Bought a watch on the ship?

[Tennessee_Cruiser]

My wife has assembled a three piece set of Britto luggage from the shop on the Freedom. She is normally very reserved but always gets a big smile when using them.

 

Good for her!! My partner begged me to get a set of Britto luggage and I said, "No. That's a little bright, even for us!" :p

 

I did cave in and buy Britto luggage tags on the Allure... I get to use them in 11 days!

[MandyMooToo]

Exactly. Planning to buy jewelry or electronics on a cruise can be a very fun part of vacation, whether it be at the onboard shops or a port stop. When I look at my America's Cup Citizen watch I think of the great time I had in Barbados.

 

We always jewelry shop on our cruises, on the boat and in ports. Last year we were on Oasis and I found a Tag that I fell in love with but decided not to buy because I was not sure about typical pricing on this model as I had never seen it before (we usually know what we are looking for before the cruise and have a good idea of pricing beforehand). Imagine my disappointment when I got back to the states and the Tag dealer we spoke to said no one carries that particular model! It had to be a special edition for that dealer, as can happen apparently. I wish the dealer had explained that to me because that watch would have been mine!!! Instead we purchased a gorgeous piece of jewelry in port. This year's Allure cruise may see me searching for watches again though....I think if you know what you are looking for you won't get "scammed" on price. Husband has a watch obsession (Hublot being his fave, Omega being my son's fave) so we are always looking for great deals.

[bigque]

I learned to shop from the best........The DW! :cool:

As with shopping all the time on land I shop around for the best deals, so it be also on a cruise. I love watches and before I go on the cruise, I already know what I want in various styles and brands, so I go to stores and look at sources online and price the ones I want to look for be it on the ship or in a port so that I will know if it is a good deal or not and also taking into account our high sales tax here in North Carolina. There was a time however I went with my gut and bought a watch in St. Croix that I saw and really liked and I thought the price was pretty good. It turned out that I could have gotten the watch for about $50.00 cheaper online, but that is the chance you take sometimes and I wa happy with the price at the time.

I see people have been dogging invicta watches. I got a good deal on one on Freedom last year, and it was not cheaper anywhere I looked (Stores or online) and I have been very happy with it. I also bought a Michael Kors watch I had priced before that cruise in Cozumel for a better price than what I found in the department stores. :cool:

[mspink98]

I'm not a very high-end watch kind of person, but I did buy a mother of pearl faced Citizen onboard Freedom in February. I'd been eyeing it forever, and paid around $40-50 less onboard than I would have on land. It was still under $250 and we didn't get much else, so I can't speak to duty.

[MandyMooToo]

I learned to shop from the best........The DW! :cool:

 

As with shopping all the time on land I shop around for the best deals, so it be also on a cruise. I love watches and before I go on the cruise, I already know what I want in various styles and brands, so I go to stores and look at sources online and price the ones I want to look for be it on the ship or in a port so that I will know if it is a good deal or not and also taking into account our high sales tax here in North Carolina. There was a time however I went with my gut and bought a watch in St. Croix that I saw and really liked and I thought the price was pretty good. It turned out that I could have gotten the watch for about $50.00 cheaper online, but that is the chance you take sometimes and I wa happy with the price at the time.

 

I see people have been dogging invicta watches. I got a good deal on one on Freedom last year, and it was not cheaper anywhere I looked (Stores or online) and I have been very happy with it. I also bought a Michael Kors watch I had priced before that cruise in Cozumel for a better price than what I found in the department stores. :cool:

 

I feel ya! Tennessee sales tax is 9.45% so often we can get a deal just by not having to pay that tax as duty charges are much less. :rolleyes:

[Oscarsgrandad]

Someone mentioned that the cruise line informs US customs of all on board sales. Am I to understand that buying any 'luxury goods ' on board means everyone gets taxed going back into the US? Would this apply to non US residents who only transit the States on the way back to England?

[dfisherwv@gmail.com]

Got roped into that myself, but to be honest, I really don't care that much. I paid more for my Invicta I purchased on the last cruise with RCI, but there is a certain amount of 'souvenir value' that is associated with the memory.

 

The ship gave the lip-service of a lowest price guarantee but in the very very fine print, it doesn't apply to internet stores/outlets.

 

Don't buy online to save money... do it because you are on vacation. You didn't get a t-shirt with Jamacia Mon on it because it was a great value...

 

 

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[ClairetoCruise]

The guarantee, refund, and exchange ends on the last night of the cruise.

 

Claire

Edited June 20, 2014 by ClairetoCruise

[m*u*g*]

I buy a lot of Citizen watches and have generally found that 40% off retail price is the best I've seen anywhere, even on internet. Some cruises, they have them 30% and others I've seen 40% off.

 

40% off and duty free is pretty good deal on Citizens if you find something you like. I even compared a model in the carribean ports, and the price was better or same on the ship.

 

As far as Invicta goes, buy from ShopHQ. At these they will take them back 'when' you get one with the second hand floating in the dial. (Saw this on several Invictas sitting on the table during the sale on Oasis) Yes this is a jab at Invicta. Plus, I have a couple that have floating peices and are past the warranty/return date of course.

 

As far as Duty over $800, you will pay same rate as everyone else, so it's up to you.

[George C]

My wife loves her citzen watch which she bought on a cruise ship. But as said need to shop around and get the lowest local prices and model ## before cruise. The no sales tax really helps

[Karter]

One other thing to take into consideration is where you bought it because it will always bring back memories of the cruise. Also when people ask about the watch you can tell them it was purchased on a wonderful cruise you and your family had. For me if I pay a few extra $$ it's worth it because of the memories it provokes.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[DiamondDiva23]

I'm on CC all day at work. My computer is open to it and I just click on whatever topics interest me throughout my day, glancing up while I work. As I type this, I've just taken down an order for a gents steel Rolex Datejust, checked the retail price on a Corum, shipped a Ladies 2 Tone Rolex to NY for Sat Delivery & we're packing watches to take to a trade show here in Chicago. Yes folks I sell watches for a living! Lol All the while wishing I was back on the June 1st Allure sailing. I got a big kick out of the girls wearing the Tag Heuer dresses during the sale onboard. My husband is also in watch sales and I had to keep dragging him away from Regalia's windows. When I'm on vacation I don't even want to SEE a watch! But Tennessee_Cruiser if you're ever in the Windy City I'll be glad to help you with that Omega! Lol

[Tennessee_Cruiser]

I'm on CC all day at work. My computer is open to it and I just click on whatever topics interest me throughout my day, glancing up while I work. As I type this, I've just taken down an order for a gents steel Rolex Datejust, checked the retail price on a Corum, shipped a Ladies 2 Tone Rolex to NY for Sat Delivery & we're packing watches to take to a trade show here in Chicago. Yes folks I sell watches for a living! Lol All the while wishing I was back on the June 1st Allure sailing. I got a big kick out of the girls wearing the Tag Heuer dresses during the sale onboard. My husband is also in watch sales and I had to keep dragging him away from Regalia's windows. When I'm on vacation I don't even want to SEE a watch! But Tennessee_Cruiser if you're ever in the Windy City I'll be glad to help you with that Omega! Lol

 

Have a number or email address where I can contact you? I would have sent you a private message, but not sure if I can on CC. You can send me your contact information via DM on Twitter @jepoole

[DiamondDiva23]

You can email us at howard @ howard frum dot com. That's our company name. Howard Frum Jewelers.

[cruzincurt]

I saw a Citizen I liked on a cruise. When I got home, I bought it for the same price thru Amazon.

[Captain!]

Can someone advise if they sell TAG watches onboard Freedom of the Seas?

 

Would a UK national still have to pay sales tax upon entering the US?

[ducklite]

Can someone advise if they sell TAG watches onboard Freedom of the Seas?

 

 

 

Would a UK national still have to pay sales tax upon entering the US?

 

 

Yes, because you aren't in an "in transit" situation as you go from ship to airport. In transit only applies when you need to clear immigration but not customs, such as when you get on a plane in country A, change planes in country B without ever having access to your luggage, and finish your trip in country C.

[Vibe]

I was on the Freedom in April. They had a nice selection of TAGs. They do not sell Omega on the Freedom. I have only seen Omegas on the Oasis and the Allure.

Edited June 21, 2014 by Vibe

[MitchEvious]

And I am going on the Navigator in two weeks and I am thinking about buying a watch on board.

 

Has anyone ever bought a watch on a cruise ship? If so, was it easy to pay the duty entering the country? What was the percentage you paid at custom when declaring the watch?

 

Sadly, there are no authorized dealers at any of the ports on my itinerary.

 

If there are any watch geeks, I am looking at the Omega Aqua Terra 150m Co-Axial 41.5mm with white face.

 

I will be going on the Navigator at the end of August(My first ever cruise, by the way), and am interested in watches. Can you let me know if you find any Omegas in the shops on-board? Also looking for a Tissot T-Touch or an Epos with Moon-phase.

 

If you happen to run across any nice knock-offs on any of the stops, I'd appreciate if you could let me know.

[bigeagle12]

I buy a lot of Citizen watches and have generally found that 40% off retail price is the best I've seen anywhere, even on internet. Some cruises, they have them 30% and others I've seen 40% off.

 

40% off and duty free is pretty good deal on Citizens if you find something you like. I even compared a model in the carribean ports, and the price was better or same on the ship.

 

As far as Invicta goes, buy from ShopHQ. At these they will take them back 'when' you get one with the second hand floating in the dial. (Saw this on several Invictas sitting on the table during the sale on Oasis) Yes this is a jab at Invicta. Plus, I have a couple that have floating peices and are past the warranty/return date of course.

 

As far as Duty over $800, you will pay same rate as everyone else, so it's up to you.

 

 

 

I too collect Citizen watches. You cannot beat the cruise ship prices on the internet unless you purchase from an unauthorized retailer .. and then you receive no manufacturer warranty.

 

 

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[bighairtexan]

I bought a TAG Heuer watch through a reputable online vendor that I've used before. On Celebrity, in their TAG store, it was about $800 more. This was pretty typical for the "watch deals" I've seen in the Celebrity and RCI shops, as well as various "on island" stores.

 

I bought a piece of jewelry in the Caribbean and asked several people on the ship if they knew how to go about paying customs. They all looked at me as if I sprouted another head. I was told by everyone to just wear it off the ship.

 

Let's just say, though I wish it weren't so, I am the worst liar ever. I'd be having a heart attack trying to "smuggle" something in the country past government officials. "OK officer, cuff me....I'm trying to be an international jewel smuggler, and now I can't take the pressure!"

 

I can't remember what the customs charge was, but only the amount over the allowable value was subject to customs assessment.

[wendychloecruiser]

I live in the UK and have been on many cruises in and out of the states and have never paid duty on anything as I have been told by many a customs agent that I am indeed in transit. The most I have been asked is when my flight leaves. I have also stayed in Florida for a week or two following a cruise and again have never paid duty. And I do declare stuff, before you think I haven't. Now England might want to know, but "they" never ask upon arrival.

[mompolo]

My DH and I are avid watch buyers/wearers/lovers. We own Rolex, Breitling, Tag, Movado and more. We have never found a better price for any of these on our cruises - although we do look. I have to agree that getting a better price in the Caribbean might be long gone. Also, before you get on the ship - check the outlet malls in the US - Tag and Movado (Ebel is available in the Movado stores for a minimum of 35% off and sometime quite a bit more) both have great deals in their outlets stores and it doesn't mean you are getting a less then perfect watch. And if you like fashion watches like Coach, Michael Kors or Gucci - they are usually in the outlet malls too (most of these watches are made by other brands). On one of our last cruises my husband had his eye on a Philip Stein and just wouldn't buy it because he just couldn't get what he thought was a good price. We checked tons of stores on at least 2, maybe three islands and everyone had the exact (yes exact) same price (I smell some price fixing here). When we got home, I searched online and got him the exact same watch and saved $165 (it was $465 on the islands and $300 online). I got all the boxes and paperwork. So, be sure to know what you are looking for and research the price. Have fun!!

[awhfy]

We bought a Tag on the Connie 5 years ago, only because they matched the price from the island (I had a card with written price). I had priced same watch at several places in states & on different islands. We were both pleased with our bargain & a lovely 40th anniversary gift. Duty wasn't outrageous. Bighairtexan - I bet I'm a worse liar than you. We claim everything. I like to sleep at night

 

 

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[bighairtexan]

Bighairtexan - I bet I'm a worse liar than you. We claim everything. I like to sleep at night

 

 

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I completely agree. And I'm not suggesting the OP is trying to get away with anything either. Quite the contrary. I just found it humorous how the vendors on the islands, as well as the people I spoke with on the ship (this was for something I purchased on shore) seemed to think I was balmy, asking about how I should go about paying the import taxes. Every person said "just wear it, no one knows when you bought it."

But I had visions of myself in the slammer. :eek: