Calling home to USA

Pam,

If you have a laptop computer, and assuming your ship has good Internet access, you could just use Skype to call home (http://www.skype.com). You could even do a live video call back home to another computer to give a look at what is happening during your call! Skype is free.

Skype is free only when you do computer to computer calls. For computer to land line/mobile communications it costs about .03 cents a minute.

But the connect time on the internet on the ship will kill ya. Use a calling card when you are a shore.

Sounds like the best is to get calling cards, Thanks so much for everyone's help..

The cheapest calls I've had back to the US are by Pin Card purchased locally from a tobacco shop/news stand. The cheapest cards only work in one country but can be purchased in small denominations. The cards that work in multiple countries cost more per minute but may work out better because you won't waste money on minutes you didn't use. I don't generally like the multi-country cards because they may not work as advertised outside the country you bought them in. You can also use calling cards from Costco and Wal-Mart which will cost still more per minute, but reasonable. If you have a phone that works in Europe, you can use it to call home (mine is T-mobile and I had to activate overseas roaming) for an expensive, but convenient, option. If you have the same phone unlocked, or buy a Euro phone there, you can buy sim cards that offer very cheap calls within the country you purchased them (but still have roaming charges to use elsewhere). Skype is an option if you are bringing a laptop. I pack too light for that. One final option, internet cafes often offer international calling at a really good price - competitive with Pin Cards. It may be worth inquiring about an internet cafe. Up date (since this site won't take it as one word): I now pack an Ipod touch and use Skype to call home from a hotel, restaurant, bar, etc. with Wifi. Wifi is widely available.

When in Europe, I like "Googl Voice" also called "Google Talk" as a free native to Skype. Whenever I have WiFi access, it uses VOIP from your laptop or tablet to reach US phone numbers for free. However, you cannot make calls to other places in Europe. I use an Ipad with the Talkatone app to originate calls. Interestingly, as long as I have WiFi access and the ipad is turned on, it also receives calls from home so sometimes you get a call from friends who do not even know I am out of town.

I have a MagicJack Plus that can be plugged into a laptop running on WIFI, but you've got to carry a handset to dial and talk on. Most hotels in Europe now have WIFI. It's free.
I usually do my correspondence on EMail, however.