Talk to me like a child - Internet Service in Europe

[Sunset329]

We are taking our first trip to Europe and first Transatlantic cruise in October. We will spend three and one half days in Barcelona before boarding the ship. For what it's worth, we do have wi-fi service on the ship. Do we need internet service while we are in Barcelona? We are not very tech savvy, but we do spend a lot of time on our phones (Google searches, email, weather, directions, menus, Facebook, games, etc.). We have also loaded the Google Translate app. We have Verizon as our service provider. We'd ask our 12-year-old granddaughter for help, but she has never been to Europe. Thanks for your help.

Edited August 16, 2023 by Sunset329

[jelayne]

Check to see if your hotel has free wi-fi included.  

[Charles4515]

9 minutes ago, Sunset329 said:

We are taking our first trip to Europe and first Transatlantic cruise in October. We will spend three and one half days in Barcelona before boarding the ship. For what it's worth, we do have wi-fi service on the ship. Do we need internet service while we are in Barcelona? We are not very tech savvy, but we do spend a lot of time on our phones (Google searches, email, weather, directions, menus, Facebook, games, etc.). We have also loaded the Google Translate app. We have Verizon as our service provider. We'd ask our 12-year-old granddaughter for help, but she has never been to Europe. Thanks for your help.

You can get $10 a day travel passes on Verizon and use your phone in Barcelona or any port.  Your hotel will probably have free WiFi. 

[D. B.]

5 minutes ago, Sunset329 said:

We are taking our first trip to Europe and first Transatlantic cruise in October. We will spend three and one half days in Barcelona before boarding the ship. For what it's worth, we do have wi-fi service on the ship. Do we need internet service while we are in Barcelona? We are not very tech savvy, but we do spend a lot of time on our phones (Google searches, email, weather, directions, menus, Facebook, games, etc.). We have also loaded the Google Translate app. We have Verizon as our service provider. We'd ask our 12-year-old granddaughter for help, but she has never been to Europe. Thanks for your help.

Your hotels in Barcelona should have free WiFi and if you can find a Starbucks their WiFi is usually free and fast.

you mentioned having WiFi on the ship. For A better experience pay for the upgraded WiFi if you are on Celebrity. You can Pre book it before the cruise or on the ship. I think all Celebrity ships now have StarLink and I personally have found it Very Good but that could depend on where you are on the planet?

if this TA is on Reflection I will be onboard also!

[mrgabriel]

Verizon has a package that lets you use your existing minutes and data for a daily rate. It was $10 a day when I last used it in 2021. And you only pay for days when you use data or minutes. If you think there is any chance you will want to use internet while you are away from the ship, your hotel, or places with free wifi, get the international roaming package.

I avoid free wifi in hotels and restaurants because it’s risky to access bank or credit card accounts when on free wifi. 
 

If you pay for the Verizon international roaming, be aware that using live maps and directions (like Google maps) or uploading big pictures and videos uses a lot of data. Verizon will warn you when you’re getting close to your maximum data usage for the month. Normally, I leave my phone’s roaming turned to OFF when travelling, and then turn on roaming when I specifically need to use data. You will need to do the same thing on the ship. Leave roaming turned to off and then your phone will automatically switch over to the ship’s Wi-Fi. 

[Charles4515]

5 minutes ago, mrgabriel said:

Verizon has a package that lets you use your existing minutes and data for a daily rate. It was $10 a day when I last used it in 2021. And you only pay for days when you use data or minutes. If you think there is any chance you will want to use internet while you are away from the ship, your hotel, or places with free wifi, get the international roaming package.

I avoid free wifi in hotels and restaurants because it’s risky to access bank or credit card accounts when on free wifi. 
 

The $10 a days Travel Passes on Verizon and AT&T  include unlimited, talk, text and data. Banking and credit cards at Wifi hotspots you can use a VPN for more security but honestly Bank and credit card websites and apps are all encrypted. If the hotspot has a log in you should be okay. Hotspots without log ins should not be used. I do prefer to use those on cell service when traveling. 

[SoloAlaska]

You can also buy a sim or Esim card for Europe. I know this may be well beyond your tech comprehension but it’s basically getting a European phone number for cheaper than North American plans.

 

what kind of phones do you have?

[StopTheWorld]

I echo the esim. I’ve used Truphone in the past. You can buy for 1 European country or all of Europe. Screenshot shows current prices for Spain. 
Once you download the app, you simply switch to the esim in your phone’s settings when you want to use. Really easy to use.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

Have your granddaughter check this site 

https://www.traveltomtom.net/destinations/europe/spain/best-spain-sim-card-for-tourists

 

if you are stopping in the Azores, you might want to pick up a SIM card there 

[Shiba_Lover]

Also - you may want to put your phone on wifi calling preferred.  Your granddaughter can show you how.

[zitsky]

4 hours ago, mrgabriel said:

Verizon has a package that lets you use your existing minutes and data for a daily rate. It was $10 a day when I last used it in 2021. And you only pay for days when you use data or minutes. If you think there is any chance you will want to use internet while you are away from the ship, your hotel, or places with free wifi, get the international roaming package.

I avoid free wifi in hotels and restaurants because it’s risky to access bank or credit card accounts when on free wifi. 
 

If you pay for the Verizon international roaming, be aware that using live maps and directions (like Google maps) or uploading big pictures and videos uses a lot of data. Verizon will warn you when you’re getting close to your maximum data usage for the month. Normally, I leave my phone’s roaming turned to OFF when travelling, and then turn on roaming when I specifically need to use data. You will need to do the same thing on the ship. Leave roaming turned to off and then your phone will automatically switch over to the ship’s Wi-Fi. 

 

Good advice about the data limits.  I use the $10 plan for things like emails off the ship.

 

I saw your profile pic.  Do they allow cats on cruise ships these days?  I was hoping to get away from mine.  He's 18, deaf, and very loud.  😄

[tigervixxxen]

I echo the use of Verizon’s travel pass if it’s just a couple of days. You need to make sure this is enabled on your account and then it just pops up as a text when you try to use data in the foreign country just letting you know each 24 hour period will cost $10. Very simple. If you don’t think you absolutely need phone service while out and about just using the hotel’s wifi should suffice as well to catch up on all emails, Facebook, Google, etc. 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

SIM cards are so cheap in the EU , just get one 

[SoloAlaska]

I personally would rather spend 20$ and have access to data for the days before my cruise as well as all my European port days. However I travel solo and don’t like carrying maps or anything so I depend on my phone a lot if I’m visiting ports outside an excursion.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

3 minutes ago, SoloAlaska said:

I personally would rather spend 20$ and have access to data for the days before my cruise as well as all my European port days. However I travel solo and don’t like carrying maps or anything so I depend on my phone a lot if I’m visiting ports outside an excursion.

What ? 
You don’t want to give Bell/Rogers / Telus $20 a day  for international roaming 🤣

[SoloAlaska]

4 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

What ? 
You don’t want to give Bell/Rogers / Telus $20 a day  for international roaming 🤣

Hahaha you know it. I also get a US pay as you Esim card for my travel.

[Sunset329]

Thanks for your responses. I will go to Verizon tomorrow.

[Charles4515]

41 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

SIM cards are so cheap in the EU , just get one 

When a travel pass costs $10 a day, you keep your own number and it is only for a few days the tThe Travel Pass is an easier solution than a SIM card. 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

13 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

When a travel pass costs $10 a day, you keep your own number and it is only for a few days the tThe Travel Pass is an easier solution than a SIM card. 

Each to their own 

[Charles4515]

30 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Each to their own 

Every trip is different. Also what works best for a Canadian or European will be different than for an American on a US cell carrier. If I have a WiFi package onboard the the cost for port days that I use the phone is $10 a day.  I only get charged if I decide to use the travel pass on the phone that port day. It is optional.  
 

Physical SIM cards and slots are obsolete by the way. My phone has two eSims, no physical sim, which means it is even easier. I can have two eSims active. My US eSim and any other eSim if I want. I can buy local and regional eSims from Airalo if I were on along enough trip. 
 

For OP they might only need to use their phone 2 days in Barcelona. $20. 

Edited August 16, 2023 by Charles4515

[kwokpot]

54 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Each to their own 

TRavel SIM cards aren't easy for people that aren't tech savvy. Additionally with a foreign Sim there can be issues with texting your contacts back home. 

[zitsky]

15 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

TRavel SIM cards aren't easy for people that aren't tech savvy. Additionally with a foreign Sim there can be issues with texting your contacts back home. 

Thanks.  I’m tech savvy but if I come off an early flight I don’t want to find a cell provider at the airport if one is even open.  I could find one in town but it’s easier just to pay the $10 a month as an emergency fee.

 

And for the OP, goo goo gaga.

Edited August 17, 2023 by zitsky

[Turtles06]

7 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

The $10 a days Travel Passes on Verizon and AT&T  include unlimited, talk, text and data.

Charles, I can’t speak as to Verizon, but AT&T’s $10/day International Day Pass has unlimited data, talk, and text only when the customer has an unlimited domestic plan. That part is in the fine print. Basically, the International Day Pass lets you take your domestic plan abroad; if it’s unlimited, fine; if it’s not, you will have limits.
 

BTW, one advantage AT&T has over Verizon is that AT&T limits the $10 a day charge in any billing month to $100  — 10 days of use. This worked very well for me on a nearly month-long land trip to the UK last fall. (And I do have an unlimited plan.)  It was very nice to be able to use my phone in the UK just as I use it in the US.

[kwokpot]

13 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

Charles, I can’t speak as to Verizon, but AT&T’s $10/day International Day Pass has unlimited data, talk, and text only when the customer has an unlimited domestic plan. That part is in the fine print. Basically, the International Day Pass lets you take your domestic plan abroad; if it’s unlimited, fine; if it’s not, you will have limits.
 

BTW, one advantage AT&T has over Verizon is that AT&T limits the $10 a day charge in any billing month to $100  — 10 days of use. This worked very well for me on a nearly month-long land trip to the UK last fall. (And I do have an unlimited plan.)  It was very nice to be able to use my phone in the UK just as I use it in the US.

I have T-Mobile and out of the three US carriers they have the best International Roaming Data and texting plans. For high speed data, unlimited calls and texts they are three plans:

$5/1day/512MB data

$35/10 days/5GB data 

$50/30 days/15GB data

I just spent 30 days in Europe on two different cruises, bought the $50 plan (While landing at Amsterdam airport) and when the 30 days were up hadn't used up my 15 GB data. And this is was while I used my phone for constant real time walking maps, literally step by step. Also for restaurant recommendations, sightseeing recommendations, etc. It was probably the BEST $50 spend for my 30 days in Europe (Last month,12nt Iceland on the Apex followed by 7 nt Greek Islands on the Odyssey of the Seas).

[wrk2cruise]

I used Airalo esim global earlier this year.  I did a South America trip as well as Tampa to Barcelona TA followed by 2 more Europe sailings.   Worked everywhere I went.   I think I used less than 1 GB total.  I had premium wifi on the ship.

 

It's data only.   I had to make a phone call in Argentina to change airport pickup arrangements when we took an earlier domestic flight.   I used google voice (had to put $$ on my account) but the call was only $.02 per minute for calling Argentina to Argentina.  

 

I'm planning on getting a local esim from Airalo for NZ when we visit next year.  $11 for 30 days 3 gb.   If you run out of data you just top up, another $11 gives you another 3 gb and extends the plan by 30 days.