Phoning home from cruise outside EU

appyjack

What's the best way to ring someone (who doesn't have Skype) from abroad?
I'll mainly text, which will be cheapest, but I want to speak as well.
I'm on a Baltic cruise, so mainly outside EU, with a few hours in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Tallinn and St Petersburg. I'm at sea most of the time (v expensive to use ship's satellite).
I could download app on smartphone and should find free wi-fi.
I used to use Buzzcard, where you paid in advance and used country codes from public phones, but that closed down.
Are there any similar services now, or any other suggestions?
Thanks.

PS Not sure if this should be in holiday or phone forum!

loobs40

If you have a home phone with BT you can use BT SmartTalk App abroad

see http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/products/landline/smarttalk-app

Providing you find good wifi you make calls via the app and its charges you according to your BT calling plan at home. So if you have free calls evening and weekend with BT you will get free calls using this app also, but make sure you check T&Cs for the exceptions.

We have used this and it works well

budgetflyer

If you have internet available then https://www.voipcheap.co.uk can connect you to any phone via a pc or via a smart phone app. Rates to uk range from FREE to a couple of pence per minute

appyjack

Thanks very much, I'll check both of those out.
I also checked 3 Mobile's rates, which aren't as bad as I thought, though Russia's rates are scary! Must make sure my data roaming is off there!
Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Sweden: Voice call to UK - call 28.8p min; receive 7.9pmin, text 8.4p, data 69.6p MB
Russia: Voice call to UK - call £3 min; receive £1.25 min, text 50p, data£6 MB