Are those walk-in and free seminar events just upsell?

[Over from NZ]

The more you cruise.. the more the upsell becomes tacky and tiresome. That's all any of it is. 

[cjpj]

1 hour ago, 1412p0oi said:

Thank you for the advice! I'm exactly in that position of not having bought any drinks packages (I hardly ever drink for health reasons) but bookmarked an art auction for that complimentary champagne haha...I'm not going to get that glass of champagne, am I?

 

They do have champagne or sparkling wine and everyone had some but me. I didn't want any so I never chased it down, but they do hand it our and if you don't get any handed to you, you can politely ask.

[cjpj]

2 hours ago, Thrak said:

Be aware of the difference between a port talk from a Destination Host and a port talk by a Shopping Concierge. One is informative and useful while the other is all about directing you to the nearest Diamond's International or other selected venue where they want you to spend money

This is good advice - the port talks from a destination host are very informative, especially if you are doing a port on your own.

[Paula_MacFan]

We avoid any up-sell 'seminars' like the plague, but we do enjoy the fruit and vegetable carving, ice carving, and galley tour offerings.  To me those are just 'activities' and not up-sell opportunities like the ones in the spa, shops, and art auction.  We've also enjoyed talks given by naturalists and ship officers on various sailing topics.  Again, those are in no way 'sales' opportunities.  

[ontheweb]

11 hours ago, DCThunder said:

3/4ths of the "art" I see in the Princess Art Galleries is hideous.  And the other 1/4th is Thomas Kinkade.

My DW actually likes Thomas Kincade. 🤦‍♂️ 

[Huenemecruiser]

I once went to an Art History lecture, it was interesting and well presented. During this event they raffled off a poster, and my ticket was drawn, I was told to stop by the Gallery later to receive it. When I stopped by that evening to pick up the poster that I had won, they told me that the poster that I thought that I was to receive was the ship's copy, and that they would send me an identical one if I paid the shipping cost. There was nothing special about this poster, yes I would take it if it was free, but I wouldn't pay for a copy.

[MacMadame]

57 minutes ago, Huenemecruiser said:

I once went to an Art History lecture, it was interesting and well presented. During this event they raffled off a poster, and my ticket was drawn, I was told to stop by the Gallery later to receive it. When I stopped by that evening to pick up the poster that I had won, they told me that the poster that I thought that I was to receive was the ship's copy, and that they would send me an identical one if I paid the shipping cost. There was nothing special about this poster, yes I would take it if it was free, but I wouldn't pay for a copy.

But was there free food? 🤣

[IndyKid]

I pay too much money to waste my vacation time going to these "events"...

[1412p0oi]

1 hour ago, Huenemecruiser said:

I once went to an Art History lecture, it was interesting and well presented. During this event they raffled off a poster, and my ticket was drawn, I was told to stop by the Gallery later to receive it. When I stopped by that evening to pick up the poster that I had won, they told me that the poster that I thought that I was to receive was the ship's copy, and that they would send me an identical one if I paid the shipping cost. There was nothing special about this poster, yes I would take it if it was free, but I wouldn't pay for a copy.

That's so annoying! I also wouldn't pay shipping cost just to receive a poster. It's a bit sad the raffle are just at that level. 

[Gwendy]

6 hours ago, cjpj said:

They do have champagne or sparkling wine and everyone had some but me. I didn't want any so I never chased it down, but they do hand it our and if you don't get any handed to you, you can politely ask.

Don’t bother asking, the stuff they give you is foul.  The cheapest of the cheap.

[DCThunder]

11 hours ago, ontheweb said:

My DW actually likes Thomas Kincade. 🤦‍♂️ 

Bless her heart...💗

[nbsjcruiser]

You will learn that cruise ships are experts at the upsell and enticing you with great deals that require you to buy something first. So to answer your question, yes it is an upsell event. They don't give you anything for free. If you're not careful you'll nickel and dime yourself to death on a cruise ship.

[MissP22]

1 hour ago, nbsjcruiser said:

If you're not careful you'll nickel and dime yourself to death on a cruise ship.

I pride myself in keeping my final bill under the $10 mark. 

[jwattle]

22 hours ago, Thrak said:

We have sailed with friends who never purchase a drink package. The lady of the pair always goes to the free Mimosa type "events" at Effy and any other "event" that offers her a free drink (or two). We don't go but these do seem popular and there is often a free "charm" offered along with the drinks. If this is something that might interest you then, by all means, go to these events. There is usually no real selling at them and you can enjoy a free drink while checking out the offered jewelry.

 

We avoid the art auction like the plague. On our first cruise we went and had the free "champagne". Never again. I'm always amazed when I'm walking past the art auction and they are asking $35,000 or so for the "art". If people can spend that much on the art what in the world are they doing sailing Princess? They talk about the wonderful Giclee process used for the art as if it's something special. What they don't explain is that Giclee is nothing more than large scale ink jet printing.

 

Be aware of the difference between a port talk from a Destination Host and a port talk by a Shopping Concierge. One is informative and useful while the other is all about directing you to the nearest Diamond's International or other selected venue where they want you to spend money.

 

I must say I'm a bit jealous. One only ever gets one first cruise. Enjoy yourself and have a great cruise. Take in the positives and, if there are any negatives, minimize their impact on your experience.

Not to be nit picking, but...

Giclée Art Prints are more expensive than Canvas Prints. Here's why: Canvas prints are basic inkjet prints that use dye inks, which are not fade resistant and have a longevity of 10-20 years. Giclée, or Pigment Printing, use pigments instead of dyes which are archival and have a longevity of 200+ years.

[c-boy]

21 hours ago, 1412p0oi said:

Thank you for the advice! I'm exactly in that position of not having bought any drinks packages (I hardly ever drink for health reasons) but bookmarked an art auction for that complimentary champagne haha...I'm not going to get that glass of champagne, am I?

 

That registration for free grand prize also seemed interesting, but I guess it's probably also useless. 

 

you get your behind to that event ! nothing ventured, nothing gained.

[Thrak]

21 hours ago, helenb said:

Oh you'll get the glass of (low quality) champagne.... along with a sales pitch.

 

The best free drinks are the ones that come with past passenger status. Free minibar setup, free wine tasting... also free drinks at the past passenger events.

 

We just finished 63 days on Grand Princess. It was booked as 6 segments - 24 days, 2 days, 5 days, 14 days, 4 days, and 14 days. We got a new mini-bar setup for each of the 6 segments. We did go to the past passenger event a couple of times and had drinks there but we had a drink package and had been on so long that all the crew knew us and asked if we would like something other than what was being offered. We attended the wine tasting on the first segment but, after that, didn't bother.

[ldubs]

21 hours ago, Over from NZ said:

The more you cruise.. the more the upsell becomes tacky and tiresome. That's all any of it is. 

 

I've found the opposite.  It seems much less pushy these days.  But I do agree the scheduled "activities" that are no more than sales pitches to a captured audience seem to outnumber actual fun activities during the day.  

 

Then again, who would not want to know what a terrific investment opportunity there is in tanzanite.  🙂

[Gwendy]

17 hours ago, 1412p0oi said:

That's so annoying! I also wouldn't pay shipping cost just to receive a poster. It's a bit sad the raffle are just at that level. 

Years ago on a world cruise I was next to a lady who “won” at the auction.  When she found out how much it was going to cost to frame and send her prize, she told them they could keep it. Lol

[1412p0oi]

3 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

I've found the opposite.  It seems much less pushy these days.  But I do agree the scheduled "activities" that are no more than sales pitches to a captured audience seem to outnumber actual fun activities during the day.  

 

Then again, who would not want to know what a terrific investment opportunity there is in tanzanite.  🙂

Lol I saw that tanzanite activity and thought maybe I’d check it out 🤣 now I’m rethinking it haha 

[IndyKid]

3 hours ago, ldubs said:

Then again, who would not want to know what a terrific investment opportunity there is in tanzanite.  🙂

Lab-grown or natural? 😆

[MacMadame]

1 hour ago, 1412p0oi said:

Lol I saw that tanzanite activity and thought maybe I’d check it out 🤣 now I’m rethinking it haha 

It looks pretty. But pricey. 

[donaldsc]

On 1/12/2024 at 7:27 AM, DCThunder said:

3/4ths of the "art" I see in the Princess Art Galleries is hideous.  And the other 1/4th is Thomas Kinkade.

 

Are you suggesting that Kinkade's works are not hideous or maybe that they are worse than hideous.  For me it is the latter.

 

DON

[nbsjcruiser]

8 hours ago, MissP22 said:

I pride myself in keeping my final bill under the $10 mark. 

Well done. We budget ourselves for the entire cruise and put what we deem appropriate on as OBC and leave the cruise with $0 owing on the bill.

[1412p0oi]

10 hours ago, nbsjcruiser said:

You will learn that cruise ships are experts at the upsell and enticing you with great deals that require you to buy something first. So to answer your question, yes it is an upsell event. They don't give you anything for free. If you're not careful you'll nickel and dime yourself to death on a cruise ship.

I’m a bit susceptible to the idea of a “great deal” and I know that, so I should just stay away before regretting a purchase that has no value to me. Besides, I’m bringing one small suitcase that I had to sit on to close so don’t think I can fit even more air in there! 

[nbsjcruiser]

9 hours ago, 1412p0oi said:

I’m a bit susceptible to the idea of a “great deal” and I know that, so I should just stay away before regretting a purchase that has no value to me. Besides, I’m bringing one small suitcase that I had to sit on to close so don’t think I can fit even more air in there! 

 

Smart to stay away then. We once went on a cruise with my sister who was as thin as a rail in those days. She went to one of those "free" body analysis things. She came back with 2 more appointments (not free of course) so he could help her reduce her body fat. If she had any body fat it was hidden somewhere I couldn't see.

 

The other thing to note is that in some cases these people do not work for the cruise line, especially in the spa. Why does that matter? Well, oftentimes you'll hear about people going for things like acupuncture. If they mess up (and they have in the past) the cruise line is going to shrug and tell you that they don't work for the cruise line and that you'll have to take it up with them.

 

Cruising is one of the best things there is, I love it but you have to remember, they're goal is to make money. Just have a bit of skepticism when you're on the ship. That will help you enjoy a wonderful vacation to its fullest.