Gigago: does it work on a cruise?
Short answer
Gigago is a Hong Kong-based eSIM retailer. Its legal name is GIGAGO Limited. It sells data-only plans across more than 200 destinations. Its catalogue runs to more than 3,000 packages. Coverage is strongest across Asia, with dedicated pages for Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and China. There are also 40-plus European countries, plus a spread of American, African and Oceanian destinations. You buy and install everything through Gigago’s own app or website.
Prices last confirmed
Overview
Gigago trades as GIGAGO Limited, registered in Hong Kong. The company puts its user base above one million. Its Trustpilot score sits at 4.8 out of 5, across roughly 250 reviews. Device support covers more than 200 handset and tablet models. That includes iPhone XS and later, Galaxy S20 and later, and Google Pixel 3 and later. A handful of China, Hong Kong and Macao phone variants are left out, though. The catalogue spans country-specific eSIMs, from Vietnam and Thailand to Egypt and Papua New Guinea. There are also regional multi-country bundles, for a trip that crosses several borders.
Pricing starts under two dollars for the cheapest single-country plans. It then scales up by data volume and by destination. A Papua New Guinea plan, for example, starts from roughly $10.50. Malaysia or Singapore starts closer to $1.50. That gap shows how much local carrier costs vary from place to place.
Gigago sells through both a website and a dedicated app. That app is on the Apple App Store and Google Play. Support runs 24/7. You can reach it by WhatsApp, or by the usual email and live chat. That mix suits a traveller who’s already abroad, not just someone buying before the trip.
Coverage on a cruise
Gigago’s catalogue is a port and land product. It is not a maritime one. A Gigago eSIM connects through local carriers while your ship is alongside. It then drops out close to 12 nautical miles from land. That’s the edge of those carriers’ broadcast range. None of Gigago’s partner networks are built to reach open water. For a cruise with a port call most days, that’s simple enough. You just let the profile pick up a new country’s signal at each stop. For long sea-day stretches between ports, or a transatlantic or Pacific crossing, it’s a different story. The eSIM has nothing to connect to until land is close again.
Plans and pricing
Gigago’s country plans were checked in September 2026. Each destination is priced on its own, not on one global rate card. Malaysia and Singapore plans start from around $1.50. A Papua New Guinea plan starts from roughly $10.50. Both scale upward with data volume and validity, typically 1 to 30 days. Regional multi-country bundles for Asia are priced separately. Third-party comparisons put Vietnam around $5.90 and Thailand around $8.90, for similar data amounts.
A QR code arrives by email within 5 to 10 minutes of purchase. Validity only begins once you scan that code and add it to your device. It doesn’t begin the moment you pay. Gigago’s 5G plans are available in select markets, including mainland China. Elsewhere across the wider catalogue, 4G-only coverage is more common.
Gigago states plainly that no refunds are issued once you’ve bought an eSIM. There’s one narrow exception. If the QR code itself fails to arrive within 10 minutes, support can resend it. That’s instead of a refund. Once your original allowance runs out, you buy more data. That comes as a top-up, or as an entirely new package.
Features
| Coverage | 200+ destinations across Asia, Europe, the Americas, Africa and Oceania |
|---|---|
| Hotspot / tethering | Supported; data can be shared with other devices |
| 5G | Available in select markets, including mainland China |
| Data / calls / SMS | Data only on most plans |
| Validity | Typically 1 to 30 days, starting from first scan, not purchase |
| Activation | QR code by email within 5 to 10 minutes of purchase |
| App | Gigago app (iOS/Android) and gigago.com |
| Top-ups | Yes, additional data or a new package after the original runs out |
| Refunds | None once purchased, aside from a resend if the QR code never arrives |
| Support | 24/7 via WhatsApp, email or live chat |
| Device compatibility | 200+ devices, including iPhone XS+, Galaxy S20+, Pixel 3+; some China/Hong Kong/Macao variants excluded |
Setup and activation
You buy a Gigago eSIM on gigago.com or inside the Gigago app. The QR code arrives by email within 5 to 10 minutes. Gigago advises installing the profile while you’re still on home wi-fi. The download itself needs an internet connection. Leave your primary SIM in place rather than removing it. The plan’s validity window only begins once you scan the QR code. That’s also when the eSIM connects for the first time.
Strengths and limits
- Catalogue reaches over 3,000 plans across 200+ destinations.
- Support runs by WhatsApp, plus the usual email and live chat.
- 5G is available in select markets, including mainland China.
- Gigago reports over one million users, with a 4.8-out-of-5 Trustpilot score.
- There are no refunds once you’ve bought an eSIM, aside from a QR-code resend.
- Some iPhone and Android variants from China, Hong Kong or Macao are excluded.
- Pricing varies a lot by destination, rather than following one flat rate.
- Hotspot restrictions apply on a handful of specific country plans.
Cruise and ferry plans
The plans database on this site holds cruise, ferry and maritime products only. Gigago publishes none, so there is no plan table on this page. Its regional data plans remain the relevant purchase for port days.
Verdict
If you’re crossing several Asian or European ports on one cruise, Gigago makes a practical land eSIM. Its destination-based catalogue and 24/7 WhatsApp support back that up. The review volume behind its Trustpilot score suggests it holds up at scale, too. The strict no-refund policy is worth planning around rather than discovering mid-trip. Once you’ve bought a code, only a resend for a missing delivery is on offer. It’s not a change of mind.
What to pair this with for sea days
Whatever you buy here, something on this list has to handle the crossings:
Frequently asked questions
01Does Gigago work on a cruise ship?+
Docked, yes; underway, no. Nothing in the Gigago range talks to a satellite or a ship-board base station, so the connection ends with the coastline and picks up again at the next quay.
02Does Gigago offer any refund if a plan is no longer needed?+
No. Gigago states that no refunds are issued once you’ve bought an eSIM. The sole exception is a resend of the QR code. That happens if it fails to arrive within 10 minutes of payment. A change of travel plans afterward does not qualify.
03Which phones cannot use a Gigago eSIM?+
Gigago lists more than 200 supported devices. Think iPhone XS upwards, Galaxy S20 upwards, and Google Pixel 3 upwards. Some phone variants sold in China, Hong Kong and Macao are the exception.
04Is 5G available on a Gigago plan?+
It depends on the destination. Gigago names mainland China as one market with 5G plans available. Much of the wider catalogue runs on 4G instead. That follows whatever the local partner carrier in that country supports.
05How fast does a Gigago eSIM arrive after payment?+
Gigago states delivery by email typically takes 5 to 10 minutes after checkout. You need to scan the QR code before the plan’s own validity period starts counting down.
Compare Gigago with
- Bloomy eSIM — A small independent eSIM store with straightforward regional bundles and no subscription upsells. A tidy port-day option where its regions match your itinerary.
- BreezeSim — Budget-priced regional eSIMs with a simple flat catalog and frequent promotions. Land-only, so treat it as the port-day half of a two-eSIM cruise setup.
- ByteSIM — A data-pack retailer with wide country coverage and daily-allowance plans. No cruise SKUs; useful ashore in the Caribbean and Mediterranean.
- ChillSim — A traveller-focused eSIM brand with regional bundles and hotspot-friendly plans. Land coverage only — it will drop the moment the ship clears the coast.