How do you text on a cruise?

It's possible to send and receive text messages at sea on a cellular signal, as long as you have a signal through your ship's roaming network. (Just make sure you turn on data roaming in your settings.) Texting costs a lot less than a voice call -- usually in line with standard, international pay as you go rates.



Texting on a cruise ship in 2026 is most effectively done through Wi-Fi-based messaging apps rather than traditional cellular SMS. Because "Cellular at Sea" roaming charges are notoriously expensive (often $0.50 per text or more), most travelers purchase a shipboard Wi-Fi package. Once connected to the ship's satellite internet—which is increasingly powered by high-speed Starlink technology—you can use WhatsApp, iMessage, or Facebook Messenger to text for free. If you do not want to pay for a full internet plan, many cruise lines (like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Disney) offer a low-cost "Chat Plan" within their official cruise app for about $5 per day, allowing you to message other passengers on the same ship. For those with iPhones, iMessage sometimes works for free even without a paid plan on certain ships, though this is a "glitch" rather than a guaranteed service. To avoid accidental "sticker shock" on your phone bill, the "pro" move is to keep your phone in Airplane Mode with Wi-Fi turned on for the duration of the voyage, ensuring you stay connected without triggering predatory roaming fees.

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Keep a watchful eye on your airplane mode setting, ensuring it's always on when you're on board your cruise ship. If you forget, you won't be charged for incoming calls you don't accept, but some service providers will charge for unread text messages that arrive while your phone is roaming.

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Wi-Fi Service to Use Your Phone on Ships (Recommended) You likely know that instead of using a cell signal, you can hook your phone up to wi-fi and use the Internet to make calls, send texts, and surf the web. Some apps like WhatsApp also let you make calls, chat, and even chat via video.

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Service for voice calls, texting (SMS) and data is available onboard while the ship is at sea. Once the WMS network is switched on, while roaming on our cruise ships, you will see a distinct display on your handset that differs from your home carrier.

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If the ship provides free wifi and internet, then iMessage and FaceTime would be free. Those services are always free from Apple, and you only pay something if you are charged for the internet connection you are using.

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To ensure you are not charged by your phone company on your cruise, you have two choices: Turn off your phone as soon as your cruise ship leaves port, or, if you want to use offline applications, put your phone into airplane mode.

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If you use WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or WeChat, you may be able to use them whenever you have a Wi-Fi connection. Other suggestions are dependent on the cruise line you are traveling. Guests can use the following apps for texting: Shipmate (available in Apple and Google Play Stores)

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To avoid unwanted charges, your safest bet onboard your cruise ship is to switch to airplane mode, reactivate your wireless feature and log in to the ship's Wi-Fi network. (Note: Switching to airplane mode will turn off wireless until you manually reactivate it.)

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Most cruise lines these days have options for onboard internet, but you'll need to pay for access, and not all types of internet service are equal. When you book a cruise, you'll generally be given the opportunity to purchase Wi-Fi before boarding. Doing so can save you money versus buying on board.

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When you connect to an access point (Hotspot or Wi-Fi) you don't know if it's a legitimate hospitality wireless network, or one that is set up to steal your information. Even legitimate Wi-Fi networks (as mentioned in the 2021 EOS Report for NCLH) may be collecting information about you.

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How to prevent roaming charges while at sea
  1. Turn off your phone. The easiest, but by no means the nicest, is to turn off your phone. ...
  2. Use airplane mode. Many of us can't go more than a few hours without our phones, so it's more likely you will opt for these other options such as using airplane mode. ...
  3. Use the ship's wifi.


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Download the cruise line's mobile app Most cruise lines have a mobile app that allows you to talk with people onboard. You may, however, have to pay extra for this service. Norwegian Cruise Line, for instance, charges $9.95 per person for their Phone and Messenger Package.

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It's a common question with varying answers. Guests are free to utilize their cellular data or connect to our onboard Wi-Fi on any ship. But, please be aware that cellular data used on the ship or in certain ports of call will result in charges from your cell phone provider.

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How much will it cost to make calls? Making calls on-board a cruise ship is a luxury service and the costs associated with it reflect that ranging from $2.50 – $10/minute, however it is often cheaper to make calls once you arrive at port using the local networks.

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All cruise cabins have room phones with a messaging system the same as a hotel. Also like hotels, there are house phones throughout the ship that you can use to call directly to the stateroom phones. Some cruisers bring walkie-talkies onboard, particularly families with kids old enough to spend time on their own.

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If you have the boat WiFi package, yes. iMessage will work to other iPhones. Also you can turn WiFi calling on and you will be able to make calls over WiFi. Just be sure to go into airplane mode when you get on the boat to prevent cellular at sea from picking up the call opposed to it leveraging WiFi calling.

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Is WhatsApp free on a cruise ship? By default, WhatsApp is not free on a cruise ship. You need to be online, and most cruise lines charge for internet access, unless you have a special fare that includes WiFi access.

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