How-to · OpenDial Blog
How to Call from a Cruise Ship Without Paying Cruise Phone Rates
March 30, 2026 · 6 min read
Cruise ship phone calls are notoriously expensive. Here is how to use the ship's Wi-Fi to make real phone calls to landlines and mobile numbers at a fraction of the onboard rate.
Why cruise ship calling is so expensive
Cruise ships are essentially floating cell towers. When your phone connects to the ship's mobile network at sea, you are roaming on a maritime network that charges rates most people have never seen — often $5 to $10 per minute or more. Some carriers have deals with specific cruise lines, but the coverage and rates are inconsistent.
Even in port, your phone may connect to a foreign mobile network in whatever country the ship is docked, switching to a different set of international roaming charges. Most passengers discover this after the fact when they see their bill.
The onboard phone problem
Every cruise cabin has a phone, and you can use it to call home. The catch: rates are set by the cruise line and are almost always very high. These calls are convenient but expensive, and they are generally not a practical option for anything longer than a quick check-in.
Cruise lines make significant revenue from onboard phone calls, which is why more affordable options are rarely advertised to passengers. The information exists, but you have to know to look for it.
Using the ship's Wi-Fi to your advantage
Most modern cruise ships sell Wi-Fi packages. These packages vary in speed and price, but even a basic package is usually much cheaper than using the maritime mobile network for voice calls.
Once you have a working internet connection on the ship, you can use that connection for internet-based calls instead of paying per-minute roaming rates. The key is using a calling service that routes your call over the internet to the regular phone network — so the person you are calling just answers their phone at home.
What works and what does not
App-to-app calls over Wi-Fi (WhatsApp, FaceTime, Zoom) work well on cruise ship Wi-Fi when both sides have a connection. If you are calling someone who also has internet — a family member at home, a travel companion — this is often the simplest option and uses minimal data.
The problem is the same one that applies on land: you cannot call real phone numbers through messaging apps. If you need to call a hotel you are staying at in the next port, a tour operator, a medical office, or any number that does not have an app, you need a service that can dial real landlines and mobile numbers over your internet connection.
Browser-based calling from a cruise ship
Browser-based VoIP calling works from a cruise ship Wi-Fi connection the same way it works from any other internet connection. You open your browser, enter the number you need to call, and the call routes through the VoIP service to the regular phone network.
This bypasses the maritime roaming charge entirely. Instead of paying cruise phone rates, you are paying the VoIP per-minute rate for the destination country, which is typically far lower. The person receiving your call has no idea you are calling from a ship — they just answer their normal phone.
Practical tips for calling from a ship
Wi-Fi quality on ships can vary significantly by deck, location, and how many passengers are online. For voice calls, you want enough bandwidth for a stable connection. Test your connection before placing an important call. If quality is poor, try from a different location on the ship or at a different time of day when fewer passengers are online.
In port, a better option is often to connect to a local shore-side Wi-Fi — a café, hotel lobby, or port terminal — rather than the ship's own network. Shore-based Wi-Fi tends to be faster and more stable. Once connected to any internet source, browser-based calling works the same way.
Common questions
Can I call any country from a cruise ship this way? Yes. If your calling service supports the destination country, you can call it from the ship's Wi-Fi. OpenDial supports 220+ countries. You enter the number with the full international format (country code + number) and dial.
Does this work if my phone is in airplane mode? Yes — in fact, using airplane mode on a cruise ship is a good habit. With airplane mode on and Wi-Fi enabled, you are connected to the ship's internet but not to the maritime mobile network, which means you avoid automatic maritime roaming charges while still being able to place calls over the internet.