Hadlee Simons / Android Authority
TL;DR
- AT&T and Verizon just announced new $20 daily cruise passes, which cover calls, texts, and limited high-speed data at sea.
- AT&T’s revamped International Day Pass works on over 400 ships and includes land use on the same day at no extra charge.
- Verizon’s updated Cruise Daily Pass is cheaper than its old plan and removes call overage fees.
Just because you’re leaving work emails behind on dry land, it doesn’t mean your Instagram has to go unchecked. With cruise season heating up, AT&T and Verizon are now offering updated cruise daily passes that make it easier to use your phone while enjoying life on the waves. The revamped passes of both carriers cover voice, text, and data usage at sea for $20 per day.
For AT&T customers, the new cruise option is an expansion of its existing International Day Pass. As detailed in a press release, Starting April 16, the same pass now works on more than 400 cruise ships, offering 500MB of daily high-speed data, unlimited texting, and unlimited talk for a flat rate of $20 per 24-hour period. Importantly, if you’re docked or disembark that same day, there’s no extra fee to use the plan on land.
Previously, AT&T offered separate Cruise Basic and Cruise Plus plans for onboard coverage, both of which were pricier than the new pass in terms of data allocation. However, these have now been discontinued for any voyages starting on or after April 16. Any old passes activated prior to this date will expire 30 days after they started.
Verizon’s new Cruise Daily Pass, announced last week, is nearly identical in pricing and scope but has slightly different data rules. Also priced at $20 per day, it covers over 200 ships across more than 25 cruise lines and includes 500MB of high-speed data (after which speeds are throttled to 3G), along with unlimited calls to the US and unlimited texts. That’s a meaningful change from Verizon’s previous $30 cruise pass, which came with just 50 minutes of calling and charged overage fees.
While onboard connectivity is still far from perfect, these new cruise passes represent a more straightforward and slightly less costly approach than previous options. This will be welcome news for travelers trying to share updates from their trips without surprise roaming fees, and maybe a more affordable alternative to the cost of the onboard Wi-Fi options.
You can check your ship’s eligibility or add the pass before sailing through Verizon’s Trip Planner or the AT&T app.
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