Never again will I get my hair braided in the Caribbean!!

[kahliasmom]

My daughter got her hair braided in St. Marten. I paid $60 but the cost was not just monetary. Usually my mom takes her first thing in the morning, when we get to whatever Caribbean port. My mom has seemed to have gotten ripped off the last few years, according to people from the Caribbean that are part of the crew. This year my mom did not take her. When we went into St. Marten we had no plans to get our hair braided. Just the beach and shopping. But right when you get off the water taxi, there they are pressuring you to get your hair braided. I should have said no, but my daughter wanted to get it done. Two ladies talked to us initially. One said my daughter could get half her head done and she was pushy and rude about that. I said that I wanted her to get her whole head done. Another lady much nicer said "give the lady what she wants." I should have read the demeanor of that first lady as an omen. They brought over a second woman who asked what we wanted to get done. I wasn't familiar with the pricing, but they do usually say two dollars a braid. Remembering that my mom had gotten overcharged in the past and not wanting that to happen to me, I said $60 for the whole head. After a brief discussion, while we were walking to wherever they were going to braid my daughter's hair, we agreed on $60.

 

They must do the braiding without the appropriate licensing because I always remember in St. Marten they want to find a place that is out of the way. We went to a beauty salon on some side street and they started to braid my daughter's hair. The lady then starts talking price again. I reminded her that we had agreed on $60 and if she wasn't going to do it for $60 I would leave and find someone else. That is so not like me, but I didn't want to get ripped off. I think $60 is good for an hours work in the Caribbean!

 

They braided my daughters hair. She was crying much of the time saying that it hurt but she wanted to keep going. I was feeling frustrated. I also realized that it was going to take a long time. It ended up taking over an hour!! Didn't enjoy spending so much valuable port time in a beauty salon on a side street in St. Marten. They talked me into getting my hair braided. They did what they call, "half" which is just a little head band around my head. They charged me $30. I later heard that they usually try to get $60 for that. Ridiculous, it was not worth $60!! I took half of it out the next day because I did not like the way it looked. I mention that they braided my hair also because this is where it gets interesting and why I never want to get my hair braided by someone on the street in the Caribbean again!!! Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if I just ended up dealing with one person but because I didn't have enough money to pay for my daughter and myself I ended up dealing with more than one person.

 

I told them I didn't bring enough cash to do both of us. They said that's ok, we trust you. You can go get more money and we'll wait for you. I told them when I would meet them but don't panic if I'm a few minutes late. On the way to the water taxi to go back and get money, I didn't have an atm card, we encountered the rude woman. She must be the person that gets the customers and then herds them off to someone else.

She did not seem pleased that they were allowing me to leave without paying in full. I paid, $60 and then was going to come back with the rest. I don't think the ladies that braided mine and my daughters hair were honest with the rude lady about how much I paid them. You'll see.

 

I asked the man running the water taxi if I got a good deal. He said yes $60 was good and that the braids were small and of good quality. I got back a few minutes after the discussed meeting time. The rude lady was there like she was waitnig for me to bring the money. I told her I'm not the kind of person who would just not come back. I gave her $60, the $30 for my hair and the rest for a tip. I felt bad that maybe I got too good a deal. She asked me how much I had given the ladies. I told her sixty and she made some comment and got mad. Again, I don't think they told her the truth about how much I paid them. My daughter stayed on the ship. I went shopping and to the beach.

 

It's funny because the rest of the afternoon, I had this feeling like I should stay away from the water taxi area. I thought of getting on at the other water taxi stop, but it was late and I didn't want to risk not being able to get back to the ship on time. When I got down near the water taxi, the two woman that had braided my hair came up to me and said "We were looking for you" I explained that I gave sixty to the woman. They said, "wait here we are going to call her." I said " I paid her $60! What if she says I didn't pay her. I did pay her!!" They said to me, "She is a Christian, she will be honest." Not true. Maybe she finally admitted to them that I paid her but she must have lied initially or something because the woman before me on the phone with her started to scream at her and demanded her to give her her money. I was just at the beginning of the pier right where it meets the street. The man with the water taxi motioned to me to walk away from there, which I promptly did. I was a little scared at that moment. I could hear the woman still screaming at the other woman in the background, but she didn't come after me. NEVER AGAIN will I get my hair braided in the Caribbean!!!! Others may have a different experience, but it's just not worth all the aggravation for me.

[Yurita]

I'm sorry, but you can never trust anyone, especially with money!!

People think of us, turists/cruisers, like a money machine, as if money grew on trees or we just grab it from the sky. We have to be careful.

In the caribbean, a dollar means more than you can even think of. For future refence, NEVER pay what they ask you to pay for braids, souvenirs, etc. You are usually over paying.

I remember in Jamaica, a guy was selling our excursion video for $40. I said no, he then lower the price to $30, I refused again, saying $30 was a lot of money... well, after all I got the video for $15. Everyone else paid $40.

But we have the fault for over paying most of the time.

[dimepiece814]

As an african american woman who gets her hair braided in the States every now and then, it never surprises me to see tourists getting their hair braided by locals when I get off the cruise ship. I just shake my head because the locals know how to get over on tourists, especially with caucasians. Caucasians don't braid their hair, so it's a thing to do in the caribbean. The locals know not to approach african americans when they get off the ship because they know how much the styles they do cost and how long it'll take. I've been in a chair numerous times for 5 - 10 hours getting my whole head braided. It's fascinating to some people when they visit an island, but at the same time, you can get ripped off. The locals don't make much money, so hustling tourists is a way for them to make extra cash (not saying they all are like that).

 

You handled the situation pretty well, but I don't blame you for not getting your hair braided again in the Caribbean. One bad apple will spoil the bunch. You have limited time at the island and you don't want to spend majority of it getting your hair done.

[LLindaC]

Here's my solution to braiding. I have them in all colors.

 

http://glowproducts.com/batteryoperated/ledhairbraid/

[kahliasmom]

As an african american woman who gets her hair braided in the States every now and then, it never surprises me to see tourists getting their hair braided by locals when I get off the cruise ship. I just shake my head because the locals know how to get over on tourists, especially with caucasians. Caucasians don't braid their hair, so it's a thing to do in the caribbean. The locals know not to approach african americans when they get off the ship because they know how much the styles they do cost and how long it'll take. I've been in a chair numerous times for 5 - 10 hours getting my whole head braided. It's fascinating to some people when they visit an island, but at the same time, you can get ripped off. The locals don't make much money, so hustling tourists is a way for them to make extra cash (not saying they all are like that).

 

One of my customers, who is an African-American woman had these really small beautiful braids that she had done for the summer. She said it took several hours to get done. My daughter likes the look of having her hair braided. My mom even took her once to a beauty salon here in New York, we're about an hour north of the city. Maybe we'll do that again.

 

LLindaC, those are cute. Yurita, yes many view us a money machines. For some perhaps money is no object.

[cruisin2some]

We have boycotted St. Maarten on several cruises because of the high pressure from the locals to buy something, i.e., wares, braiding, time-shares, etc. I want to go to an island and enjoy myself and not worry about that pressure. Saying "no" doesn't work in many cases. We have a port stop at St. Maarten on our February cruise. I would love to shop on the main street but just don't want the hassles. We will probably just do our shopping at the port shops. Less stress!!!!!

[koterry]

my daughter got her hair braided in st. Marten. I paid $60 but the cost was not just monetary. Usually my mom takes her first thing in the morning, when we get to whatever caribbean port. My mom has seemed to have gotten ripped off the last few years, according to people from the caribbean that are part of the crew. This year my mom did not take her. When we went into st. Marten we had no plans to get our hair braided. Just the beach and shopping. But right when you get off the water taxi, there they are pressuring you to get your hair braided. I should have said no, but my daughter wanted to get it done. Two ladies talked to us initially. One said my daughter could get half her head done and she was pushy and rude about that. I said that i wanted her to get her whole head done. Another lady much nicer said "give the lady what she wants." i should have read the demeanor of that first lady as an omen. They brought over a second woman who asked what we wanted to get done. I wasn't familiar with the pricing, but they do usually say two dollars a braid. Remembering that my mom had gotten overcharged in the past and not wanting that to happen to me, i said $60 for the whole head. After a brief discussion, while we were walking to wherever they were going to braid my daughter's hair, we agreed on $60.

 

They must do the braiding without the appropriate licensing because i always remember in st. Marten they want to find a place that is out of the way. We went to a beauty salon on some side street and they started to braid my daughter's hair. The lady then starts talking price again. I reminded her that we had agreed on $60 and if she wasn't going to do it for $60 i would leave and find someone else. That is so not like me, but i didn't want to get ripped off. I think $60 is good for an hours work in the caribbean!

 

They braided my daughters hair. She was crying much of the time saying that it hurt but she wanted to keep going. I was feeling frustrated. I also realized that it was going to take a long time. It ended up taking over an hour!! Didn't enjoy spending so much valuable port time in a beauty salon on a side street in st. Marten. They talked me into getting my hair braided. They did what they call, "half" which is just a little head band around my head. They charged me $30. I later heard that they usually try to get $60 for that. Ridiculous, it was not worth $60!! I took half of it out the next day because i did not like the way it looked. I mention that they braided my hair also because this is where it gets interesting and why i never want to get my hair braided by someone on the street in the caribbean again!!! Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if i just ended up dealing with one person but because i didn't have enough money to pay for my daughter and myself i ended up dealing with more than one person.

 

I told them i didn't bring enough cash to do both of us. They said that's ok, we trust you. You can go get more money and we'll wait for you. I told them when i would meet them but don't panic if i'm a few minutes late. On the way to the water taxi to go back and get money, i didn't have an atm card, we encountered the rude woman. She must be the person that gets the customers and then herds them off to someone else.

She did not seem pleased that they were allowing me to leave without paying in full. I paid, $60 and then was going to come back with the rest. I don't think the ladies that braided mine and my daughters hair were honest with the rude lady about how much i paid them. You'll see.

 

I asked the man running the water taxi if i got a good deal. He said yes $60 was good and that the braids were small and of good quality. I got back a few minutes after the discussed meeting time. The rude lady was there like she was waitnig for me to bring the money. I told her i'm not the kind of person who would just not come back. I gave her $60, the $30 for my hair and the rest for a tip. I felt bad that maybe i got too good a deal. She asked me how much i had given the ladies. I told her sixty and she made some comment and got mad. Again, i don't think they told her the truth about how much i paid them. My daughter stayed on the ship. I went shopping and to the beach.

 

It's funny because the rest of the afternoon, i had this feeling like i should stay away from the water taxi area. I thought of getting on at the other water taxi stop, but it was late and i didn't want to risk not being able to get back to the ship on time. When i got down near the water taxi, the two woman that had braided my hair came up to me and said "we were looking for you" i explained that i gave sixty to the woman. They said, "wait here we are going to call her." i said " i paid her $60! What if she says i didn't pay her. I did pay her!!" they said to me, "she is a christian, she will be honest." not true. Maybe she finally admitted to them that i paid her but she must have lied initially or something because the woman before me on the phone with her started to scream at her and demanded her to give her her money. I was just at the beginning of the pier right where it meets the street. The man with the water taxi motioned to me to walk away from there, which i promptly did. I was a little scared at that moment. I could hear the woman still screaming at the other woman in the background, but she didn't come after me. Never again will i get my hair braided in the caribbean!!!! Others may have a different experience, but it's just not worth all the aggravation for me.

lol ok ok