Curious about shipping packages home...

[suzyq964]

I have read several threads that indicate some people ship clothes & souveniers home after the cruise/land portion of trip. We are cruising 1st & then doing 4 day land trip. How do you go about this? Where would I get a box, tape, etc. And where would you find Post Office or UPS store when in port? Our last land port would be Skagway by the way. Does anyone know if this would be a service that Princess Cruise line would offer aboard the ship?

It would be nice to possibly have this as an option.

Thanks...

 

 

sue

[fti]

I don't think Princess offers this. I looked into it last summer, thinking of shipping home my camping gear from Anchorage before my cruise. But it was pretty expensive.

 

It is really easy to figure out costs and locations - www.usps.com will give you costs if you plug in zip codes (find a hotel in Skagway or Avis and use their zip code). They will also give you locations. Same with UPS - www.ups.com and find where you calculate cost and time in transit.

 

If you are renting a car, probably easiest to just drag it with you or try to arrange with a hotel you are staying at after your cruise to leave it at then pick it up when you pass through again.

[greatam]

There is a US post office about a block from the port in Ketchican. We ship stuff to and from Ketchican every year for our employees. Ask your room steward for a box (mostly small on the ship). Or walk into any of the stores and ask if they have boxes you can have or purchase for a small fee. Or find a grocery store.

 

In Anchorage, the post office is about 1/2 mile south of the passenger terminal at the airport. I ship stuff home from almost everyplace in the world I go. And I ship lots of stuff in and out of Anchorage in the summer (we have business in Alaska all summer).

 

Finding the boxes is usually the hardest part. Anyplace there is a U-Haul agency (even the little tiny mom and pop gas station ones), you can buy great boxes, tape, et. Should have scissors in your suitcase.

 

If you need more help, please post. Shipping and international logistics is what I do for a living.

[Chat Noir]

In Anchorage, the post office is about 1/2 mile south of the passenger terminal at the airport.

 

The above mentioned post office is also open 24 hours a day. I've shipped late at night for the past two years... very convenient for shipping extras that don't fit in the suitcases!:) I purchased packing supplies at good ol' Walmart. The ones in Anchorage have good sized selection of boxes, tape and packing materials.

Skagway post office is downtown. Not that the town's so large you'd miss it!

[Toyz711]

we were walking around skagway, needed a stamp to mail a postcard...found this great little pack and ship place. off the main drag about 1/2 block. the guy that ran is was so nice...i noticed that they had boxes and packing materials.

[suzyq964]

Thank you all for the great ideas! I'm hoping I won't need to do this, but it does sound like a good option. I'm going to really TRY to pack light, but want to have room for souveniers, etc.

Thanks again--this board is sooooo great!!

 

Sue

[suzyq964]

Toyz711 that really helps--you must have been posting your message, just as I was posting my Thanks!

 

Sue

[wolfie11]

I swear by the plastic rubbermaid totes that you can buy at Target, Walmart, etc. for under $10. When I leave, I pack everything in the tote, including an extra soft-sided bag. When I return, I either bring back everything I bought in the tote with my "original" luggage in the extra bag, or ship back the tote. The ones that latch work really well.