Best way to call UK Landline

[Mrk2868]

Whilst on a forthcoming Caribbean cruise I need to be able to call an UK landline, from the ship or port.  I'm quite happy to restrict the calls to port days.  As it's a landline then solutions as WhatsApp, Facetime & Skype can be used.  If I use mobile phone roaming or satellite phones service on-board then cost of calls are very high.  £2-£3/minute if not more.  Any ideas of a cheaper way to call home?

[terrierjohn]

4 minutes ago, Mrk2868 said:

Whilst on a forthcoming Caribbean cruise I need to be able to call an UK landline, from the ship or port.  I'm quite happy to restrict the calls to port days.  As it's a landline then solutions as WhatsApp, Facetime & Skype can be used.  If I use mobile phone roaming or satellite phones service on-board then cost of calls are very high.  £2-£3/minute if not more.  Any ideas of a cheaper way to call home?

I believe P&O have a low cost wi fi  package that includes social media, but not sure about video calls, although standard phone calls via SM  may be possible.

[2BACRUISER]

The best thing to do is go on your mobile phone network providers website and see if what they offer on worldwide calls. There may be a package you can buy for the duration of your holiday which will allow you to call home when you are in port. Personally I wouldn't even attempt a call from the ship unless you are in port. I'm with Vodafone and they have one where you can use your UK package  data, text and calls whilst abroad. Hth

[Stokie33]

Whilst on Iona you could only video call if you had the most expensive WiFi package, so it worked out very expensive. I’d downloaded Skype and put the minimum £5 credit on which I used whilst on Princess but ended up purchasing the middle WiFi on Iona and WhatsApp messaging people who would then check on my parents for me

[Mrk2868]

I suspect I will have to go down the route of sending WhatsApp messages and getting people to check how my mother is.  The mobile provider I'm with does not offer a roaming package outside Europe, and want nearly as much as the satellite phone on-board per minute.

 

Video/Voice calls over WhatsApp/Facetime etc. are no good as my mother does not know how to use internet or smart phones.  Just regular BT Landline.  

 

Any more ideas much appreciated.

[Stokie33]

That's why I downloaded and put credit on Skype it was brill on Princess as able to call their landline and still have most of the £5 credit left. Would it be possible to do this and find a WiFi hotspot in port, we've never been to the Carribbean so don't know what the WiFi is like

[suekay]

I have a Worldsim card which I put into an old phone and use it to call my elderly mother from abroad. 

 

https://www.worldsim.com/international-sim-card?___store=gbd

 

 

[wowzz]

On 10/7/2021 at 4:24 PM, Stokie33 said:

That's why I downloaded and put credit on Skype it was brill on Princess as able to call their landline and still have most of the £5 credit left. Would it be possible to do this and find a WiFi hotspot in port, we've never been to the Carribbean so don't know what the WiFi is like

I would second that. For basic phone calls,  Skype is hard to beat. 

Just one proviso - if someone has put a call blocker on their phone to prevent spam calls,  that will prevent them getting  Skype calls.

I did this for my Mum. She no longer gets spam calls,  but I now cannot call her on Skype !