Phone calls from the ship

[Casmichele12]

Are there payphones on the ship, and if so, how much does it cost to make a call? (Royal Caribbean) If I have a calling card, will that work?

[leaveitallbehind]

Phone calls are available directly via the ship's satellite communications link and can be made from the stateroom phones. You'll have to check with RCI regarding current rates, etc, but I believe the charges are charged to your on-board account billed on a per minute basis and are rather expensive. Cell phone satellite link services are also available and are billable to your participating carrier. Check with them as well.

[cb at sea]

No "pay phones"--a call to or from the ship will cost about $7.95 per minute or so. Using the ship's e-mail is the cheapest way to stay in touch, if you have to! Or, you can call from a payphone at the ports, where you can buy a calling card to use.

[Philip217]

There is a compendium - usually located right near your stateroom telephone - that explains all the details of shipboard services, including telephones. Unfortunately very few passengers ever seem to read this information.

 

Most cruise lines will tell you that discount calling cards will not work on the ship's satellite telephone system. That's not entirely true. The calling cards will work. But unfortunately you will then be charged twice for the call; once by the ship and once by the calling card company.

[firefly333]

Most cruise lines will tell you that discount calling cards will not work on the ship's satellite telephone system. That's not entirely true. The calling cards will work. But unfortunately you will then be charged twice for the call; once by the ship and once by the calling card company.

 

Im guessing the calling cards may or may not work. I tried to use one from a pay phone in Key West and it wouldnt work. I was even willing to pay the extra fee it charges from a pay phone and it wouldnt connect, so there I was feeding change into a pay phone. I think I had a Walgrens International card I was trying to use. Some Im betting wouldnt work from a ship if they wouldnt work for a port pay phone.

 

My tracfone also wouldnt connect on my last cruise when I needed to call a rental car place. Be sure you have International turned on your cell phone .... just in cae. I was on the conquest Ike cruise where we got dumped in New Orleans, so the only way to call was wait for a line at 2:30 am to call the rental car place, finally got thru. You never know when you will need to call, so plan on it, as I said just in case.

[Gonzo70]

If you are able to wait to use phones and/or internet in ports you will save a lot of money. Communication from the ship is extremely expensive. I buy calling cards at ports and use payphones from the ports as well as look for internet cafes at ports (just about every port I have been to has an internet cafe nearby where you can use the internet for an hour for about $5).

 

If you need to make calls from the ship, your cell phone is better than the ship phone - still expensive (about $2.49 per minute for most carriers) but better than the $7.95 or so charge for the ship phones.

[wrp96]

The cost to use the incabin phones on RCCL is $7.95 per minute.

 

If you must call from the ship, check with your cell phone carrier to see what the rates will be to use your cell phone on the ship. AT&T for example charges $2.49 per minute. Still expensive but less than using the in cabin phones.

 

The cheapest method of communication onboard the ship is email. Internet costs $.55 per minute, but you can buy packages that drop the price down to around $.35 per minute.

 

Otherwise wait until you get to port, and buy a cheap calling card there to use at a pay phone. Ask your waiters where the least expensive places are to make calls. Be aware that most phone cards that you buy within the US are only good for calling from the US, they won't work for calling to the US - that's why it's best to wait until you get to port to buy a calling card.

[maryhou]

A couple years ago on our last day of the cruise our bill was slipped under the door. There were these misc charges on the bill.(over $100) I run down to the pursers desk and they can't tell me what the charges are for. Both kids cards were NOT authorized for charges. So my husband gets out of the shower we're talking etc..... checked with pursers desk again today and they said it was for room calls.(we all had cell phones mind you). I assured them the only calls from the room were for room service etc...... to no avail I go back to the room. I walk in & say did anyone try to call anyone on the room phone........... ?? me thinking dumb question but I have to ask. My them 9 year old said ....... I called home to see if anyone was there. Then I called your cell phone so see if you would answer ROFL I was alittle pissed until I remembered the amount of money my husband & I had spent on drinks for the cruise and I calmed down a bit. Pursers desk said you can call & block calls for outgoing except onboard lines. :D Kids !!!!!

[yellowbird23]

I was on a 13 nighter recently on Spirit and used my cell phone (Verizon) almost every day, but kept the minutes down. My phone bill was about $100 more than usual. Of course, there were some days that I couldn't get service so had to wait until closer to destinations.

[BarbMatt]

If you are able to wait to use phones and/or internet in ports you will save a lot of money. Communication from the ship is extremely expensive. I buy calling cards at ports and use payphones from the ports as well as look for internet cafes at ports (just about every port I have been to has an internet cafe nearby where you can use the internet for an hour for about $5).

 

If you need to make calls from the ship, your cell phone is better than the ship phone - still expensive (about $2.49 per minute for most carriers) but better than the $7.95 or so charge for the ship phones.

 

Hi There,

 

I will be in St. Martin, St. Thomas, Grand Turk and Princess Cays. Do you know where I could get calling cards at each of these ports. I will need to call Canada from the ports and wanted to know what my options were. I want to avoid calling from the ship as it is SUPER EXPENSIVE. What are the calling cards going for? Are calling cards hard to get at port? Where could I find them? Are there any internet cafes at any of these ports and where are they located?

Thanks in advance for your help.

B : )

[maryhou]

I think most ports have internet cafes. Starbucks & McDonalds have free wi-fi if you have a laptop.