For many, having internet on the boat has become more than a luxury. Whether you’re working remotely, checking the latest weather updates, tracking your boat’s position, or just keeping in touch with family and friends, staying connected matters.

As a full-time live aboard cruiser and digital nomad, I rely heavily on internet access to work from anywhere in the world. Over the past few years, I’ve tested a range of solutions, from Wi-Fi boosters to offshore satellite setups, and here’s what I’ve discovered about staying connected at sea.

Getting internet on a boat

When it comes to getting online while cruising, you’ve got three main options:

• Wi-Fi hotspots
• Cellular data
• Satellite internet

Each has its pros and cons depending on where you’re sailing, your budget and how much data you need.

Public Wi-Fi

If you’re near the coast, public Wi-Fi can be useful, especially if you’re on a budget. Many marinas, shipyards and yacht clubs offer free Wi-Fi to visiting boats, which is often good enough for emails, light browsing, and even video calls, if you’re close enough to the router. Having a Wi-Fi booster aboard can extend your reach and improve signal strength when you’re docked (or even anchored) a bit further out.

Cafés, restaurants and bars frequently offer Wi-Fi as well. If you’re okay with heading ashore, you can work from a table or quickly check emails and weather on your phone while enjoying a meal or coffee. Alternatively there’s also co-working spaces. These are dedicated work areas which can be found around the world, especially in cities with a large expat or digital nomad scene. Some offer desk space paid by the hour or day, providing a quiet place to work with decent internet connection.

Just remember public Wi-Fi networks are usually unsecured, so use a VPN and make sure your antivirus software is up to date before accessing sensitive information.

Cellular data

Using mobile data to access the internet remains a practical option for sailors cruising along the coast. It’s generally cheaper than satellite internet, but you may need to buy new data-only SIM cards in each country you visit to get the best deal. For example, in Croatia we picked up a T-Mobile tourist SIM with unlimited data for about 3o EUR a month, while in Gibraltar and Spain we used a Spanish Lobster SIM which gave 300 GB for about 25 EUR (all available for roaming!).

If you’ve bought a physical SIM card it can be put into a pocket router or a phone with the hotspot on, so that other devices can connect. The alternative is getting an eSIM, which can be purchased through apps like Airalo on an eSIM compatible device. The main downside to eSIM’s is the data tends to be more expensive than a local provider.

For better range offshore we added a marine antenna and 4G signal booster. Our previous Digital Yacht 4G Connect system, paired with a Lobster SIM card from Spain, gave us internet well past 10 nautical miles offshore while cruising the Med.

Satellite internet

If you’re heading offshore or to remote areas, satellite internet is the best way to stay connected. It’s more expensive than cellular, but works anywhere in the world.

While providers like Inmarsat and Iridium have been around for a while, Starlink has changed the game for remote internet at sea. It offers fast, global coverage with a one-time hardware purchase and a monthly subscription. We switched to Starlink in 2023 and haven’t looked back. Whether we’re anchored in the Caribbean or sailing between islands we’ve had consistent speeds and stable connections, using it for work, leisure, communication, security monitoring and the all important, offshore weather forecasts.

The pricing for Starlink varies depending on a few factors.

  • Dish: Most cruisers are opting for the Standard or Mini dish. Personally we’ve just swapped to the Mini, which was slightly more expensive than the Standard, but the reduction in power consumption with no noticeable difference in service has made it worth it!

  • Plan: For the monthly subscription Starlink customers get to choose which plan they’d like to be on. Depending on their cruising grounds, most liveaboards are using Roam Unlimited or Global Priority (50GB).

  • Service address: The registered service address on the account can make a huge difference in the cost. For example, a US service address pays $165 USD a month for Roam Unlimited, while it’s only 90 EUR in St Martin (~93 USD) and 590 TTD in Trinidad (~89 USD).

For now Starlink is far ahead of the competition when it comes to providing satellite internet at sea, but there are alternatives being developed including Amazon’s Project Kuiper.

Tips for staying connected at sea

To finish off here’s a few practical tips for staying connected at sea.

Choose the right provider for your cruising plans

Look into what options are available in each country or region. Sometimes a local SIM is all you need; other times, satellite is essential. We tend to use Starlink as our main connection, and local SIMs as backup when we’re near shore.

Save data when metered

You’ll want to disable automatic updates, avoid unnecessary video streaming, and pause cloud backups when you’re not on unlimited data. When we’re sailing offshore we’re paying $2 per GB for data so make sure any movies or podcasts were downloaded before departure, stay off social media and YouTube, and if I’m working, I’ll edit videos and draft blog posts and documents offline, then upload them when we’re back on unlimited data.

Don’t forget about referral codes

Some internet and eSIM providers offer referral codes that you can send to other cruisers and both benefit from. For example, Starlink accounts registered in certain countries, including the US and Australia, can get a month free for them and a friend when the friend signs up for Roam Unlimited using the referral code.

Final thoughts

Between public Wi-Fi, cellular data, and satellite systems like Starlink, you’ve got more options than ever before. Choose the setup that matches your cruising lifestyle and work needs, and you’ll be able to sail and stay connected wherever the wind takes you.