Pushing sells during cruise excursions

[zqvol]

No one can make you buy anything, just keep moving. 

[sparks1093]

13 hours ago, zqvol said:

No one can make you buy anything, just keep moving. 

Very true, but this is also people's time we are taking about and that is what is concerning to most. Rather than spend 30 minutes to an hour chilling their heels at a souvenir shop they'd rather be doing something else. And we aren't talking about things like cultural differences here, either. On the tour that I mentioned previously in Jamaica the tour was supposed to go from the ship, to the attraction and return. There wasn't supposed to be a stop anywhere for shopping or any other activity. But the bus driver and tour guide in question took a detour on the way back to the ship and stopped at a friends shop. This was not an advertised stop, nor was it an authorized one. I know of one couple that went to the Shorex desk post-tour and obtained at least a partial refund, something my family would have done had they realized it was possible. We've been on many excursions where a stop was fully disclosed and was part of the excursion- "you will stop at X for an opportunity for shopping" or something similar. 

[Hlitner]

17 hours ago, zqvol said:

No one can make you buy anything, just keep moving. 

That is only part of the issue.  I have previously posted about an excursion, from Izmir to Ephesus, that we took on Princess, many decades ago.  On that excursion, our guide rushed us through the ruins of Ephesus (much too fast to enjoy the experience), put us back on the bus. and took us to a nearby "jewelry factory" that was actually opened as we arrived.  The only folks in that large building were our bus.  As we entered they turned on the lights and the staff came out from a nearby room and took their positions behind the many counters.  After more than 30 minutes of folks wandering around the large room (nobody was buying anything) a few of us decided to go outside, only to discover that the exit door was locked.  Yes, we were truly locked inside!  A few of us complained to the guide who finally managed to get an employee to unlock the door.   Most of the group (about 60) went outside to wait (a few folks did stay inside).  After more than an hour at that "factory" we were allowed to reboard our bus for the drive back to Izmir.

 

Later that day, we stopped at Guest Relations (to complain about the excursion) only to find a line of others from our excursion.  The following day we received an apology letter from Princess and had the cost of the excursion refunded.  I have subsequently pointed out that that excursion (more than 30 years ago) was a life changer because it not only turned DW and I against cruise line excursions but played a big part in turning us into avid independent travelers (who only take excursions/tours when we cannot possibly do things on our own).

 

I go into all this detail to point out that we had paid the big bucks for an excursion that was supposed to be about seeing the historic sites found at Ephesus and Kusadasi.  By taking over 1 1/2 hours to drag us to that jewelry factory, we lost all that valuable time in Ephesus (and some other sites).  Many excursions, today, have become more sophisticated on how they steer their charges to stores that have "arrangements or are owned by" the tour company.  Put bluntly, it is a racket (perhaps it should be called "payola redux").  

 

I live in a cruise port (for part of the year) and see cruise line excursions moving around town, nearly every day.  It is no accident that these excursions stop at certain stores, and give their charges time to shop (in those specific stores).  In many cases, they are stores that most of us who live in the area would not even think about frequenting (because there are other better less expensive stores selling the same stuff).  

 

Speaking of cruise excursion cons, an even bigger con is the "shopping guarantees" pushed on some cruise lines.  This is where passengers are told to frequent certain stores for which there is some kind of guarantee.  The truth is that those "recommended" stores are only recommended because they pay a promotional fee to the shore excursions company!  We know of one major jeweler, in Rio de Janeiro, who finally got tired of the "black mail" and refused to participate in these schemes.  At one point they were truly blacklisted by the cruise line (in this case it was Celebrity) which did their best to convince cruisers NOT to go to this particular store, which happens to be a world-class jeweler.

 

Hank

[sanger727]

Nearly every tour I've taken in any place has included stops like these. Like you said, they advertise them as a demonstration or some other learning experience.  It's worse on cruise tours, but not just on cruise tours.  Discounting excursions for these stops would never happen, it's too common and there is too much money in it.  What always surprises me are the number of people on the tour that really looking forward to these shopping stops and buy things everywhere we go. 

 

It's to the point where I assume everything that the cruise line offers is a money grab.  the "port talks" are maps to shopping in the preferred stores. The "spa tours" or talks on acupuncture are just to sell treatments. 

Edited July 25 by sanger727

[Gwendy]

8 hours ago, Hlitner said:

That is only part of the issue.  I have previously posted about an excursion, from Izmir to Ephesus, that we took on Princess, many decades ago.  On that excursion, our guide rushed us through the ruins of Ephesus (much too fast to enjoy the experience), put us back on the bus. and took us to a nearby "jewelry factory" that was actually opened as we arrived.  The only folks in that large building were our bus.  As we entered they turned on the lights and the staff came out from a nearby room and took their positions behind the many counters.  After more than 30 minutes of folks wandering around the large room (nobody was buying anything) a few of us decided to go outside, only to discover that the exit door was locked.  Yes, we were truly locked inside!  A few of us complained to the guide who finally managed to get an employee to unlock the door.   Most of the group (about 60) went outside to wait (a few folks did stay inside).  After more than an hour at that "factory" we were allowed to reboard our bus for the drive back to Izmir.

 

Later that day, we stopped at Guest Relations (to complain about the excursion) only to find a line of others from our excursion.  The following day we received an apology letter from Princess and had the cost of the excursion refunded.  I have subsequently pointed out that that excursion (more than 30 years ago) was a life changer because it not only turned DW and I against cruise line excursions but played a big part in turning us into avid independent travelers (who only take excursions/tours when we cannot possibly do things on our own).

 

I go into all this detail to point out that we had paid the big bucks for an excursion that was supposed to be about seeing the historic sites found at Ephesus and Kusadasi.  By taking over 1 1/2 hours to drag us to that jewelry factory, we lost all that valuable time in Ephesus (and some other sites).  Many excursions, today, have become more sophisticated on how they steer their charges to stores that have "arrangements or are owned by" the tour company.  Put bluntly, it is a racket (perhaps it should be called "payola redux").  

 

I live in a cruise port (for part of the year) and see cruise line excursions moving around town, nearly every day.  It is no accident that these excursions stop at certain stores, and give their charges time to shop (in those specific stores).  In many cases, they are stores that most of us who live in the area would not even think about frequenting (because there are other better less expensive stores selling the same stuff).  

 

Speaking of cruise excursion cons, an even bigger con is the "shopping guarantees" pushed on some cruise lines.  This is where passengers are told to frequent certain stores for which there is some kind of guarantee.  The truth is that those "recommended" stores are only recommended because they pay a promotional fee to the shore excursions company!  We know of one major jeweler, in Rio de Janeiro, who finally got tired of the "black mail" and refused to participate in these schemes.  At one point they were truly blacklisted by the cruise line (in this case it was Celebrity) which did their best to convince cruisers NOT to go to this particular store, which happens to be a world-class jeweler.

 

Hank

Happens all over the world.  At one time there were a couple of “special” shops on Gold Coast in Australia where only bus loads of Japanese tourists were allowed in.  I was also locked in at a jewellery store in Hong Kong on a cruise excursion. It is a wonder you didn’t hear me when I realised the door was locked.  I protested loud enough to wake the dead. Lol

[ldubs]

31 minutes ago, Gwendy said:

Happens all over the world.  At one time there were a couple of “special” shops on Gold Coast in Australia where only bus loads of Japanese tourists were allowed in.  I was also locked in at a jewellery store in Hong Kong on a cruise excursion. It is a wonder you didn’t hear me when I realised the door was locked.  I protested loud enough to wake the dead. Lol

 

I think we might have been in that jewelry store in Hong Kong.  It was a kind of nondescript sidewalk entrance to a large open room with multiple jewelry cases.