St. Marteen Warning from another board!

[NnJ2010]

Nicole,

I understanding what you are saying in regards to the protections afforded by the use of a credit card under ORDINARY or NORMAL circumstances.

 

But in this case, the shop owner had already shown his "true colors" and I would not have trusted him with my credit card number at that point either.

 

If you could not see the cash register area or he 'had to go to the back' to process the card WHAT THEN???? This guy sounded disreputable from the get-go! No credit card in his shop at all!

 

Yes, if anything had gone wrong with the card and it was misused, you can deal with the credit card company. But why put yourself through all of that with having the burden of proof and all the paperwork and phone calls over a $7.95 bracelet from a guy who is clearly "over the top"??? He would not have gotten my credit card either.

Never said I would use a credit card in this situation. YOUR statement said NEVER use a Credit card in a port of call.

 

I wouldn't have given this shop owner a dime (either in cash or on credit card)...especially after he manhandled a child!

[hstrybuf]

I've been to St. Maarten several times and I believe I browsed through this particular store at one time. Should I choose to do so again, and no I won't boycott it over one nasty incident, I'll be aware of what is happening. That should hold true in any store in any port.

[Kissimmee_family]

It sounds like an inexperienced merchant or perhaps a poorly trained employee. Most of the storeowners in the Caribbean are professional. Most stores will accept that a percentage of items will be damaged thru out the business year. That is part of the cost of doing business. Perhaps this was a newer business where every dollar costs. The merchant could have accepted a promise from the cruiser to send off a money order to them on arrival home. In general I find the majority of people to be very honest. Im so sorry to hear about you incident. Hurting childfren should never be tolerated, the merchant was lucky not to have been put into jail.

 

CaribbeanBlue

 

The Port at St Maarten is brand new and still in the process of opening. It is very nice, clean and modern. The Duty Free World store is the largest within this new port complex. When you disembark it is the first building you come to on the left except for a few open air stalls.

What I still don't understand is that it was clearly obvious that we were in the process of buying several tee-shirts etc. that totaled over $50. Why he thought an $8 trinket was worth losing the larger sale is beyond me.

 

I will admit that he did point out a small sign in the door that said cash only for purchases under $20. So on that score at least it was their policy. Not that it would have mattered in this case. In addition the door was permanently fixed open so the sign was not vissible as you entered. Also as I mentioned in the original post I did offer to pay the credit card surcharge.

 

Finally, St. Maarten was great in all other ways. We rented a car and drove all over the Island. Even can across the St. Maarten Montessori school. Our kids go to a Montessori school a stones throw from Disney World and we stopped to take a photo. The staff invited us in for a tour and we had the pleasure to meet real Islanders in a completely non tourist setting . That was quite cool. I left thinking "yeah I'd feel fine sending my kids there"…. Their English was better than mine….

 

Kissimmee_family

[barbgazz]

I had a salesperson try to rip me off this morning at my local Dunkin Donuts. I was at the drive in window and was told my bill was 1.64. I gave her a five and she gave me 3.06 in change. I asked where the rest of my change was and she handed me a quarter out of her tip jar. I said, "where's my other nickel" and she acted like she didn't speak English, but gave me another nickel.

 

I told her that I always tip at the drive-in window, but she is not to take my money without me offering it. I then went inside and told the manager. I was furious over 30 cents.

 

It was the principle of the thing. Don't try to cheat me, I hate that.

 

I will still go to the Dunkin Donuts, but now will watch my change more carefully and only tip when the change is correct.

[Kissimmee_family]

I've been to St. Maarten several times and I believe I browsed through this particular store at one time. Should I choose to do so again, and no I won't boycott it over one nasty incident, I'll be aware of what is happening. That should hold true in any store in any port.

 

Actually, I never used the word boycott. Since we went on a Disney Cruise all of my posting activity has been on the disboard.com forums and I understand that you have no way to calibrate what I'm saying. Maybe if you had followed my pasts prior to leaving on the cruise you'd have a better feeling for what my character is like. I would add that in the thread I posted the original complaint in, others on the same cruise have added their own bad experience with this store. So, maybe it was more than just one nasty incident. I think the other complaints involved the owners family following shoppers around as it they were going to shoplift.

 

As I indicated in my original post, you have my story, use your own judgment.

 

Cheers Kissimmee_family

[hstrybuf]

No, you didn't use that word, someone else did. As for this particular store, it may be in a newer building, but it isn't particularly new to the port area.

[TPKeller]

I will admit that he did point out a small sign in the door that said cash only for purchases under $20. So on that score at least it was their policy. Not that it would have mattered in this case. In addition the door was permanently fixed open so the sign was not vissible as you entered. Also as I mentioned in the original post I did offer to pay the credit card surcharge.

I'm no expert in credit card bank policy, but I thought that the card brand name holders (Visa, MasterCard, etc.) prohibited vendors from requiring a minimum purchase, OR adding a credit card surcharge. And like anything else in fine print, accepting all these policies was required in order for the vendor to accept the cards at all. If that is still the case, I have no sympathy at all for this vendor. Sure they might lose a few cents on a small sale, but the customer convenience of accepting cards for other larger purchases is what they are paying for by losing those few cents. They will make sales that way that they would not have otherwise made.

 

I for one would be more than willing to report a vendor to the credit card companies for breaking these rules and especially for bullying (ha.. TRYING to bully) a customer into making a larger purchase.

 

I'm fair, but I can be a very stubborn consumer!

 

Theron

[Fairsailing]

I'm no expert in credit card bank policy, but I thought that the card brand name holders (Visa, MasterCard, etc.) prohibited vendors from requiring a minimum purchase, OR adding a credit card surcharge. And like anything else in fine print, accepting all these policies was required in order for the vendor to accept the cards at all. If that is still the case, I have no sympathy at all for this vendor. Sure they might lose a few cents on a small sale, but the customer convenience of accepting cards for other larger purchases is what they are paying for by losing those few cents. They will make sales that way that they would not have otherwise made.

 

I for one would be more than willing to report a vendor to the credit card companies for breaking these rules and especially for bullying (ha.. TRYING to bully) a customer into making a larger purchase.

 

I'm fair, but I can be a very stubborn consumer!

 

Theron

 

You're exactly right, Theron. I've encountered surcharges and minimums here in the U.S. too. Funny how they always relent when I remind them of their agreement with the cc company...

[toolongnocruise]

Nicole, you have the wrong person. I did not say to never use a credit card in ports of call -- that was "Iamthesea". As my creditors can attest, I make plenty of purchases in ALL the ports of call!! LOL

 

All good suggestions!

 

Furthermore, don't ever use a credit card to make purchases in ports of calls.

 

I just said that after this guy had "shown his true colors", I would not have trusted him with my credit card either. There are plenty of other shops.

[stillfrantic]

Kississimme Family: Thanks for coming over to answer questions! I was horrified at what happened to you. It serves as a good warning to guests of any cruise ship to be on guard in ports as they are at home to watch out for bad eggs.

[Nliedel]

Things happen everywhere. I was in a book store with my parents in Kingston Jamaica in.. I think it was 1978? I was about 13 or 14... Anyway, a man came in and robbed the store with a gun. My fathers boss (a very well off man who is now married to a Senators daughter, May/December thing, and someone who should have been a whole lot smarter) chased after the guy trying to be a hero. He was darn lucky he was not shot! Anyway, we still venture back to Jamaica and the bookstore is still there and frequented by us.

 

There are bad apples on every island and in every city in the US. I have elected to believe this poster, since they went out of their way to come back here and speak about it, and will not be frequenting the store in question (especially since I have a 6 and 8 year old that will be with me), but I aslo will not go out of my way to harm their business by letting them know what I read here etc.

 

I do like the advice about kids not accepting gifts etc. I had not thought about that before. We have not traveled much with the boys (this will be my 6 year olds first plane ride) so this post really made me think.