International Cell Phone Plan (AT&T, and others)

[Steelers0854]

From time to time I see questions on here about using your cell phone while abroad. Up until now AT&T seemed to be the lone holdout on an easy, "affordable" option for overseas travel. They just announced a $10 day pass that works in over 100 countries and looks like it would cover Caribbean, Bahamian, Mexican Riviera, no the other areas that Princess mainly serves (at least the larger countries).

 

The plan allows you to use your own data plan and use unlimited talk and text on your phone all just like you were home. The best part is, is that it charges per 24 hour period of use. So if you are on 2 Sea days there is no charge until you connect and use the service on land. I know this doesn't help while onboard but I see this as a great and long overdue option.

 

Here is a list of countries that the plan covers:

 

http://about.att.com/content/dam/snrdocs/intl_day_pass_countries.pdf

 

 

 

Here is an article on the new plan as well as a nice overview of Verizon and T-Mobile's offering for international travel:

 

http://travelskills.com/2017/01/23/cheap-att-day-pass-mimics-verizon-t-mobile-overseas-plans/

[Luvmyrotti]

Sounds great! Thanks for sharing.

[mreasier]

Thanks - just added it to my account.

[Thrak]

I've tested (a little bit) using WiFi calling with Verizon. It seemed to work fine and would allow calling anywhere over WiFi just like calling at home - no extra charge. I don't usually make calls when on vacation but, if needed and if there is WiFi available, I don't see the need for an international plan.

[thinfool]

Could work well for an occasional voice call from an international location.

 

OTOH, the ATT Passport plan is $40/mo. for unlimited texts and $1.min voice calls.

 

I used the texting feature a lot on our recent 14 day HAL trip in South America.

 

With the new plan at $10/day, anything more than 4 days would be way expensive for a few text messages.

 

Normal international texting with no plan is "receive" free, "send" $.50 ea.

[PrincessNancy]

From time to time I see questions on here about using your cell phone while abroad. Up until now AT&T seemed to be the lone holdout on an easy, "affordable" option for overseas travel. They just announced a $10 day pass that works in over 100 countries and looks like it would cover Caribbean, Bahamian, Mexican Riviera, no the other areas that Princess mainly serves (at least the larger countries).

 

This is why I love Cruise Critic--I learn something new that that will make my next cruise better! Thanks for sharing!!

Nancy

[Steelers0854]

For me this is the biggest benefit because you activate now on your account and it's always an option and only kicks in when you travel overseas and transmit. This way there is nothing to remember to turn off and on. So I can leave the feature on always and only use it in an emergency or if I had a need to.

 

 

Could work well for an occasional voice call from an international location.

 

 

 

OTOH, the ATT Passport plan is $40/mo. for unlimited texts and $1.min voice calls.

 

 

 

I used the texting feature a lot on our recent 14 day HAL trip in South America.

 

 

 

With the new plan at $10/day, anything more than 4 days would be way expensive for a few text messages.

 

 

 

Normal international texting with no plan is "receive" free, "send" $.50 ea.

 

 

 

The passport plan is definitely good for long term travel but like you said you pay per minute on voice and are limited to just 200mb of data for the month. So definite uses for either package depending on your situation.

[easyboy]

My Simple Choice plan with T-Mobile gives us unlimited free texts and $0.20/min call, in almost anywhere overseas.

[Wehwalt]

My Simple Choice plan with T-Mobile gives us unlimited free texts and $0.20/min call, in almost anywhere overseas.

 

I have their plan with the unlimited data and it is very slow. I remember in Hong Kong being out for the day last November as the election results came in and having a hard time loading the pages to give me updates on what was going on! (likely there was a lot of demand for them too). Still, they sped it up last summer in Europe, maybe they'll eventually make it fast.

[Colo Cruiser]

IMO.......

 

AT&T just does not have good international plans period.

Finally bought an unlocked phone so now I just buy a sim card for the country I am in.

Edited January 29, 2017 by Colo Cruiser

[Charles4515]

IMO.......

 

AT&T just does not have good international plans period.

Finally bought an unlocked phone so now I just buy a sim card for the country I am in.

 

Are you going to buy a SIM card for every country on a cruise? I think the new plan would work well when you are on a multiple country itinerary. So a Caribbean cruise the $10 a day plan. A week in Italy a sim card.

Edited January 30, 2017 by Charles4515

[Colo Cruiser]

Are you going to buy a SIM card for every country on a cruise? I think the new plan would work well when you are on a multiple country itinerary. So a Caribbean cruise the $10 a day plan. A week in Italy a sim card.

 

 

It might. Have not tried it yet. (Fine print?)

I spend a bunch of time in Europe both on cruises and not.

The sim card purchase has worked really well until now. I guess we shall see.

[in2up2]

Verizon offers the same $10/day plan. They call it TravelPass.

 

 

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[Charles4515]

It might. Have not tried it yet. (Fine print?)

I spend a bunch of time in Europe both on cruises and not.

The sim card purchase has worked really well until now. I guess we shall see.

 

It all depends on the time and itinerary. Both land and sea. Say you were on a 3 or 4 port Caribbean cruise. It is multiple countries. Would you want to spend an hour or two at each port finding a local SIM card and setting it up? Even a Med cruise probably the same. On a Norwegian Fjords cruise, one country, a local sim card makes sense.

[Charles4515]

Verizon offers the same $10/day plan. They call it TravelPass.

 

 

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Yes, the new AT&T option is pretty much a match of the Verizon plan. Late to the party. I could have, and would have used the $10 plan on my last two cruises if they had it. I was even thinking of switching to Verizon because of it. Now that wouldn't be a reason to switch.

Edited January 30, 2017 by Charles4515

[bacruiser4life]

In Mexican ports the Verizon Travel Pass is only $2 for 24 hours.

My husband and I have used it many times. We are able to use our phone as if we were at home.

Other countries like Honduras the cost is $10 for the same program.

 

Sharon

[Charles4515]

In Mexican ports the Verizon Travel Pass is only $2 for 24 hours.

 

My husband and I have used it many times. We are able to use our phone as if we were at home.

 

Other countries like Honduras the cost is $10 for the same program.

 

 

 

Sharon

 

 

 

Mexico and Canada is where it gets complicated on AT&T. On some plans users have both included free. Others can do Mexico for free. Depends on the plan. If not included on a plan users can do the $10 pass.

 

 

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Edited January 30, 2017 by Charles4515

[Pier290]

Thx super helpful. Cruising in April and an ATT customer!

 

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[SunCityDiva]

Great info for playing Pokémon Go as I am prone to do while visiting other countries...

[Thrak]

IMO.......

 

AT&T just does not have good international plans period.

Finally bought an unlocked phone so now I just buy a sim card for the country I am in.

 

With AT&T one can do that. With Verizon you can't use an unlocked phone as they are strictly CDMA. Stupid when most of the world uses GSM. There is also no Verizon coverage in Canada which is a bunch of poop.

 

I just now checked the Verizon site and estimated my usage (we will be going through Canada to Alaska and back on a road trip this year) and I can get the Verizon Travel Pass for Canada for $2 a day and they will only charge me on the days I actually use the phone. $2 a day is pretty much nothing but, a frugal traveler could only turn the dang phone on every other day or something and maintain contact for even less.

 

On a ship one "should" be able to use the WiFi calling and also be able to do that in port for no extra fees at all. I really don't make many calls anyway. :rolleyes:

Edited January 30, 2017 by Thrak

[Charles4515]

With AT&T one can do that. With Verizon you can't use an unlocked phone as they are strictly CDMA. Stupid when most of the world uses GSM. There is also no Verizon coverage in Canada which is a bunch of poop.

 

 

 

 

 

Verizon has been switching from CDMA to 4G LTE for several years. Phones for the Verizon network sold for several years now are 4G LTE, which is GSM, with CDMA as a fallback on their US network. You can roam in Canada with those LTE phones since Canada has LTE. Postpaid Verizon 4G phones come unlocked.

 

 

 

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[compozer]

IMO.......

 

AT&T just does not have good international plans period.

Finally bought an unlocked phone so now I just buy a sim card for the country I am in.

 

Keith,

Dumb question

What is an unlocked phone?

 

I need to do something for our upcoming cruise, many European countries but will spend a week in France after cruises.

 

Several years ago I purchased AT&T's plan for a European trip. Around 8pm on the first day I activated it, I received a text saying 85 % of my data plan had been used. WHAT!!! I didn't realized that the videos posted on my FB account were using up the data. Made me so mad that I didn't pay any attention to them running. And i don't need to charge my phone battery as often. I am so careful yet a little afraid to try another plan. I find that emails usually meet all my needs on cruises but I really want my phone when touring around.

 

Sandy

[IECalCruiser]

I have an iPhone and am with AT&T. I needed to make some calls while on our cruise in the Med in November. I was able to use WiFi calling from our hotel in Venice and on the ship in the Adriatic. We are Elite so we were not paying for the internet time on board. Only some AT&T plans allow WiFi calling. I had the $40 Passport plan with 200Mb of data and that was sufficient for our 12 day cruise with four days pre and post cruise. We DIY it and having access to Google maps in port was very helpful. $10/day plan would have cost more for what we were doing. Good to know there are options with AT&T now. Thanks for the information.

 

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Edited January 30, 2017 by IECalCruiser

[thinfool]

Keith,

Dumb question

What is an unlocked phone?

 

If you got your phone from a major wireless company, ATT or Verizon, your phone is locked to their service. If you were to put a sim into that phone from a different service it would not work.

 

If your phone is paid for, ATT or Verizon will allow you to unlock the phone, making it available for any sim card you might want to use. If you bought and paid for your phone at an Apple store it is unlocked. (iphone only)

 

This can be especially good if you are spending a sizeable amount of time outside of the US.

 

You can research this by using google...search for 'sim card in Europe' or 'sim card in France' or 'sim card with unlocked phone'.

Edited January 30, 2017 by thinfool

[Thrak]

Verizon has been switching from CDMA to 4G LTE for several years. Phones for the Verizon network sold for several years now are 4G LTE, which is GSM, with CDMA as a fallback on their US network. You can roam in Canada with those LTE phones since Canada has LTE. Postpaid Verizon 4G phones come unlocked.

 

 

 

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Yes, I see that there is now coverage in Canada - hence my post about the $2 per day plan for phone use in that country. We will be taking a (mostly) camping trip this year for about 2-2.5 months starting in mid June. (It's "mostly" camping as, after 3-4 days we get a hotel room for the night. :)) We plan to first drive to Montana to visit Glacier National Park and then head up through Canada and into Alaska and drive to the end of the Alcan Highway and then back down the western route home to California. The $2 per day plan will work for us. That should "hold us" until our 28 day cruise in early October.

 

This retirement thing seems to be pretty cool... :D

Edited January 30, 2017 by Thrak