High Pressure Specialty Dining Sales Pitches

[Cloudscout]

Spent last week on Oasis of the Seas and almost everything was great but it was impossible to enjoy a meal without enduring at least one flea market-style salesperson interrupting us to try and sell specialty dining packages, wine tastings, etc.

 

I finally got fed up one morning at breakfast and asked the salesperson, "would it be possible for us to enjoy a meal without constant interruptions from someone trying to sell us something?" She said, "Okay." Then she walked away muttering, "we're just doing our jobs."

 

Literally 5 minutes later, someone else stopped by our table asking if any of us had changed our minds about it.

 

I get that it's not their fault that Royal Caribbean has turned the main dining room into a time share-style high pressure sales environment with a captive audience. I'm sure they have quotas to meet. But I should be allowed to express my displeasure with the experience.

[Clarea]

Par for the course anymore. We had the same experience on Oasis.

[cruzeluver]

This is exactly the kind of thing that needs to be flagged up to management. The employees making the sales pitch are doing what they have been instructed to do. This needs to get to those that make the decisions about this. It is annoying if its chronic and persistent.

[COMBOY]

A firm thank you, but no thank you is the best response. Yes, she was only doing her job. Unfortunately, they are under sales quotes; but it should never be during a meal. The whole reason cruise lines went to specialty dining was so they could downgrade the quality in main dining room while pushing people into "fee" dining with a high quality. I don't think it was ever designed to interfere with your meals but given a sales quotas, pushy servers and a captive audience and you have the perfect storm. As long as people are willing to pay for "fee" dining the problem is not going away soon sorry to say.

[maryjaden]

I simply say thank you, we already have reservations (wether we do or not).

[rmf11699]

Wow, I just lost desire to eat in the MDR.

[Cigar King]

Maybe you should direct your frustration to the management and not the poor person who is "just trying to do their job".

 

I get it. Nobody wants to be interrupted for a sales pitch, but, taking it out on a person who is unable to effect any change is just plain rude.

[Cloudscout]

I wish that was enough to get them to stop. They have clearly been receiving the typical "overcoming objections" training that all high pressure salespeople go through. If you say you already have stuff booked, they are trained to not believe you and will then ask which restaurants you are booked for and which nights, whether you booked online or onboard, etc. And like I mentioned above, it's not a one time thing, they revisit you to push again.

 

Interrupting my meals once for your sales pitch is bad. Multiple interruptions are absolutely unacceptable.

[Cloudscout]

Maybe you should direct your frustration to the management and not the poor person who is "just trying to do their job".

 

I get it. Nobody wants to be interrupted for a sales pitch, but, taking it out on a person who is unable to effect any change is just plain rude.

 

I didn't "take it out" on them. A salesperson interrupted us. They are the company's representative at that moment. It is absolutely appropriate and not rude in any way for me to tell them how I feel about it. They can take the message to their management.

[SG65CB]

I wish that was enough to get them to stop. They have clearly been receiving the typical "overcoming objections" training that all high pressure salespeople go through. If you say you already have stuff booked, they are trained to not believe you and will then ask which restaurants you are booked for and which nights, whether you booked online or onboard, etc. And like I mentioned above, it's not a one time thing, they revisit you to push again.

 

Interrupting my meals once for your sales pitch is bad. Multiple interruptions are absolutely unacceptable.

 

"Overcoming objections" training is interesting. I was at a timeshare sales pitch listening in on nearby conversations and no matter why the person said "no" they had a way to overcome the objection. They have the advantage because people can't just say no, we feel obligated to provide an explanation, and then they overcome that reason.

 

The super secret way to beat them is to say no without giving a reason. When they ask why, tell them you are not interested. Now the fun starts because they have no counter for this. They'll go nuts trying to get you to give them a reason why you are not interested so they can hit you with the counter-measure for that reason.

[theotherchad]

This is interesting. I have never had anyone pitch us while we're eating in the MDR. Forewarned is forearmed, I guess. I am pretty good at shutting down high pressure sales people very politely. I say no, thank you for stopping by though and then I ignore them. Unless they're offering some special deal that I won't get if I just make reservations. Then, I'll listen,and make my decision and if the decision is no, then I revert to my original strategy.

[Fat Paul]

I took a land based vacation two years ago in Costa Rica, every minute of sitting on the beach was constant barrage of people trying to sell you something. Hawaii earlier this year, not once was my peace disturbed. I enjoyed Costa Rica but will not return. Hawaii on the other hand

[Hey Tina]

That sounds really frustrating. If you want the practice to be changed I think expressing your displeasure with it in the after cruise survey would be more productive than posting here. If people who can make a change aren't aware of a problem how can they fix it?

 

In any case, I don't have any similar experiences to what you experienced (I ate in the MDR maybe 6x on my last cruise and was never approached) but it sounds like your main problem is them approaching you at all, not that they won't take no for an answer, so I guess the your only other options are to eat somewhere else (specialty/buffet) or cruise on some other line? If the issue is they won't take no for an answer you might try changing your approach. A lot of times people have trouble saying No; they think it's rude or something else, but a lot of times No is all you need. You can add a thanks if you'd like, but it's not necessary?

 

"Excuse me, are you interested in getting specialty restaurant reservations?

"No."

 

"Do you need help finding anything"

"No"

 

The conversation is over once you say No. If they refuse to accept your No as a complete sentence and a complete answer that's actually them being rude. Why do you need to engage further? Conversation is not something you "owe" people. Common decency? Sure. Answering their question is common decency.

[Cigar King]

I didn't "take it out" on them. A salesperson interrupted us. They are the company's representative at that moment. It is absolutely appropriate and not rude in any way for me to tell them how I feel about it. They can take the message to their management.

 

If you weren't rude, you wouldn't expect them to take your "message to their management". There's a survey, there are officers all over the place. Deliver your own message of displeasure.

[starrcards]

Have never had this problem on previous cruises (Grandeur, Jewel x 2 and Empress). But we cruise on Oasis in February. We already have 3 nights of non-MDR dining (First Night Done Right and the Solarium Bistro 2 nights). Thanks for the heads up.

[steveru621]

Our last cruise on Navigator they were stationed outside the Windjammer every day.

 

It's bad enough the photographers interrupt your dinner, but we have had very little problem inside the Windjammer.

[truckswain]

This happened quite frequently on or three Oasis class cruises. A polite no usually sent them on their way. We did however see our waiter from Chops in the WJ and he was trying to sign people up for Chops. He asked if we were interested in eating their again, I said sure but what kind of deal are you offering. We got a meal at Chops two for one, with the price for one half off. That I don't mind being interrupted for!

[KuffMUp]

Our last cruise on Navigator they were stationed outside the Windjammer every day.

 

It's bad enough the photographers interrupt your dinner, but we have had very little problem inside the Windjammer.

Yes they were outside the Windjammer everyday of our last cruise. Never had them interrupt my meal in the Windjammer or MDR. However, at the Schooner Lounge was another story. It was a constant interruption. Yes, I was there a lot. But when we find bartenders we like, we tend to stay with them.

[ChinaShrek]

If you weren't rude, you wouldn't expect them to take your "message to their management". There's a survey, there are officers all over the place. Deliver your own message of displeasure.

 

Nonsense. Workers need to know which policies to really follow.

[land lover]

Well, sometimes positives come out of those sales pitches. We had a comp. specialty restaurant from our TA.

after embarkation on Anthem we got lunch and within a few minutes were approached at our table by a girl selling the packages. I asked if she could make a reservation for our comp. at Wonderland, She said she would see if she could help me. That afternoon I received a call from Wonderland's MD ...he stated he wanted to treat us to his restaurant and to chose another restaurant for the comp. from my TA.

 

This was the same cruise where the concierge told me to make my own spa reservation......win some you lose some....

Edited September 26, 2017 by land lover

[suesnake2002]

I think im gonna make a do not disturb sign for my table lol

[Gwendy]

This is the very where, cruise ships, shopping centres etc. Just say no and keep walking for the photographers on the ship, when dining say no thank you and keep eating totally ignoring them.

When I was a teacher this was, I think, one of my he most important things I taught. You can say no.

[geomancer]

I think im gonna make a do not disturb sign for my table lol

 

 

Good idea!

[Cloudscout]

I think im gonna make a do not disturb sign for my table lol

 

I was seriously thinking the same thing although a hat with a big sign sticking out of the top might work better.

[land lover]

This is the very where, cruise ships, shopping centres etc. Just say no and keep walking for the photographers on the ship, when dining say no thank you and keep eating totally ignoring them.

When I was a teacher this was, I think, one of my he most important things I taught. You can say no.

 

When you said shopping center it made me smile......About 5 years ago, I had not gone inside one of our malls in years, but on my return I noticed they added center kiosks and.....I swear I was harassed more by the vendors in that mall than I have ever been on any trip...we had recently returned from the the Middle East and Greece never new their in your face selling techniques had expanded into my own backyard.

 

Needless to say never a dull moment...on a trip or at home.....