Cheap phone to use while on Alaska cruise

[Cessnock]

If I hope buy a cell phone with pre-paid call time to use before and after my cruise am I likely to find one that can be used in US and Canada too?

[JoKen1]

Be careful. I have one from Virgin and called ahead of time to see if I could still call CA from out of state and in Canada. The girl checked her records for the cities I would be in and told me yes I could call. I could not get phone service at all at any of the stops in Alaska and even though I was told I couldn't call from Canada I was able to call while at Sea between Alaska and Canada. It's pretty much hit and miss with those pre paid phones. There are tons of mountains around and they say that is why you can't get reception.

 

Also be careful when you use the computers on the ship as they become very very slow at times when mountains are around.

[sue402001]

I have a Tracfone and had no problems using it from the ports in Alaska. Since I didn't try calling from Canada I can't vouch for it working their.

[Cessnock]

Be careful. I have one from Virgin and called ahead of time to see if I could still call CA from out of state and in Canada. The girl checked her records for the cities I would be in and told me yes I could call. I could not get phone service at all at any of the stops in Alaska and even though I was told I couldn't call from Canada I was able to call while at Sea between Alaska and Canada. It's pretty much hit and miss with those pre paid phones. There are tons of mountains around and they say that is why you can't get reception.

 

Also be careful when you use the computers on the ship as they become very very slow at times when mountains are around.

Thanks for the advice. Maybe (just maybe) we can get by without a cell phone & use pay phones for reservations, confirmations etc in Anchorage & Canada. I guess our parents did! Then we could pick up a pre-paid for use in California.

[RLBlack]

If you currently have a local cell phone- (Att&t- Verison- and etc.) see if your company will change your plan to "nationwide"- We live in Alaska- and have a "nationwide" plan that can be used in all 50 states. And it takes care of all our long distance charges through out the year. Our plan charges $.45 per minute in Canada- so we use it very little in Canada- but it works- currently it does not reach to Mexico- but we are hoping eventually it will- ATT&T does- rlb