Updated 17 October 2026. Wi-Fi prices are typical 2026 rates. Type your ship in the GigSky app before you pay.
HX Wi-Fi. HX Wi-Fi is included, on Starlink, and films are not. It can be slow in Antarctica, the Arctic, and the Galápagos. On Santa Cruz II the Wi-Fi is in public rooms, and it is patchy. On the other ships it is around the ship, still not for streaming. It does not follow you onto the ice.
HX puts Wi-Fi in the fare. The ships use Starlink. There is no $20 day pass to hunt for. The catch is the map. These ships go to Antarctica, the Arctic, Alaska, and the Galápagos. The connection is often thin. Streaming is not supported. A film you did not download will not play.
Santa Cruz II is the Galápagos ship, and it is the awkward one. Wi-Fi there is in the public rooms, not a promise in every cabin, and the islands are a weak spot. The other ships are better placed, and they are still not a hotel. Finish phone updates on land. Download the HX app before you board. The app needs the ship Wi-Fi once you are on, and that Wi-Fi may not be there when you want it.
This is HX Expeditions, not Hurtigruten’s coastal boats, and not Havila. The 1893 club is the wrong club. A landing does not come with ship Wi-Fi in your pocket. In many of these places there is no normal phone signal on shore either. Plan for that before you promise anyone a photo.
What “free” actually does
Mail and a simple page, when the sky cooperates. Not Netflix. Not a long video call from the ice. If a message matters, send it when you have bars, not at the end of a landing.
Do not buy a second ship pack. There is not one. If someone charges you, ask. The fare already includes it.
Which ship
Roald Amundsen, Fridtjof Nansen, and Fram are the expedition ships most people mean. Santa Cruz II is Galápagos. Type the name on the ticket. A polar trip wants the World pack, not a Mediterranean week.
If GigSky does not list the ship, stop. A land eSIM will die offshore and may also die on the shore in Antarctica. Maya is the backup, code ESIMTWEAKS10.
When ship Wi-Fi still wins
Use the free Starlink for mail when it is up. Do not expect a film. On Santa Cruz II, try a public room.
When the HX eSIM wins
You want a phone that still tries in port, on a ship GigSky lists. That is the HX eSIM. Code ESIMDUDE is 10% off GigSky. The ship Wi-Fi is already free, and it will not stream either way.
Ships to search for HX
Type the name on your boarding pass. If it isn’t in the GigSky app, don’t buy from a screenshot. The free 100 MB trial is how you prove it after the horn.
- Roald Amundsen
- Fridtjof Nansen
- Fram
- Santa Cruz II
Ship Wi-Fi vs GigSky on HX
| Compare | Ship Wi-Fi | GigSky eSIM |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Included Starlink | Phone at sea, then maps when you dock |
| Typical cost | Free. Films are blocked. | $62.99 on our link |
| A week, two devices | No day rate. Download before you sail. | One phone. Hotspot if you must. |
How to get GigSky for HX
- Download films and the HX app before you leave home.
- Do not buy Wi-Fi. It is already in the fare, and it will not stream.
- Search Roald Amundsen, Fridtjof Nansen, Fram, or Santa Cruz II in GigSky.
- Pick the World pack for a polar trip. Apply ESIMDUDE. Install the night before.
Tonight’s GigSky price with our code: $62.99. Search the ship. Then buy.
HX eSIM FAQ
Is HX Wi-Fi free?
Yes. Starlink Wi-Fi is included. Streaming is not supported. In remote places the signal is often slow or missing.
Does HX Wi-Fi work in Antarctica?
Sometimes, and often poorly. Download what you need first. Do not promise a video call from the ice.
Is Santa Cruz II the same?
It has complimentary Wi-Fi, and it is weaker. On that Galápagos ship the connection is in public areas, and it drops. The other HX ships are ship-wide, still not for films.
Does an HX eSIM work at sea?
A normal travel eSIM dies about 12 miles out. A GigSky cruise plan works on ships GigSky lists. Search the ship. Polar shores often have no normal mobile signal either.
What is the HX eSIM coupon?
ESIMDUDE. Ten percent off GigSky cruise and ferry plans. It does not change the free ship Wi-Fi.
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