I’ll be traveling to Europe soon and 4 of those days I’ll be with a group of mostly Europeans. We are planning to keep in touch via What’s App. Much of the time that we’ll be communicating we will be out and about. After my time with them I will be with just one American friend and typically we just use Wifi to use our phones as more of a computer, Skype and iMessaging. I’ve read about the Verizon TravelPass for $10 a day when you are using it. It seems a little confusing to me. How would I be turning it off on days I wouldn’t be using it and still keep Wifi available? Any opinions, reviews or suggestions about this service? Thank you for your help, your kindness and your patience with me.

Moved from Air Travel forum to the Europe board

You are confusing Wi-Fi with mobile data. You just turn off mobile data in settings when you don't want to pay for it. Likewise turn off Wi-Fi when out and about usinf mobile data so your phone isn't constantly searching for a connection, to save a bit of battery life.
You may be better off with a local Sim card anyway, even if it gives you a different number. $10 sounds a lot to me.

You can't just turn off mobile data - you'll want to turn off the mobile network period so that you phone doesn't connect to the local cell network. One incoming text and you've "used it" for the day. You can also remove the sim card, or somewhere in your settings disable the sim.

If you don't need a local phone number consider getting a data only SIM. These run about $10 to $15 for a one month period for a few gigs. I get mine at airalo dot com. simoptions is another seller. You'll have internet access even when you are not on wifi.

Trying to understand. I’m not the best with technology. Do you recommend a virtual SIM card or a physical one you buy and put in your phone? Thanks!

OK -- this may seem blasphemous -- but on short trips I just opt for the verizon $10/day plan and don't worry about mitigating the cost. Compared to the cost of the trip $10 isn't even a drop in the bucket. You are bound to use the phone at least once a day anyway so it would cost the same whether you turn of data or not. Am I being extravagant - maybe a little. But being semi-tech literate . . . easy is worth (IMO) the small price.

The great news is the world will not stop rotating if you drop off the coms for 2 weeks, and it may enhance your holiday

What works for us:
We have Verizon Travelpass activated but keep our phones on ‘Airplane’ mode to avoid the odd incoming call or text costing $10! If we wish to use the phone, easy enough to turn off ‘Airplane’ mode.

Then back at the hotel, wi-fi is our friend.

I wrote up a post about this issue eons ago because I was going crazy before our last trip:
Who has tried out the Orange eSim?
but I suspect not all my research is directly applicable to you.

So...

Let's get a few facts first:

1) What type of phone do you have with Verizon? Android or iPhone?
--How you will operate the cellular data and WiFi settings on each differs slightly (but only slightly!).
--Verizon has online guides for each phone.

2) Do you think you even need to make actual calls back home?
--If you plan to phone home or text home a lot, that means you might want to consider a local SIM/eSim.
--If you don't plan on keeping in constant touch, then just contract for the Verizon Travel Pass as a backup just-in-case. (see below about cellular date and WiFi).

3) Are you worried you won't be able to get enough WiFi to keep in touch? If you plan on making calls, does your phone have eSim and/or dual Sim capabilities?
--Most new phones have eSim capabilities which can give you on-the-fly opportunities and options without breaking a sweat losing your original SIM card.
--But even if you only have ONE Sim card slot with no eSim capability, you can buy a cheapie physical local SIM, even one that can give you cellular data if you like. If I could do it, so can you. Or have the shop person put it in if you feel clumsy.

In general, no matter what...

1) If you plan to be operating only or mostly by WiFi, all you have to do put your phone in Airplane Mode once you board your plan (which means your cellular data is automatically turned OFF but always double check it is OFF) and THEN when you land, with Airplane mode still ON, also turn WiFi on. Don't pay attention to people who say that can't work. It does. I've operated forever moving around cities via GPS this way! Verizon never charged me a cent.

2) If you schedule to use Verizon Pass before you leave, if your cellular data remains OFF, you can't get charged. Once you turn cellular on, charges start. Verizon supposedly tells you how much time you have left for each 24-hr period with Travel Pass.

I decided to ditch using the Verizon Pass in favor of a one-month Verizon International Plan because our travel time made Verizon Pass vs Plan a wash, plus I'm old and thus have a ton of accounts that require a text-back confirmation for confirmation that I'm not an identity thief.
Three years ago, this was not an issue and I favored buying local Sims.
My husband, for the most part, just operates his life via WiFi. Period.

Good luck. Keep reading online guides to all of this and it will start to make sense and sink in.

AZ

Thank you everyone! I have an iphone. And yes…besides the four days where I need to be phone available and the two part authentication by text…I don’t need to use my phone as a phone much. I use google maps a lot, but just pin my location while I have Wifi. And I didn’t realize that I could be in airplane mode and still use Wifi. I’m old too…and think the travel pass will work for what I need. I’m only gone a couple weeks and I won’t stress as much having my own phone number.

We have found Verizon's TravelPass extremely easy to use and think the $10/day is worth it for convenience. And as someone else said, the cost is minimal considering what you are spending on a trip.

Definitely going with the Travelpass. Thanks all!!