Data package/E Sim USA & Caribbean

We are travelling to NYC in the new year taking a cruise to the Caribbean. I'm with EE and their roaming pass doesn't cover most of our stops on the cruise. Does anyone have any recommendations for a USA sim card or e sim that will get me data for our trip.

Thanks in anticipation,

Steve

When in the USA I use a three PAYG sim that includes their go roam world detestations, which includes the USA within the 22 destinations not sure where exactly you are travelling to but the list is

Go Roam Around the World
Australia
Brazil
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
El Salvador
Guatemala
Hong Kong (China)
Indonesia
Israel
Macao (China)
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Panama
Peru
Puerto Rico
Singapore
Sri Lanka
United States of America (USA)
Uruguay
US Virgin Islands
Vietnam

The world roam is only applicable on a PAYG sim, e-sim isn’t eligible nor is three monthly.

I just top up £10 and that gives me 6gb data, unlimited calls and texts to UK for 1 month. The number never expires I just use it every year on holiday. I put my UK number on divert to it to receive calls.

Hope that helps

[mitchja]

Some of the EE pay monthly plans do include USA roaming. The plan I'm on does as it's one of the monthly Smart benefits I can pick from.

None of the UK networks will include roaming in the Caribbean.

Make sure you disable roaming when on board the cruise ship as that is always insanely expensive! Stick to just using WIFi.

Whilst I've not tried them, Airalo seem to get good reviews and Martin Lewis mentions them. Airalo are also listed on cashback websites as well (TopCaskBack currently offering 15%).

Having looked at their packages, which look reasonably priced, you would need separate ones for Northern America and the Caribbean as their global plans doesn't cover both unfortunately.

When in the USA I use a three PAYG sim that includes their go roam world detestations, which includes the USA within the 22 destinations not sure where exactly you are travelling to but the list is

Go Roam Around the World
Australia
Brazil
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
El Salvador
Guatemala
Hong Kong (China)
Indonesia
Israel
Macao (China)
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Panama
Peru
Puerto Rico
Singapore
Sri Lanka
United States of America (USA)
Uruguay
US Virgin Islands
Vietnam

The world roam is only applicable on a PAYG sim, e-sim isn’t eligible nor is three monthly.

I just top up £10 and that gives me 6gb data, unlimited calls and texts to UK for 1 month. The number never expires I just use it every year on holiday. I put my UK number on divert to it to receive calls.

Hope that helps

Can I ask - I’m guessing you maybe have a spare phone for using out there? I’m with 3 on an esim, but am guessing that, although you can have an eSIM and physical sim in the same phone, it’s not possible to have a contract and payg on the same phone?

Either way - sounds like a really good solution. We’re just back from the US - we buy a Tracfone sim plus data/calls/text card. The drawbacks are you can’t top up online via Tracfone site (well, perhaps you can if you have vpn, which we don’t), plus a new sim each time means a new number each time. We were musing that there must be a better way to do it….

[mitchja]

It makes no difference what type of plan either SIM uses. It can be 2 x pay monthly, 2 x PAYG or a mix of pay monthly + PAYG.

Many newer handsets also accept 2 x eSIM plans now as well.

The only issue will be with older handsets purchased on contract, the handset *may* still be locked to a particular network. All handsets sold on contract in the UK since December 2021 have be sold unlocked. If an older handset is network locked, all networks are now also obliged to offer unlocking at no extra charge as well.

It makes no difference what type of plan either SIM uses. It can be 2 x pay monthly, 2 x PAYG or a mix of pay monthly + PAYG.

Many newer handsets also accept 2 x eSIM plans now as well.

The only issue will be with older handsets purchased on contract, the handset *may* still be locked to a particular network. All handsets sold on contract in the UK since December 2021 have be sold unlocked. If an older handset is network locked, all networks are now also obliged to offer unlocking at no extra charge as well.

I used to have a physical sim but then switched to eSIM - (my phone is pretty new, it’s unlocked, I have a sim only contract). So I could just get another payg with 3 and use both. Or either. Woooo, sounds like a step forward.

When in the USA I use a three PAYG sim that includes their go roam world detestations, which includes the USA within the 22 destinations not sure where exactly you are travelling to but the list is

Go Roam Around the World
Australia
Brazil
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
El Salvador
Guatemala
Hong Kong (China)
Indonesia
Israel
Macao (China)
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Panama
Peru
Puerto Rico
Singapore
Sri Lanka
United States of America (USA)
Uruguay
US Virgin Islands
Vietnam

The world roam is only applicable on a PAYG sim, e-sim isn’t eligible nor is three monthly.

I just top up £10 and that gives me 6gb data, unlimited calls and texts to UK for 1 month. The number never expires I just use it every year on holiday. I put my UK number on divert to it to receive calls.

Hope that helps

Can I ask - I’m guessing you maybe have a spare phone for using out there? I’m with 3 on an esim, but am guessing that, although you can have an eSIM and physical sim in the same phone, it’s not possible to have a contract and payg on the same phone?

Either way - sounds like a really good solution. We’re just back from the US - we buy a Tracfone sim plus data/calls/text card. The drawbacks are you can’t top up online via Tracfone site (well, perhaps you can if you have vpn, which we don’t), plus a new sim each time means a new number each time. We were musing that there must be a better way to do it….

I don’t see an issues with a three eSIM and three physical sim in the same phone (as long as the phone can accommodate this) I have the physical three sim and 2 e sims (all different networks) just turn one off when I’m abroad to use the three physical sim.

Just to be sure I would set your three eSIM to divert all calls to the PAYG sim, and make sure you set the PAYG sim to be the data user. ( depends what phone you have - I use an iPhone) that way there won’t be an expensive mistake. You can still receive calls and texts to your actual number.

Just use the PAYG for data and any outgoing calls if you need to.

Hope that helps?

Thanks Chumba. Mine is an iPhone, so I can accommodate the physical sim.

I recommend this USA eSIM. Plans start at $5, and it’s super easy to set up. I’ve used it before, and it worked great for data while traveling.

We always use Airlo e-sims in the Caribbean. Some phones though don't like them - my son has a 'Nothing' phone (popular amongst techies apparently) and it won't take them.