cell and or phone cards caribbean

[travelgals]

Anyone know anything about the best way to make calls while cruiing the caribbean? We are on the 3/25 trip leaving NYC, with 2 full sea days and then St Thomas, St Kitts and St Maarten. Last year I purchased phone cards from HAL and used the phone in our room, but even the cards were very expensive and were for only about 12 minutes, so they cut off in the middle of a conversation. My cell carrier, Verizon, said phone may work at sea off the usa coast, but even that is long distance roaming and expensive. Suggestions?

 

PS I don't want to yak all day, but must stay in touch.

[ricker]

Travelgals,

We have made calls a couple of ways. Probably the cheapest is to buy a Costco international phone card which is good in most areas (but check!).

Many ports have phone centers that offer cards in different denominations that are not too expensive.

Rick J

[imacruizer]

Most USA phone cards will work in St. Thomas. That is your easiest port from which to call. Many Verizon phones work there also. I guess it just depends on your particular plan. In St. Maartin we went to a local phone center and bought a card. I think the card cost $5.00 and was good for 30 minutes. Most phone cards bought in the USA don't work in St. Maartin. We did not try to call from St. Kitts, so I cannot help you with that port. Have a great cruise. The QM2 is a wonderful ship. Enjoy!

[samkmm]

I have Verizon and used my cellphone in San Juan and St. Thomas. It was $.69 roaming per minute. I was with in my plan minutes so there wasn't any other charge. I didn't call from the coast but I have called from the ferry from CT to Greenport, NY and the same $,69 roaming was charged. I imagine that if you called off teh coast of GA or FL the same would apply. I didn't try and call from any other place.

[travelgals]

Thanks, This is all very helpful.

[cruise junky joan]

I have a cingular phone and the calls to and from any USA territory, ST. Thomas and San Juan for instance are included in my regular long distance without any roaming or extra fees. An American phone is not going to work in any European port because they are on a different system. generally your cel phone is not going to work at sea once you are more than about 45 minutes from port. The MCI cards that I had purchased in BJ's did not work on Martinique so we just bought another one and had the store clerk explain to us how to use the phone and the card at the nearby phone booth. Good Luck