It's Always Fun Until....

[JKrise]

My wife an I really enjoyed Labadee.

However, I just do not understand why Royal does not put forth and enforce a Standards of Conduct protocol for the selected vendors in the Haitian Flea Market.

 

The market has become widely known for the aggressivness of the vendors, and in turn avoidence by many passengers.

 

It is just a matter of time before the wrong combination of people meet and something goes very bad.

 

Royal's failure to develop and enforce a vendor marketing and sales conduct protocol would be a major contribution to this bad situation. Really bad corporate PR for an otherwise great company.

 

RCCI really needs to clean up the behaviour of their selected Haitian Flea Market vendors.

[cruisegirl1]

I have never experienced any different behavior in Labadee from any other island craft area. (Ever walked through the Straw Market in Nassau?) These folks generally need your business. I've never seen aggressive behavior. Pushy yes, but not aggressive.

 

If their behavior offends you, politely walk away, or don’t go to the vendor area at all.

 

M

[Aquahound]

There are two buildings. One is the typical straw market with aggressive vendors. The other one isn't. If you are offended by the aggressive sales practice, go to the second building.

[ehappy]

I imagine Royal Caribbean can control its own employees, but find it quite unimaginable that they may be able to control actions of vendors in a port.

 

Are you asking that they somehow curb or determine how items are sold or marketed to you? How would they go about enforcing that?

 

I do understand that they're aggressive - I got duped by the 'take pictures with my monkey' trick once - and I'll never do that again! lol...learned my lesson! From now on, if I don't want to buy something, I'll simply turn on my 'iggie button' and walk on.

[LBumb]

i can walk straight ahead with "blinders" on if needed. remember how poor these people are and how fortunate we are.

[rummenroman]

I imagine Royal Caribbean can control its own employees, but find it quite unimaginable that they may be able to control actions of vendors in a port.

 

 

Those vendor are there and they and sign a contract to be there. RCCL can control them with specific verbiage within their contracts.

[BroncosFan2010]

Better idea, avoid ships with itineraries that go there!

[ehappy]

Those vendor are there and they and sign a contract to be there. RCCL can control them with specific verbiage within their contracts.

 

 

Ah, well perhaps it's not in the conduct code about the method by which something is sold.

[bluegirlum]

Better idea, avoid ships with itineraries that go there!

 

Or if you're there, just avoid the shops. With all that's gone on in Haiti, can you blame them for trying to get some money?

 

OP, have you ever been to Jamaica? This is how things are done in other cultures. Just because we Americans aren't used to it doesn't mean it's wrong. If you're uncomfortable, just step away. If one of these vendors were to hurt someone, they'd be done working there, meaning no money for their families. You are fortunate to be there on a vacation--you can step away. This is their livelihood.

[yogimax]

Yes, some vendors are somewhat aggressive. Personally, it doesn't bother me much. I enjoy the metal work and always buy something.

[yknot13]

I must say that of all the ports visited in the Caribbean Labadee is the only place that I had a vendor attempt to steal a personal item. I was listening to my Ipod as I browsed through the market. At first they were inquiring about the Ipod and as time past more and more younger vendors became extremely interested in the item. Finaly 1 fellow took the Ipod from me and I was forced to aggresively get it back.

The point I make is that they should be more respectful of the merchants that are ultimately purchasing from them. We enjoyed the market and purchased several interesting wears.

[Theresa522]

OMG I totally agree!! I could not get over how uncomfortable I was made to feel. One vendor even grabbed my dd's arm. :eek: I immediately took her and walked out. I would have loved to purchase things but that is near impossible when everyone is screaming at you COME HERE, no COME HERE.

 

My wife an I really enjoyed Labadee.

However, I just do not understand why Royal does not put forth and enforce a Standards of Conduct protocol for the selected vendors in the Haitian Flea Market.

 

The market has become widely known for the aggressivness of the vendors, and in turn avoidence by many passengers.

 

It is just a matter of time before the wrong combination of people meet and something goes very bad.

 

Royal's failure to develop and enforce a vendor marketing and sales conduct protocol would be a major contribution to this bad situation. Really bad corporate PR for an otherwise great company.

 

RCCI really needs to clean up the behaviour of their selected Haitian Flea Market vendors.

[Missa]

Dh and I dont' mind thery're pushy or agressive tattics. it's what seperates them, a third world nation, from us and our shopping malls :) We do find teh most agressive are the ones to make the best deals with. My dh is a born haggler and alsoo a business owner, he loves the "game" of getting it for a the price he wants it for.

 

Our first cruise, these vender did not even have a building, they were just given ground. since then we've seen the improvmetns of a roof over them and dividers, nice.

 

Like another poster said, most island nations, it's simply their custom to do business this way on their level (retail). It is a big change of pace for us, but no biggie, it's ok.

 

We were warned in jamacia about having our picture taken by the people dressed up like trees int he rain forrest, by a local, lol, so we just pointed at them and took metal memeory pictures, hehe. Also, jamacian port is where we've encountered the pushiest of all vendors, wantting to carve our name in a particular peice we did not even want, and following us to the ship, hehe, whateve to make a buck. Personlly, I love the mexicans, they've always offered us a "free" plastic bag with purchases, but could never go lower then a certain price, so that they could afford a little tequila of their own, LOL! Honesty & humor, love 'em, hehe!

[bluegirlum]

I must say that of all the ports visited in the Caribbean Labadee is the only place that I had a vendor attempt to steal a personal item. I was listening to my Ipod as I browsed through the market. At first they were inquiring about the Ipod and as time past more and more younger vendors became extremely interested in the item. Finaly 1 fellow took the Ipod from me and I was forced to aggresively get it back.

The point I make is that they should be more respectful of the merchants that are ultimately purchasing from them. We enjoyed the market and purchased several interesting wears.

 

When was this? Was it recently? Not that it makes it right, but I imagine they are a lot more desperate recently. Did you report it to any RCI people?

 

There is a difference between being aggressive in trying to sell your wares and trying to steal someone's property. I hope you reported it to someone so no one else has the same experience.

 

Interestingly, when we were in Jamaica, we were accused by numerous vendors on the beach of being "racist" for listening to our walkmen (yes, it was a few years ago :) instead of giving them our full attention when they tried to sell us stuff every few minutes.

[cb at sea]

The vendors have ALWAYS been aggressive...it has nothing to do with the earthquake.

We simply avoid the market....don't need the stuff, anyway!

[yknot13]

Bluegirlum, We were on the Island in early February 2009, FOS sailing. We did not direct our concerns to RCI at the immediate time but did make refrence to this in our survey comments.

We are currently scheduled to visit Labadee in early 2011 on LOS and look foward to another great day. We will visit the market, however we will keep our personel effects more secure. We felt that being an RCI private island, we could feel more secure with the vendors and that the vendors would be more respectfull of their customers.

In hind sight this was not the case.

[Aquahound]

We will visit the market, however we will keep our personel effects more secure. We felt that being an RCI private island, we could feel more secure with the vendors and that the vendors would be more respectfull of their customers.

In hind sight this was not the case.

 

I also mentioned this earlier. If you walk past the main building with all the aggressive vendors, there is a second building. The second building has all the same stuff, but without the very aggressive vendors. I recommend going to that one.

[Badlands99]

I avoid pushy vendors whenever possible. It makes me uncomfortable. My wife, too. Given a choice, I'd stay on the ship at all Jamaican ports (my wife can't stand to stay and wants to go "see some stuff").

 

So much of what we see and experience around these ports is "Americanized" and not really representative of the true nature or culture of the country. This is one (maybe the only?) aspect that I wish they truly would "Americanize" a bit and just back off and let us shop. We would bring home lots more trinkets, crafts, t-shirts, bongs, etc., if we weren't harassed every time we get within shouting distance of a vendor.

 

AND, I think RCCL most certainly COULD control the behavior of the vendors at Labadee. It's their land, they control every other aspect of what we experience there. No reason to think the vendors are any different.

[Nebr.cruiser]

You know, while I understand the differences in culture and the desperation of people who live on the edge--and we've been to many 3rd world countries, including Egypt and sub-Saharan Africa, where vendors are very aggressive as well--it still makes sense for someone, whether its RCI or some other organization, to sit down with the vendors and talk about or instruct how to sell without turning people off or, frankly, scaring them. This isn't about trying to change their culture, only about what works in selling to people from a different culture.

 

I haven't been to Labadee but have been to Jamaica (the most aggressive vendors, outside of possibly Egypt, that I've seen) and there is a difference between trying hard to get your business and driving people away.

 

At Dunn's River Falls once, we actually wanted to do some shopping, look around at our choices and enjoy the experience. We would have almost certainly bought several items--we love the wood carvings--but we were so turned off by the aggressive, not to say intimidating, sellers that we just walked off without buying anything. And yes, we do know how to bargain; my husband is quite good at it. Just not in such a harrassing atmosphere.

 

I will say that this Dec. in Jamaica, the vendors that we saw on the street and near Margaritaville were much better at a 'softer' sell than in previous years. And yes, we bought several things. I do not enjoy being intimidated; a little PR training would not hurt anyone; just as it is for employees all over the world. These people aren't stupid--if it is explained to them, that it is actually to their advantage to sell in a more 'soft' way, it could make a positive difference.

[Queen of Oakville]

It's been almost 10 years since I was in labadee, at the time there was no market!

 

Question: What is the take pictures with my monkey trick? I just saw this in Costa Maya .... and thougth it was cute, though I would be too skeeered to have a monkey on my back! What is the trick, you take the picture first and then they tell you the price?

 

Also, what is the issue about taking picturse of people dressed like trees in the rainforest? I guess that is their gimick for making money?

 

To the OP(?) who posted the story about his iipod .... I am always very cautious when I go into any port. I take off my rings and keep minimal valuables with me. I don't want to be mugged or robbed ~ it can happen anywhere. I think it is important to remember that as Canadians/Americans we need to be cautious of the fact that there is crime all around us. I could use my ipod in downtown Toronto or NYC and have it stolen just as easy as it could happen in a cruise port. We can't be lulled by a false sense of security, and I'm not sure its up to RCL to create that environment.

[OttoCal]

OT- Holy cow Melissa, what a cute jelly bean of a baby you have!!! :)

 

Back on topic- we don't prefer that style of shopping, and just went to the other building, where were soundly ignored while browsing, just like in the USA :rolleyes:. That's where we bought. Others in our group love the haggling in the straw market area. Something for everyone.

[MAZANDSTEVE]

I agree with the op, and it was the same in Egypt, very rude and intimidating, we were getting really mad at some of the tactics.

Its no excuse saying they are poor and need to sell things, they should realise by now that if they are not so agressive they would probably sell more as people would not be afraid to look at their items.I would not go into any of the shops even though I wanted to, as they lean on the door and dont let you out until you get mad.

[jjb415]

You know, while I understand the differences in culture and the desperation of people who live on the edge--and we've been to many 3rd world countries, including Egypt and sub-Saharan Africa, where vendors are very aggressive as well--it still makes sense for someone, whether its RCI or some other organization, to sit down with the vendors and talk about or instruct how to sell without turning people off or, frankly, scaring them. This isn't about trying to change their culture, only about what works in selling to people from a different culture.

 

I haven't been to Labadee but have been to Jamaica (the most aggressive vendors, outside of possibly Egypt, that I've seen) and there is a difference between trying hard to get your business and driving people away.

 

At Dunn's River Falls once, we actually wanted to do some shopping, look around at our choices and enjoy the experience. We would have almost certainly bought several items--we love the wood carvings--but we were so turned off by the aggressive, not to say intimidating, sellers that we just walked off without buying anything. And yes, we do know how to bargain; my husband is quite good at it. Just not in such a harrassing atmosphere.

 

I will say that this Dec. in Jamaica, the vendors that we saw on the street and near Margaritaville were much better at a 'softer' sell than in previous years. And yes, we bought several things. I do not enjoy being intimidated; a little PR training would not hurt anyone; just as it is for employees all over the world. These people aren't stupid--if it is explained to them, that it is actually to their advantage to sell in a more 'soft' way, it could make a positive difference.

 

Great post. In addition, I think that the OP makes a great point.

[BillOh]

This thread did give me the idea, I might just take the ear buds and let the cord go into my pocked and just ignore people and they will think I'm listening to music and didn't hear them.

[bluegirlum]

This thread did give me the idea, I might just take the ear buds and let the cord go into my pocked and just ignore people and they will think I'm listening to music and didn't hear them.

 

I often put on my headphones with no sound on the bus going to/from work or on the plane. I don't know if I'd do it in the market, but it works well when commuting! :)