Cautionary tale

[pizzadog]

We were in Huatulco ten days ago while on a Panama Cruise. We had a wonderful tour, 5 Bays by Catamaran, followed by shopping in the small dockside tourist area. We were approached by a fellow encouraging us to visit the cafe in the plaza. Since we wanted to sit and use their wifi we ordered two margueritas and plate of guacamole, salsa and tortillas. We did not ask to see a menu which was admittedly foolish on our part. When we asked for our bill the waitress wrote it out on the spot and presented it to us. Imagine my surprise to see it was for $37 U.S. I expressed my surprise and was shocked to be told "that's what it costs here". Because we were so taken aback we just paid and left - should have asked to see the menu then. Just a "mea culpa", but hopefully a warning for others.

 

I have posted this note on the Ports of Call forum.

[serendipity1499]

We were in Huatulco ten days ago while on a Panama Cruise. We had a wonderful tour, 5 Bays by Catamaran, followed by shopping in the small dockside tourist area. We were approached by a fellow encouraging us to visit the cafe in the plaza. Since we wanted to sit and use their wifi we ordered two margueritas and plate of guacamole, salsa and tortillas. We did not ask to see a menu which was admittedly foolish on our part. When we asked for our bill the waitress wrote it out on the spot and presented it to us. Imagine my surprise to see it was for $37 U.S. I expressed my surprise and was shocked to be told "that's what it costs here". Because we were so taken aback we just paid and left - should have asked to see the menu then. Just a "mea culpa", but hopefully a warning for others.

 

I have posted this note on the Ports of Call forum.

 

OH MY! What a Rip-off! :( I think that you should also alert the Mexican authorities, perhaps even the embassy in DCA & also report this to HAL Customer Service.. You will not get your money back, but this IMO is a SCAM! If you paid by Credit Card, you might also alert your CC company..

 

So sorry you were taken advantage of..

[summer slope]

Thank you for the heads up. Will not visit that place!!!

[Topsham]

2 drinks @ $ 10.00 each

 

1 nibbles for 2... $16.00

 

 

Tip included.

 

Wi Fi free included.

 

 

$36? Not that bad. Might be a bit pricey.... but not a rip off.

[mainepaddler]

Hmmm. That seems reasonable especially in a tourist area. Say the drinks were $12 each and then $10 for the food. With tax that would be about $37.

[WeLoveCruising]

I was going to say the same thing. It actually sounds like a realistic price to me. Not a bargain, but not a ripoff either. At the most, what is it? $10 more than maybe you thought it was? Sorry....

[pizzadog]

OH MY! What a Rip-off! :( I think that you should also alert the Mexican authorities, perhaps even the embassy in DCA & also report this to HAL Customer Service.. You will not get your money back, but this IMO is a SCAM! If you paid by Credit Card, you might also alert your CC company..

 

So sorry you were taken advantage of..

 

They did not take credit cards. As it was I had exactly $39 U.S. In my wallet. I had visions of the Federales accompanying me to the ship to get more cash lol. Btw, the appies were for 1 person. We had gotten 2 margaritas in Cabo for $10 a few days before thus the sticker shock here.

Edited October 18, 2015 by pizzadog

[sail7seas]

2 drinks @ $ 10.00 each

 

1 nibbles for 2... $16.00

 

 

Tip included.

 

Wi Fi free included.

 

 

$36? Not that bad. Might be a bit pricey.... but not a rip off.

 

I was going to say the same thing. It actually sounds like a realistic price to me. Not a bargain, but not a ripoff either. At the most, what is it? $10 more than maybe you thought it was? Sorry....

 

I agree.

Not a bargain but in a tourist area, not so shocking prices.

 

The free WiFi was not free.

Hope the guacamole, margueritas and salsa were good and you enjoyed them.

 

Edited October 18, 2015 by sail7seas

[midwest 852]

OH MY! What a Rip-off! :( I think that you should also alert the Mexican authorities, perhaps even the embassy in DCA & also report this to HAL Customer Service.. You will not get your money back, but this IMO is a SCAM! If you paid by Credit Card, you might also alert your CC company..

 

So sorry you were taken advantage of..

 

This action is way out of line!

[Lizzie68]

They did not take credit cards. As it was I had exactly $39 U.S. In my wallet. I had visions of the Federales accompanying me to the ship to get more cash lol. Btw, the appies were for 1 person. We had gotten 2 margaritas in Cabo for $10 a few days before thus the sticker shock here.

 

Cautionary indeed. We had drinks and natchos in Huatulco at one of the beachside cafes there in April, it did not come anywhere near that cost. No wonder he was out there hauling people in! - I think I know which place you went to, and we opted for another one close-by.

[WeLoveCruising]

As long as we're on the subject, it's not been my experience in Mexico, but in some other countries, Italy for example, it is entirely customary to pay very high prices for the experience of sitting in a desirable (many times tourist) area. In Capri, for example, if you have a cup of coffee inside the cafe it might be a few Euro, but if you take a table on the piazza that very same coffee would easily be 10 Euro. It's not considered a ripoff there, it's just the way it works. But for someone not familair with the way it works, it could definitely seem a questionable practice.

 

I'm not saying that was the instance here the OP had. Sounds like they just got directed to a place with tourist prices. I really dont find it outrageous, especially if it were otherwise enjoyable.

Edited October 18, 2015 by WeLoveCruising

[avian777]

We were in Huatulco ten days ago while on a Panama Cruise. We had a wonderful tour, 5 Bays by Catamaran, followed by shopping in the small dockside tourist area. We were approached by a fellow encouraging us to visit the cafe in the plaza. Since we wanted to sit and use their wifi we ordered two margueritas and plate of guacamole, salsa and tortillas. We did not ask to see a menu which was admittedly foolish on our part. When we asked for our bill the waitress wrote it out on the spot and presented it to us. Imagine my surprise to see it was for $37 U.S. I expressed my surprise and was shocked to be told "that's what it costs here". Because we were so taken aback we just paid and left - should have asked to see the menu then. Just a "mea culpa", but hopefully a warning for others.

 

I have posted this note on the Ports of Call forum.

 

If you can recall the name of the cafe, please share it with us CCers so that we'll know which joint to avoid. Thanks.

[PhoenixCruiser]

I was going to say the same thing. It actually sounds like a realistic price to me. Not a bargain, but not a ripoff either. At the most, what is it? $10 more than maybe you thought it was? Sorry....

 

I agree!

 

###

[mudscraper]

OH MY! What a Rip-off! :( I think that you should also alert the Mexican authorities, perhaps even the embassy in DCA & also report this to HAL Customer Service.. You will not get your money back, but this IMO is a SCAM! If you paid by Credit Card, you might also alert your CC company..

 

So sorry you were taken advantage of..

 

Let's not forget the United Nations. I personally feel that the prices are high but not unreasonable.

[PatsyAnne]

If they are on Trip Advisor, that would be a good place to post your experience, good and bad. Trip Advisor is very important to many tourist places. I think the worst (and I've done it myself- maybe at that cafe) is not getting the prices ahead of time. Next time I'll ask up front.

[sail7seas]

If you can recall the name of the cafe, please share it with us CCers so that we'll know which joint to avoid. Thanks.

 

No one needs to post a business name here in order for us to not pay more than we would have expected.

 

Ask to see a menu.....

Ask the server the prices.......

No surprise that way.

 

[Fouremco]

Definitely seems to be a tad on the high side, but without knowing what other establishments in the area providing internet service might charge for the same items, it's perhaps a bit premature to say whether or not the OP was taken advantage of.

[Stratheden]

"Dockside in a tourist area." + Wifi

 

I think that screams $$$$$.

[Ricktan]

In Venice we sat at a table in San Marco square at the Florian. They had live music and the location screamed tourist but was beautiful. Ordered 3 Cappuccinos w/whip cream. Cost us 42.00 Euros and that was no snacks or Wifi included. There was a 6.00 charge per table for the music and drinks were 12.00 a piece. Of course, we had looked at the menu so we knew what we were doing. But...I can see where a couple of drinks and snacks and Wifi could add up in a tourist spot.

[momatibm]

Sorry, you had this experience. However, you were in a foreign county -- you didn't ask the right questions -- what did you expect -- 'sorry, you are tourists, we will give you a discount".. We;ve eaten in local places, asked for things that weren't expected, ie conch fritters, when others were eating breakfast -- we didn't ask the price -- that's what we wanted -- paid the price, granted it was reasonable -- but still .......

[Topsham]

OK... no news, I live in Bermuda. Walk into some of the hotels and ask for a glass of Pino ... about enough that a mouse would drink.... and it is $17 plus 17%. Ouch! It is not a rip off.... although we would all say that! It is published price at that bar. If a tourist buys.... that is the price. For locals.... same price.

 

Always ask first.

 

Not always in Bermuda are high prices. One little place in the Dockyard.... a lot of the crew from the NCL ships. They will sit at a table... four people. Buy one pizza.... and four glasses of water. They will sit for three or four hours... phoning, skyping, internet using the wifi. OK... the pizza is around $20. Water is free. Using the restaurant is definitely not a ripoff.

[lahlah57]

This action is way out of line!

 

They were serious??? I thought it was a sarcastic response.....if it was serious I don't think it necessary to call government officials for $37.

[Rosethorn40]

Lets give the OP a break! They are not asking anyone to feel sorry for them, or screaming how they were ripped off. Just simply warning people to be careful, and ask to see a menu in a tourist area so you don't have sticker shock.

 

To OP and others that have written about their experience, it's a piece of information to keep tucked in the back of my brain. We are going on a cruise next summer that includes Rome & Naples. It would never have occurred to me that a drink inside a café would be cheaper than one with a view. That's a tidbit I will remember.

[G&G]

Same thing happened to us in 2012 but we asked for a menu and only ordered a Diet Coke which was $6.

 

Couple next to us had several tropical drinks and food. Their bill was over $100. They were not happy.

[Loreto]

We were in Huatulco ten days ago while on a Panama Cruise. We had a wonderful tour, 5 Bays by Catamaran, followed by shopping in the small dockside tourist area. We were approached by a fellow encouraging us to visit the cafe in the plaza. Since we wanted to sit and use their wifi we ordered two margueritas and plate of guacamole, salsa and tortillas. We did not ask to see a menu which was admittedly foolish on our part. When we asked for our bill the waitress wrote it out on the spot and presented it to us. Imagine my surprise to see it was for $37 U.S. I expressed my surprise and was shocked to be told "that's what it costs here". Because we were so taken aback we just paid and left - should have asked to see the menu then. Just a "mea culpa", but hopefully a warning for others.

 

I have posted this note on the Ports of Call forum.

 

We encountered an aggressive salesman in Huatulco during our 2 day stop on the Statendam last November.

 

The first day I was browsing one of the nicer jewelry shops and looked at one (inexpensive) piece but said thank you anyway and left to meet DH who was waiting on a bench. The salesman was very insistent and followed me outside yelling and demanding I come back in. We left (quickly.) It was an unpleasant experience, and I did mention it to our Rural Communities tour guide the next day, who said that shouldn't have happened.

 

We have been to Mexico many times and have encountered insistent salesmen, but in an upscale resort area this was unexpected.

 

We, too, saw people hawking restaurants, but we chose our own on the beach....wasn't cheap but most enjoyable!

 

Karen