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What is the best (least expensive) way to make a landline phone call to the states, e.g. from from a hotel room, phone booth, etc.?? My cell phone company (Verizon Wireless) wants $0.69/min PLUS all kinds of add-on charges. How about Calling Cards - Do they work?? Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
Luckily for you and us, this has been discussed alot on this board so do a search and then get a phone card. Seems the roaming charges are horrific, service is spotty so the phone card seems to be the way. Obviously limits to calls coming in completeley but hey- you're on vacation!
In the ideal world: Turn off all phones, send messages in a bottle and relax. Sprint works well in St Croix anyway. Also Virgin Mobile (cell phone where you just buy minutes) works on St Croix. I think I read where Sprint and affiliates work on many of Carib Isles. Otherwise, yup, the phone card thing.
Sprint service was great in Charlotte Amalie & Cruz Bay - no roaming or extra charges. We used our phones to keep track of our group during our trip.
The best and cheapest way to call home from the USVI is a prepaid phone card. Forget the cell phones and public phones and hotel phones. The phone card is the way to go.
Although I've had no problems with my Cingular service when calling home from St. Croix, I still recommend a Sam's Club ATT card for use with a land line. The cost is 3.47 cents per minute (although you get dinged pretty cute up front when using a pay phone). I know the other clubs (BJ's, CostCo, etc.) offer similar cards. They're refillable by credit card and are great for emergencies.
That's exactly what I use, Joanne, a Sam's Club AT&T card. You only have to purchase the card one time and then you can 'reload' your minutes on the phone with a credit card. We've been doing this for years.
Calling cards are great, but the last time I used one (in front of the post office in Charlotte Amalie) there was an automatic deduction of 30 minutes! Not sure if all the pay phones do this or not though, I gave "home" the room number for my hotel and let them call me from that point on!
Right. The pay phones will rip you off. Dont' use them.
Some hotels charge a modest fee (25-50 cents) for each outgoing phone call, including toll free, but that's still better than the $1.04 you'll get hit with using a pay phone (anywhere, not just the USVI) with any of the calling cards. Just make sure not to use a pay phone except for emergencies.
Does anyone have any experience/advice on calling Canada from STJ or STT?
crickett : )
