s considered a “2G-equivalent” speed — usable for some basic tasks, but frustrating for others. (A 2G network was what most people had prior to 2010.)
| Activity | Likely Experience at 512 Kbps |
|---|---|
| Text messaging (iMessage, WhatsApp, Messenger) | ✅ Works fine (text-only) |
| Basic email (no attachments) | ✅ Works, with minor delays |
| Browsing lightweight websites | ✅ Possible, but slow page loads |
| Loading social media feeds | ⚠️ May load slowly, images may lag or fail |
| Uploading or viewing photos | ⚠️ Very slow or unreliable |
| Streaming music (Spotify, Apple Music) | 🚫 Not recommended — frequent buffering |
| Streaming video (YouTube, Netflix) | 🚫 Not functional — fails to load or constantly buffers |
| Video calling (FaceTime, Zoom) | 🚫 Not supported at this speed |
| App updates or downloads | 🚫 Very slow or not possible |
Bottom Line: 512 Kbps is fine for sending messages and checking basic emails, but not for video, music, or social media. If you rely on internet access for more than the basics, it’s best to use Wi-Fi onboard once your daily high-speed limit is reached.
Managing Your Phone Usage at Sea
Here are smart tips to avoid surprises on your next cruise:
- Confirm your ship’s participation before you sail.
- Turn off Background App Refresh to avoid apps silently using data.
- Download entertainment (movies, shows, audiobooks) before your cruise.
- Use Airplane Mode when you don’t want to trigger the $20 charge.
- Consider Wi-Fi Packages from your cruise line if you need extensive data for streaming or work.
- Know when your 24-hour clock starts — it triggers with your first use and runs for 24 consecutive hours, not a calendar day.
- Remember that the IDP plan only covers one device on a cruise. If you want to use a second device, that will be an additional $20 for the day. (This is different than the policy for IDP on land: An additional device is only another $6 for the day.)
Pros and Cons of AT&T’s New Cruise Connectivity
Pros
- Automatic and straightforward — no pre-purchase needed.
- You use your regular phone number and plan.
- Unlimited talk and text without worrying about overage fees.
- Works seamlessly with port visits and ship sailing.
Cons
- If you’re onboard for a week or more, $20/day can add up quickly.
- 500MB of high-speed data per day may not be enough for heavy users.
- After 500MB, speeds slow significantly — enough for basic messaging and browsing, but not for streaming.
If you will be consuming a substantial amount of data, it could be cheaper to purchase a ship internet wifi package (such as Royal Caribbean’s Voom), which gives you constant access to the internet and supports wifi-calling.
Closing Thoughts
AT&T’s new Cruise International Day Pass offers a simpler way to stay connected while sailing. For cruisers who only need light texting, email access, and occasional calling, it will probably satisfy all of your needs (but at a daily charge of $20).
If you plan to be online extensively — streaming video, joining video calls, or uploading large files — you might find the 500MB high-speed limit restrictive. In that case, purchasing a shipboard Wi-Fi package could be a better value for heavy use.
You may also want to read about these other options for How to Communicate On a Cruise Ship.
Elaine Warren
Founder & Crew Chief
Elaine founded this website after publishing the book The Family Cruise Companion’s Guide to Cruising With Kids. She has sailed on 40 cruises (and counting). She loves helping families navigate their way to an adventure-filled, fun, and memorable vacation.
