Your phone and laptop

By all means bring your laptop if it is necessary for you to stay in contact with work, friends and family. There are many Wi-Fi spots on the island, especially on the Dutch side, while a lot of hotels and even bars feature Wi-Fi connections. It will keep your staying in contact cost way down. Of course if you just occasionally have to check-in you may want to consider one of the many Internet Cafes on both sides of the island.

Most hotels (anywhere) view their phone system as a potential profit center. Some charge $4 per minute to call the U.S. Stay on the phone for an hour and a flight to nearby St. Thomas would have been much more economical. There are many alternatives however. Calling directly via the local phone company is cheaper. There are many call USA phones in Philipsburg where AT&T can be reached and can connect you. The Mailbox (phone 545 3890) in Simpson Bay uses a callback system that is about as cheap as you can get.

Another approach is rent a GSM cell phone for about $40 per week before you leave the U.S. or ask your mobile phone provider for their international package. You buy a prepaid phone card for a minimum of $20, non-refundable. Use up your $20 at the rate of 36 cents per minute for local calls, 50 cents for long distance and 40 cents back to the US. If you arrange the rental in advance and get the phone number, your friends can call you. Incoming calls are free. Of course you may ask your service provider at home for a plan that allows you to roam from island. Might be a little expensive however.

For longer stays it may make sense to go through the hassle of bringing your cell phone, as it can be made to work by replacing the SIM card. However it can be expensive. Cheapest by far is to use Skype, that is if you take your computer with you.