Mobile phone reception at sea depends mainly on how far the yacht is from the coastline. Mobile networks are designed for land coverage, and their signals only reach a limited distance over the water. Near the coast, reception is often reliable, but the farther the yacht travels into open sea, the weaker the signal becomes until it eventually drops completely.
In most regions, mobile signals reach between five and twenty kilometres offshore. When cruising close to land, such as between islands or along the coastline, guests can usually make calls, send messages and use mobile data without difficulty. As soon as the yacht moves into open water where no land based antennas are nearby, the signal fades quickly because the mobile network is not built to cover large sea areas.
Reception weakens gradually as the yacht moves away from the coast. It may appear and disappear several times when travelling between bays or island groups. Bays surrounded by high cliffs can block the signal even when the distance to land is short. In open water, the mobile network normally drops entirely.
Many yachts offer additional systems that allow communication even far from land.
Starlink
A growing number of yachts use Starlink. It provides high speed internet through satellites in low Earth orbit and works even in remote ocean areas. For many guests it is the most powerful option.
Satellite phones
These devices work independently of mobile networks and connect directly to global satellite systems. They are reliable but can be expensive to use.
Marine VHF radio
Not used for private calls, but essential for maritime safety and communication with ports or nearby vessels. Radio remains functional even where mobile coverage does not exist.
Local SIM cards
In coastal regions such as Greece, Croatia or Turkey, a local SIM card may offer better coverage than roaming, but only close to the shore.
Being at sea does not always mean being offline, yet mobile reception is not guaranteed everywhere. Many guests enjoy the digital break, while others use onboard satellite systems to stay reachable at any time. Modern yachting combines both worlds: the calm freedom of the open sea and the option to stay online whenever needed.
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