Getting data while traveling internationally has never been easier, thanks to eSIMs. But there are still a few places where keeping connected can be quite challenging and expensive. We just found and tried out a new company, called GigSky, that offers regular eSIMs for when you’re traveling abroad and, more uniquely, options for cruise ships so that you can stay connected, even if you’re in the middle of the ocean. If you’re looking for options for data while you’re traveling abroad or while at sea, here’s our review of GigSky, the ultimate game changer for cruisers.
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Thanks to GigSky for sponsoring this article. All opinions are our own.
What is an eSIM?
Before getting too much into the weeds about GigSky, it’s probably worth diving into what the heck an eSIM is in the first place.
Back in the olden days, there used to be just a few not-so-great ways to get data when you’re traveling to a new country.
For example, you could buy an international data package from your cell phone carrier, but these plans are often really expensive and you may be at risk of incurring even pricier overage and roaming fees.
Alternatively, you could purchase a physical SIM card once you land in a new country and hope that it works once you pop it into your phone or mobile router. There are reports of scammers selling SIM cards that only work for a short period of time before failing, leaving the purchaser without data and with little recourse of how to get a refund for the defunct SIM card.
eSIMs, which are digital versions of a physical SIM card, are so much more convenient and usually much more affordable than the previous options. You can purchase an eSIM through a provider, like GigSky, before you leave home, by heading to its website or app, choosing what part of the world you’re heading to and how much data you need while you’re visiting.
And then, once you enable the eSIM on your device, it just works when you land in a new part of the world, with all the high speed data you need. There’s no longer a need to mess around with trying to find a SIM card kiosk once you land in the airport, wandering around a new city trying to find a public WiFi network, or worrying about roaming fees from your cell carrier.
Plus, you’ll be using the same local networks as the people who live in that part of the world, which are typically MUCH faster than relying on international roaming data.
Who can use an eSIM?
Most modern cellphones are eSIM compatible, but, if you’ve never used one before, you can check your device on GigSky’s homepage (look for the “Check Your Device” banner).
Your phone also must be unlocked, meaning that your cell phone is not tied to a singular cellular network. Your phone may be locked if you are paying for your phone in installments to your usual cell phone carrier.
Only your usual cell phone carrier can unlock your device. If you have a cell phone plan through a U.S. carrier, GigSky has a handy dandy chart on its FAQ page that breaks down if and when each of the carriers will unlock your device.
I strongly recommend calling your normal cell phone carrier to confirm whether your device is unlocked before you head to a new country. This way, you can spend your trip enjoying your new destination and not sitting on an expensive international phone call with your cell phone carrier.
What is GigSky?
GigSky was initially founded in 2010 to provide SIM card based data services to travelers. Their services quickly expanded to unique industries, such as airlines, and, in 2018, they started offering eSIMs for international travelers.
Over the last few years, they’ve started offering even more options, including eSIMs that work on some of the world’s most popular cruise ships while they’re out at sea. Currently, they’ve provided eSIM data to more than one million travelers in over 200 countries around the world.
What are the benefits of using GigSky?
To be honest, there are currently so many eSIM companies to choose from, each with their own pricepoints, benefits, and drawbacks.
Luckily, GigSky has some REALLY cool and unique features that sets them apart from other eSIM providers. Here are some of my favorites the
It’s the BEST eSIM if you’re going on a cruise.
One of the most unique aspects of GigSky’s services is that they have “Land + Cruise” eSIM plans that are specifically built for cruisers in mind, where you’ll be able to get data while you’re onboard at sea, at port, or exploring on land. As far as I can tell, they’re actually the only eSIM provider to offer this service.
GigSky has partnerships with Cellular at Sea to provide data to passengers onboard cruise ships. Accordingly, their data plans will only work on ships that use Cellular at Sea to provide their own data plans to passengers. At the time I’m writing this, GigSky currently offers these packages on 29 different cruise lines, which range from budget operators, like Carnival, and family-friendly options, like Disney, to luxury offerings, like Silversea and Seabourne.
GigSky’s cruise-specific eSIMs are generally much more affordable than most cruise lines internet packages. For example, you can get a 10 GB GigSky plan for 30 days that costs $107, which is generally a LOT cheaper than most cruise’s onboard internet plans, which can cost upwards of $400+.
Plus, unlike cruise ships plans, you can access your data while you’re in port (Cellular at Sea typically only works 12 nautical miles from port) AND while you’re out exploring a new country for the day with the Land +Cruise eSIM plans. No need to buy an additional physical SIM or eSIM to get data while you lay on a beach in Jamaica; indulge in pasta in Cinque Terre, Italy; or hike up a volcano in Vanuatu—GigSky’s got you covered!
Alternatively, you can also buy GigSky eSIM data plans that are only for when you’re at sea during your cruise, which may make sense for you if your regular cellular package covers you at the port stops you’re making.
eSIMS for inflight travel
GigSky has partnered with AeroMobile to offer inflight eSIM packages on 19 different airlines, including Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, and Cathay Pacific. You can check out the complete list of eligible airlines on GigSky’s app.
If you purchase this eSIM before boarding, simply switch it on once the plane reaches cruising altitude and boom, you have data!
GigSky currently offers one inflight data plan for 100 MB. Accordingly, it’s a great option if you’re looking to intermittently check your email or social media on a flight, but may not make sense if you’re hoping to non-stop stream Netflix or other data intensive applications.
Subscription eSIM plan that works in 120 countries
GigSky offers another service that I’ve never seen offered by other eSIM providers—GigSky One, a subscription plan for high-speed data in 120 countries around the world, which is perfect for long-term travelers. The subscriptions are sold in monthly, quarterly, or annual plans.
You can choose from 25, 50, and 75 GB of high speed data per month, but the packages are REALLY flexible—you can switch between or even cancel packages at any time without penalties; you can use your cell phone as a hotspot to share data with your other devices, like a tablet or laptop; and you even get additional unlimited data (up to 1 Mbps) once you’ve used your allotment of high speed data.
As full-time content creators, my husband, Justin, and I traveled to 11 countries this year across four different continents and are constantly having to purchase small one-off eSIM packages for the new countries that we visit. Having a subscription, like GigSky One, is an absolute game changer to simplify getting high speed data when we’re on the go.
Unlimited data plans
If you’re traveling to a certain country or region (e.g., Latin America, Europe, or Africa), you can either purchase a specific amount of high speed data or an unlimited data plan.
Under these plans, you get 2.5 GB of high speed data every day that the plan is active. Once you’ve used 2.5 GB per day, your data is throttled to a slower speed, although it still works perfectly fine for less data-intensive tasks, like sending or receiving emails. This amount of high speed data is actually quite a bit more than a lot of other eSIM providers’ unlimited data plans, who often throttle high speed data after 1-2 GB of use.
Plus, your data usage resets every day of your plan—so, for example, if you use 2.5 GB of your unlimited data plan one day, you’ll get access to high speed data the following day.
Free Trial
If you’ve never tried an eSIM before or are unsure of trying GigSky, they actually offer a free trial with 100 MB in over 200 countries, so you can try out their services without any kind of monetary or contractual commitment—you don’t even have to input your credit card!
This is SUCH a helpful feature. For example, Justin has a Samsung phone and has run into several issues in the past with installing eSIMs on his phone from various providers. And, when they don’t work, he has to dedicate a bunch of time to attempting to troubleshoot the issue and eventually, getting a refund for the eSIM.
But, with a free trial, Justin could easily try out GigSky’s services and see if he has any issues with their eSIMs before taking the plunge and purchasing one—so no need to chat with the support team or request a refund if he happens to run into any issues.
* Use the promo code JUSTINJESS to get 15% off on all products on the GigSky website (excluding Inflight and North Sea plan). Minimum order of $4 and 1 order per user maximum.
I hope this GigSky review helped clarify some of the benefits and use cases for these awesome eSIMs. Do you have any questions about GigSky or eSIMs in general? Let me know in the comments below!
Thanks for the review and information. I am curious to know about the quality of the connection when at sea and if it will work throughout most ships. Could I expect GigSky to work from my cabin, or would I need to be in a public area? I expect the throughput to be slower than my on land experience, but is it consistent and uninterrupted?
Hi Julian,
We didn’t experience any issues with using GigSky in our cabins, but I imagine it depends on the ship and where your cabin is. I would imagine for most ships and most cabins, the service would still work, although may be slower, due to the thick doors and walls, but there may be certain ships where you may experience service interruptions in certain cabins.
Sorry I can’t give you a more definite answer, but we unfortunately haven’t gotten to try GigSky on every ship yet. Guess we better start going on a lot more cruises!
Jess