Short answer
US carriers bill Bonaire as international roaming. AT&T’s International Day Pass and Verizon’s TravelPass cost $12/day, charged on each day you use your phone, so a week costs about $84. T-Mobile’s T-Mix More and Loaded plans (and the older Experience plans) include data. For a cruise stop, a Bonaire eSIM with 1 GB for 3 days costs $7.50. Staying for a dive week? Digicel sells 8 GB for 7 days for $16.99, tax included, if your phone has a free SIM slot.
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What each option costs in Bonaire
| Option | Cost | What you get | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T International Day Pass | $12/day | uses home plan allowance; talk, text, data; per day; $6/day for each extra line. $20/day per line at sea (cruise ship networks). Charged max 10 days per bill cycle. | att.com Verified Oct 6 Checked Oct 6, 2026 |
| T-Mobile included international roaming | Included in some plans | 5 GB high-speed (T-Mix More, Experience More 2.0) or 15 GB (T-Mix Loaded, Experience Beyond 2.0), then 256 kbps; data, texts; billing cycle; Included on T-Mix More and T-Mix Loaded (launched Nov 2026) and the older Experience More 2.0 and Experience Beyond 2.0. T-Mix Standard includes texts only abroad, calls $0.50/min. Essentials and other older plans differ. | t-mobile.com Verified Nov 7 Checked Nov 7, 2026 |
| Verizon TravelPass | $12/day | uses home plan allowance; talk, text, data; per day | verizon.com Verified Oct 6 Checked Oct 6, 2026 |
| Digicel Bonaire Mega Data plan | $2.79–39.99 | 600 MB (1 day), 2 GB (2 days), 3 GB (3 days), 8 GB (7 days), 10 GB (10 days), 15 GB (30 days); data only; 1-30 days | digicelgroup.com Verified Nov 7 Checked Nov 7, 2026 |
| Travel eSIM (compared above) | from $0 | GigSky Dutch Caribbean 100 MB / 7 days, data only | Verified Oct 12 |
Does Verizon work in Bonaire?
Yes, through TravelPass, at $12/day, charged on each day you use your phone there. It uses your normal plan’s allowance. Bonaire isn’t part of Verizon’s cheaper Mexico and Canada rate.
Does AT&T work in Bonaire?
Yes. The International Day Pass costs $12/day, plus $6 a day for each extra line. AT&T charges at most 10 days per bill cycle, so a two-week stay costs $120 per line. On a cruise ship’s network at sea it’s $20 a day.
Does T-Mobile work in Bonaire?
Yes. On T-Mix More and T-Mix Loaded, and on the older Experience More 2.0 and Experience Beyond 2.0, data in Bonaire is included: 5 GB or 15 GB at high speed, then up to 256 kbps. T-Mix Standard includes texts but no data abroad, and calls cost $0.50 a minute. Other T-Mobile plans have different terms, so check yours in the T-Mobile app.
Does UScellular work in Bonaire?
It depends on your plan. T-Mobile bought UScellular’s wireless business in August 2025, and UScellular customers kept their old plans for the time being. The last version of UScellular’s travel page (January 2026) said a Daily Travel Pass at $15, or $25 in some countries, is added automatically on days you use your phone; it didn’t list the price for each country. If your account has moved to a T-Mobile plan, T-Mobile’s terms above apply.
Local SIM or eSIM?
Bonaire uses the US dollar, so local prices are easy to compare. Digicel and Flow both run mobile networks there.
- Digicel Mega Data plans: 3 GB for 3 days ($8.99), 8 GB for 7 days ($16.99), 10 GB for 10 days ($23.99) and 15 GB for 30 days ($39.99), tax included. The plans renew automatically.
- Flow: we couldn’t find Flow Bonaire’s prepaid prices on its own website, so we don’t quote any.
For a dive holiday of a week or more, a Digicel SIM is good value if your phone is unlocked and has a free SIM slot. For a one-day cruise stop, an eSIM you install at home is simpler.
Which network will a Bonaire eSIM use?
Airalo, Holafly, Airhub, GigSky, Roamless and Ubigi say their Bonaire plans use Digicel; Kolet uses Flow. We haven’t tested either network ourselves.
On a cruise to Bonaire
Ships dock at the pier in Kralendijk, right in town. A stop is usually one day, so a 1-day or 3-day eSIM is enough. 1. Turn off data roaming on your home line before the ship sails, and keep cellular data off at sea. 2. Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi. 3. Switch it on once you’re ashore.
More in our Caribbean cruise eSIM guide. For Wi-Fi on board, see the Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, MSC and Princess guides.
Common questions
Will my US cell phone work in Bonaire?
Yes. AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile all roam in Bonaire, so your phone connects to a local network once data roaming is on. What it costs depends on your plan: AT&T and Verizon charge $12/day for each day you use it, and T-Mobile’s More and Loaded plans include data.
Is Bonaire included in my US phone plan?
Usually not. AT&T and Verizon bill it as international roaming at their daily rate. T-Mobile’s T-Mix More and Loaded plans (and the older Experience More and Beyond) include data there.
Does a Bonaire eSIM work in Aruba and Curaçao?
Not usually. A Bonaire-only plan works only in Bonaire. On a southern Caribbean cruise, buy a short plan for each island or a regional plan that lists all three.
Do I need a Bonaire SIM card for a cruise stop?
No. For one day ashore, an eSIM or your carrier’s day pass is simpler than finding a phone store.
More: eSIM for a Caribbean cruise · Do I need an eSIM? · How to install an eSIM