Prinzess Irene. Postcard, postmarked December 3, 1900.
"Fröhliche Weihnachten! Die Besten Wünsche zum Jahreswechsel!"
Or, in English:
"Merry Christmas! Best wishes for the New Year!"
After Prinzess Irene completed its maiden voyage to New York on September 22, 1900, the ship spent the next two-and-a-half years in the East Asian service of the North German Lloyd company. Its first sailing East was on October 30, 1900.
This postcard is postmarked Penang (Malaysia), December 3, 1900 - only a few weeks after Prinzess Irene was launched. It shows Captain Wettin, who commanded Prinzess Irene at that time.