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Carnival Fun Shops Jewelry and Watch Price Match, BEWARE of Starboard Services


silverridge
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Just a fair warning to all. On my recent cruise, I purchased a Citizen watch aboard the Miracle in the Jewelry Shop. The clerks in there are actually employees of Starboard Services, who run the shops on Carnival ships. Anyways, I heard the clerks say numerous times, including to me, that "We have the best price, and we will even match it. If you find a cheaper price, for an identical item, ANYWHERE, within 30 days, just print out the price and send it in for a refund check for the difference". So, I came home and found the watch for $80 cheaper on the internet, printed it out as instructed, and sent it in for my refund. Silly me, I actually believed that they would stand by their word. Well, today I got my rejection letter from Starboard Services, telling me that INTERNET PRICING IS EXCLUDED FROM PRICE MATCHING, and furthermore, the price comparison must be made with an Authorized Citizen Dealer for them to match it. Geez, call me old fashioned, but that doesn't sound like ANYWHERE as told by the clerks in the shop. They even said "print it out" which implied to me that Internet Prices were commonplace for price matches. IMO, that is poor business and just plain dishonest and misleading. These clerks would do well peddling used cars when their "careers" at Starboard are over. I should have been more skeptical and asked questions. I'm sure many of you know of this, but it is just an FYI for everyone else that does not. Happy Cruising.

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Ya know, I tried to beat the 40% off prices on citizens watches. I could find older models more discounted .. but I did not find them ADVERTISED cheaper for ECO drive.

 

Several sites did say to call up and sounded like they would further discount, but I could not find a cheaper price than the usual 40% off for eco drive watches, only the regular ones... which I suspect are older models.

 

Just a FYI .. starboard runs almost ALL cruiselines gift and duty free shops. Its not like the informatino is hidden, I know Iv mentioned it numerous times. In fact I bought a ring and the stone fell out on the way home on Voyager and I was on Conquest next, and they said you should just have brought it with you.. doesnt matter which cruiseline you bought it one.

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  • 1 year later...

I am pissed! Bought an Invicta watch on the Carnival Dream in March 2012. The watch lost some time. When I brought it back to the store on the ship just before we left the ship, they told me it was likely the battery. Because it was the last watch they couldn't exchange it. They told me to simply take it to a jewelry store and have the watch battery changed. I did question the "fun shop" employees why my receipt didn't have the make or model of my watch if I did need proof of purchase. They told me that's just the way it is. I said it needed to be clearer so I didn't end up in a situation if there was a problem. The clerk actually said "So are you calling Carnival liars?" The ass. manager stepped in to cool him off. He was implying that he was an employee of Carnival. When I returned home, no authorized store. I MUST pay to send the watch insurred to California with a cheque for return shipping of $28 and they will change the battery. They said they need it for 90 days to test it. All on a brand new watch. BTW the MSRP on the watch is $799 but I got it for $179. Can't find it anywhere over $200. I know most don't pay MSRP but don't buy their hugely over-inflated MSRP prices!!!!

 

I called Carnival and they said it isn't their problem that I was misled as the employees in the "fun shop" are not their employees or their stores. Told me to call Starboard Stores. I tried doing that and their phone line says to call between 9-4EST. I was calling during those times.

 

I was misled by the employees in the shop I thought was Carnival which it isn't, the product is not worth anywhere near what the price tag indicated, Carnival "customer service" was terrible on the phone and I will not be back! RCI here I come!

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Many years ago a friend bought a Seiko on a Carnival ship and needed to have it repaired several months later. She took it to her local jeweler who told her that he couldn't fix it because the part on the inside that broke was PLASTIC.

 

He told her that almost every major manufacturer, makes a watch just for the cruise industry and caribbean market. And although they appear to be identical to an item that's sold in the US, they really aren't and therefore don't qualify for any price matching. They are worth 1/2 of even the discounted price that people pay for them.

 

I had a similar experience when I was shopping for a "smart" typewriter about 15 years ago. All of the stores were offering guaranteed lowest price, but when I tried to invoke the guarantee I found out that the manufactures will put a different model number for each of the sales outlets.....so nothing can be price matched because it's a model 6200 at Office Depot and 6202 at Best Buy etc.............

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I am pissed! Bought an Invicta watch on the Carnival Dream in March 2012. The watch lost some time. When I brought it back to the store on the ship just before we left the ship, they told me it was likely the battery. Because it was the last watch they couldn't exchange it. They told me to simply take it to a jewelry store and have the watch battery changed. I did question the "fun shop" employees why my receipt didn't have the make or model of my watch if I did need proof of purchase. They told me that's just the way it is. I said it needed to be clearer so I didn't end up in a situation if there was a problem. The clerk actually said "So are you calling Carnival liars?" The ass. manager stepped in to cool him off. He was implying that he was an employee of Carnival. When I returned home, no authorized store. I MUST pay to send the watch insurred to California with a cheque for return shipping of $28 and they will change the battery. They said they need it for 90 days to test it. All on a brand new watch. BTW the MSRP on the watch is $799 but I got it for $179. Can't find it anywhere over $200. I know most don't pay MSRP but don't buy their hugely over-inflated MSRP prices!!!!

 

I called Carnival and they said it isn't their problem that I was misled as the employees in the "fun shop" are not their employees or their stores. Told me to call Starboard Stores. I tried doing that and their phone line says to call between 9-4EST. I was calling during those times.

 

I was misled by the employees in the shop I thought was Carnival which it isn't, the product is not worth anywhere near what the price tag indicated, Carnival "customer service" was terrible on the phone and I will not be back! RCI here I come!

 

Does RCL run their own stores with their own employees and products? Just asking since I don't know. If no, then I would think the scenario remains unchanged.

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.

 

 

We have had good service dealing with them. Wife wanted a ring but they didn't have it in her size. Bought a larger ring and sent it in to resize. The postage and insurance was reimbursed. Had buyer remorse on a different purchase. Got our money back.

 

 

 

.

Edited by miched
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  • 2 weeks later...
Many years ago a friend bought a Seiko on a Carnival ship and needed to have it repaired several months later. She took it to her local jeweler who told her that he couldn't fix it because the part on the inside that broke was PLASTIC.

 

He told her that almost every major manufacturer, makes a watch just for the cruise industry and caribbean market. And although they appear to be identical to an item that's sold in the US, they really aren't and therefore don't qualify for any price matching. They are worth 1/2 of even the discounted price that people pay for them.

 

I had a similar experience when I was shopping for a "smart" typewriter about 15 years ago. All of the stores were offering guaranteed lowest price, but when I tried to invoke the guarantee I found out that the manufactures will put a different model number for each of the sales outlets.....so nothing can be price matched because it's a model 6200 at Office Depot and 6202 at Best Buy etc.............

 

Sure hoping that's not the case here with the watch being a fake! I do question Invicta saying the MSRP for the watch is $799 but not being able to find one for over $300!!!! Scam on all fronts!

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Ya know, I tried to beat the 40% off prices on citizens watches. I could find older models more discounted .. but I did not find them ADVERTISED cheaper for ECO drive.

 

Several sites did say to call up and sounded like they would further discount, but I could not find a cheaper price than the usual 40% off for eco drive watches, only the regular ones... which I suspect are older models.

 

Just a FYI .. starboard runs almost ALL cruiselines gift and duty free shops. Its not like the informatino is hidden, I know Iv mentioned it numerous times. In fact I bought a ring and the stone fell out on the way home on Voyager and I was on Conquest next, and they said you should just have brought it with you.. doesnt matter which cruiseline you bought it one.

 

 

I have purchased 2 Citizen ECO drive watches onboard Carnival, 1-4 years ago and another 2 years ago. Never had a problem with either of them and both are still running great. After I bought the first one and we returned home I did some price checking at various shops around town here. No one here could come close to what I paid onboard so I know I saved some money. Not sure about other jewelry onboard but am definety pleased with their watches and would reccomend them.

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Does RCL run their own stores with their own employees and products? Just asking since I don't know. If no, then I would think the scenario remains unchanged.

 

No RCL uses the same company as Carnival so changing cruiselines would not help if you like to buy jewellery onboard and don't want to deal with Starboard Stores.

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Many years ago a friend bought a Seiko on a Carnival ship and needed to have it repaired several months later. She took it to her local jeweler who told her that he couldn't fix it because the part on the inside that broke was PLASTIC.

 

He told her that almost every major manufacturer, makes a watch just for the cruise industry and caribbean market. And although they appear to be identical to an item that's sold in the US, they really aren't and therefore don't qualify for any price matching. They are worth 1/2 of even the discounted price that people pay for them.

 

I had a similar experience when I was shopping for a "smart" typewriter about 15 years ago. All of the stores were offering guaranteed lowest price, but when I tried to invoke the guarantee I found out that the manufactures will put a different model number for each of the sales outlets.....so nothing can be price matched because it's a model 6200 at Office Depot and 6202 at Best Buy etc.............

 

As one who works in the wonderful world of retail buying, the part I highlighted in red and bolded is what everyone needs to be aware of. This is indeed a very common practice on electronics and watches. With some retailers ALL items have unique model numbers that can not be price matched. A big store with a lot of orange comes to mind. :rolleyes:

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As one who works in the wonderful world of retail buying, the part I highlighted in red and bolded is what everyone needs to be aware of. This is indeed a very common practice on electronics and watches. With some retailers ALL items have unique model numbers that can not be price matched. A big store with a lot of orange comes to mind. :rolleyes:

 

Home Depot?

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Bought two Movado`s in ST Thomas...the real deal when appraised here in the US

saved $1800...I personally never do this and think I got lucky

 

However bought necklace on the ship...wife loved it...could care less if I didn`t get a great deal.

 

Do your expensive Jewelery shooping at your local merchant

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  • 9 months later...

I really wish I saw this before my cruise....

 

Just bought an invicta watch on board, saw the huge mark up of $799 and that they were selling it for $179. Since I loved the watch I bought it right away. I stumbled upon this forum and decided to do some digging. Apparently the same exact watch is sold on amazon for $83 cheaper! Won't be able to go through the price match since internet pricing is excluded. Fool me once, shame on me. Buying jewelry on the ship WON'T be happening again. I actually made a comment to my girlfriend that those people were like ridiculous used car salesmen. You'd think cruise lines would partner with a more reliable and customer focused company.:(

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Home Depot?

 

Oh yeah! HD has deals with Weber, John Deere, Ariens, just to name a few. You will see features on their models that are different and realize there is a reason their price is lower. I'm not saying it's bad stuff. Sometimes you can get a model that saves you a few bucks but is very similar to what you want.

 

Personally I would never be buying jewelry from a ship or on an island unless I was an expert on it. It just doesn't make sense to take that kind of gamble.

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I really wish I saw this before my cruise....

 

Just bought an invicta watch on board, saw the huge mark up of $799 and that they were selling it for $179. Since I loved the watch I bought it right away. I stumbled upon this forum and decided to do some digging. Apparently the same exact watch is sold on amazon for $83 cheaper! Won't be able to go through the price match since internet pricing is excluded. Fool me once, shame on me. Buying jewelry on the ship WON'T be happening again. I actually made a comment to my girlfriend that those people were like ridiculous used car salesmen. You'd think cruise lines would partner with a more reliable and customer focused company.:(

 

This isn't a cruise line thing, it's an Invicta thing. Look on Amazon or any other site- the MSRP will be crazy. I got a watch for DH that was listed as $3k or something ridiculous...bought it for about $300. I was going to get it appraised and my jeweler said she couldn't find it anywhere for more than $400.

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  • 1 year later...
Hubby had gotten a diamond ring for me the ship.. It was $1600.00.. Well when I brought it to be appraised it was worth $900.00..Lets say it did get returned..

 

I am SOOO glad to hear that! I just returned from the Carnival Breeze with a $2600 diamond ring. I was about to send it in to have it re-sized and hubby insisted I get an appraisal before I send it in to make sure the same will be returned. Let's just say, we didn't even make it to the appraisal process. The jeweler had me look at it through the microscope and it was riddled with inclusions and not even close to the clarity they has specified. He said unless it is a "Gemological" appraisal, the seller can put whatever they want for the quality of diamonds. I just shipped it back, insured and am hoping to get a refund with out any problems.

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INTERNET PRICING IS EXCLUDED FROM PRICE MATCHING, and furthermore, the price comparison must be made with an Authorized dealer for them to match it. .

 

This is not unusual for MANY retailers who offer price guarantees, it's just not feasible for them to try and compete with what can be offered on the internet. For example gray market goods, those without valid warranties, sellers without brick&mortar expenses..... etc. Sorry but the Carnival retailer's practice is quite standard in this regard and you shouldn't feel cheated.

 

Oops, just realized this is an old thread - OP may be long gone.... :)

Edited by bouhunter
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I am SOOO glad to hear that! I just returned from the Carnival Breeze with a $2600 diamond ring. I was about to send it in to have it re-sized and hubby insisted I get an appraisal before I send it in to make sure the same will be returned. Let's just say, we didn't even make it to the appraisal process. The jeweler had me look at it through the microscope and it was riddled with inclusions and not even close to the clarity they has specified. He said unless it is a "Gemological" appraisal, the seller can put whatever they want for the quality of diamonds. I just shipped it back, insured and am hoping to get a refund with out any problems.

 

You may want to check the policy now ,this thread is years old and things may have changed

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You may want to check the policy now ,this thread is years old and things may have changed

 

The post I quoted was from last year and I did check their policy that they have an "unconditional" one year warranty for any reason, so we'll see, thanks.

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The post I quoted was from last year and I did check their policy that they have an "unconditional" one year warranty for any reason, so we'll see, thanks.

 

Just a follow up. I called them before I mailed the ring back to just to make sure I wouldn't have any problems and the first question she asked me is what ship I purchased it from and then stated I didn't need any reason to return it. It seems that Carnival is the only ship that offers a one year unconditional guarantee. I just confirmed that they received my ring and are processing my refund.

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