DES MOINES, lowa -- It's getting easier to stay connected when you're on a cruise ship, but it will cost you.

According to research from CruiseCompete.com, you'll pay up to $25 per minute when making a telephone call from a cabin phone and up to 75 cents per minute for Internet access.

The Web site found that most cruise lines charge between $5 and $8 per minute for the convenience of calling from your cabin, with at least one cruise line charging up to $25 a minute.

You won't be able to use your cell phone from sea, although you may get a signal in some ports. GMS-capable cell phones, which cost $100 and up, have international roaming capability, with charges ranging from 50 cents to $3 a minute, on top of long distance charges from 25 cents to $1.50 a minute, CruiseCompete found. (GSM, which stands for Global System for Mobile Communications, is the next generation of cell phone technology.)

Some newer ships have data ports in stateroom cabins, others have computers with Internet access in business centers. Most ships charge a per-minute online fee; passengers can often purchase 30- and 60-minute prepaid Internet cards for between 42 and 75 cents a minute, according to CruiseCompete. Some ships have wireless hot spots or wireless access in their business centers. Many have Internet cafes.

For details on the cost of staying connected at sea, visit www.cruisecompete.com/pressrelease040505.php.