Telephone home from one's laptop, while on a cruise.

[RobertGraves]

We are going to a somewhat long cruise and we would like to be able to make inexpensive phone calls from the ship to our home using our laptop.

 

We should be able to call home both while at port and on sea days. And we should be able to call to Europe, where our home is, from North and South America (USA to Argentina and Chile).

 

I would like to ask you: Is there a program/service that we can install on our laptop and call home from the ship, using the ship's wireless internet connection? If you have a personal experience, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you in advance.

[Peregrina651]

No personal experience but I just saw a comment about someone using Skype to make calls. I wish that I could tell which thread it was that I just read where the poster reported seeing someone using Skype on board.

 

You can make contact Skype to Skype or you can buy call minutes from Skype to make phone calls. Skype is the most popular service -- and easily installed on your computer. Check it out at skype.com; it will tell you all about the service. I currently have Skype installed on my desktop and use it to talk with my niece in Australia and friends living in Europe. We talk Skype to Skype--and with our video cameras in place, it is a video conference. I am planning on installing skype on my laptop and buying some talk time so that I can call home on our upcoming trip--especially when I can find cheap internet.

 

The problem that has been reported is one one bandwidth and the very slow nature of the internet connection on most ships. This situation might not support the smooth running of Skype--or any voice over internet services.

[Keith1010]

Folks that we know on our last cruise used Skype from their computer to call home. It worked very well for them.

 

Keith

[silentbob007]

I saw someone using skype on my last cruise on their laptop and it seemed to be working OK.

[gamblingcruiser]

I talk to my brother who lives in Thailand and we use Skype. It sounds like a normal telephone call. Should have broadband; dial up doesn't work well.

[greatam]

Folks that we know on our last cruise used Skype from their computer to call home. It worked very well for them.

 

Keith

 

Please elaborate. Every time I have tried to use Skype from a ship, the connection is so slow that the connection cannot be made or IF you can connect, you get cut off due to the slow connection.

 

And Skype is NOT loaded on the cruise ship computers because they would loose money. So you are forced to use your laptop with the crappy ship wifi.

 

If you know a way around this, please elaborate.

[Keith1010]

Please elaborate. Every time I have tried to use Skype from a ship, the connection is so slow that the connection cannot be made or IF you can connect, you get cut off due to the slow connection.

 

And Skype is NOT loaded on the cruise ship computers because they would loose money. So you are forced to use your laptop with the crappy ship wifi.

 

If you know a way around this, please elaborate.

 

The OP said they were bringing their own computer with them, thus I mentioned Skype. You are correct. It is not loaded on the shipboard computers. So, it's only good for those who bring their own computer.

 

We know a few couples who were on board the cruise ship we sailed on for the past two years when we did the full world cruises and they were quite pleased with Skype. They use it often even when home. They said that it worked very well from the cruise ship.

 

Keith

[Grannycb]

We have just started using Skype on our laptop. It is very easy to install and use. We have it so family can be visually joined during the holidays. I see no reason why it can't be used on a ship as long as the signal is decent. There are times and locations when even email service doesn't work so we wouldn't expect Skype to work then either. We will be testing it on our January cruise. http://www.skype.com/

[greatam]

The OP said they were bringing their own computer with them, thus I mentioned Skype. You are correct. It is not loaded on the shipboard computers. So, it's only good for those who bring their own computer.

 

We know a few couples who were on board the cruise ship we sailed on for the past two years when we did the full world cruises and they were quite pleased with Skype. They use it often even when home. They said that it worked very well from the cruise ship.

 

Keith

 

Crystal must have MUCH better internet connections than Celebrity or Cunard. I have NEVER been able to complete a phone call while on a ship (using my laptop) and I use Skype all the time. Connected a few times, but lost the connection before the call was finished (generally less than a minute).

 

Thought maybe there was a trick setting up internal settings on the laptop.

[RobertGraves]

Many thanks to all. It seems that internet connection in ships must improve further for Skype to work properly. If anyone has something new to say on this, it will be very interesting.

 

I would like to ask you also about prepaid phone cards, about which I am also unaware. We need one to be able to inexpensively call Europe from the streets of various South American cities (in Brazil, Peru, Chile, etc). I made some googling, but do you have a specific one to suggest, from your experience?

 

I say 'from the streets' and not from our cell phones, because unfortunately our cell phones did not work during our last Spring Caribbean cruise in the United States or in the islands, and I suspect the same will happen in South America.

 

Again, many thanks in advance.

[Grannycb]

You might want to look into http://www.gotvoice.com/ We have used it to check our phone messages from our laptop.

[Keith1010]

Crystal must have MUCH better internet connections than Celebrity or Cunard. I have NEVER been able to complete a phone call while on a ship (using my laptop) and I use Skype all the time. Connected a few times, but lost the connection before the call was finished (generally less than a minute).

 

Thought maybe there was a trick setting up internal settings on the laptop.

 

Crystal has enhanced their technology. While the internet speeds range based on a variety of factors from position of the ship to the number of users/time of day, the folks we know who used their Skype during our travels with Crystal had wonderful success.

 

Maybe some of the other lines will catch up overtime.

 

Keith

[delco]

For the Iphone, Ipod touch, Blackberry users, check out Truphone. http://www.truphone.com/ A free application that allows you to call the U.S. for .06/min plus the cost of the ships wifi connection. It should save a lot compared to $2.49/min to make a cell call.

[greatam]

For the Iphone, Ipod touch, Blackberry users, check out Truphone. http://www.truphone.com/ A free application that allows you to call the U.S. for .06/min plus the cost of the ships wifi connection. It should save a lot compared to $2.49/min to make a cell call.

 

Again, another VOIP application. And AGAIN, the ship's connection is generally TOO SLOW to allow decent use of VOIP. Don't count on it.

 

Plan on using your cell, a phone card in port, the kiosks set up in port for phone service or a satellite phone. Yes, rental on the satellite phones is pretty pricey, BUT the price per minute on the Iridium network has dropped considerably. I am only paying about $1.00 per minute from ANYPLACE in the world that I have a clear signal. DOES NOT work in the ship's cabin-you MUST be on deck. If you travel enough and go to "weird" places, you can't beat having a satellite phone.

[greatam]

Many thanks to all. It seems that internet connection in ships must improve further for Skype to work properly. If anyone has something new to say on this, it will be very interesting.

 

I would like to ask you also about prepaid phone cards, about which I am also unaware. We need one to be able to inexpensively call Europe from the streets of various South American cities (in Brazil, Peru, Chile, etc). I made some googling, but do you have a specific one to suggest, from your experience?

 

I say 'from the streets' and not from our cell phones, because unfortunately our cell phones did not work during our last Spring Caribbean cruise in the United States or in the islands, and I suspect the same will happen in South America.

 

Again, many thanks in advance.

 

Ask the crew where the best place to buy phone cards in each port is. THEY KNOW. They will generally point you to the cheapest/best vendors and phones.

 

You may also want to look at a Mobal phone. NO monthly charges. Just pay for what you use. I have used mine all over the world and have never had a problem. Per minute charges are NOT particularly cheap. But for INSTANT, no hassle communication, they definitely work. I am in SA frequently for business and use my Mobal phone all the time in SA.

 

http://www.mobal.com/

[spongerob]

Crystal has enhanced their technology. While the internet speeds range based on a variety of factors from position of the ship to the number of users/time of day, the folks we know who used their Skype during our travels with Crystal had wonderful success.

It's probably not the cruise line, but the service provider they use. Princess uses Imarsat. I use Imarsat when working from remote locations as a backup system for our standard setup. Let's just say that I've lately had better luck on a cruise ship than from my own terminal! :mad:

 

For those who are interested, you can buy a portable ground station just like the one I use for around $5K. It fits nicely into a large backpack and comes with an ISDN phone.

[RobertGraves]

Ask the crew where the best place to buy phone cards in each port is. THEY KNOW. They will generally point you to the cheapest/best vendors and phones.

 

Thank you for your response. I am also considering to buy through the Internet a FastWorld phone card, as I was just told by a kind vendor that it is valid in all the countries that we shall visit.

 

But I would like to continue this question a bit more. One of the pleasure of cruising for us is that we never have to buy local currency before trip. Our credit card and US Dollars are always more than enough to ensure peace of mind. Now, I saw that payphones to use these prepaid phone cards accept 'coins or encoded credit cards'. Does this mean that they accept our Visa or Amex?

[greatam]

Thank you for your response. I am also considering to buy through the Internet a FastWorld phone card, as I was just told by a kind vendor that it is valid in all the countries that we shall visit.

 

But I would like to continue this question a bit more. One of the pleasure of cruising for us is that we never have to buy local currency before trip. Our credit card and US Dollars are always more than enough to ensure peace of mind. Now, I saw that payphones to use these prepaid phone cards accept 'coins or encoded credit cards'. Does this mean that they accept our Visa or Amex?

 

JMHO, I would not buy any phone card off the internet, but get them locally for each area. Too many times they may not work. You would have no recourse and have to buy one locally anyhow. Kind of like buying Orange SIM cards in Europe. They are supposed to work in all countries. Sometimes they don't.

 

Phones will generally accept Visa or Mastercard or local SA bank cards. You will generally have a difficult time using AMEX in SA other than at major hotels, restaurants and for rental cars and train/airplane tickets. And Diners Club is almost unheard of.

[Caribbean Sunsets]

I was curious if anyone uses AIM Voice Chats or Yahoo chat when on board the ship. I use it all the time at home to keep in touch with my cruising friends located across the country and even had someone in Canada.

[greatam]

I was curious if anyone uses AIM Voice Chats or Yahoo chat when on board the ship. I use it all the time at home to keep in touch with my cruising friends located across the country and even had someone in Canada.

 

If what you are asking about is VOIP (Voice over IP-the internet), as a general rule it will not work very well on most ships. The connection is just too slow to sustain a phone call.

[Caribbean Sunsets]

If what you are asking about is VOIP (Voice over IP-the internet), as a general rule it will not work very well on most ships. The connection is just too slow to sustain a phone call.

 

Thanks...appreciate the response.

[wasup254]

Was very good in general..we were in Chile and Argentina and we felt like we were calling down the street, a few times, the call got a bit "stringy". meaning someone would say something and the words sounded hollow and echo...

 

But 90% of the time very good reception

 

Beats 2.99 a minute

 

Cost us 2 cents a minute plus .37 a minute per our plan purchase of wifi minutes on RCCL.

 

MArlene

[RobertGraves]

Was very good in general..we were in Chile and Argentina and we felt like we were calling down the street, a few times, the call got a bit "stringy". meaning someone would say something and the words sounded hollow and echo...

MArlene

 

Thank you for your response. Did Skype work well on sea days, or only at port?