Postcard Stamps?

[RDP3181]

On our next cruise, we want to send ourselves a postcard from each of the ports we stop at (Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay, Nassau). My wife thinks it would be cool to include the postcard with local postage stamp and date stamp on it in a scrapbook of our cruise. We know the Fun Shop sells postcards of the ports, but do they sell local postage stamps from the ports we will be visiting? Do they have a mailbox on ship where they will mail it for you? I would hate to trek to the post office at each port to do this if I could do it all though the ship.

Edited January 27, 2011 by RDP3181

[*Mach*]

Yes to both. You can drop the post cards off at Guest Services and they will handle it for you.

There's also (normally...) a wooden box in a pedestal near Guest Services for mail...

:)

[CCLNCLRCICRUISER]

Often the ship wont mail the post cards the day you are in port. Sometimes it will be postmarked in your port of debarkation :D

I always buy my cards in port and the shops are more than glad to sell you a stamps and mail the card for you. There is often a post office inside the terminal.

 

Does HMC even have a post office??:confused:

[cruiser46143]

HMC DOES in fact have a post office... but we bought stamps there and haven't seen our postcards 2 weeks later... we just put a Bahamas stamp on there that they sold. Did we need a US one???

[krhpee]

When I send cards, I purchase my stamps on board from Pursor's desk. You can buy one for each port if you wish. When mailing, I ask what the cost is for each port. You would be amazed as the cost is quite different. On last cruise, Mexico was 1.46, Costa like 48 cents, and Panama was 24 or the same as american stamp cost for postcard. I try to mail them from cheapest cause it takes forever anyway. Most of the time, the cards will be mailed from the next port anyway> Ask at the customer service desk and they will tell you the price on all the ports you will be calling on. good luck

[kvasir]

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!

Edited August 22, 2014 by kvasir