Cell phone service - prague to budapest

[S&LS]

We will travel with ama from prague to budapest. Does anyone have any info if verizon cell phone service is available. If not, any suggestions for international rentals

 

thanks

 

steve

[steamboats]

Steve,

 

Verizon is available only in the US ;):D. But I´m pretty sure there is a roaming partner.

 

Anyway make sure that your cell phone is compatible to the European GSM standards (you need at least a triple band cell phone).

 

You should also check with Verizon how much your rate is including roaming fees for international calls.

 

In case you need a cell phone Mobal might be a good idea. They were recommended on several board on here for European travels.

 

steamboats

[hillslife]

We purchased a MOBAL International Phone a few years ago. Only cost $99 for the phone and it is good in almost ALL countries (there is one for $49, but not good in several countries, US or Mexico). You only pay for the calls you make/receive. The rate is a bit high, but we like being able to be in touch with kids immediately, if necessary.

 

We will charge it up when we leave next week - Amsterdam - Vienna river cruise; always have the same international phone number no matter where we are and gives us piece of mind when traveling.

 

You can probably get your cell phone carrier to give you 'international capability' but then you have to pay for it monthly, even if you are not travelling....so this other option works well for us.

 

Good luck.

[S&LS]

Thanks for the recomendations

 

already ordered it

 

steve

[swanieswan]

If you have an UNLOCKED cell phone I wondered if you had looked into the possibility of purchasing a SIM card? You can purchase a SIM card from one of the European service companies, I am not sure if Vodophone or the likes services that area. I did this when I was in France, I used Orange, the French telephone company.

The other alternative is Truphone. You can purchase time and use the ship's WIFI connection to make or receive telephone calls. Visit their site to see if your phone is compatible.

As far as using your US plan, I would check the roaming rates. Those can be VERY expensive.

Regards,

Swanieswan

[bruce-r]

If you have an UNLOCKED cell phone I wondered if you had looked into the possibility of purchasing a SIM card? You can purchase a SIM card from one of the European service companies, I am not sure if Vodophone or the likes services that area. I did this when I was in France, I used Orange, the French telephone company.

That phone will have to be a GSM phone, technology used by T-mobile and AT&T in the US. It will also have to be quad-band phone because different frequencies are used in Europe than the US.

The other alternative is Truphone. You can purchase time and use the ship's WIFI connection to make or receive telephone calls. Visit their site to see if your phone is compatible.

And of course, wifi connectivity will be at an additional cost from the ship.

[wcyellin]

We'll be on an AMAWaterways Prague to Budapest in mid April.

 

Which trip are you on?

 

My wife & I both use T-Mobile, and we have sim-unlocked phones.

 

We generally keep our home sim in one of the phones, (usually 99 cents to $1.29 per minute) for both local and long distance calls - in or out. BUT MUCH HIGHER IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

 

We will buy a cheap local sim if we are going to spend more than a day or two in one place, or in a place with overpriced calls - like Prague. With a local sim, you'll get cheap calls and free incoming calls.

[mrcamp]

As already mentioned, first check with your carrier. I know verizon is NOT GSM, however they do carry a handful of phones that are CDMA/GSM. Which means they will work outside of the US. At very high roaming rates of course. OTOH, you can just get a cheap unlocked phone and buy local prepaid sim if you will be in one country for more than a few days.

 

Personally I have an international sim from telnamobile that gives a US number and charges $19/month and works in almost 200 countries. I just pay for the calls I make.

[swanieswan]

That phone will have to be a GSM phone, technology used by T-mobile and AT&T in the US. It will also have to be quad-band phone because different frequencies are used in Europe than the US.

And of course, wifi connectivity will be at an additional cost from the ship.

 

AMA provides FREE WIFI on the boat. This may be your cheapest alternative if you do not need to make/receive calls at specific times.

[S&LS]

we'll be on an amawaterways prague to budapest in mid april.

 

Which trip are you on?

 

My wife & i both use t-mobile, and we have sim-unlocked phones.

 

We generally keep our home sim in one of the phones, (usually 99 cents to $1.29 per minute) for both local and long distance calls - in or out. But much higher in the czech republic

 

we will buy a cheap local sim if we are going to spend more than a day or two in one place, or in a place with overpriced calls - like prague. With a local sim, you'll get cheap calls and free incoming calls.

 

we are leaving ny on april 28. Sounds like the trip after yours

 

steve

[DeniceRG]

check with Verizon. Last summer I went to Scandinavia, and Verizon sent me an International phone (same phone #) that I activated before I left .... used it overseas, then when I returned, I reactivated my own cell phone and sent theirs back. It was easy and not costly.

 

Enjoy!

 

Denice

[triplecrownprincipal]

Verizon has a Verizon Global Services for Europe. You must have one of their phones which can be activated to work in Europe. If not, they will loan you one one for 21 days free of charge. Their plan costs about $65.00 for a month to use your phone at about .99 per minute. The Verizon Global Services phone number is 800-711-8300.

[Tinkindling]

I had my GSM phone (quad band) unlocked, which cost me $20 Canadian. When I get off the plane, I usually buy a pre-loaded SIM card for it from someone like T-Mobile (UK), or WIND (Italy). Often found right in the airports. Other providers include Orange and Vodafone.

 

I mainly use the phone to send and receive texts from family back in Vancouver. I can make long-distance calls this way, but make sure you buy a SIM that has reasonable rates for this.

 

The only downside to this is that each new SIM gives you a new telephone number. I generally text my new number to anyone who might need to contact me.

[garys869]

What no one mentions in these threads is the cost to family/friends to RECEIVE calls or texts from these great rental phones or "sim" cards.

 

The receiving end costs can be as astronomical as making a simple outbound call, cell-to-cell, from Europe to the U.S. In the neighborhood of 2-4 bucks per minute/per text received.

 

If calling TO a U.S. land-line, these charges tend not to apply.

 

I discovered this while planning an overseas trip for last summer. I got a great deal on a Vodaphone rental, but ended up not using it much because of the enormously high charges that would show up on the receiving end. In other words, I'd wasted my cash on the rental ... though it WAS nice to have this option in hand in case of emergencies.

 

I wish there were a more simple or cost-effective solution to the phone/cell phone issue. Actually, Skype worked enormously well during the entirety of my month-long holiday last year [even aboard the QM2], but making a simple phone call to relate travel stories and experiences back to those in the U.S. would have been really nice, too. . .