Don't want to be sold something!

[Jane T]

It seems the last few cruises we have been on seem to always be selling you something. This opinion is reflected in cruiser's comments about their experiences. I don't want to be told about the greatest jewelry shopping at a port but not told what the native attractions are. I don't care about the best deals in the ship's stores. Stop selling me painting! Nor do I want to have to pay extra for a decent meal onboard. I feel entertainment on ship should be free and of such quality that I don't want to pay to hang out at a special pool or enjoy an onboard activity. Is there any lines that are less "let us tell you how to spend more money"? Does anyone else agree? :eek:

[LHT28]

Probably the premium or luxury lines will have what you want

Mainstream lines are less expensive & want to sell sell sell to make a profit ;)

[maryann ns]

Azamara has far less of this from what I have heard. The port lectures were useful for people wanting to do it themselves. There are no art auctions. The main dining room has excellent food as does the buffet.

[paul929207]

The longer cruises tend to attract more experienced cruisers who tend to ignore most of that. So the cruise lines seem to tone it down. At least that is what we have found on Princess.

[boogs]

The longer cruises tend to attract more experienced cruisers who tend to ignore most of that. So the cruise lines seem to tone it down. At least that is what we have found on Princess.

 

Celebrity is pretty subtle about this as well. No hard sell on any cruise we've taken on their ships. And no announcements throughout the day promoting bingo, art auctions, jewelry sales, etc. Only one announcement by the captain at noon who mostly explains where we currently are and tells us about anything important landmarks visible as we pass by.

[wwcruisers]

I definitely agree that Celebrity has less emphasis on the "hard sell" -- they also feature enrichment lectures and free behind-the-scenes tours. But, for the most part, we just ignore the stuff we're not interested in, like art auctions/sales and the port/shopping speals. But, just take a second to think about how may sales pitches you are bombarded with at home -- from your mailbox, TV, computer -- and, that's without ever leaving your house! :eek:

So, I do the same thing at sea that I do at home -- tune out out the junk, and focus on all the fun things that I want to do. :cool:

And, yes I agree -- it would be better if we didn't have to worry about that, on vacation. :rolleyes:

[sail7seas]

I don't think HAL hard sells anything.

If you don't want to hear about Ship Guarantee stores, don't go to the lounge when they have the talks and don't watch it on TV. Easy, no hard sell.

 

If you don't want to buy art, don't go to the Auctions. Easy, no hard sell.

If you don't want photos, a simple No, Thank you sends photographers on their way.

 

We have never felt harrassed to buy drinks on HAL. If we want one we order it, if not we're left alone.

 

We don't feel we're exposed to hard sell and we would never buy something we didn't want.

[klfrodo]

Don't want to be sold something? Easy

Don't buy anything.

[obnurse]

The upselling doesn't bother me too much, but it does a little. However, it must be effective or they wouldn't do it. I am thankful for those who do partake in these items & services, whether it's wine, jewelry, spa, upscale restaurants etc. It helps keep the prices down a bit for everyone.

[boogs]

Don't want to be sold something? Easy

Don't buy anything.

 

True. But that doesn't help being bombarded with sales pitches continually like on some cruise lines. It's the pitches that I find annoying, not the products themselves.

[cb at sea]

You don't have to listen! Just pass on by! No one can sell you something you don't want to buy!

[Starry Eyes]

I have never felt there is a hard sell, but every line I have sailed has tried to sell extras. I ignore the overhead announcements of sales and politely decline if somebody approaches with a sales pitch. maybe one of the luxury lines would not try to sell you more, but then you will already have paid a bundle...and imagine how you will feel if they too try to sell stuff:eek:.

[GlendaleCruiser]

It seems the last few cruises we have been on seem to always be selling you something. This opinion is reflected in cruiser's comments about their experiences. I don't want to be told about the greatest jewelry shopping at a port but not told what the native attractions are. I don't care about the best deals in the ship's stores. Stop selling me painting! Nor do I want to have to pay extra for a decent meal onboard. I feel entertainment on ship should be free and of such quality that I don't want to pay to hang out at a special pool or enjoy an onboard activity. Is there any lines that are less "let us tell you how to spend more money"? Does anyone else agree? :eek:

 

It seems to me that they tell you where to shop if you go to the talk in the main showroom about a port. Just don't go to it. I do my own research on ports so I don't need them to tell me about the local attractions in them. I never go to art auctions even if the champagne is free. In fact, I hardly notice them. I am going to eat in the Steakhouse once on Breeze upcoming but not because the food in the MDR is bad--in fact it is quite good. If I don't want to buy stuff I stay out of the shops onboard, too.

[Hlitner]

We understand the comments of the OP, but this is about choices. The mass market cruise lines make much of their profit by maximizing on-board revenue. DW and I have spent a lot of time on cruise ships (over two years) and still cruise about 75 days a year. We cannot remember the last time we bought anything in a cruise ship shop other then minor incidentals such as toothpaste. We have not lost 1 cent in a cruise ship casino in years (gave it up because of the smoke and never went back to even the smoke-free casinos of Celebrity). As to the shopping lectures and recommendations...we have no clue having not attended one of those phoney lectures in many years. Recommended stores are only recommended because they pay a fee and the port lecturer is usually an employee of a private company that pays to have a rep on the line and is compensated by the very stores they recommend. On most lines we eat in the MDR and seldom spend money in the alternative restaurants (Celebrity is an exception since we do like a few of their alternative restaurants). The fact that other passengers are willing to make major donations to the casino, buy the oft overpriced jewelry and other things sold on board, pay for overpriced cruise excursions (we generally do our own thing in ports) is all a good thing for us since we are stockholders. My point is that nobody is forcing cruisers to throw their money away on these schemes....but if they want to oblige we will happily buy more stock :)

 

We would also advise the OP that if they want to avoid all this marketing hype they only need to cruise on one of several ultra-luxury cruise lines. Most of these lines charge little or no extra money for alternative restaurants, do not request or even allow tipping, do not have BINGO games to generate a profit and some even include most of the shore excursions the cost of the cruise. Or course these cruises can often cost about $1000 per passenger day....

 

Hank

[beachbum53]

You can practice ignoring the selling by ignoring commercials when they come on the radio or TV at home. As for things like the ship's photographers wanting to take your picture, either say "No thank-you" or let them take the picture. You're not obligated to purchase the photos. With a little practice, it's easy to tune out the commercials on board and stay focused on the things that interest you.

[Donder1]

On HAL and Princess, the selling is rather subtle and I ignore it. I never buy pics and art on board. That said, I agree that the port lectures could be improved, focusing on the land, art, culture, customs, etc. of the ports of call.

 

I don't know about a lot of you, but we don't buy much on our cruises or in ports. I am trying to simplify my life, get rid of junk and tone down Christmas gifts.

[paul929207]

I sail mostly on Princess.

 

Art Auctions - never go

Photo on the Gangway - just keep walking

Port sales pitch - Get up and leave

[5326jan]

I agree with Paul and we also cruise with Princess. We've never felt pressure to buy soda cards, photos, art or anything else. Only on the Alaska cruise did we feel the "port lecture" was more of a jewelry store sales pitch than a talk about the port.

 

I will say though, that my one experience with the Lotus Spa was pretty high pressure sales... a manicure turned out to be a pitch for moisturizers, exfolliants, special cleansers, etc. I remedied that by not booking further treatments in the spa. If you wanted to get a treatment I would just tell them when you make the reservation and again when you arrive, that you do not want to hear about any of their products. :cool:

[GORDONCHICK]

I've found that a simple "no thank you" works just fine for us.

[kitty9]

If you don't want those things, go on one of the four luxury lines and pay four times, or more, the fare. Selling things on board both increase profits and keep prices lower, which allows more people to cruise.

 

Stay away from lines like Carnival, MSC, Costa, RCI and other budget mass market lines. Don't go to port talks. Don't go to art auctions. Tell the spa people not to sell you products, and if they do, no gratuity.

 

No one forces you to listen to any selling pitches, go on shore excursions, have your picture taken, dine at the specialty restaurants or walk through the shopping arcade. Plus, where have you paid for nightly entertainment on a ship? I never have. It's easy to just avoid the things you don't like.

[YubaSutter]

It seems the last few cruises we have been on seem to always be selling you something. This opinion is reflected in cruiser's comments about their experiences. I don't want to be told about the greatest jewelry shopping at a port but not told what the native attractions are. I don't care about the best deals in the ship's stores. Stop selling me painting! Nor do I want to have to pay extra for a decent meal onboard. I feel entertainment on ship should be free and of such quality that I don't want to pay to hang out at a special pool or enjoy an onboard activity. Is there any lines that are less "let us tell you how to spend more money"? Does anyone else agree? :eek:

 

Nope. I disagree

[Tralynn]

I have pretty much stopped going to the port talks onboard. They do tend to mostly talk shopping and excursions with a little bit of port information mixed in too.

 

Otherwise, the only thing we've been asked multiple times regarded the wine tasting. We just said "No thank you" each time without a problem.

 

I do find that on some ships, they hard sell in the spa. That does bother me, and as soon as the sales pitch starts, I politely tell them, "I'm really just trying to relax and will not be purchasing anything additional today."

[wwcruisers]

I do find that on some ships, they hard sell in the spa. That does bother me, and as soon as the sales pitch starts, I politely tell them, "I'm really just trying to relax and will not be purchasing anything additional today."

 

Oh yeah -- I had forgotten about the spa! :eek:

After being subjected to their "hard sell" more than once, I now boycott any spa run by Steiner (and, yes -- that's Elemis, too). Sadly, Steiner runs most of the major cruise line spas! :mad:

[Treven]

I sail mostly on Princess.

 

Art Auctions - never go

Photo on the Gangway - just keep walking

Port sales pitch - Get up and leave

Ditto

[happy cruzer]

Every business has a model that they follow to make a profit. If you don't like the model on the mass market cruise lines, you will need to pay for a different ship, line, or resort. Every business makes their profit somehow. To alot of experienced cruisers it is a better value to avoid and ignor the extra sales pitches as enjoy the best that the major lines have to offer. Others like luxury cruising which tend to get the profit right up front. Take your pick.