Haggling help...?

[RPJS05]

Hello all :)

 

Soon to be first time cruiser here with a quick and silly question.

 

When shopping at different ports of call, what are some rules about haggling? I've been told to haggle the prices, but at the same time I don't want to be rude or pushy.

 

Any tips would be appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

-Robyn :)

[Host Kat]

Howdy Robyn!

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic and the Help Forum!

 

I fully understand your need to know more information. However, you have posted on the Help Forum where members find information about the board's software and how to use it. This is not the place for your type of post and the information you seek is off topic here.

 

To help you out and per the Guidelines, I am moving this thread to the First Time Cruisers Forum where it will be on topic. I feel your fellow Cruise Critic members will be able to help you there.

 

Hope this will be satisfactory and glad to have you aboard Cruise Critic. Thank you for stopping by the Help Forum!

 

Happy trails to you...

 

Kat

[texas greeneyes]

Hi Robyn,

I also welcome you to CC. :)

I have only been on one cruise (so far ;) ), so the following information is more from what I have learned here at Cruise Critic than from personal experience.

It is true that vendors in many ports of call will bargain with you, but in some they will not, The Cayman Islands for example.

But for the ones that will, the advice I have heard most is to make your initial offer half the vendor's asking price and go from there.

I am sure there are plenty ocf CC'ers out there with LOTS more experience than me, and I hope some of them post their opinions as well.

Happy cruising!

[BaumD]

To find out if a vendor wants to "haggle", try this. You look at an items, pick it up and say "how much?". The vendor will say $20. You answer "too much" and start to walk away. As you walk away, the vendor will say "for you, today only, $16.00". That is your opening to come back with "How about $10". Then you are on your way...

[trish1c]

These rules apply for negotiating the price on almost anything.

 

Look at the item you want & figure out in your head how much you think it's worth & how much you are willing to pay for it, espeically if they are different. If it has a sticker / price tag on it, that's probably the price. If it doesn't ask how much it is. Take the lowest number you have in your head & discount it a bit more. Offer that amount & gage the seller's reaction. If you are really out of the ball park, the seller will let you know that. Most times the seller will lower the price. You go back & forth from there. You have to be willing to walk away & you should have some understanding of how much things cost.

 

Another technique is to group items together. If it says 3 for $10, see if you can get 4. If you pick up 3 things & the prices together are $20, offer $15 (or whatever # you think is right based on the guidelines above).

[oceanseagle12]

I found this site to be helpful:

 

http://www.cozumelmycozumel.com/Pages/BargainingAndOtherTips.htm