New Personal Maritime plan: $185 a month for small boats

What changed

RV Mobile Internet reported on August 28, 2026 that Starlink added a new plan for recreational boaters called Personal Maritime, at $185 a month. As reported, it includes:

• Unlimited data in territorial waters worldwide (roughly within 12 nautical miles of any coast).
• No 30-day international travel limit, except where local rules require one.
• Ocean Mode at $6 per GB for use in international waters. Starlink’s Ocean Mode page lists the same rate for Personal Maritime.
• No use on land. The report quotes the terms: “Use of the Personal Maritime service plan on land is prohibited.”

The plan is for small vessels. Early coverage put the limit at 40 feet; the report was updated on September 4, 2026 to say the limit was raised to 60 feet. Starlink may ask for vessel registration, name, flag state, length, and an identifier such as a hull ID, MMSI or call sign.

The same announcement came with a price rise for Roam Unlimited’s Ocean Mode, from $2 to $6 per GB from September 27, 2026. We covered that in its own article.

Who is affected

• Coastal cruisers who cross borders, such as boaters heading to the Bahamas or Mexico. Roam Unlimited allows only 30 days at a time outside your home country or region; Personal Maritime has no such cap in territorial waters.
• Boaters who hit Roam’s coastal limit. Without Ocean Mode, Roam use in territorial waters is limited to 5 days in a row and 60 days a year.
• Not a fit for RVers. You can’t use this plan at a campground, at home, or on the drive to the marina.

What it means for you

If you live aboard or cruise for months, Personal Maritime may replace the mix of Roam Unlimited plus Ocean Mode that many small-boat owners used. The trade is clear: you give up all land use in exchange for no coastal-day count and no 30-day abroad clock.

If you split time between an RV and a boat, it’s harder. One dish can only be on one plan at a time, and this plan can’t follow you onto land.

What to do now:

1. Count your days. How many days a year are you on the water, and how many outside the US? Our taking Roam abroad guide explains the 30-day rule.
2. Compare with Roam Unlimited. Our Roam Unlimited page shows today’s price and the coastal rules. Roam Unlimited still works on land and on inland waters.
3. Read our boats guide for which plan fits inland, coastal and offshore boating, and for mounting on a boat.

What stays the same

• Roam plans still cover inland lakes, rivers and marinas.
• Ocean Mode is still needed to connect beyond 12 nautical miles, on both Roam Unlimited and Personal Maritime.
• Global Priority remains the option for land plus ocean use without a travel limit, at a higher cost.

How we handled this report

The plan’s monthly price, the land ban and the vessel limit come from a press report quoting Starlink’s terms, so we label them reported. The $6 per GB rate is confirmed on starlink.com. We note the 40-foot versus 60-foot conflict in our changelog row.