Phone calls from the Caribbean

[sue2cruise]

What is the best and least expensive way to call the US from the Caribbean islands beside cell phone?

[Cuizer2]

Shore side phone using an international phone card.

[okbowler]

Generally int. calling card bought at port where call is made. Bill

[forwardcabin]

Last time in Coz, calls from our cell phone via AT&T roaming were 99 cents a minute. If you have an International plan, it's about half. Belize and Roatan are much higher, like more than $2 and $3 per minute. AT&T's Web site has a list of all rates, roaming and International plan, for all countries. For other carriers, check their Web site or call their CS. Good Luck. Here's hoping you have a great cruise. Bon Voyage!

[luvs2travl]

Buy a phone card with international calling privileges - we always bring one for use on shore. If we have minutes left, we give it to our cabin steward as part of the gratuity. They are so-o grateful for these cards!! :D

[Capt_BJ]

Generally int. calling card bought at port where call is made. Bill

 

In my experience working this route I concur ... buy a local card and you'll get the best rate.

[JustUs275]

Buy a phone card with international calling privileges - we always bring one for use on shore. If we have minutes left, we give it to our cabin steward as part of the gratuity. They are so-o grateful for these cards!! :D

 

Where do you buy the card at? Is it something we can buy here and just take it with us?

[okbowler]

At all of the ports I have been to when you get off the ship there will be several shops that sell int. cards. You can ask any of the crew where to buy cards. Most of them use them. Bill

[luvs2travl]

We get ours at the nearest AT&T Store, but I know others have purchased them at Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, CostCo - places like that. There is an AT&T Store about 1/2 mile from our house, so we just pick them up there. :D

Just make sure they are good for international calls - not just domestic calls!

[JustUs275]

We get ours at the nearest AT&T Store, but I know others have purchased them at Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, CostCo - places like that. There is an AT&T Store about 1/2 mile from our house, so we just pick them up there. :D

Just make sure they are good for international calls - not just domestic calls!

 

I think I'll do that - and if it says "international" calls, that will work for calling FROM Bahamas TO the USA, right? I tried looking on AT&T website but the wording sounds more like from the USA to another country. :confused:

[mikel24m]

We just got back from the Liberty a few weeks ago . My better half had to call out of work so I told her just do it from the ship. Well I guess calls under a minute are not charged . She did it twice and we were not billed.Maybe thats a little loophole for those who just want to check in with family and be on the phone for under a minute ,It actually showed up as calls on our account but we were not billed .

[sail7seas]

Depends upon your carrier/plan but I only use regular minutes when I call Boston from St. Thomas and San Juan........ of course, they are U.S.

 

[sail7seas]

We just got back from the Liberty a few weeks ago . My better half had to call out of work so I told her just do it from the ship. Well I guess calls under a minute are not charged . She did it twice and we were not billed.Maybe thats a little loophole for those who just want to check in with family and be on the phone for under a minute ,It actually showed up as calls on our account but we were not billed .

 

Wow.... that's the first I've heard that.

 

Which ship was this?

[jkloni]

We just got back from the Liberty a few weeks ago . My better half had to call out of work so I told her just do it from the ship. Well I guess calls under a minute are not charged . She did it twice and we were not billed.Maybe thats a little loophole for those who just want to check in with family and be on the phone for under a minute ,It actually showed up as calls on our account but we were not billed .

 

Wow.... that's the first I've heard that.

 

Which ship was this?

 

Happened to me on the Carnival Triumph. I called my daughter and had to leave a message - under a minute - no charge. Didn't list on my account either. My brother called my Mom and talked to her - didn't list on his account. I called her a couple of days later and talked a bit longer and checked our acct (within minutes of the call). $20.97. My brother even wondered outloud if calls had to be 3 minutes or longer to register a charge...

 

So mikel24m might be on to something....

 

Kathy

[mikel24m]

Carnival Liberty

[mikel24m]

I think for the call home , Hi im here everythings ok love ya see you in a week callers , this may ( but not for long now ) a little loophole

[luvs2travl]

I think I'll do that - and if it says "international" calls, that will work for calling FROM Bahamas TO the USA, right? I tried looking on AT&T website but the wording sounds more like from the USA to another country. :confused:

I know - they make it sound that way, but here is what you need to do if you use the AT&T card. This is from their website:

 

How do I use the CALL ATT® Calling Card outside the U.S. or Canada?

To place calls from outside the U.S. and Canada, you need to obtain an AT&T Direct® Service access number prior to traveling. Just call 1-800-331-1140 or visit the AT&T World Traveler Web site to get access numbers for the countries in which you'll be traveling. Then when you're abroad, simply dial the AT&T Direct Service access number for the country you're calling from and follow the dialing instructions.

 

Hope it helps!! :D We've never had a problem in using it.

[kitty9]

Where do you buy the card at? Is it something we can buy here and just take it with us?

 

Cards you purchase here in the US will not work in the phones on the islands. Those cards are used to call foreign countries FROM the US and not calls to the US. You need to purchase cards in every port you visit.

[Davidson Duo]

We use our "Magic Jack". It is an internet phone jack you can plug into any USB port on a laptop or PC (it needs to be high speed). We usually travel with our own laptop, buy a minutes plan for internet on the ship, and we are good to go. It costs $39.99 US for initial purchase and 1 year of service. After that it only costs $19.99 per year for renewal.

 

You can get them at most WalMarts in the states or purchase online. There are other chains that carry them, but we see them in WalMart all the time. You just need a small phone that plugs into the MagicJack, which plugs into the computer.

 

Once you buy your year's subscription, the cost of use is pretty much free. When in Canada or the US, it is free to call anywhere in Canada or the US. If you are anywhere else in the world, it is free to call back to both countries.

 

We use ours all the time as our main phone at our recreational cabin, whenever we are making a long distance call, and when we travel. They work very well and save us a lot of dollars.

 

We were sitting in the airport in Barbados waiting for our flight home from our last cruise. They had wi-fi , so we spent our time on our phone talking to our daughter and her family about our trip and confirming when our flight would arrive. Cost of keeping in touch with our family? Nothing. Priceless! :)

[Traveler353]

I use SKYPE on my Iphone while overseas. With a WiFi connection it is free from Mexico and most of the Carribean to the US and free to 10 cents a minute from most of Europe. With a weak WiFI signal it can sometimes sound like talking in a bucket of water but most of the time is a good connection. It is not that hard to find free WiFI hot sports in most parts of the world these days. NOTE: SKYPE will not work onboard, if it did the data charges would be out of sight with the slow speed used.

[imsulin]

Depends upon your carrier/plan but I only use regular minutes when I call Boston from St. Thomas and San Juan........ of course, they are U.S.

 

 

I think ATT is the only carrier that allows calls from the USVI and Puerto Rico with no extra charge.