A regular Saily plan won’t work at sea: it uses land-based mobile networks. For open water you need a Saily Cruise plan, which works only on selected cruise lines and connects once the ship is more than 12 nautical miles from the coast. In port, a regular plan for that country can work.
The catch: Cruise plans are still rolling out, so they may not show in your app yet, and they don’t connect in port or near the coast.
Cruise ship Wi-Fi is famous for being slow and pricey, so a travel eSIM sounds like the answer. With Saily, the answer depends on where the ship is. Here’s what Saily’s help centre says about sea days, port days and the dedicated Cruise plan.
At sea: only a Cruise plan works
Regular Saily plans connect through local, land-based mobile networks. Once the ship is out at sea, those networks are out of range. Saily is clear: without a cruise plan, Saily won’t work on a cruise at sea, and a regular plan can’t stand in for one.
Saily Cruise plans are a separate kind of data plan built for cruise ships. They connect through maritime satellite and cellular-at-sea networks, so you can get online in open water.
When a Cruise plan connects
A Cruise plan activates only when the ship is more than 12 nautical miles from the coast. In port, or while sailing near the coastline, it won’t connect. When it works, your phone shows one of these operator names in its network settings:
- 901-18
- WMS
- Cellular at Sea
How to check if a Cruise plan is available
- Open the Saily app and tap + for a new plan.
- Scroll the categories under the search bar and select Cruise.
- Tap See available cruise lines and look for your cruise.
- If you don’t see a Cruise section at all, Cruise plans aren’t available for your account yet.
Saily is rolling Cruise plans out gradually, and they work only on selected cruises. Confirm your ship before you buy. Cruise plan prices are shown in the app.
In port: use a regular plan for the country
Because regular plans run on land networks, they’re the ones to use on port days, as long as your plan covers that country. For island-hopping trips, Saily’s Caribbean Islands plan covers 29 countries from $8.99 for 1 GB, and the Europe plan covers 35 countries from $4.99 (checked on saily.com on 24 Oct 2026). You can add plans for different locations to the same eSIM from the app’s Add data option.
No internet on board?
The Cruise plan won’t connect until the ship is more than 12 nautical miles out. Wait for open water.
Check that your phone shows 901-18, WMS or Cellular at Sea as the operator.
Saily says most cruise problems happen because the ship is outside an active coverage zone. If you’re in coverage with a valid Cruise plan, follow Saily’s general eSIM troubleshooting steps, then contact support.
Saily recommends turning off your personal SIM, or at least its data roaming, when you travel, so your home carrier doesn’t charge you.
Planning the whole trip? Read our best eSIM for cruise ship guide and, for island ports, best eSIM for a Caribbean cruise.
FAQ
Does Saily work on a cruise ship?
Only with a Saily Cruise plan, and only on selected cruise lines. Regular plans use land networks and won’t work at sea.
Does the Saily Cruise plan work in port?
No. It connects only when the ship is more than 12 nautical miles from the coast. Use a regular plan for the port’s country instead.
How do I know I’m connected to the ship’s network?
Your phone shows 901-18, WMS or Cellular at Sea as the operator.
Why can’t I see Cruise plans in the Saily app?
Saily is rolling them out gradually, so they may not be available on your account yet.
Saily’s Caribbean Islands plan starts at $8.99 for 29 countries, with 15% off through our link. Prices checked on saily.com on 24 Oct 2026.