Using internet and Phone card at Ports (Western Caribbean)

[kthan]

I found that internet inside of the ship is slow and expensive. Also, using a phone card at ports would be a good idea.

 

I will go Western Caribbean (Labadee, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, Cozumel) and wondering how easy I can find

a place for internet at each port (please let me know at which port (and how easily) I can check my email and do some necessary web based work.

 

Also, can I easily find a public phone at each port above?

What phone card would be the best (cheapest & reliable)?

I realized that the call rate from US to Jamaica/Grand Cayman seems to be very high. If anyone had used a phone card, please advise me.

[kthan]

Anyone?

[lrovnan]

in Jamaica and Grand Cayman we were able to use our Cingular Cell phone which was 1.99 a minute and there were pay phones everywhere. But in Labadee we couldn't get a signal. And not sure if there are pay phones. We didn't go to Cozumel so can't give you info on that port.

[kthan]

I am using T-mobile and they quoted about same international roaming charges as Cingular, which seems to be quite expensive. That's why I am looking for a prepaid calling card I can use.

[Love2cruisegirl]

kthan,

 

Just got home from the Western (Navigator) on Saturday. We did not have a GPS phone so we were totally reliant on pay phones/internet.

Labadee-saw a row of pay phones but no one using them. Not sure if they worked.

GC-phones right outside port terminal bldg. and all along streets. NO PREPAID cards accepted. Must be collect or credit card calls. Took 4x trying to use these phones to finally get thru. Operator came on 2x and had to give credit card #, our name, phone # we were calling, etc. all about 3x each. My husband got very aggitated. Phones were marked .50/minute. Right at the port bldg, there is also a building marked w/phone & internet service inside.

In Jamaica, there is a calling area in the Taj Mahal shopping center. We didn't have time to make it to even try to phone home.

Cozumel, there were phones in the port terminal area. Also telemex phones in town at calling center. We didn't try to call home.

 

After trying to call in GC, we opted just to email from the ship. It wasn't as bad as I had heard. I averaged about 9 minutes ($5.50) per email sent. I wasn't really interested in checking all my home email...I just wanted to stay in touch w/my mother who was keeping my kids. We are Crown & Anchor so we had 2 coupons for $5 internet credit. So, 4 emails (about 1x per day) only costs me about $11 or so. Much cheaper than a long telephone call would have been. Got to relay a lot of info. back to my mom & kids quickly. Hope this information helps.

[superjerryw]

Labadee - nothing as this is RCCL's private property.

 

Cozumel - there is an Internet/Calling Center in the shopping area next to the pier. It amy have been $5 per hour for Internet access. There is another place about 150 yards to the right on the opposite side of the street after you exit the terminal building. It has a sign that says something like "Llamdos Internatcional".

 

Grand Cayman - a couple of places right near the tender pier.

 

Jamaica - there was a place in the International Village shopping center near the pier but I don't recall seeing it this past July. Perhaps it has been relocated.

[RiverRev]

Calling from a payphone in any of these countries is very expensive. Yes, your credit card will be billed $.50 per minute to the Grand Cayman phone service, but you will also pay an international connection fee to a third party provider which usually runs $25. We made a two minute call from a payphone from Cancun and the total cost was $65.

 

Second point: International phone cards purchased in the U.S. are for international calling FROM the U.S. they do not work in other countries. You may purchase phone cards for Mexico at http://www.telmexusa.com/USA_ing/home_TMXUSA_ing.html. I can't give you links to any others.

[FunCruiser56]

We have found an internet cafe at every port we go to, except private islands. We usually ask at the purser desk for the location at each port.

They offer all kinds of services including cheap internet. WE can email home, check our bank statements, mail spend about 15-20 min for about $3-5, usually very high speed. Faster and cheaper than the ship internet service.

 

I have also seen phone banks to call home, usually advertised for around 75cents a mintue. WE have never used them, we usually stay in touch with our kids via the internet. They are usually at work/school during the time frame we are on a island so calling would not work for us .

 

No luck using calling cards at public phones, they always want a CC card-forget that!

 

Bev

[planocruiser3]

I used a credit card in Grand Cayman because I couldn't get my calling card to work....two 45 second calls to reach an answering machine cost us about $75. I wouldn't recommend going that direction.

[superjerryw]

 

Second point: International phone cards purchased in the U.S. are for international calling FROM the U.S. they do not work in other countries. You may purchase phone cards for Mexico at http://www.telmexusa.com/USA_ing/home_TMXUSA_ing.html. I can't give you links to any others.

 

Be careful with the cards from Telmex. I purchased one and it would not work at any pay phone in Cozumel. E-Mails to Telmex customer service went unanswered.

[piratefan04]

Hi

 

I just used a calling card in Grand Cayman. There is a little place at the end of the peir that sells liquor and has about 15 phones. We bought a phone card from the clerk. I think it was about 12 for 24 minutes, which equals 50 cents a minute, but you don't get all the surcharges as when others used their credit cards. Hope this helped.