Two aunts and an uncle are going on a 10-day cruise from Hawaii to
Canada on the Norwegian Wind.  The cruise line charges $6 per minute
for a ship-to-shore phone call.

My uncle needs to conduct phone business, 10-20 minutes per day.  If
he uses the ship, this could be up to $120 per day(!).

Other than ship-to-shore telephone and e-mail (ship charges 75 cents
per minute Internet connect time), is there another way to communicate
more cheaply?

If the only alternative is via satellite phone, what are the names of
two cheap rental firms?

All comments greatly appreciated.  Thanks!!  ron

This is outside my areas of expertise, so I won't attempt to answer
your question, but I would like to pass along a recommendation of a
satellite phone rental company used by a friend when she was on a
cruise:

Mobal Rental
http://www.mobalrental.com/globalstar-satellite.asp

My friend was very pleased with the satellite phone and with Mobal. If
only the other aspects of the cruise had been as trouble-free. ;-)

See also Subject: Cell phones for tourists in China 
http://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=135739

Thanks, PinkFreud & Factsman!   I really appreciate it.   ron