Gigago: does it work on a cruise?
A straight read on Gigago for anyone about to sail: the plans worth buying, the ones to skip, and the honest limits of the network underneath.
Does Gigago work at sea?
Gigago is a Hong Kong eSIM shop, registered as GIGAGO Limited. It sells data-only plans across more than 200 places, from a range of over 3,000 packages. It is strongest in Asia, with its own pages for Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and China. There are 40-plus European countries too, plus a spread of American, African and Oceanian ones. Everything is bought through its own app or website.
Prices last confirmed
Who Gigago is for
Gigago trades as GIGAGO Limited out of Hong Kong. It puts its user base above one million, with a Trustpilot score of 4.8 from roughly 250 reviews. Device support covers more than 200 handsets and tablets. That takes in iPhone XS and later, Galaxy S20 and later, and Pixel 3 and later. A handful of China, Hong Kong and Macao variants are left out. The range spans country eSIMs from Vietnam and Thailand to Egypt and Papua New Guinea, plus regional bundles for a trip crossing borders.
Pricing starts under two dollars for the cheapest single-country plans, then scales with data and with where you are going. Papua New Guinea starts near $10.50 while Malaysia or Singapore is closer to $1.50. That gap is a fair picture of how much local carrier costs vary.
Gigago sells through both a website and an app on either store. Support runs around the clock by WhatsApp, as well as email and live chat. That mix suits somebody already abroad, not just a buyer planning ahead.
What happens when the ship leaves port
This is a port and land product. A Gigago eSIM connects through local carriers while the ship is alongside. It drops close to 12 nautical miles out, at the edge of their range, and none of its partners reach open water. For a cruise with a port call most days that is simple enough, the profile picking up a new country at each stop. For long sea-day stretches, or an ocean crossing, there is nothing for it to connect to until land is close again.
What Gigago costs, and what that buys
The country plans were checked in September 2026, each place priced on its own rather than from one global rate card. Malaysia and Singapore start around $1.50 and Papua New Guinea near $10.50, both scaling with data and validity, typically 1 to 30 days. Regional Asia bundles are priced separately, and third-party comparisons put Vietnam around $5.90 and Thailand around $8.90 for similar amounts.
The QR code arrives by email within 5 to 10 minutes, and validity begins when it is scanned and added to the phone rather than at payment. 5G is available in select markets including mainland China, while 4G-only is more common across the wider range.
One policy deserves reading before checkout. Gigago states plainly that no refunds are issued once an eSIM is bought. The single exception is narrow: if the QR code fails to arrive within 10 minutes, support will resend it rather than refund. Once the original allowance runs out you buy more, either as a top-up or as a fresh package.
The details that matter on a ship
| 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 |
Getting it working before you sail
Buy on gigago.com or in the app, and the QR code arrives within 5 to 10 minutes. Gigago advises installing while still on home wi-fi, since the download needs a connection, and leaving the primary SIM in place rather than removing it. The validity window opens when the code is scanned and the eSIM first connects.
Where Gigago shines, and where it does not
- 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.
The verdict for cruise passengers
Crossing several Asian or European ports on one cruise, this makes a practical land eSIM. A place-led range and round-the-clock WhatsApp support back it up. The volume behind its Trustpilot score suggests it holds up at scale. The strict no-refund policy is the thing to plan around rather than discover mid-trip. Once a code is bought, only a resend for a missing delivery is on offer. A change of mind is not.
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.