International cell phone service needed for a River Cruise

[kacruise2]

When I have travelled internationally previously, I have used my smart phone while on WiFi and have not run into any issues.   I am scheduled for a Danube River cruise for May 2022.  If the Covid testing is still in place at that time, many suggestions are that you will need access to WiFI to get your test results.   Has anyone had any experience with getting testing results?   Our current cellphone service does not have international service.   I have looked at purchasing a SIM card from Mobal and adding a European data plan for $40.   Any suggestions???

[bubbulz]

I travel a lot internationally since I have a second home out of the country and use T-mobile‘s unlimited international data heavily. I also use Wi-Fi calling without issue. If I plan to do a lot of cellular phone calls I can easily add an optional unlimited monthly calling plan that is reasonably priced. It also includes high speed international data versus the lower speed that is free. In the past, I have also gone the other route of getting a Sim card for wherever I am traveling but that is usually more cumbersome and more expensive.

[bubbulz]

1 minute ago, bubbulz said:

I travel a lot internationally since I have a second home out of the country and use T-mobile‘s unlimited international data heavily. I also use Wi-Fi calling without issue. If I plan to do a lot of cellular phone calls I can easily add an optional unlimited monthly calling plan that is reasonably priced. It also includes high speed international data versus the lower speed that is free. In the past, I have also gone the other route of getting a Sim card for wherever I am traveling but that is usually more cumbersome and more expensive.

ETA: if all you need is Wi-Fi access/availability I don’t think you will have a problem finding that just to get your test results.

[PhD-iva]

In August of last year while cruising on the Danube w Uniworld, the Wi-Fi service was quite good, but there was no serviceable Internet to connect to while traveling in Serbia. The only person I knew who could send or receive email was using a VPN. Surfing also not possible while in Serbia. YMMV.

[sharkster77]

We have ATT and international service (outside US, CA, and MX) is $10 per day for first phone, $5 for other phones on the same plan.  You only pay if you turn on data on that day.  We were able to use our phones on the first and last days, when having cell service in the airport might be important.  Good for 24 hrs.

Edited February 16, 2022 by sharkster77

[Daisi]

As a Canadian with no access to ATT or various American phone services, we got a prepaid Vondafone card once we landed in Amsterdam.  I switched my card out (the small cases for sd cards work great for this), and put it in.  We really only wanted it to have phone access to contact the CD or ship if necessary.  I think we paid 10 Euros, but now I see you can get them for less.  We will do the same when we sail the Danube.

[sbjornda]

While the ship is sailing, connections can be spotty and slow between ship and shore. Also, Wi-Fi by nature is shared amongst all users, dividing the bandwidth. On my last cruise (2019) I bought a SIM card from Orange - it seemed pretty good value; the only quirk was that within the borders of France one had to go to a brick-and-mortar store to renew it (shouldn't be a problem on the Danube, and they may have changed that policy in the COVID era). And of course cell towers can be out of reach on occasion as well, so you are not guaranteed 100% service no matter what. How far downstream are you going on the Danube? We didn't go further than Budapest; I don't know what coverage is like on the river once you get into Romania and Bulgaria but you'd want to choose a SIM carrier with good coverage. 

[sharkster77]

We found that on the ship the wifi was good enough to deal with email and basic functions.  Probably no good to stream movies, etc., but more than good enough for basic functions.

[Daisi]

@kacruise2, just thought...if it's for testing, do you need the PCR test, or just the rapid antigen one?  Check your cruise line,, as most are either doing them for free, or helping out with arrangements.  

 

As @sharkster77says, the wifi on the ship is good for basic functions, we really only wanted the phone chip to use in case of needing to make calls  If you do need test results to get home and need wifi for them, then I would look into getting a prepaid card, as on our last night on the ship, there was no wifi.  

[kacruise2]

Thanks for all the responses.  We will be in Budapest at the end of our cruise for two nights.  As our trip gets closer I will check with the cruise line to see what will be needed.

[TFree]

On 2/16/2022 at 6:28 AM, sbjornda said:

While the ship is sailing, connections can be spotty and slow between ship and shore. Also, Wi-Fi by nature is shared amongst all users, dividing the bandwidth. On my last cruise (2019) I bought a SIM card from Orange - it seemed pretty good value; the only quirk was that within the borders of France one had to go to a brick-and-mortar store to renew it (shouldn't be a problem on the Danube, and they may have changed that policy in the COVID era). And of course cell towers can be out of reach on occasion as well, so you are not guaranteed 100% service no matter what. How far downstream are you going on the Danube? We didn't go further than Budapest; I don't know what coverage is like on the river once you get into Romania and Bulgaria but you'd want to choose a SIM carrier with good coverage. 

I, too, have used the Orange Holiday or Zen SIM cards on a number of trips.  I have had great success with them.  I think they are more expensive than buying a SIM card in an airport when you arrive, but they have the benefit of knowing in advance your European phone number, so that you can give it to family and friends for emergencies, and so that you can give it to anybody (like private shore excursions or transfers you might book), where it would be useful to be able to give your number to someone.

 

Tom & Judy

[CPT Trips]

We have three weeks in France and Italy planned and it would be nice to have the ability to use some data and possibly make local calls when out and about. I won’t need much as most of my data use will be over WiFi on board or in the hotels.

I have an iPhone. As I understand things, that means no SIM card for me. With my AT&T plan, I can get phone, text, and data for a flat $10 for a 24 hour period. can anyone suggest other options for limited use?

[sharkster77]

1 hour ago, CPT Trips said:

We have three weeks in France and Italy planned and it would be nice to have the ability to use some data and possibly make local calls when out and about. I won’t need much as most of my data use will be over WiFi on board or in the hotels.

I have an iPhone. As I understand things, that means no SIM card for me. With my AT&T plan, I can get phone, text, and data for a flat $10 for a 24 hour period. can anyone suggest other options for limited use?

We have used the ATT International Pass a few times.  Just remember to turn off data when your day of use has ended.  We have family in the US who chat with their son in Canada by using Facebook messenger calling (?)  it's something I know NOTHING about.

[gnome12]

1 hour ago, CPT Trips said:

We have three weeks in France and Italy planned and it would be nice to have the ability to use some data and possibly make local calls when out and about. I won’t need much as most of my data use will be over WiFi on board or in the hotels.

I have an iPhone. As I understand things, that means no SIM card for me. With my AT&T plan, I can get phone, text, and data for a flat $10 for a 24 hour period. can anyone suggest other options for limited use?

I don’t know what you mean. The iPhone has a SIM. That said, if you plan to use the AT&T plan for more than 3 or 4 days you are probably better off with a European SIM 30 day bundle. 

[Canal archive]

Yup we’re not in the dark ages here there are ways around every challenge!

[CPT Trips]

On 2/17/2022 at 11:16 PM, gnome12 said:

I don’t know what you mean. The iPhone has a SIM. That said, if you plan to use the AT&T plan for more than 3 or 4 days you are probably better off with a European SIM 30 day bundle. 

🤦🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️ Thanks for that news . . . seriously. 
My phone was a gift some time ago and it came with an Otter case already on it (DD knows I drop stuff). I have never seen the “naked” phone. Now to figure out how the case comes off. A brief attempt a few minutes ago was futile; there must be a trick. Off to Google . . . 

[Wings55]

3 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

🤦🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️ Thanks for that news . . . seriously. 
My phone was a gift some time ago and it came with an Otter case already on it (DD knows I drop stuff). I have never seen the “naked” phone. Now to figure out how the case comes off. A brief attempt a few minutes ago was futile; there must be a trick. Off to Google . . . 

@CPT TripsNot sure which case you have but my Otter has a rubbery outer cover that you 'peel off' and then a harder piece below that pops off easily. Good luck! 🤞

Paul

[CPT Trips]

2 hours ago, Wings55 said:

@CPT TripsNot sure which case you have but my Otter has a rubbery outer cover that you 'peel off' and then a harder piece below that pops off easily. Good luck! 🤞

Paul

Thanks. Yes. I found a video and conquered that. I decided it’s too far in advance of the trip to mess around with opening the SIM card slot.
My search for that video uncovered another thing I need to do, unlock the phone. 
 

[Host Jazzbeau]

Recent smart phones are often 'dual-SIM' – one is the physical SIM you are using now, the other may be a virtual SIM that can be programmed to handle a secondary account like the one you are contemplating.  [Don't ask for more detail:  I have just told you everything I know about it...]

[Coral]

I have broken a number of cases by taking them off.

[sfocruiser]

15 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

Thanks. Yes. I found a video and conquered that. I decided it’s too far in advance of the trip to mess around with opening the SIM card slot.
My search for that video uncovered another thing I need to do, unlock the phone. 
 

we have used the ATT international plan on trips and it met our needs.  It pulls data from your existing plan and was only $10 and only the days you used it

[CPT Trips]

1 hour ago, sfocruiser said:

we have used the ATT international plan on trips and it met our needs.  It pulls data from your existing plan and was only $10 and only the days you used it

I did use the AT&T plan back in March of 2020 to get home from Norway just as the world was closing. It was worth much more that this dollars spent for one day.

 

Looking around at prices for EU SIM cards, it appears I can get an adequate plan for about the cost of three to four days on my existing plan. Since we’ll be there almost three weeks, it seems like buying a card is a good option. 
 

16 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Recent smart phones are often 'dual-SIM' – one is the physical SIM you are using now, the other may be a virtual SIM that can be programmed to handle a secondary account like the one you are contemplating.  [Don't ask for more detail:  I have just told you everything I know about it...]

 

I saw those in my search, eSIM I believe. We know the same amount, that they exist. 🙄 If I’m understanding the little I read, they are data only. But there’s a good chance my understanding is not correct. 

[Daisi]

17 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

Thanks. Yes. I found a video and conquered that. I decided it’s too far in advance of the trip to mess around with opening the SIM card slot.
My search for that video uncovered another thing I need to do, unlock the phone. 
 

Aside from bringing along a micro cd card case to safely store my SIM, i also include a couple of paper clips...they work great for pushing in the little pin for unlocking the slot!

 

I see you have been looking at Euro SIM"s... make sure they do include phone if you need it, I found a lot that are very affordable but only data.

[gnome12]

Try checking out this site.

https://www.traveltomtom.net/travel-tips/europe-sim-card

What I have done in the past is chosen a SIM card and plan directly from the company website and had it shipped to my hotel. You find way more choice of plans that include data, text, and calls (frequently including calls to North America) for reasonable prices. 

[CPT Trips]

I did see the traveltomtom site during my searches as well as a couple similar sites. That’s where I got a sense of the cost of cards, saw that phone calls and SMS isn’t a given. And learned there are eSIM cards. I'm looking at getting a data only card that is good for a year as we have three trips scheduled in 2022.

 

I still have a lot to learn before I make a decision . . . thanks to all who have posted. It really helps!