GigSky — the eSIM actually built for cruises
Most eSIMs sold for cruises are land plans with a boat on the banner. GigSky is one of the seven that genuinely connect in open water, and the only one that covers both the sea and the ports on a single profile.
Prices last confirmed
Short answer
For nearly everyone the answer is a Cruise + Land plan, sized to the length of the sailing. It is the only kind that keeps working once the ship ties up, so you do not have to buy anything else for your days ashore.
Pick Cruise Only just if you already own a regional eSIM for the ports, and pick unlimited just if someone in the cabin plans to stream. On a 7-night sailing a fixed allowance is usually cheaper and quite enough, because the apps most people use all day are the ones GigSky does not count.
The five GigSky plan families
GigSky sells across five families, and the difference between them is the difference between a plan that works in Barcelona and one that does not:
- Fixed Data — a set allowance for a set number of days. Predictable, and the right default for most 7-night sailings.
- Unlimited Data — never cut off, but reduced in speed after 3.5 GB in a day, with full speed back the next day. Priced by duration rather than volume.
- Essentials Data — the newest family, built around the messaging and maps apps that do not consume your allowance at all. Covered in its own section below.
- Cruise Only — cheaper, sea-only, and dead in port. Buy this only if you already have a regional eSIM for shore days.
- World Lite — lower coverage for a lower price. Check the country list against your itinerary before choosing it over a regional variant.
Every cruise plan and price, by region
Prices come from our own catalogue sync, not from a press page — the stamp above is the last time they were checked. This is where most people overpay or under-buy. The sea-day half of a Cruise + Land plan is the same everywhere, because it is the ship’s network. The land half is not: each variant includes a different set of countries, and your ports decide which one is right.
Cruise + Americas/Caribbean · 48 countries
The Caribbean, Bahamas, Alaska, Mexico and the US mainland. The variant most 7-night western and eastern Caribbean sailings need.
GigSky — Cruise + Americas/Caribbean Unlimited 15-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickBest valueCode ESIMDUDE⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$82.99≈ $5.53/day- GigSky — Cruise + Americas/Caribbean Unlimited 7-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$44.49≈ $6.36/day - GigSky — Cruise + Americas/Caribbean Unlimited 3-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$20.49≈ $6.83/day - GigSky — Cruise + Americas/Caribbean Unlimited 1-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$6.99≈ $6.99/day - GigSky — Cruise + Americas/Caribbean 10GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$174.99≈ $5.83/day - GigSky — Cruise + Americas/Caribbean 5GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$99.99≈ $3.33/day - GigSky — Cruise + Americas/Caribbean 3GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$62.99≈ $4.20/day - GigSky — Cruise + Americas/Caribbean 1GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$31.99≈ $4.57/day - GigSky — Cruise + Americas/Caribbean 512MB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$17.99≈ $17.99/day
Cruise + Europe · 44 countries
The Mediterranean, the Baltic, the Norwegian fjords and the British Isles. Also the variant that pairs with GigSky’s ferry plans.
- GigSky — Cruise + Europe Unlimited 15-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickBest valueCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$82.99≈ $5.53/day - GigSky — Cruise + Europe Unlimited 7-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$44.49≈ $6.36/day - GigSky — Cruise + Europe Unlimited 3-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$20.49≈ $6.83/day - GigSky — Cruise + Europe Unlimited 1-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$6.99≈ $6.99/day - GigSky — Cruise + Europe 10GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$174.99≈ $5.83/day - GigSky — Cruise + Europe 5GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$94.99≈ $3.17/day - GigSky — Cruise + Europe 3GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$59.99≈ $4.00/day - GigSky — Cruise + Europe 1GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$29.99≈ $4.28/day - GigSky — Cruise + Europe 512MB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$16.99≈ $16.99/day
Cruise + Asia Pacific · 25 countries
Japan, South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Fewer countries than the European variant because the region simply has fewer land agreements.
- GigSky — Cruise + Asia Pacific Unlimited 15-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickBest valueCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$82.99≈ $5.53/day - GigSky — Cruise + Asia Pacific Unlimited 7-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$44.49≈ $6.36/day - GigSky — Cruise + Asia Pacific Unlimited 3-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$20.49≈ $6.83/day - GigSky — Cruise + Asia Pacific Unlimited 1-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$6.99≈ $6.99/day - GigSky — Cruise + Asia Pacific 10GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$174.99≈ $5.83/day - GigSky — Cruise + Asia Pacific 5GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$99.99≈ $3.33/day - GigSky — Cruise + Asia Pacific 3GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$62.99≈ $4.20/day - GigSky — Cruise + Asia Pacific 1GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$31.99≈ $4.57/day - GigSky — Cruise + Asia Pacific 512MB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$17.99≈ $17.99/day
Cruise + Middle East · 9 countries
Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the Gulf. The narrowest variant — check your exact itinerary before assuming a port is included.
- GigSky — Cruise & Middle East Unlimited 15-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickBest valueCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$59.49≈ $3.97/day - GigSky — Cruise & Middle East Unlimited 7-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$31.99≈ $4.57/day - GigSky — Cruise & Middle East Unlimited 3-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$14.49≈ $4.83/day - GigSky — Cruise & Middle East Unlimited 1-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$4.99≈ $4.99/day - GigSky — Cruise + Middle East Unlimited 15-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$82.99≈ $5.53/day - GigSky — Cruise + Middle East Unlimited 7-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$44.49≈ $6.36/day - GigSky — Cruise + Middle East Unlimited 3-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$20.49≈ $6.83/day - GigSky — Cruise + Middle East Unlimited 1-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$6.99≈ $6.99/day - GigSky — Cruise & Middle East 10GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$119.99≈ $4.00/day - GigSky — Cruise & Middle East 3GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$39.99≈ $2.67/day - GigSky — Cruise & Middle East 5GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$69.99≈ $2.33/day - GigSky — Cruise + Middle East 10GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$174.99≈ $5.83/day - GigSky — Cruise & Middle East 1GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$19.99≈ $2.86/day - GigSky — Cruise + Middle East 5GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$99.99≈ $3.33/day - GigSky — Cruise + Middle East 3GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$62.99≈ $4.20/day - GigSky — Cruise & Middle East 512MB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$10.99≈ $10.99/day - GigSky — Cruise + Middle East 1GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$31.99≈ $4.57/day - GigSky — Cruise + Middle East 512MB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$17.99≈ $17.99/day
Wider and worldwide plans
The rest of the cruise catalogue: World Lite and the broader packages, which are not tied to one cruising region. Check the country list against your itinerary before choosing one of these over the regional variant above.
- GigSky — Cruise + World Unlimited 15-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickBest valueCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$82.99≈ $5.53/day - GigSky — Cruise - At Sea Only Unlimited 15-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ At-sea data only — no coverage in port. Cheaper than Cruise + Land if you already carry a regional eSIM.
Get deal →$82.99≈ $5.53/day - GigSky — Cruise + World Unlimited 7-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$44.49≈ $6.36/day - GigSky — Cruise - At Sea Only Unlimited 7-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ At-sea data only — no coverage in port. Cheaper than Cruise + Land if you already carry a regional eSIM.
Get deal →$44.49≈ $6.36/day - GigSky — Cruise + World Unlimited 3-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$20.49≈ $6.83/day - GigSky — Cruise - At Sea Only Unlimited 3-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ At-sea data only — no coverage in port. Cheaper than Cruise + Land if you already carry a regional eSIM.
Get deal →$20.49≈ $6.83/day - GigSky — Cruise + World Unlimited 1-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$6.99≈ $6.99/day - GigSky — Cruise - At Sea Only Unlimited 1-day🟢 Works at seaUnlimitedOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ At-sea data only — no coverage in port. Cheaper than Cruise + Land if you already carry a regional eSIM.
Get deal →$6.99≈ $6.99/day - GigSky — Cruise + World 10GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$174.99≈ $5.83/day - GigSky — Cruise - At Sea Only 10GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ At-sea data only — no coverage in port. Cheaper than Cruise + Land if you already carry a regional eSIM.
Get deal →$174.99≈ $5.83/day - GigSky — Cruise + World 5GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$99.99≈ $3.33/day - GigSky — Cruise - At Sea Only 5GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ At-sea data only — no coverage in port. Cheaper than Cruise + Land if you already carry a regional eSIM.
Get deal →$99.99≈ $3.33/day - GigSky — Cruise + World 3GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$62.99≈ $4.20/day - GigSky — Cruise - At Sea Only 3GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ At-sea data only — no coverage in port. Cheaper than Cruise + Land if you already carry a regional eSIM.
Get deal →$62.99≈ $4.20/day - GigSky — Cruise + World 1GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$31.99≈ $4.57/day - GigSky — Cruise - At Sea Only 1GB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ At-sea data only — no coverage in port. Cheaper than Cruise + Land if you already carry a regional eSIM.
Get deal →$31.99≈ $4.57/day - GigSky — Cruise + World 512MB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$17.99≈ $17.99/day - GigSky — Cruise - At Sea Only 512MB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ At-sea data only — no coverage in port. Cheaper than Cruise + Land if you already carry a regional eSIM.
Get deal →$17.99≈ $17.99/day - GigSky — Cruise + World 250MB🟢 Works at seaOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Switches between the ship’s maritime network at sea and local networks in port — one eSIM covers both.
Get deal →$19.99≈ $19.99/day
The apps that do not use your data
This is GigSky’s least-publicised advantage and almost nobody writing about cruise eSIMs mentions it. Under the Messaging + Essentials feature, a specific set of apps keeps working without drawing down your plan allowance:
- WhatsApp and iMessage — text messages
- Apple Maps and Google Maps — navigation in port
- Uber and Lyft — booking a ride ashore
- Gmail — text-only mail
The exclusions matter just as much, and this is where people get caught out. Voice and video calls are not included — a WhatsApp call is normal data. Neither are attachments: the message “see you at 6” is free, the photo of the sunset next to it is not. A voice note is an attachment.
Used deliberately this changes the maths on plan size. If your family contact is text messages and your shore navigation is Maps, a small Fixed plan can cover a whole week, because the two things you use constantly are not touching the allowance. The people who burn through data at sea are streaming, backing up photos to iCloud, or on video calls — none of which the Essentials feature covers.
How does GigSky work on a cruise ship? Activation, step by step
Install the eSIM at home on reliable Wi-Fi, days before you travel — not at the terminal. Installation needs a solid connection and the profile can be added long before it is switched on. Leave the travel line turned off until you sail.
The plan begins working at roughly 12 nautical miles offshore, which on a typical departure is about an hour after the ship pulls away. That distance is not a policy — it is roughly how far a land mast reaches over water. Inside it your phone is on shore networks; outside it the ship’s maritime equipment takes over and hands traffic back to land by satellite.
The honest part: there is a stretch between leaving the berth and crossing that line where neither network is reliable. Your phone may show bars and move nothing. This is normal, it is short, and no provider avoids it — but it is also the moment most people conclude their new eSIM is broken and start troubleshooting a plan that is working exactly as designed. Give it an hour before worrying.
After that, one profile handles the rest of the trip. On a Cruise + Land plan there is no swapping and no second eSIM for port days: the phone moves between the maritime network and local networks by itself as you sail in and out of range.
GigSky coverage map: the ships and lines covered
GigSky names 10 cruise lines directly and covers 30 or more further operators, for 290+ vessels in total — the widest list of any provider we track. Where we hold that line’s real Wi-Fi pricing we have built a dedicated page comparing the two:
Beyond those, GigSky also lists Azamara, Seabourn, Silversea, Virgin Voyages and Windstar among 30+ additional operators. We have not built separate pages for those — their published coverage detail is too thin to say anything useful that the list above does not already cover, and a page that only swaps the operator’s name would waste your time.
One caution that applies to every line here: a listed operator is not a listed ship. Maritime equipment is fitted vessel by vessel, and a new delivery or a ship moved between brands can lag its fleet by months. Check the exact vessel name on GigSky’s own list before buying — that check takes a minute and is the single highest-value thing on this page.
Ferry plans from $7.99
GigSky is the only provider in our registry selling ferry-branded plans, covering Brittany Ferries, Color Line, DFDS and Stena Line. Short crossings are a different problem from a week at sea: you are online for a few hours, the ship’s own Wi-Fi is congested at boarding, and you want coverage to continue on the far side without changing anything.
- GigSky — European Ferries 5GB🔵 FerryOur #1 pickBest valueCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Covers the ferry’s onboard network during the crossing.
Get deal →$39.99≈ $39.99/day - GigSky — Europe Ferries + Land 5GB🔵 FerryOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Covers the ferry crossing and land networks in the countries at either end.
Get deal →$40.99≈ $5.86/day - GigSky — European Ferries 3GB🔵 FerryOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Covers the ferry’s onboard network during the crossing.
Get deal →$24.99≈ $24.99/day - GigSky — Europe Ferries + Land 3GB🔵 FerryOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Covers the ferry crossing and land networks in the countries at either end.
Get deal →$25.99≈ $3.71/day - GigSky — European Ferries 1GB🔵 FerryOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Covers the ferry’s onboard network during the crossing.
Get deal →$10.99≈ $10.99/day - GigSky — Europe Ferries + Land 1GB🔵 FerryOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Covers the ferry crossing and land networks in the countries at either end.
Get deal →$11.99≈ $1.71/day - GigSky — European Ferries 512MB🔵 FerryOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Covers the ferry’s onboard network during the crossing.
Get deal →$7.99≈ $7.99/day - GigSky — Europe Ferries + Land 512MB🔵 FerryOur #1 pickCode ESIMDUDE
⚠️ Covers the ferry crossing and land networks in the countries at either end.
Get deal →$8.99≈ $1.28/day
Before you buy one, read our ferry eSIM guide — on several short routes, including Dover–Calais, we tell people not to buy a ferry plan at all, because the crossing is short enough and close enough to shore that ordinary land coverage handles it.
GigSky promo code, free trial and the other discounts
Start with the free 100 MB cruise trial. No card, no auto-renewal, nothing to cancel — it stops when the data is gone. It exists to prove the eSIM connects on your ship before you spend anything, which given the vessel-by-vessel caveat above is genuinely worth doing on embarkation day.
Two other discounts run alongside it, and both can beat 10%. Seasonal promotions reach up to 40% off, and there is a Visa cardholder offer of up to 30%. Checkout applies one code, so compare the totals rather than assuming ours wins — we would rather you paid less than used our link. When no promotion is running, ESIMDUDE is the best available discount.
Plans start from $3.99 and cruise rates from about $5/day. We have seen a “temporarily unavailable for purchase” notice on some US plans, so check availability for your market at checkout.
Device compatibility
Two conditions, and the second catches more people than the first: the device must support eSIM, and it must be carrier-unlocked. A phone still on a carrier instalment plan is frequently locked even when it is fully paid off.
Apple
- iPhone XS and newer
- iPad cellular models, 3rd generation and newer
Android
- Samsung Galaxy S20 and newer
- Google Pixel 2 through 10
- Selected Sony, Xiaomi and Motorola models
If you are unsure, our device checker covers this without needing to install anything, and the free trial confirms it for certain.
GigSky questions
01Is GigSky legit?+
Yes. GigSky is an established US eSIM provider, the exclusive consumer partner of the Cellular at Sea maritime network on 290+ cruise ships, and the only cruise eSIM with a free 100 MB trial you can install before paying. We are paid commission when you buy through this site — and the trial is the reason we recommend it first: it is the one product here you can test on your own ship before spending anything.
02Is there a GigSky referral code or promo code?+
The GigSky promo code that works for cruise and ferry plans is ESIMDUDE, for 10% off, and it is exclusive to this site. If you are searching for a GigSky referral code, that is the code to use at checkout; it applies to Cruise + Land, Cruise Only and the ferry plans.
03What is the GigSky Visa benefit?+
Holders of a US Visa Infinite card get 3 GB of GigSky data free once a year and 30% off everything else; Visa Signature gets 1 GB. It is claimed through the GigSky app with the card’s benefit page, and it stacks with a cruise purchase — full detail on our GigSky Visa benefit page.
04Is the GigSky free trial really free — do I need a card?+
Yes, and no card is required. The cruise trial is 100 MB, it does not auto-renew and there is nothing to cancel. It hard-stops when the 100 MB is gone rather than billing you for an overage. Realistically 100 MB is a messaging-and-maps allowance: enough to confirm the eSIM connects on your ship before you commit money, which is exactly what it is for.
05When does the cruise plan actually start working?+
At roughly 12 nautical miles offshore, which on most sailings is about an hour after the ship leaves the terminal. That is not a GigSky limitation — it is the point where the shore masts stop reaching you and the ship’s own maritime network takes over. Between leaving the berth and crossing that line there is a genuine gap where neither network is solid. Nobody markets that gap; it is real, and it is short.
06Do I need to swap eSIM profiles between sea days and port days?+
Not on the "Cruise + Land" plans. One eSIM covers both, and the phone switches between the maritime network and land networks on its own. The "Cruise Only" plans are the exception: they work at sea and go dark the moment you are in range of land, so they need a separate port-day eSIM alongside them.
07What does "unlimited" actually mean here?+
It means never cut off, not never slowed. GigSky’s unlimited cruise plans run at full speed up to 3.5 GB in a day, then reduce speed for the rest of that day, with high speed resuming the next day. You are not billed extra and the connection does not stop. For messaging, email and maps the throttled tier is still usable; for video calls it is not.
08Which apps work without using my plan data?+
GigSky’s Messaging + Essentials feature covers WhatsApp, iMessage, Uber and Lyft, Apple Maps and Google Maps, and Gmail in text-only form. Those keep working without drawing down your data allowance. The exclusions matter as much as the inclusions: voice and video calls are not covered, and neither are attachments — sending a photo through WhatsApp uses normal data.
09Does GigSky cover my specific ship?+
GigSky lists 290+ ships across 10 named cruise lines plus 30 or more additional operators. That is the widest vessel list of any provider we track, but "my line is listed" is not the same as "my ship is listed" — fleets are fitted with maritime equipment gradually, and a newly delivered or recently transferred vessel can lag. Check the exact ship name on GigSky’s own list before you buy, not the line.
10Can I share the connection with my family’s phones?+
Hotspot behaviour varies by plan and by device, and it is the single most common source of a surprise. A cruise plan is sold for one device; if four people need data, you are either buying four plans or accepting that one phone tethers the rest and burns the allowance several times faster. On an unlimited plan the 3.5 GB daily threshold arrives much sooner with three devices attached.
11How does GigSky compare to paying for the ship’s Wi-Fi?+
Ship Wi-Fi typically runs $16–40 per device per day, and it is priced per device — which is what makes it expensive for couples and families rather than for solo travellers. A GigSky cruise plan is bought once for the whole voyage. For a 7-night sailing the maritime eSIM is usually cheaper for one or two devices; for heavy laptop use or streaming, the ship’s package is still the more practical option because it is built for that load.
12Is the 10% ESIMDUDE code stackable with GigSky’s own promotions?+
Generally no — checkout systems apply one discount code. GigSky runs seasonal promotions of up to 40% off and a Visa cardholder offer of up to 30%, and when one of those is live it will usually beat 10%. Compare the two totals at checkout rather than assuming; the code is there for the rest of the year when no promotion is running.
13What happens to my normal number and my home SIM?+
The eSIM is a separate data line, so your primary SIM and phone number stay on the device. Leave the home line switched on for SMS if you need it, but turn OFF data roaming and automatic mobile-data switching on that line before you sail. Maritime roaming billed by a home carrier is the single most expensive way to get online at sea, and phones will silently fall back to it if you let them.
Our GigSky review, the other half: where it is not the answer
We rank GigSky first and we are paid if you buy through us, so the useful part of this page is where we tell you not to. Saily, Maya.net, OneRoam, eSIM.dog, Voye Global and Red Bull MOBILE eSIM also work in open water, and each beats GigSky somewhere: one is materially cheaper per gigabyte at sea if you are willing to buy a separate port plan, another sells unlimited by duration on a narrower ship list, and a third has the only sub-$20 entry point onto a ship network. Our comparison of every at-sea plan puts the numbers side by side, and the GigSky review is written to be read next to its rivals rather than as a sales page.
And if you are on a short ferry crossing, in port most of the trip, or travelling with four phones that all need data, the honest answer may be no eSIM at all — the coverage explainer works through those cases.
Each rival has its own page here, written to be lost as often as won: GigSky vs Saily is the cost-per-gigabyte argument, GigSky vs Maya is metered against unlimited-by-duration, GigSky vs eSIM.dog is the cheapest way onto a ship network against the cheapest way to stay on one, and GigSky vs the ship’s own Wi-Fi is the comparison most people should run first. If your work is on a rig or a support vessel rather than a cruise ship, offshore data is a different product entirely.
GigSky is also the only provider selling across both wholesale maritime networks — Cellular at Sea and Telenor Maritime — which is why it reaches European fleets that its rivals cannot.
Practical next steps: the free 100 MB trial and what it proves, installing before you sail, and keeping the bill down once aboard.