kvasir

Can anyone explain what they want the stamps for please?

It's treated as a souvenir of one's travel, especially when passport stamps are on its way out of fashion. For example travel between US and Canada rarely get stamped, nor travel within the Schengen Area of Europe.

And much has changed since then - at least in our experience.

We like to send postcards to our granddaughter from our travels. The last few

times we have been to the Caribbean, the PSD was no help with postage or mailing. We have had to find a post office and buy the local postage stamps. Of course, this doesn't guarantee that she gets the cards. I think we run about 75% success.

Indeed, was just offering general advise rather than replying to the OP.

I've never had any luck buying stamps on the ship, I certainly would not trust the ship would drop off mail at the port.

I have 100% rate so far (knock on wood) receiving self-mailing postcards from the Caribbean. Though I've only been on 2 cruises, I've sent myself at least a dozen postcards from the eight ports (seven different postal administrations) I've visited.

One of which is Labadee, Haiti, from which is nearly impossible to send a postcard. I received it few months later.

All the French territories use the same stamps as in France, and payment in Euros. It really depends which group of French territories you are sending mail from and where you are sending. Fortunately the French territories (Martinique, Guadaloupe, St. Martin, St. Barts) in the Caribbean all operates on the same rate table. Best to go to a post office and inquire, or look up the rate ahead of time.

In my experience the French post office in the Caribbean operate on Caribbean efficiency. Line up is long and often only one person is working who disappears for long period of time. People deal with their social benefits, banking and all their everyday stuff. If you are visiting more than one French islands in the same cruise, buy French stamps on the first port you visit to save time. Or use the stamp vending machine.

You can only use US stamps for mailing in US territories.

To get local coins, try locate a Canadian bank on some of the islands. On St. Kitts, St Lucia, and Barbados there's a Royal Bank and CIBC prominently in the heart of city centre, you can't miss it (It does make you feel proud of the Canadian influence on these Commonwealth islands!) . Go to the teller and use your Canadian bank card to withdraw specific denomination you want to collect. If the banks are close or if you rather not stand in line, (they do operate in Caribbean hours, like closing at 2pm on a week day!), use your bank card at the ATM to withdraw local bills, use local bills to shop and get change in local coins that way.

The main post offices of St. Kitts, St. Lucia and Barbados are pretty easy to find and only a short walk from the cruise terminal. In Barbados there's actually a post office kiosk right in the terminal. Do a bit of research before hand to get directions.

In St. Kitts, there is an immigration office at the port terminal building (Port Zante). Knock on the door and ask nicely for a passsport stamp. What you'll get is a pretty illustrated souvenir stamp, probably different if you had arrived at the airport.

Part of the purpose of mailing a postcard is that it would have the local stamps and local postmark. In the age of email and instagram, mailing a postcard brings back the authenticity and sincerity of sharing one's travel. Do a bit of research to find out where the post offices are at port. Also find out about the hours if you want to purchase stamps and other philatelic products.

I don't know about everyone else but I have not had much success buying stamps on the ship. I'd rather take my postcards off the ship and mail it on shore to ensure it is mailed from port, not at the port of disembarkation!

In my experience the French ports in the Caribbean always seem to have a long line of customers and very few clerks working in Caribbean pace. People seem to do all their banking and social security businesses at the post office so do allow time to be standing in line. Or use the self-serve machine to purchase stamps. If you know you are going to be visiting a few other ports in the same country, buy extra stamps in the first port. Use part of your beach / café time to write those postcards.

It does take some planning ahead to make this part of your shore excursion!

For someone like me who makes it my personal "mission" to send myself postcard from every port I visit, it is a very fun way to experience local culture and explore the town. Yes, I have managed to send postcards from Labadee, Haiti.

Good luck!

For anyone still interested in this topic...

I was on a chartered cruise aboard Independence of the Seas in 2013. I prepared two postcards and dropped by the guest relations building in the middle of the Labadee resort ("Information Centre" on the map). I asked around and nobody local could give me a straight answer about how to send the postcards.

I was just about giving up when Michelle from Montreal (an RCCL employee) came downstairs and asked if she could help. She offered to mail the postcards for me and insisted that she would cover the postage and would not accept a tip. I thanked her profusely before I left.

About six weeks later I received the postcards:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t31.0-8/903896_10151343984425443_1735593185_o.jpg

Turned out Michelle, or some RCCL employee, took the postcards 5 days after to Cap-Haitien (2 miles east of Labadee) to mail them. Quite an interesting stamp franking I must say!

But yeah, there is no mailbox or post office in Labadee. So ask nicely as a personal favour the staff maybe able to help you out with mail.

I wrote them already and basically their answer was 'We'll let you know'.

 

I know there is no need to book this early, but my main reasons to want to do it is 1.- because I am kind of a control freak

Ahh good to know thx. I'm the same way, I like to start planning my daily activity spreadsheet, NOW.

Aww...

I've been hoping that they would have a Baltic cruise as well. I've never been to Europe but still not too crazy about the 2015 Med cruise itinerary. Would've prefer western Mediterranean like this year's. No matter, it looks like I will go on the 2015 Med cruise.

Anyone knows how I can book before they send out the official email announcement?

The European cruises were very attractive this year, to me. I would've gone to either the Baltic or Mediterranean in a heartbeat if I wasn't already booked on the March cruise. The calendar was pretty jam packed for 2014. There are, what, seven sailings this year?