Shops onboard are boring.....

[cruisemom42]

I think of shopping onboard ship as being somewhat akin to shopping in airports. You see the same old stuff in nearly every airport and most of the time you are only walking through the shops because you have nothing better to do at the moment.

 

There will always be someone who doesn't want "one more souvenir" in their home.....but, how about buying something for Grandma/Auntie/the kids or the dog sitter?

 

I will never understand why some people feel they have to bring home a little souvenir for every relative, friend, co-worker, acquaintance, or service provider they have. I certainly don't want some little tchotchke every time someone in my family takes a cruise (which is numerous times/year). On my recent land tour of Israel, there were several women who actually rushed our group through very important historical sites because they wanted more time to shop. What did they buy? 20 cheap canvas bags embroidered with 'Jerusalem' that later turned out to have been made in China. But they HAD to find something to bring back for 20-odd folks back home. :rolleyes:

 

Having seen the layout of the new vessel aka the “Displacement Of The Seas” with it’s Avenue des Champ de Sleezé, shoppers will have a field day with bountiful boutiques galore as they stroll down the main drag beneath the inner balconies of this floating high-rise subdivision.

 

We on the other hand will be found on one of the ships whose purpose is to sail to and see the world.

 

I so, so like this comment.

 

How about some true art from the places visited, by genuine artisans from those places who actually get paid a fair price for their work?

 

I suspect most people who are interested in something like this would prefer to buy it ashore in a shop or a gallery rather than onboard ship where the provenance may be questionable.

[iancal]

Fortunately for me I married a' net price'. bottom line price shopper.

 

Large signs proclaiming duty free/no tax or claiming 50 percent reduction or more have absolutely no impact on her. It is strictly the bottom line price that counts. This has saved us lots of money over the years. On cruises it means that we do not spend much on shopping-especially in the Caribbean. There are lots of 'signs' but not that many really good deals.

[noisycharlie]

Could of saved you the$5.00 playing cards are free at the pursers desk

[Kmkub]

Could of saved you the$5.00 playing cards are free at the pursers desk

 

I think that might be one of those, "depends who you ask," perks.

 

For me the answer was no.

[VioletHorse]

I recently completed my post cruise survey form from my cruise on the CB. In the write-in area I did mention that their retail shops' merchandise could use an overhaul. Maybe if Princess hears it enough on those surveys they'll do something about it

 

The inches of "gold" in the Atrium and the "flea market" in the dining room don't make the grade for me.

[iancal]

The flea markets on most ships seem to consist of the trinkets and trash that they could not sell on the the last few cruises.

[Jennygirl]

Despite loving to shop, I don't spend much time in the shops onboard, except once or twice a cruise buying postcards (I love to send postcards to torture, er, I mean say hi to, people back home). And I have bought two of the $10 evening bags that I just love using.

 

The best thing, though, was last cruise: I bought a key chain. And I have to say, I don't know why there's no love on this thread for the key chains -- every time I take out my keys, seeing that little brightly-painted enamelled cartoon cruise ship and the little chrome tag with the Princess logo just makes me smile. For whataever it cost -- $15, maybe -- I have a daily reminder of something I love and, more importantly, a "souvenir" that's both useful and used. And even better, took up no space in the luggage!

ME TOOOO! I love my little cruise ship key chain. Best thing I ever bought on one of our cruises. I would also like to make the suggestion to Princess to kick up that GOLD BY INCH counter. It's the same old, same old every single cruise. Surely somebody could come up with some different variations. I love my bracelets like that but I'm sick of the same old stuff.

[lovevacadays]

I agree. The shops are pretty boring and never seem to change merchandise much.

 

The only time I really enjoyed a shopping experience on a cruise was years ago when Royal Caribbean's Sovereign of the Seas was brand new. I still have some lovely items I bought and it's over twenty years later.

[lovevacadays]

Despite loving to shop, I don't spend much time in the shops onboard, except once or twice a cruise buying postcards (I love to send postcards to torture, er, I mean say hi to, people back home). And I have bought two of the $10 evening bags that I just love using.

 

The best thing, though, was last cruise: I bought a key chain. And I have to say, I don't know why there's no love on this thread for the key chains -- every time I take out my keys, seeing that little brightly-painted enamelled cartoon cruise ship and the little chrome tag with the Princess logo just makes me smile. For whataever it cost -- $15, maybe -- I have a daily reminder of something I love and, more importantly, a "souvenir" that's both useful and used. And even better, took up no space in the luggage!

 

I buy a key chain on each vacation I take - typically in port but sometimes on the ship. I use the new keychain until my next vacation and then change it out. I do keep my old ones. Just a little ritual I have. My latest key chain is from a lovely day my niece and I had in Puerto Vallarta when we sailed on the Sapphire in May. The first cruise I started doing this on was on a cruise with my mom back in the mid-90's. Her first cruise. That keychain is from Key West. I still have it and the beautiful memories of that cruise with my mom who has passed.

[lois1112]

On my last trip onboard the Sapphire, they had nothing interesting and, the stuff that they were selling was outrageously priced. Let's not talk about the folks who work in the shops and could care less about customer service.......I walked out and felt a bit like Julia Roberts [i wish], in Pretty Woman, where she tells the shop keeper [who treated her miserably], "big mistake, big mistake!" I had money to spend and they were too busy chit-chatting to really wait on me!!!!!!

 

They need a new buyer with some interesting fare that would be afforadable and enticing to the masses. If Carnival can have interesting boutiques so can Princess.

 

We were doing a California Coastal. It doesn't really take much imagination to think of all the wonderful cities and offerings in California......get creative, make it fun and inviting. Gear some stuff towards families, and most towards women & men who like to shop.

Roz--first time I met you Julia Roberts is exactly who came to mind!

I'm not a shopper, but it is the same exact stuff every cruise. You can only own so many mugs etc.

[Kmkub]

I buy a key chain on each vacation I take - typically in port but sometimes on the ship. I use the new keychain until my next vacation and then change it out.

 

Very cool!

[wizard-of-roz]

Reading about the shops on Princess cruises brought back a very happy memory for me. Many years ago my husband and I were on a Princess cruise (I don't remember which ship or where we sailed to) and every night on our way to the MDR for dinner we passed the ship's jewelry shop. Every night I stopped for a second or two to look at a beautiful Micky Moto pearl bracelet in the window. It was not something we could really afford at the time so I was just looking and dreaming. Then on the last night of the cruise, we passed the jewelry shop window and the bracelet was gone! That's when my husband presented me with a lovely little box containing that bracelet. I was so surprised and happy. A few years later, my husband passed away - but I will always have that bracelet and the happy memories it holds for me. Now I have many pieces of jewelry much finer but none has more meaning than that bracelet.

 

What a wonderful story......I have tears in my eyes sharing it with you.

[wizard-of-roz]

Roz--first time I met you Julia Roberts is exactly who came to mind!

I'm not a shopper, but it is the same exact stuff every cruise. You can only own so many mugs etc.

 

Awww! You're so sweet. And, the toy that you gave Brenda is still one of her very favorites!!!!! Good shopping!

[bob brown]

I agree with those that find too much repetition in the on board shops. Perhaps that can partly be explained that IIRC, there are two or three contractors that run these shops as concessions on all of the cruise lines. Even the personnel that staff them, while wearing the uniforms or name badges of the line they are on, are actually employed by the contractors.

I personally like to buy some logo merchandise. I prefer the 'generic', that is the logo of the line, not the particular ship I am on.

I have purchased on an NCL cruise, a nice Citizen Eco chronometer watch at a 40% discount that was better than what I could get it for at home, and of course, sales taxfree...

One nice addition to what's offered on Celebrity is the Apple store, where you can purchase Ipods, Ipads, and Macs (no Iphones as they cannot activate them at sea).

On Cunard, they have a 'seagoing branch' of London's famed Harrod's Department Store, although they offer only a very limited selection of items, and that store is probably not actually run by Harrod's, but instead the same concession that runs the rest of the shops.

[fathercop]

Though not a shopper, I leave that for DW, more variety would be nice in the on board stores.

[Doug R.]

I wish my wife would get bored with the shops! :D

[Quilter n Cruiser]

I agree the offerings oveall for souveniers are pretty pitiful. I would like to see more things from the ports. some items of decent quality at a decent price. A few years ago I puchased a small woven basket in Panama for about $12 the same thing on the ship was $30 much too expensive. If the ships price was more like $15 or $16 then it would appeal.

[senior lady]

we usually book a cruise that's the last of the season............ Were on the Crown British Isle this last August and they were clearing out all the t-shirts for $4.99. Managed to snag a few that had the ports on them. I love wearing them around the house and to the gym............ always get comments and questions about where I've been at the gym:D

 

Also have bought the $10 plashima's in every colour, it really saves taking bulky sweaters when the AC is blasting!!

 

Now saying that I do agree that they could change the shops a lot. But having cruised other lines, they all seem to be pretty much the same stuff.

[Cygneagile]

In my years of cruising I have been advised that certain sections of the cruise are contracted to other companies. The Spa is one company and the shops another as well as the flower shops if any. Corporate hires these companies for all their ships. They do not have any say over the product or services .I complained about a facial massage I received once and the directed me to the Manager of the Spa advising me they did not have any control over the Shops or Spa.

If you are lucky, now and then you will see a nice item that is worth buying. But to think that you can shop on the ship is not a realistic approach to any shopping guru. Save your money unless you must have it like that beautiful bracelet. I did buy a topaz stone once that was a great deal and it came with the appraised authentic document.

Enjoy the cruise and shop somewhere else.

[cathycruise]

The shop could use some shopper survey and update the items they carry. However, I must admit that I still appreciate the fact that my purchases are "duty free". On our last cruise, my husband encouraged me to buy the biggest size bottle of my perfume (vs. the small ones I always buy because of the price tag! :() at the ship's duty free shop, and I realized the per oz. price was much much lower than that of our local department stores. Besides, the bottle lasted almost 1 1/2 yrs, saving me quite a bit of money. (We live in the Nor Cal bay area, and our sales tax rate is 9.2%.) :D

[wizard-of-roz]

Short of my picketing the shops while onboard my next cruise....I guess I will have to "settle" for the poor fare they have to offer.

I understand that the concessioners are separate from the ship.....it doesn't mean that they can't "change-it-up" a bit.

I'd love to see some wares of the ports we're visiting......for those of us who don't leave the ship in some ports, it would be great fun to shop onboard. I know the shops are closed while in port but once the ship is moving.......let the shopping begin! :p

[wizard-of-roz]

Having seen the layout of the new vessel aka the “Displacement Of The Seas” with it’s Avenue des Champ de Sleezé, shoppers will have a field day with bountiful boutiques galore as they stroll down the main drag beneath the inner balconies of this floating high-rise subdivision.

 

We on the other hand will be found on one of the ships whose purpose is to sail to and see the world.

 

So funny and clever.....You're on my list for shopping guru's!

[wizard-of-roz]

As a collector of Christmas ornaments, how about a selection of interesting ship-themed ornaments? Just got off Star and they had one (ugly) ornament to 'choose' from. First cruise that I didn't purchase an ornament from the ship....

 

And I, too, was looking to spend some money in the shops. Alas, I spent it inport as there was nothing to tempt me onboard.

 

Great idea......I'd buy one or two or more!!!!

[wizard-of-roz]

Wizard of Roz----Sorry to read your shopping experiences do not meet your expectations. I do not share your assessment of the clerks. Over the past 15 years I do not recall anything less than interest and good service from clerks when I was shopping seriously or just lookie-looing. The people in Facets and Essence have been particularly helpful and even entertaining. They match colors of jewelry we already have with what they are offering and the pair-ups have been quite good. Concur with the selection in the clothing shop regarding expense and variety. Just got off Caribbean Princess and saw cashmere sweaters for $390, felt like I was on Rodeo Drive. Their other stuff was somewhat garish and not appealing. I don't care for the tables with watches, tee-shirts, rings, and $1 a foot chain displays but they certainly appeal to others. I steer clear of the special sales in the lower dining room because it's a stampede and the flea market/garage sale mentality is a huge turn-off. I try to find trinkets in port where I know my $$$ is helping the locals. A few years ago on HAL's Amsterdam I found, quite by accident, a beaded black cocktail dress for my wife (which she shared with our daughter on a later cruise!) with an original price tag of over $170 on sale for less than $20---incredible luck and it sure looks great on both of them! Earned many points on that purchase!

 

When the staff is a "hit-or-miss", it's not a good thing. I know how tedious and boring it must be day after day to work onboard a cruiseship.....but, customer service is ALWAYS a good thing!!!! And, goes a long way. I see that you experienced just that, I wish I had!

And, that dress purchase was a lucky thing for all of you!

[wizard-of-roz]

Hi wizard of roz

 

How you been not heard from you for a while.

 

yours Shogun

 

Hi Shogun, nice to hear from you. I hope all is well with you. I'll be getting my Successor Dog in December and "Brenda" [my Service Dog extroidinaire] just finished her 15th cruise. We met another Service Dog onboard and had great fun playing in one of the lounges.

Take care of yourself and your lovely pup.

Roz