How to Stay Online While Traveling Abroad

As a full-time digital nomad for the past four years, I’ve seen firsthand how crowds can make or break a destination. When I first started traveling full-time, it was the tail end of the pandemic, so almost any destination was affordable and crowd-free. However, it’s safe to say that the upcoming holiday season will see immense crowds in popular destinations like Rio de Janeiro, Munich, New York City, and the Caribbean.

Fortunately, Verizon makes staying connected while traveling incredibly easy. Thanks to its wide variety of international coverage plans, you can stay connected while you’re on the go. Here’s everything you need to know about skipping crowded holiday destinations, and how to stay connected once you arrive.

Visit off-the-tourist-trail destinations

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If possible, try to forgo some of the classic holiday travel destinations in favor of some off-the-tourist-trail locations. Instead of visiting the Christmas markets in Germany, consider heading to Georgia, Bulgaria, or Estonia. Each of these countries offers a wealth of attractions for visitors, but is less well-known, meaning smaller crowds and better prices. You can also book some experiences that allow you to avoid crowds while remaining close to the tourist hotspots.

If you’re taking a short, impromptu trip, you’ll want to consider purchasing Verizon’s TravelPass, which gives you unlimited data,* talk, and text in more than 210 countries and destinations worldwide. Your 24-hour TravelPass session begins when you use data, make or receive a call, or send a text in a new country. You’re only charged on days you use your phone abroad. It stays on your line at no cost when you’re home, ready for your next trip.

Embark on a small-ship cruise

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A cruise is a fantastic way to enjoy a leisurely holiday getaway with minimal planning. I recently embarked on a 12-day sailing from Barcelona to Istanbul aboard Oceania Vista, and I couldn’t recommend it enough. It’s a large ship, but with just 1,200 passengers onboard, it feels incredibly spacious. Smaller vessels give you the best of both worlds—the ability to see multiple places on one trip without dealing with oppressive crowds.

Fortunately, Verizon’s Cruise Daily Pass offers unlimited data * , talk to the U.S., and text for just $20 per day per line (while cruises typically only offer Wi-Fi). If you have an itinerary with multiple sea days and you don’t want to rely on cruise Wi-Fi, the Cruise Daily Pass allows you to stay connected. Whether you want to chat with family, stream music on your balcony while watching the waves, or just know your phone works when you’re at sea, the Cruise Daily Pass is a proactive step to ensure simplicity and predictability for your trip.

Plan ahead to save money

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Organizing travel as far in advance as possible is the best way to save money and bypass the crowds this holiday season. Try to book your flight, hotel, or cruise as soon as possible to lock in the best rates. Then, consider the little details, like your cell phone service abroad, so you can reliably use your device in a new country, from using maps to get to your dinner reservations to booking museum or transportation tickets. In addition to the savings, you’ll also reduce stress in the moment.

Even if you don’t know exactly where you’re going, consider enrolling in the 3 TravelPass Days Perk for just $10 per month per line. When you sign up, you’ll get three TravelPass Days per month, meaning you can accrue up to 36 TravelPass Perk Days per year. These days are stored for you until you need them and are available for one year from when you receive them. TravelPass days can be used in more than 210 countries and destinations.

Consider flights carefully

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There are plenty of tips and tricks for booking holiday travel. Apart from considering less popular destinations, try to book an early flight on your day of travel, in particular if your home airport is known for travel delays caused by inclement weather or a high volume of travelers. Booking early in the day will hopefully mean fewer travelers and give you recourse if your flight gets delayed or canceled. We also recommend flying nonstop whenever possible. In the event of a delay, you won’t miss a connecting flight.

Verizon’s In-flight Daily Pass allows you to stay connected with unlimited data at 3G speeds when you’re on an international flight for just $20 per day per line. You’ll be offered In-flight Daily Pass by text message when you board a participating international flight. Then, you can use your device to do things like catch up on emails or browse your favorite websites.

Go on a road trip

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If you don’t want to deal with airport crowds, consider taking a road trip, especially exciting if you live near the border with Canada or Mexico. It’s not often that you can go to a new country by car and eliminate the need for flights altogether. And all of Verizon Unlimited plans include unlimited data,* talk, and text in Canada and Mexico.

The best part about road trips is that there aren’t as many hard travel dates as there are with flying. You could take a whole month off, fly to a starting destination, rent a car, and embark on an epic European road trip. For longer vacations like this, Verizon’s International Monthly plan is ideal, offering unlimited data * ,text, and 250 minutes for $100 per month per line.

There’s a lot you can do now to get the most from your trip, from planning a vacation in a less-crowded destination to choosing the best Verizon international travel plan to keep you connected. Verizon has an option for any type of traveler. If you’re like me and travel long-term, consider the International Monthly Plan. Or you can plan ahead to save money with the 3 TravelPass Days Perk. And Verizon has travelers covered at sea and on international flights with Verizon’s In-flight Daily Pass or Cruise Daily Pass. Here’s to a relaxing holiday season, filled with new destinations, shared experiences, and staying connected to what matters most.

_{*TravelPass/Perk Disclaimer: 5GB of high speed data, then unlimited data at 3G speeds for the remainder of the session. Cruise Daily Pass Disclaimer: 0.5GB of high speed data, then unlimited data at 3G speeds for the remainder of the session. International Monthly Disclaimer: After your first 20GB of high speed data, enjoy unlimited 3G data. Talk Overage: $0.25/min}