Airalo is app for iOS/iPhone and Android smart phones that makes it easy and inexpensive to use your compatible phone internationally. They partner with local and regional providers to provide short term coverage in many parts of the world.
What’s a SIM Card?
SIM is an acronym stands for Subscriber Identity Module. It’s small card that fits in select phones that’s basically the digital identification for the phone. You can theoretically quickly change phones by swapping out your physical SIM card.
What’s an eSIM Card?
Fast forward to eSIM cards. eSIM stands for Embedded Subscriber Identity Module. Instead of a physical SIM card an eSIM is a logical identity for select phones. No need for a physical SIM card.
The part where the magic comes in… Some phones also allow you to have multiple eSIM cards. So you can actually have multiple phone numbers on a single phone.
What devices support Airalo eSIM?
To use an eSIM, your device must be carrier-unlocked and eSIM-compatible.
Airalo provides a regularly updated list of supported devices.
An eSIM example…
Here is a screenshot from my iPhone. On the top left you’ll see my primary carrier Verizon. Below that is my secondary carrier Tello. I use two carriers, one for business the other for personal. If you want to give Tello a try use referral code P3XR5K8D and earn Tello dollars.
Using Airalo for international coverage!…
We recently went on a cruise to Aruba, Curaçao and the Bahamas. I decided to give Airalo a try and purchased e-SIM cards for Aruba and Curaçao.
Purchasing an e-SIM card for Curaçao. I went with 1 GB of data. We were in Curaçao for about a day. The e-SIM I purchased was valid for up to 7 days. This was a data only e-SIM meaning I didn’t have a local phone number. I didn’t need to use the phone if I had to I could have used Google Voice, WhatsApp, Skype or FaceTime. Of course there are other apps that can utilize a data connection for phone calls and video chat.
Purchasing an e-SIM card for Aruba. Also 1 GB data and 7 days.
Here’s my phone after purchasing and installing both e-SIM. As of this update iPhone 15 can handle up to eight e-SIM with a maximum of two active e-SIM cards at any one time. Note that my Verizon and Tello numbers have been redacted.
Using Airalo in Curaçao
I enabled my Curaçao e-SIM card and disabled all other e-SIMs installed on my phone
Whammo I’m connected
I fired up Google Maps for directions to the beach we wanted to go to.
We made it to Cas Abao beach! It was beautiful!
I tried Blue Curaçao. It was pretty good.
I tweeted from the beach to test the connection. It worked great. Connect with me on X!
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When I bought the e-SIM card the carrier was named Dushi wireless. I had no idea what that meant, but learned when visiting. visitaruba.com says… “Dushi – This is such a dynamic Papiamento word. In Aruba, ‘dushi‘ is used to describe food as ‘sweet‘ or ‘yummy‘ tasting, or to indicate that a sensation is good (think of pleasant smells or nice music), but it is also used as a term of endearment for your lover, translated as ‘sweetheart‘ or ‘sweety‘.”
Speedtest. The connection was quite zippy. This test shows 58.4 megabits down and 46.6 megabits up.
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At the end of the day I still had 700 MB left. It’s worth noting that you can also buy longer eSIMs with more data AND you can purchase eSIMs for entire regions instead of a single country.
We had a wonderful time in Curaçao!
Using Airalo in Aruba
I tweeted from Eagle Beach to test the connection. It worked great. Connect with me on X!
Airalo’s partner in Aruba was blazing fast. Here’s a speed test. This test shows 114 megabits down and 26.9 megabits up.
We had an amazing time in Aruba! This was our first time doing a Southern Itinerary cruise and it was one of our favorites!
Conclusions
Airalo worked flawlessly! I paid $9.50 per eSIM card. Each card had 7 days of validity. That’s much cheaper than my carrier’s international coverage. Going forward Airalo will be a regular part of our international travel!
Related: Pelican’s IP68 Waterproof Phone Case – affiliate link, note that multiple variations of this product may be available, as such a different version may appear at this link
Related: Using Your Cell Phone Onboard with WiFi Calling!
My iPhone with Royal Caribbean Adventure of the Seas Royal Promenade int eh Background. See “VZW Wi-Fi”
Related: FREE… Royal Caribbean Perfect Day at CocoCay Phone Wallpaper
Setting Up Your Own Wireless WiFi Hotspot on Your Next Cruise!
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