Cell Phones

Don't know what the Verizon add-on costs to use your existing phone # in Europe. To use a sim card means that your phone operates on a different phone number, at least that's the way mine worked the last time in bought a sim card in Europe. The advantage to an add-on is that you can use your phone operating with your number. Otherwise you won't know if family, business, airlines, hotels, venus and friends are trying to get ahold of you.

Depends on what you need to do with your phone while away. With the Verizon package, you keep your same phone number, so receiving calls and texts remains the same, plus x amount of data. Many esims are data only, so there is no phone call ability, unless you have WhatsApp calling or something similar. There are esims with both phone and data, but it will be with a different (European country) phone number. Calls to your regular phone number would not connect to you while using the esim.

I always get the Verizon monthly international plan and my phone works just as it does at home. Make sure you have roaming turned on.

Easiest is just add Verizon's TravelPass. Or, they have a $100 monthly travel plan. ( https://www.verizon.com/plans/international/international-travel/ )

TravelPass
$12 /line per day. Plus taxes and fees.

With TravelPass
Get unlimited talk text and data in 210+ countries and destinations.*
Once added, you'll only be charged on the days you make or receive a call, send texts or use data on your device while abroad, so there's no need to remove it when you return.
TravelPass can be used in 210+ countries and destinations.
If you choose not to add TravelPass or travel to a country not included in TravelPass you'll be charged Pay as You Go rates.

International Monthly Plan
$100 /line per month. Plus taxes and fees.

*What’s included:

Unlimited data (After your first 20GB of high speed data enjoy unlimited 3G data.)
250 minutes
Unlimited texts
Overage: $0.25/min

Calls to your regular phone number would not connect to you while using the esim

Doesn't your smartphone have the 'Dual SIM Dual Standby'-technology?

This is rather common in Europe, no idea about USA. With this technology you can just stay connected to your regular phone number and use the esim during your vacation abroad.

We have Verizon and just upgrade our plan to Unlimited Ultimate while we’re gone. You can then simply return to your welcome plan or whatever you have when you get home. This is MUCH cheaper than paying for an international plan with them. In our case, it’s about $30 for two lines for the month and it’s unlimited data.

Verizon had a dedicated international help desk awhile back, and the people seemed to be very knowledgeable and helpful. Not sure if that is still the case, but perhaps getting an answer straight from Verizon will give you the best answer. It's at least worth a call.

The number at that time was 1-800-711-8300.

I plan to buy the Verizon Travel Pass but will use local Wi-fi whenever possible. Does anyone know how to avoid triggering the Verizon Travel Pass while using local Wi-Fi?
Thank you!

eSim is normally a cheaper option than a travel option from your carrier,
but has the limitations previously noted and may require some semi-technical
skill to manage.

As I understand it, if you turn your phone on at any point during a day and
you have Verizon service active, you incur the cost for that day. So you'd
have to turn off cellular data the night before and be reliant on wi-fi for
the entire 24 hours of a particular day.

Thank you for the prompt response! I'll keep this in mind.

With the Verizon package, you keep your same phone number, so
receiving calls and texts remains the same ...

If you dont hold on to your US phone number when traveling then you need to make sure that you dont have any conditions in life where any of the list below are required to access an account, change a password if you lost or forgot one, clear a credit card charge, check on the status of a billing or ??? Who knows.

• One-Time Passcode (OTP): A short, temporary number sent to your phone for a single transaction or login.
• Verification Code: A number used to confirm your identity.
• Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) / Two-Step Verification: The overall security process that uses your password plus this text code.

Most of these have other options and work arounds, but you will need to identify every account where this oculd come up and make the changes before you leave.

The next issue is there are some US websites that you can not access without a US IP address. Your US phone has a US IP address. Not many sites. Ive run into it with drivers license renewal, professional registration renewal and a couple of shopping sites.

There is a workaround for that too. Get a VPN for your phone.

Does anyone know how to avoid triggering the Verizon Travel Pass while
using local Wi-Fi?

I have AT&T service on an iPhone. All I do is turn off my cellular service when I only want Wi-Fi. Also, do you have an older, unused phone that no longer has a cellular plan? You can take it and use just Wi-Fi. No chance of accidentally turning cellular services on.

I’ve used both my Verizon carrier plan and eSIMs. Hands down my eSIMs including ones from Airalo outperform my home carrier time and time again. I’m not suggesting a particular eSIM company but rather the technology. Using Verizons’ package allows me to maintain seamless contact (talk, text and data) with everyone back in my home country. An eSIM may only provide limited contact through data sources including WhatsApp or a phone number with restrictions.