Taking a cruise out of New Orleans on Norweigan next week. Can anyone tell me the cheapest way to check email or make a call either on the ship or at a port? We have Verizon phones, my son has a data package also and we'll have an air card and laptop for internet. We just want to check in a few times to make sure my elderly parents are doing ok.

Check with Verizon about this. If you call from the ship you will be charged about $7.99 per minute. I don't know charges calling from shore but it is international. Using the ship's computers is also costly. Don't klnow about WIIFI (SP?) The least expensive way would be to call from a phone in the port. But, get a phone card you can uses internationally.

For internet, cheapest is to go to an internet cafe at port.

Using your cell phone or air card will be very expensive in any of the Western Caribbean ports. Just be sure that Verizon has roaming agreements and operates in the countries where you will be docking. Verizon service isn't GSM-based, so it isn't very portable internationally and doesn't work everywhere.

If you are on an NCL ship, you may be able to use your phone and air card on the ship, but possibly not (the service on NCL is, I believe, GSM-based). You need to verify that regarding the particularly ship you're sailing on. There is, as bonniejns points out, a very hefty surcharge of about $4.99 per minute. You can certainly buy an Internet package from the ship that will keep costs down, but it's still expensive.

Otherwise, you'll be able to find internet cafes in all the ports. Your cell phone will have hefty roaming charges in all the ports as well, but it's probably cheaper than the charge to use it on the ship. Look into signing up (temporarily) for a discounted international plan for your cell phone and data plan for the air card and then turn it off once you get back.

Thanks so much for the information. Maybe we'll go without for a week! I wouldn't mind that at all but just wanted to make sure everything at home was ok. I'll check in with Verizon or use it at a port!

Eschew, just wondered, if we use internet at a port do we need to bring a laptop or are there computers there to use? I have a netbook I'm bringing on the cruise so could bring that.

The have computers. Just make sure you delete all the cookies and history after you are done. You can use your laptop in most places if you bring it with you.

If you have skype installed on your lap top, skype is an alternative to cell phone. All you need is an internet conenction and pre-paid skype pay as you go is about 2 to 3 cents a minutes.

I have an unlocked "3G" phone so my option is to buy a sim card at the local store. But it doesn't make sense if you are going to use it for a day or even less.

I see a lot of the crew uses the pay phone with a calling card, and some will buy a pay as you go sim card, one card for each port, as they will be returning week after week.

You may want to find out how much is an internet package for the ship. It might be a worthwhile expense for your peace of mind.