Shopping Seminars

[travlinguy777]

What can you tell me about the people on the ship who conduct these seminars and go onto port while we are there to "help" you get the best deal on gems. Do they work for Carnival and last cruise it made me feels as they get commission on what we bought.

[98Charlie]

Stores featured in these presentations pay big bucks to be advertised during the ship's port talks and yes, there is a commission paid back to the cruise line/ port consultant.

 

Dianne

[rockbock]

I'm not going to the seminars to listen to the sales pitches, since the best deals are not going to be found in the shops that the ship promotes.

 

However, I WILL be sitting through these seminars next week because my understanding is that they give away some pretty great prizes to the people who are lucky enough to win them!

[travlinguy777]

Last December while on the Valor I bought a very beautiful 3.56 CT Tanzanite and diamond ring in Cozomel for my now fiance. I was able to really bargin and then later that day the shopping expert helped bargin even more. When I do a Google search for tanzanite you will see some negative remarks about these shopping experts.

[ata1976]

I'm not going to the seminars to listen to the sales pitches, since the best deals are not going to be found in the shops that the ship promotes.

 

However, I WILL be sitting through these seminars next week because my understanding is that they give away some pretty great prizes to the people who are lucky enough to win them!

 

Sit near the front of the talk because they will toss stuff into the audience and they don't throw far.;)

[firefly333]

Last December while on the Valor I bought a very beautiful 3.56 CT Tanzanite and diamond ring in Cozomel for my now fiance. I was able to really bargin and then later that day the shopping expert helped bargin even more. When I do a Google search for tanzanite you will see some negative remarks about these shopping experts.

 

thats a very bid tanzinite. Mine is big enough and its about 1 1/2 karat. That would be one huge stone. I like them too.

[Shelli]

The shopping consultants don't work for the cruiselines-- they work for a third-party company that has deals with virtually all the major cruiselines. I can't recall the name of the company, though. It's like the spas-- they're all operated by Steiner, although each ship certainly profits from them... as they do from the shopping consultants.

 

As long as passengers realize that the consultants aren't there to really help them, and instead, are a profit center for the ship (driving customers to stores that provide kick-backs to the line), it works out ok for everyone.

[travlinguy777]

That was what she picked out and we got engaged. Really it is a "forever ring".

Pleople say it looks like the Princess's ring.

[tef43]

What can you tell me about the people on the ship who conduct these seminars and go onto port while we are there to "help" you get the best deal on gems.

Count your fingers after you shake their hand.

 

Never, ever, EVER shop at the "recommended" stores in port.

[DocF]

I know prices on merchandise. I have yet to see a price in the various Caribbean ports on jewelry, perfumes, watches, cameras, liquor, that I cannot match within 25 miles of our home.

 

Even buying locally can be risky. The chain where my DW bought about $15,000 worth of diamonds with a "lifetime" guarantee, from went out of business a few months ago.

 

Doc

[golfadj]

The shopping consultants don't work for the cruiselines-- they work for a third-party company that has deals with virtually all the major cruiselines. I can't recall the name of the company, though. It's like the spas-- they're all operated by Steiner, although each ship certainly profits from them... as they do from the shopping consultants.

 

As long as passengers realize that the consultants aren't there to really help them, and instead, are a profit center for the ship (driving customers to stores that provide kick-backs to the line), it works out ok for everyone.

 

Well put.

[Rosefloater]

I'm not going to the seminars to listen to the sales pitches, since the best deals are not going to be found in the shops that the ship promotes.

 

However, I WILL be sitting through these seminars next week because my understanding is that they give away some pretty great prizes to the people who are lucky enough to win them!

 

Be careful for what you wish for. My mom & I went to a shopping seminar on the Paradise and she won a purse. The eyes are faceted glass and seem to glow. The worst part of this was that she had to pretend to be happy to be getting it because it was videoed.

 

She tells her grandkids 'if you don't like your present, I can give you the purse'. They always like the presents they are given. Can't even give the purse away even at a garage sale. Any takers?:D

 

[TheCalicoCat]

I wouldn't be surprised if ________ cruise line owned D------- I----------. (Or some other in every port store.)

[bitemyfly]

I put them in the same bucket as the "art"

Don't waste your time do research u will

Do better locally

[dapaddo]

I'm not going to the seminars to listen to the sales pitches, since the best deals are not going to be found in the shops that the ship promotes.

 

However, I WILL be sitting through these seminars next week because my understanding is that they give away some pretty great prizes to the people who are lucky enough to win them!

On the Glory the team was moving to another ship and they gave everything away. I ended up with a bottle of rum that was not taken away and we could drink on board, Mt DS got a nice neckless also. from that talk. But like they said sit close to the front.

[Wicked_Nurse]

I'm not going to the seminars to listen to the sales pitches, since the best deals are not going to be found in the shops that the ship promotes.

 

However, I WILL be sitting through these seminars next week because my understanding is that they give away some pretty great prizes to the people who are lucky enough to win them!

 

 

I agree..I enjoy going and Ive left with prizes 3 out of 7 cruises...Some keychains but also some pretty good stuff:D

[klmorg]

I would never waste my precious cruise time attending those silly sales pitches, not even for free junk.

[sloepoke]

like others have said, the best way to shop in a port is to do a little research about what sorts of crafts, booze, whatever the local area's known for, and go for that.

 

the shopping talks will tell you about the chain stores, like D---I--- which are in many/all ports, and which sell you the same stuff.

 

it's the difference between going to a foreign place and eating at Mc Donalds or eating at a local restaurant.

[rockbock]

Be careful for what you wish for. My mom & I went to a shopping seminar on the Paradise and she won a purse. The eyes are faceted glass and seem to glow. The worst part of this was that she had to pretend to be happy to be getting it because it was videoed.

 

She tells her grandkids 'if you don't like your present, I can give you the purse'. They always like the presents they are given. Can't even give the purse away even at a garage sale. Any takers?:D

 

 

That's a scary looking purse, but I'm sure there are a lot of tweens who would like it.

[1frayfan]

I would have to agree with klmorg.....because we did that on our last cruise..we spent almost our entire sea day in those "talks". First it was the "future cruise credit talk", that lead to the "shopping talk" and that led to the "gem talk"...before we knew it, it was time to dress for dinner and our entire sea day was wasted...never again!

 

oohh, and the "free" tanzinite earrings they were "giving away" at the "gem talk" was really a card to use at a specific jewelry store in Nassau. We spent our whole Nassau day hunting down all of the jewelry stores to get the "free" crap they gave us cards to get!

 

Definitely a lesson learned!

[Rosefloater]

That's a scary looking purse, but I'm sure there are a lot of tweens who would like it.

 

Nope. She tried to give it to the teenage grandkids, who didn't want it & to other kids who laughed at it and said no way. Now it's just a great conversation piece.:D

 

We go if we have nothing better to do. On the Paradise (soon to be Inspiration), the shopping talk is on embark day.

 

We went once to a gem talk, realized they were just trying to pitch DI to everyone. Never again.

[1frayfan]

Nope. She tried to give it to the teenage grandkids, who didn't want it & to other kids who laughed at it and said no way. Now it's just a great conversation piece.:D

 

We go if we have nothing better to do. On the Paradise (soon to be Inspiration), the shopping talk is on embark day.

 

We went once to a gem talk, realized they were just trying to pitch DI to everyone. Never again.

 

Yep....I think we went to every DI store in Nassau...and there is ALOT of them! What a waste!

[hallmarkk]

I would never waste my precious cruise time attending those silly sales pitches, not even for free junk.

Well said, I am on a cruise, not at the mall, and let them think they are getting a bargain, it's crazy

[rockbock]

Nope. She tried to give it to the teenage grandkids, who didn't want it & to other kids who laughed at it and said no way. Now it's just a great conversation piece.:D

 

We go if we have nothing better to do. On the Paradise (soon to be Inspiration), the shopping talk is on embark day.

 

We went once to a gem talk, realized they were just trying to pitch DI to everyone. Never again.

 

Yeah, I know my teenage daughter would never use it. But I still think some tweens (10-12 year olds) might think it's cool.

 

I'm definitely skipping the gem and art seminars, but I am still very curious about what I might win at the shopping one. It doesn't take much to excite me. A free bottle of wine, even though I'm not a big wine drinker, would make my day. And even a tiger purse would be good for a few laughs. :)

[kathy884]

Be careful for what you wish for. My mom & I went to a shopping seminar on the Paradise and she won a purse. The eyes are faceted glass and seem to glow. The worst part of this was that she had to pretend to be happy to be getting it because it was videoed.

 

She tells her grandkids 'if you don't like your present, I can give you the purse'. They always like the presents they are given. Can't even give the purse away even at a garage sale. Any takers?:D

 

 

This looks perfect for one of those white elephant gift exchanges.