I am going on Tahiti Cruise this weekend...what is best way to contact home... I need to check on sick relative fairly often.
Thanks!

Not too sure to be honest but this will at least bring your message to the top. If you re-post again it's a good idea to put more info in your subject line, e.g. How to contact home from Tahiti cruise ship?

I would check with the cruise line to see if you can use either a ship's phone or mobile phone (doubtful about a mobile/cell but wouldn't hurt to ask). If you have shore excursions you could try a public phone - buy a phone card or put coins in. You could also use email, either ashore or the ship may have internet facilities. It sounds though like you need to speak with someone rather than use email. Good luck, I'm sure there will be a way!
Kay

While not on a cruise so I don't know if they have restrictions, we were in FP last year and our mobile phones from the US worked. Not all islands got coverage but you can check with your plan provider before you go.

I would also ask this question directly to the cruise company.

stormygirl, does that mean you had tri-band cellphones that could work to the GSM standard? I've seen a lot of posts about the difficulties Americans experience when using their phones almost anywhere else, and I had the impression that while some local US carriers use GSM, it's on a different frequency from most of the world's. The conventional wisdom expressed is either buy a phone at your destination or if you travel frequently, buy a tri-band phone. I'm curious. I wonder if someone has taken the trouble to create a website explaining this whole schemozzle, as it just seems to go round and round on Fodors and create endless confusion.

Neil, we have Sony Ericsson phones- tri band- and use Cingular. I've used my phone in FP, France and Spain with no problems (except trying to remember how to dial....1 or 011..or ahahhh!!!) and of course just like anywhere there are places with no service.

We bought our phones here in seattle, they are a popular brand, nothing fancy. My understanding is that all of the newer phones are tri band. We've had these since last Aug.

I'm on my way to Tahiti in a few days - I just got off the phone with ATT - I was told I needed to upgrade my phone to a GSM with 900 band - that will work from over there. Of course the cost is $2.29 per minute !!

The cell phone can be expensive. We were on a cruise ship in Jamaica last fall and made a 3 minute call home. The cost was $28.

Proudfam: We were on the Tahitian Princess last month. They have an internet room. We emailed my kids from a cyber cafe in Papeete and Rarotonga. If you have questions, let me know. Using the internet on the ship was more expensive than emailing from the cyber cafes.