Is Wi-Fi on cruise free?

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.



People Also Ask

At sea, mainstream cruise lines usually do not include Wi-Fi in their cruise fares, but premium and luxury lines almost always do. Cruise lines that include free Wi-Fi for all passengers are luxury lines like Seabourn, Silversea and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, along with upscale cruise lines Oceania Cruises and Viking.

MORE DETAILS

Cruise ships have cellular service that you can connect to. However, it's usually considered international roaming and means you'll be charged high rates to access. 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.

MORE DETAILS

Guests must purchase a plan that covers the entire duration of their cruise. Plans may be pre-purchased up to two days before embarkation. Daily plans are available for purchase on board. On board: Turn on your device's Wi-Fi feature and access the Wi-Fi settings to receive instructions on how to purchase our plans.

MORE DETAILS

Booking most internet packages online before your cruise provides you with a 15 percent discount over purchasing onboard.

MORE DETAILS

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.)

MORE DETAILS

Set Your Phone 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.)

MORE DETAILS

When you arrive at the Port Authority Security in the cruise terminal, you will pass a security checkpoint where all carry-on luggage goes through X-rays and other baggage is checked in. All checked bags on cruise ships are scanned.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

Food on Cruise Ships Free Food on Cruises: Meals are free of charge in cruise ship main dining rooms, buffets and select specialty venues such as Princess' International Cafe, Carnival's Blue Iguana Cantina and Guy's Burger Joint, Royal Caribbean's Park Cafe and Boardwalk Dog House and Norwegian's O'Sheehan's.

MORE DETAILS

Can You Still Text for Free in the Cruise Line's App if you Bring Your own HotSpot? Yes, of course! As long as you have the app downloaded on your phone and you're on their free wifi, you can use the app to text on a cruise ship for free.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

Using your cell on the ship For most people, the best piece of advice is to put your phone on airplane mode before your ship sets sail out of port. This prevents your cell from trying to stay connected, thereby eliminating roaming charges.

MORE DETAILS

In general, you can expect streaming to be allowed if you purchase the top-tier wi-fi package. But even though Netflix is largely allowed, it's no guarantee that it will work well. While the technology has advanced, Internet on a cruise can still be spotty.

MORE DETAILS

Passengers must pass through an airport-style detector and they will have a digital photo taken. Most cruise lines employ former police or military personnel to process boarding checks, and scent dogs may be present to check for drugs, which are among many items prohibited on board.

MORE DETAILS

Ship-to-Shore Communication The rate is $1.99 per minute, and charges are billed to the guest's on board Sail and Sign Card. Since all communication is via satellite, the charges apply to all calls including calling cards, credit cards, 800 toll-free numbers and collect calls.

MORE DETAILS