Prepaid International Calling Cards

[SeaTrailer]

I have seen suggestions in various threads to give the cabin steward a prepaid calling card at the beginning of your cruise. I think this is a wonderful idea but, having never bought one before, is there a particular card or company that I should consider for the Carribean?

 

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[LARGIN]

Just make sure it can be used in the Caribbean.. Myself, The first thing I do when I get in my room is to request that the hard pillows be replaced with feather pillows. I slip a $10 in their pocket after they bring the pillows to me.. All goes well from then on. :)

[Toto2Kansas]

It is a good alternative but any cabin steward we have ever had would prefer the cash to the calling card. ;)

[mbw1024]

I just checked me AMEX bill for the call I made to my Mom from Cozumel .. $54 bucks for 8 minutes!! I nearly died!

[bahamapapa]

Seatrailer--

 

The problem is not with calling cards, it is with finding phones to accept them. Many of the phones in port are company-specific or port-specific. For instance, in St. Maarten, you can buy a $10 card that gives you 30 minutes of U.S. calling at any of the payphones along the waterfront and downtown. These cards do NOT work at the port, however, where you either have to use a credit card (at an exhorbitant rate) or go to Little Switzerland and buy their calling card which works only on their phones.

 

That said, three thoughts:

 

1. Wait and buy a card in town at the time you are going to use it, and only buy it from a store vendor who will tell you where it can be used before you buy it. You can usually find one for $10 or less for 30 minutes or more....not a bad deal to call home, grandma, etc.

2. If you are planning on giving your steward $10, I agree that they would generally much prefer the cash rather than the phone card.

3. If you buy a card, invariably you may have time left over. This is what we leave the steward or busboy as a bonus.

 

BP