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Telstra International Roaming Review & Guide

Posted by Tara Donnelly 04/09/2019

Planning a trip overseas? You may be prepping for an Instagram-worthy holiday, but those vacation snap uploads can add up quickly when you’re using data abroad – especially if you haven’t done your roaming research first.

If you’re currently on a postpaid or prepaid Telstra plan, or considering signing up for one, you may be concerned about the cost of using your phone outside Australia. Global roaming costs can add up quickly, especially if you’re using data – and there’s no quicker way to kill post-holiday vibes than with a sky-high phone bill.

Luckily for Telstra customers, the company does offer several international roaming add-ons and solutions. Postpaid customers can use Telstra’s easy International Day Pass option, while prepaid plan users have a selection of data roaming packs to choose from.

Roaming with Telstra International Day Pass

If you’re heading to a major or popular destination, you’ll most likely be able to use Telstra’s International Day Pass roaming option with your postpaid phone plan. This service is priced at $10 per day (or $5 per day in New Zealand), and gives you the following daily inclusions:

• Unlimited standard voice calls
• Unlimited standard SMS and MMS
• 200MB of data per day

Telstra International Day Pass is available to use in over 70 countries worldwide, including most of North America, Europe, Asia, and various countries throughout Africa and the Middle East. Again, the service is also available to use in New Zealand, but at lower rate of $5 per day.

Eligible customers can activate International Day Pass online through Telstra’s online My Account feature, or through the Telstra 24×7 app. Once you’ve switched on Day Pass, you’ll automatically be charged $5 or $10 for each day you use your Telstra service in included countries outside Australia.

International Day Pass is priced at a flat $5 or $10 for each day that you use your phone, with the included 200MB allowance expiring at the end of each day. If you do exceed your 200MB daily allowance, Telstra will automatically add a further 500MB for $10; this data is available to use over 31 days, with the $10 fee added to your Telstra bill.

As International Day Pass is an optional feature that accompanies your existing plan, you won’t need to swap SIMs or use a different phone number. Simply activate Day Pass, then use your phone as needed, and pay off the daily charges in your next bill.

Telstra plans with International Day Pass

International Day Pass is available on most postpaid Telstra plans, with the exception of some older plans with included global roaming features (for example, the now-removed $199 Ultimate plan). If you’re on a newer postpaid plan, you’re most likely eligible to activate and use the service when travelling; if you’re unsure, check with Telstra before you jet off.

Where can I use Telstra International Day Pass?

Telstra International Day Pass can be used in more than 70 countries worldwide, including the UK, the USA, China, Indonesia, India, and Canada. Exceptions include most of Africa and South America, as well as parts of Asia and Eastern Europe.

The below map indicates which countries are currently covered by Telstra’s International Day Pass. Dark blue countries are compatible with International Day Pass, while countries shaded light blue will instead require pay-as-you-go roaming. If your planned destination is grey, you won’t be able to roam in that country on a Telstra plan.

Benefits of Telstra’s International Day Pass

• You’ll only pay $5 or $10 on days you actually use your phone, and can make as many calls or send as many messages you like without being charged extra.
• International day Pass is available in more than 70 countries, including the UK, the USA, New Zealand, and most of Europe and South East Asia.
• You’ll get to use your existing number and SIM card when travelling.
• International Day Pass can be easily switched on or off on most postpaid plans, via Telstra’s My Account portal or the Telstra 24×7 app.

Pay-as-you-go international roaming

If you’re a postpaid customer heading off to a country that isn’t covered by Telstra’s International Day Pass, you still have the option of pay-as-you-go global roaming. Essentially, you’ll simply pay per-minute for each call you make or receive, as well as for each message you send and every megabyte of data used.

Pay-as-you-go roaming rates vary from country-to-country, and you may not be able to access data roaming in all locations. It’s best to check rates before you depart, but just as an example, below are the current per-use charges for roaming in Pakistan:

• Calls:  $1.50 per minute, to both make and receive voice calls
• Texts:  $0.75 per standard text message sent
• Data:  $3.00 per megabyte, charged per kilobyte

Keep in mind that pay-as-you-go rates mean your bill can shoot up quickly, particularly if you’re using data. Going by the above rates for Pakistan, you’ll pay more than $3,100 to use a gigabyte of data – so this isn’t a great option if you want to maintain internet access when travelling.

Prepaid international roaming

If you’re on a prepaid plan , you’ve still got roaming options: Telstra offers its prepaid customers the choice of adding one of three International Roaming Browse Plus Packs for data use in selected countries.

As international prepaid data use is normally charged at $3.00 per megabyte, this is a much more affordable alternative to paying hundreds (or thousands) in roaming costs.

International Roaming Browse Plus Packs:

• $29 pack: includes 100MB of data, to use over 30 days
• $85 pack: includes 300MB of data, to use over 30 days
• $160 pack: includes 600MB of data, to use over 30 days

Each of these packs can be added to your account at any time via Telstra’s online My Account option – simply log in, select your prepaid number, then hit the ‘balance and recharge’ tab and add your choice of roaming pack. You’ll need to first make sure you have enough recharge credit on your account to cover the purchase of a Browse Plus pack.

If you’re planning to make or receive calls and texts while travelling, these will be charged on a pay-as-you-go basis from your plan’s recharge credit. Again, these rates will vary depending on the country you’re in, so be sure to keep your account topped up if you’re hoping to regularly call home.

Roaming on cruise ships with Telstra

If you’re planning on taking a cruise, your mobile device will most likely be connected to your ship’s satellite when roaming. Calls, text, and data used on cruise ships outside Australia will be charged at pay-as-you-go roaming rates, even if you’re near a country that’s covered by Telstra’s International Day Pass; rates will vary depending on where you’re travelling.

Overall, if you’re a Telstra customer getting ready for an overseas jaunt, there’s several options available if you’re hoping to use your phone on your travels. However, if you’ve yet to commit to a mobile provider, you may want to look into alternative roaming services – such as travel SIMs , or Vodafone’s $5 Roaming – before you jet off.

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Telstra international roaming

Activate international roaming with telstra and get calls, texts, and data in 70+ countries for $10 a day..

In this guide

What is international roaming with Telstra?

What are the international roaming inclusions with telstra, what countries are included with telstra international roaming, telstra international roaming payg charges, how can i activate or turn off telstra international roaming, compare telstra plans with international roaming.

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What you need to know

• Telstra offers international roaming packs for its prepaid and Upfront mobile plans.
• International roaming on Telstra Upfront mobile plans start from $10 a day, available to use in over 70 countries.
• Prepaid international roaming packs start from $10 for 3 days, available to use in 35 countries.

If you're going overseas and have a Telstra mobile plan, you can activate international roaming with Telstra to save on roaming costs. International roaming will let you make calls and texts, and use a bit of data while you're overseas without blowing your budget.

All Telstra customers on an Upfront mobile plan have access to the International Day Pass for $10 per day ($5 in New Zealand).

In supported countries, the Day Pass offers:

• Unlimited calls and SMS
• 1GB of data per day (excluded in Zone 3 countries)
• An extra 1GB for $10 when you exceed your daily limit

True to its name, all inclusions expire at the end of the 24 hour period, except for the data top-up. This will be valid for 31 days from your day of purchase.

Telstra prepaid customers have a slightly different offer for international roaming. You have 3 packs to choose from depending on how long you're going away for and how many inclusions you're after:

• $10 for 3 days. Get 400MB data, 15 included SMS or MMS and 15 minutes worth of calls.
• $15 for 7 days. Get 2GB data, 25 included SMS or MMS and 25 minutes worth of calls.
• $25 for 14 days. Get 4GB data, 50 included SMS or MMS and 50 minutes worth of calls.

Here are the 75 countries where you can use an International Day Pass for roaming as of January 2023. Roaming will be charged on a pay as you go basis in excluded countries, covered in the next section.

• Czech Republic
• East Timor (Leste)
• Isle of Man
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• Saudi Arabia
• Slovak Rep.
• Solomon Islands
• South Africa
• South Korea
• Switzerland

Note that cruise ships are always excluded from the day pass, no matter how close to an included country you may be, and will be charged at pay as you go rates.

Prepaid international roaming with Telstra is available in 35 destinations. We've noted these countries in bold in the above list.

You can still roam in the majority of countries not included on the International Day Pass, but you will be charged pay as you go rates (PAYG) for calls, texts, and data.

Data costs $3 per MB you consume. You'll find out the exact rates for calls, texts and more in an SMS you'll receive when you arrive in the country.

• Keep in mind: PAYG rates are usually quite expensive and will vary from country to country.

Activating and disabling international roaming with Telstra can be done in the same way, either through your online account management or the My Telstra mobile app. Disabling roaming means you won't be able to make calls, send texts, or use data on your Telstra SIM outside of Australia.

If you're not yet a Telstra customer but want to take advantage of Telstra's international roaming packs, check out its range in the comparison table.

We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.

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Sam Baran is a writer for Finder, covering topics across the tech, telco and utilities sectors. They enjoy decrypting technical jargon and helping people compare complex products easily. When they aren't writing, you'll find Sam's head buried in a book or working on their latest short story. Sam has a Bachelor of Advanced Science from the University of Sydney.

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• Telstra international roaming and being on a cruise

If you’re an Australian with Telstra and are contemplating a cruise, be aware that Telstra’s daily international roaming/day pass fee (e.g. $5/day for NZ, $10/day for US) DOES NOT cover any time your phone might say ‘Cellular at Sea’ or similar and you will be charged for EVERY SMS and email received, even though you have no internet connection for other data. (Fortunately, there’s no internet connection otherwise the data charges would be astronomical!).

How did I find this out? Because Telstra sent me a message when I had exceeded $100 and then $200 in charges (I was expecting $35 for 7 days around NZ), and when I was back in Australia and queried it, they said international roaming doesn’t cover you once the ship leaves port, even if you appear to have connection to local towers near the coast or ‘Cellular at Sea’ (as I saw on the ship I was on).

And guess what? I could find NOTHING about this at all on their website. There’s just NO information about cruising and the charges you will incur: https://www.telstra.com.au/international-roaming

That said, the charges I incurred were far less than I would’ve paid on the ship for patchy internet connection, but at least I would have had some data connection for that money instead of the second by second charges Telstra charged me for receiving (not sending!) an SMS or email.

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Home » Mobile

Telstra international roaming: Is it your best option?

Don’t head overseas with your Telstra-connected mobile plan before reading our guide to Telstra’s International roaming rates, availability and features.

We may earn money when you click our links.

Roaming on a Telstra Upfront Plan

• Roaming on a legacy Telstra Postpaid Plan

Roaming on a Telstra Prepaid plan

Heading overseas with your mobile phone was, at one time, a really risky process. Not so much because of loss or damage to the phone itself, but simply because so many of us lived in the sheer terror of the bill that might greet us on return to Australia’s shores, especially if your phone used even a single data packet.

These days your options when it comes to international roaming plans are quite wide (https://www.reviews.org/au/mobile/data-roaming-plans/) if you’re happy to change provider, but I’m going to guess that you’re reading this guide because you’re actually quite happy with your Telstra mobile plan, and just want to know if you’re going to have several key bodily organs to afford your mobile bill upon your return.

Short answer: No… mostly. But it’s worth knowing precisely how Telstra charges in differing ways depending on your precise mobile plan type and where you’re visiting – and how to get the best value out of a Telstra mobile plan while roaming.

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Telstra swapped out most of its so-called postpaid plans a few years back in favour of what it calls “upfront” plans instead ; here’s a quick summary of your current upfront plan options:

If your Telstra mobile plan is of the upfront variety, the simplest and most cost-effective way to roam if you don’t want to swap SIMs or enable a travel eSIM is to use Telstra’s “Day Pass” system.

Telstra sells Day Passes that enable calling and (for many destinations) data inclusions, split amongst three different “zones”. Here’s the practical breakdown of costs for each Day Pass zone:

At this point, you’re probably wondering how the zones work. Telstra’s deals with different networks in different countries means it drops them into different zone groupings.

Zone 1 is the easiest to explain, because it’s a group that contains New Zealand and… that’s it. Telstra could have literally just called it the “New Zealand Day Pass” and it would be easier to understand, really.

The Zone 2 group is much bigger, compromising: Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Timor Leste (East Timor), Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Nauru, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga, Turkey, UAE, UK, Ukraine, USA, Vanuatu and Vietnam.

Travel to any of those destinations, and a day pass will run you $10 for 1GB of data usage plus unlimited calls and texts.

If your destination isn’t covered by Zones 1 or 2, it may fall into the Zone 3 group, though this is a much smaller subset of destinations, covering Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jamaica, Jersey, Malta, Peru and Samoa only. In those destinations a Day Pass will still run you $10, but only cover calls, not data.

Activating the Day Pass functionality is simple enough; within the My Telstra App go to the Services Tab, then your eligible plan, then Extras and finally International Roaming. From here if you toggle “International Day Pass” to the on position, it will then automatically apply a Day Pass rate for any day where you use data (where available) or make calls or send texts while travelling.

If you’re on an upfront plan, then Day Passes are your only international roaming option that you’ll see in the My Telstra app, which does mean that if you’re travelling to a destination not covered by Zones 1-3, you’ll have to switch to a local SIM or travel SIM option in your destination of choice.

If you're not quite sold on what your current provider has to offer when it comes to roaming add-ons then Airalo is a great way to stay connected when you're traveling abroad.

Roaming on a legacy Telstra Postpaid plan

Given how long ago Telstra announced its flip to Upfront plans, the odds are pretty good that you’re no longer on a true postpaid Telstra plan. But if that’s still you, you can also access Telstra Day Passes for international roaming. There are some differences in play, however. Zone 1 is still $5 a day and still just New Zealand.

The Zone 2 country list for non-upfront customers differs, comprising Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, East Timor (Leste), Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Nauru, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga, Turkey, UAE, UK, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, Vanuatu, Vietnam.

However, there are no Zone 3 country options if you’re not on an upfront plan. You can alternatively opt for PAYG data rates, but Telstra notes that these are expensive – and they’re not wrong! Data on PAYG terms is $3 per MB. That’s MB, not GB, which means even smaller communication sessions could cost you a packet, as could any calls or texts.

Simply put, PAYG is a terrible value deal for anyone, and you’d be far better off with a travel eSIM or local SIM in any international destination by a very wide margin if a Day Pass isn’t going to work for you.

Telstra offers a variety of prepaid plans for customers who prefer a fixed spend, though with the shift to upfront plans the differences about when you actually pay aren’t all that different.

What is different is the way that international roaming works for Telstra prepaid customers. If you’re on a prepaid plan, instead of day passes, you opt to buy prepaid International Roaming Packs that cover 3, 7 or 14 day periods across a range of international destinations.

All packs are purchased through the My Telstra app, and Telstra advises that it’s best not to actually purchase the packs until you land in your destination country, as they kick into gear and the clock starts ticking as soon as you purchase them.

The eligible country list is smaller than those of the upfront day pass roaming deals, comprising Austria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Fiji, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, U.S.A. , United Kingdom and Vanuatu only.

While it’s constrained by countries, the lower cost and longer expiry of Telstra’s international roaming packs can make them a great value buy if your data needs are moderate. A little Google Maps usage (or preloading maps for offline use, alongside some downloaded music and the like) and it’s quite feasible to get by on the $15/7 day plan for far less than 7 days on a Day Pass outside Zone 1 on an upfront plan would cost you!

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How to Avoid Roaming Charges on a Cruise Ship

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Imagine setting sail on a serene cruise only to return to land with a phone bill that costs more than your vacation. It’s a common story, but it doesn’t have to be yours. Staying connected at sea without breaking the bank is simpler than you might think.

You can avoid roaming charges on a cruise ship by turning off your phone, using airplane mode, purchasing a WiFi plan or international roaming package, or looking for free WiFi in ports of call.

Read on to learn more about using your phone on a cruise ship.

Table of Contents

Can You Use Your Cell Phone on a Cruise Ship?

Absolutely! Cruise ships have specialized cell services such as Wireless Maritime Services or Cellular at Sea . These phone systems operate using satellites, ensuring you can still send texts or calls even at sea.

Remember, though, while they keep you connected, they’re not exactly budget-friendly.

Your cell provider will generally bill the on-ship cell usage as international roaming . Yes – that means high costs.

Before you board, it’s wise to contact your provider and ask about their cruise packages. Many phone providers offer special cruise ship roaming plans at cheaper rates than international roaming.

Cruise ship roaming bundles might seem pricey at first glance, but trust us; they’re often more affordable than the sky-high roaming charges that’ll pile up without them.

Remember, most of these packages don’t include data . So, if your needs don’t extend beyond internet services, you’ve got a more cost-effective option – the ship’s WiFi .

When staying online, your best bet is to purchase a WiFi package. For calls or messages, consider using internet-based apps like Signal and WhatsApp .

Cruise ship WiFi is much cheaper than roaming fees. And we recommend using the WiFi if you don’t require traditional cell phone service.

Put your phone on airplane mode with WiFi on to prevent unexpected roaming costs.

You might have heard that cruise ship WiFi is mind-numbingly slow. But that’s not the case on most cruise ships anymore.

Thanks to Starlink Internet, most cruise ships now offer high-speed internet. In fact, we recorded internet download speeds of 83 Mbps with Royal Caribbean’s Voom internet .

With speeds like that, you can browse the web, message, video call, and stream without interruptions or buffering.

How Much Does it Cost To Use Your Phone on a Cruise

When sailing the high seas, staying connected through your phone can come with a hefty price tag. The cost to use your smartphone on a cruise ship varies widely depending on your cell phone carrier and the cruise line.

Typically, you’re dealing with satellite technology, which increases the price considerably compared to your standard land-based mobile services.

Prices for cruise ship roaming are set by your carrier, not the cruise line.

So, checking with your carrier before your cruise vacation is always best.

Here’s the stinger: using your phone like you would on land can lead to eye-watering charges. Making calls can cost up to $6 per minute , and sending texts often runs around $0.50 per message .

Here are some average costs you might encounter:

To avoid these outrageous fees, exploring your options before embarking is essential.

Check if your carrier offers cruise-specific packages if you require traditional text messaging and calling. Some carriers provide daily rates, allowing unlimited calls, texts, and data for a fixed price. The packages are significantly cheaper than pay-per-use rates.

Cruise Ship Phone Plans

Below are several popular options for cruise ship phone plans.

Verizon: Verizon offers “Pay As You Go” rates ranging from $0.99 to $2.99 per minute for voice calls, depending on the call’s destination and originating country. Data usage costs $2.05 per MB, while sending an SMS costs 25 cents, receiving an SMS is 5 cents, and MMS messages are 25 cents each, whether sent or received. These rates apply to most cruise lines. For travelers on one of the 400 ships partnered with Verizon , Verizon offers a special $20 monthly plan with 50MB of data. However, be cautious, as there is a data overage fee of $20 for each extra 50MB.

AT&T: AT&T offers two non-recurring cruise package options. The AT&T Cruise Talk & Text package is priced at $50, offering 50 minutes of talk time with a $2 per minute charge for additional minutes. Their AT&T Cruise Talk, Text & Data package costs $100, providing unlimited talk and text and 200MB of data, and charges $2 for each additional MB of data used.

T-Mobile (including Sprint): T-Mobile, which now includes Sprint, does not have specific cruise packages. Instead, their standard international roaming rates apply on cruises without a data service option. Sending a text costs 50 cents, while texts received are deducted from your domestic text plan. Voice calls are notably expensive at $5.99 per minute.

US Cellular: US Cellular offers roaming services on select cruise ships, but only with standard plans. Their roaming rates are $4 per minute for voice calls and 80 cents for each sent text, with received texts costing 25 cents each and data priced at $20 per MB.

Metro by T-Mobile and Mint Mobile: Customers of Metro by T-Mobile and Mint Mobile currently lack roaming services on cruise ships. To stay connected and manage expenses effectively, I recommended purchasing a prepaid International SIM card that covers cruise vessels and international ports.

How to Avoid Roaming Charges on Cruise Ships

Now that you understand how roaming charges work, here is a list of tips to help you use your cell phone while on a cruise.

Turn Off Your Phone

The simplest way to avoid unexpected roaming charges is to turn off your phone . When your phone is off, it cannot connect to cellular networks , ensuring you don’t incur charges for data, calls, or texts.

However, it’s essential to consider the drawbacks.

Turning off your phone means you’re completely disconnected . Turning off your phone isn’t practical for those who need to stay in touch with family or manage work-related tasks.

Additionally, you won’t be able to capture photos or access offline apps unless you turn your phone back on.

Use Airplane Mode

Activating airplane mode is a convenient way to prevent roaming charges while using your phone for offline activities. In airplane mode, your phone won’t connect to cellular networks but can still connect to WiFi.

Airplane mode allows you to use your phone for offline apps, games, and photos . You can also access the internet in airplane mode when WiFi is available.

Using airplane mode is our preferred solution because it mitigates the risk of roaming fees while allowing you to use your device.

Remember that you’ll need to connect to a WiFi network to use any online services. You won’t be able to receive calls or texts, but you can use messaging apps over WiFi to stay in touch.

Purchase an International Roaming Plan

For those who need to stay connected, purchasing an international roaming plan from your mobile phone service provider can be a cost-effective way to manage roaming charges. Many carriers offer cruise plans, often providing a set amount of data, calls, and texts for a fixed price.

Cruise ship roaming plans allow you to use your mobile phone as usual without fear of exorbitant fees.

Always check the terms of your roaming plan. Exceeding the plan limits can result in high costs. Also, check that the plan covers your destination, as not all plans include cruise ships or specific international regions.

It’s also important to remember that cruise ship cell phone plans are more expensive than WiFi packages and don’t include data. Even with a cruise ship cellular plan, you won’t have access to the internet unless you purchase a WiFi plan from your cruise line.

Use the Ship’s WiFi

Cruise ships offer WiFi packages , allowing you to connect to the internet without using your cellular data. These packages vary in price and internet speeds, so choose one that suits your needs.

Using the ship’s WiFi is a reliable way to stay online , especially for activities that require a stable internet connection, like video calls or streaming.

Be aware that ship WiFi can be more expensive and slower than land-based WiFi. It’s also shared among many passengers, which can affect its speed and reliability.

Many cruise lines have upgraded to Starlink internet service. So, while the internet speeds might not be as fast as you’re used to, they are fast enough for you to browse the web, email, message, video call, and stream.

Look for Free WiFi at Ports of Call

When the ship is docked, you can often find free WiFi at ports of call . Cafes, restaurants, shops, and public spaces offer free internet access. If you can wait until you’re in port to access WiFi, you can save a lot of money compared to purchasing an internet plan.

Free WiFi is an excellent opportunity to download necessary documents, check emails, message back home, post on social media, or upload photos without incurring roaming fees.

However, exercise caution with public WiFi. Public WiFi isn’t always secure.

Avoid accessing sensitive information or making transactions over these networks. Additionally, the quality and speed of the internet can vary greatly.

Marcello De Lio

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• Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

South Pacific Data Roaming

By HPSOV , March 6, 2014 in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

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Having just returned from a cruise I will share some info on international data roaming, apologies if it is common knowledge but it was new to me. I know phones/internet are the last thing some people want on a cruise, but for those who want/need to stay connected here it is.

I purchased an international data pack from Telstra prior to the cruise, $85 for 300mb.

I had the following reception-

Isle of Pines- 3G

Port Vila- EDGE (slower than 3G)

Champagne Bay- EDGE

Luganville- EDGE

Mystery Island- No reception

I also had reception while transiting between some of the ports. The 3G speeds were very good, and the EDGE speeds were useable (faster than the ships internet). Compared to the ships internet at $100 for 208 minutes (of painfully slow internet) the data roaming was great value and allowed my phone to stay connected the entire time I was in port/coverage. 300mb was sufficient for the 6 port days with reception for iMessage/Whatsapp, Facebook, Email and some web browsing.

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aussie cruzer

Having just returned from a cruise I will share some info on international data roaming, apologies if it is common knowledge but it was new to me. I know phones/internet are the last thing some people want on a cruise, but for those who want/need to stay connected here it is.   I purchased an international data pack from Telstra prior to the cruise, $85 for 300mb.   I had the following reception- Noumea- 3G Lifou- 3G Isle of Pines- 3G Port Vila- EDGE (slower than 3G) Champagne Bay- EDGE Luganville- EDGE Mystery Island- No reception   I also had reception while transiting between some of the ports. The 3G speeds were very good, and the EDGE speeds were useable (faster than the ships internet). Compared to the ships internet at $100 for 208 minutes (of painfully slow internet) the data roaming was great value and allowed my phone to stay connected the entire time I was in port/coverage. 300mb was sufficient for the 6 port days with reception for iMessage/Whatsapp, Facebook, Email and some web browsing.

Good info above,

We have returned from similar South Pacific cruise with Rcl....I purchased Optus travel pack.

$10 per day unlimited calls to Australia plus 50 mg data per day....the data can be combined for all days purchased,we had six days for $60 and a bundle of 300 mg to use.

The reception was great.

Did that Optus pack include the Maritime system on the ship whilst you were out at sea?

Don't know about Optus but my Telstra package included cellular at sea while onboard. Also in Vila I used Digicel which was much faster than edge.

Sent from my GT-I9100T using Forums mobile app

30thbirthdaygirls

I asked a similar question about coverage for this area as I am about to opt for the Optus $10/day roaming. The customer service rep clearly stated that it did not include reception from ships satellite as they only have agreements with the countries telecommunication companies.

Best to check in settings which phone network you are connected to before making calls in case your using ships signal by mistake.

Very glad op posted this helpful info, thank you.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Having just returned from a cruise I will share some info on international data roaming, apologies if it is common knowledge but it was new to me.

Thanks HPSOV for starting this thread and also to the responders. Great information.:)

retyredgreynomad

We not long got back and after chatting at breakfast another cruiser told me you can get Tourist or International traveler Sims in Vila.

Digicel were Vatu1000 (Au$11.30) which is call credit plus 178mb of data...we could not buy this because their Credit card reader was not working. Vatu60 to I'national zone 1.

We got a sim at TVL, called a Visitor pack. Same Vatu1000, only 60mb data, but when we activated we got a bonus 50mb. Their system works similar to Telstra where you have to dedicate part of your 1000 credit to purchase data. We were left with Vatu600 for calls..technically that gave us 10 minutes of talk to home, we used it until it cut us off and we got about 20 minutes.

Both of these stores are in the far end of town up near the Anchor Inn.

Hope this help....Tony.

No maritime at sea with Optus.

We had six port days in a row...so I just payed for the six days only.

With Optus you can pick how many days you require from 1 to 30.

After reading this thread I contacted Optus. They said the days package had to be continuous. Which doesn't work well with just the odd port day with lots of sea days.

Yes that's correct to accumulate the data in particular it needs to be consecutive days, but you can still have separate dates.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Yes that's correct to accumulate the data in particular it needs to be consecutive days, but you can still have separate dates.     Sent from my iPad using Forums

Yes. I think I'll try again during work hours. Maybe even go into a store. It was $10 for one day or $50 for five but five gave better data.

Don't know about Optus but my Telstra package included cellular at sea while onboard. Also in Vila I used Digicel which was much faster than edge.   Sent from my GT-I9100T using Forums mobile app

Just went and checked and no mine didn't include cellular at sea which shows as Bermuda but the data rate was pretty reasonable. Sorry for the wrong info.

Curious..What were they charging for Bermuda?

Curious..What were they charging for Bermuda?     Sent from my iPad using Forums

Edit: and everything else I did in Vanuatu and New Caledonia was included in my 100mb $29 package.

I'm traveling from Sydney to Honolulu via NZ andTahiti on the radiance of the Seas. I'm using the voda phone red cap travel deal. For $5 a day in approved countries you get to use your red cap plan as if you're in Australia. So all calls to Australia and all calls in the approved country come under your plan. And you can use your plans data download in the approved country as well. I think at $5 a day to use an existing plan of unlimited calls, txt and 3gig data is pretty good. And it's a month by month plan so I can cancel when ever I want. Win/win :)

Sent from JD's iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm traveling from Sydney to Honolulu via NZ andTahiti on the radiance of the Seas. I'm using the voda phone red cap travel deal. For $5 a day in approved countries you get to use your red cap plan as if you're in Australia. So all calls to Australia and all calls in the approved country come under your plan. And you can use your plans data download in the approved country as well. I think at $5 a day to use an existing plan of unlimited calls, txt and 3gig data is pretty good. And it's a month by month plan so I can cancel when ever I want. Win/win :)     Sent from JD's iPhone using Tapatalk

Can you use the same phone number you already have?

That's a great deal on a land holiday....but not on a cruise....won't be able to use plan on cruise ship and is only useable in New Zealand and Hawaii on Trans Pacific cruise.

Yes but then I doubt if there are any cheap call and Data options while at sea.

So happy to only be connect to the inter web every now and then for a fraction of the cost to international roaming :)

Can you use the same phone number you already have?   Sent from my GT-I9100T using Forums mobile app

You can keep your number if you transfer over from your existing provider. I'm staying with my current provider (I have a contract unfortunately). And you have to have an unlocked phone.

But for a 3 week period I'm happy to let my family and friends know my new number. And I can always set my old number to transfer to my new if I wanted to :). The phone I'm using has all my contacts and apps so it should not be a problem with a new number. But it's a good international roaming option :)

You can keep your number if you transfer over from your existing provider. I'm staying with my current provider (I have a contract unfortunately). And you have to have an unlocked phone.   But for a 3 week period I'm happy to let my family and friends know my new number. And I can always set my old number to transfer to my new if I wanted to :). The phone I'm using has all my contacts and apps so it should not be a problem with a new number. But it's a good international roaming option :)     Sent from JD's iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks. That's sort of what I figured.

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