***** Price Gouging on Norwegian Cruise Line*****

[johnritt]

The guy got screwed, and he fell for it. I would guess that he is as mad at himself as he is at NCL.

 

I appreciate him telling us to watch our backs when purchasing something on board. I never figured that you would get much of a deal on a cruise ship, but I never figured that they would sell a duty free item like a watch or perfume for more than US retail, either.

 

I do however expect to sunscreen, asprin, and the like to be outragous. Gotta pack carefully.:)

[Us2inFL]

If I see something I really like and price seems to be fair to me I'll buy it.

 

Truer words were never spoken. That is exactly the way I feel about retail purchases. Last Valentine's Day, we were on the Pearl and purchased a gold bracelet on-board. It was very attractive, and the price seemed fair.

 

If I have the opportunity to comparison shop for electronics items and the like I do.

[ImpulsivePuppy]

Thank you to the OP and to all the active duty and vets from all free nations who have protected our borders and waters to make awesome cruises like these safe and possible!!! :) Quite frankly, you all deserve a gold watch!!! :p:p

[newmexicoNita]

As a Veteran buying something on a cruise ship, you will likely drive some of the other posters here schizophrenic. In any event, an unflattering post made by someone who has only made two others is likely to draw some attention.

 

I have bought two watches on cruise ships. Each was ten bucks. And worth it. Good luck.

 

Fin, like your comment: us too, $10 and we always know when it is time to cruise again, how? Our $10 watches need new batteries. That is how we base when we will get on a ship..LOL

 

Nita

[newmexicoNita]

I don't understand why, when someone posts negative comments about NCL, soooo many people find so many excuses to defend NCL. Isn't this board to discuss likes, dislikes, complaints , and compliments? It seems in some poster's minds, NCL can NEVER be at fault.

ok, this argument comes up weekly, not only on NCL but all threads: the usual reason is two fold: 1-people are just normally defensive of something they feel strongly about and 2-about the only time you see such comments is when the poster is a first time poster. (or in this case 2nd time)

 

 

Nita

[*Wink*]

Honestly, I'm glad this thread was started. I usually buy some type of jewelry when I cruise. One year, my husband even bought a Fossil watch. I would never have known that you're not always getting a bargain.

 

I also gotta admit that I'd be a bit peeved if, after I bought something, that I'd paid a substantial amount over MSRP. I do understand it's a suggested price, but c'mon folks, when you go to a department store you usually pay the MSRP or less, right? I'd never pay more, but maybe that's just me.

[juried]

Thank you for the heads up.

I do not usually make such purchases onboard.

But I too would be very upset if this had happened to me. It is a simple issue of fairness.

If NCL had stepped in and assisted the OP, he would be telling a totally different story and NCL would have had a happy customer ... and isn't that the goal here?

These boards are a wealth of useful information BUT the tendency is to "blame the victim" …

I have to wonder if the OP is not so much mad at the store as he is with himself for not noticing the sale and MSRP tags

 

If you don't do your homework, it's real easy to get taken to the cleaners by businesses and stores outside our country.

 

It's called "gullible".

 

So when you sail on YOUR favorite cruiseline, beware.

 

NCL DOES NOT OWN OR RUN THESE STORES!

 

I don't think that you have anyone but yourself to blame here if you are unhappy with the price you paid.

Honestly this type of "attack and defend" almost makes it not worth posting. I love cruising but I need to know the negatives, so that I may avoid them.

Thanks again Helosardig.

Juried

[PokerDave]

You're kidding, right? A captive audience for a watch? I don't consider buying a watch essential. It's not something he couldn't have passed up. And, if he were just dying to buy the watch, he could easily have logged onto the internet onboard to do a quick search (see post #53 above).

 

No, I'm not kidding, but probably didn't make my point very well. In all these posts there are kind of two themes. One is buyer beware, and I completely agree. Do your homework, and if you buys something and later find out you got took, shame on you.

 

That isn't the point I'm trying to make. My point is this. You are on a cruise ship. This is a small floating city that you paid a sizable chunk of money to be on for a vacation. Now, if they have a sundries store with convenience items, I kind of expect not to be paying Wal-Mart prices for these kinds of things.

 

BUT, the cruise ships ( All of them, I wouldn't single out NCL ) tend to have purchases available that all tend to be represented as being a good deal. Like you said, a watch isn't a necessity. Neither is trying to sell them on a cruise ship I'm paying money to be on. My point is you run across tables full of things like watches, or jewelry, gold by the foot, or the Art auctions, and all of these things are subtly or overtly advertised as deals. I just don't think it's right in this kind of situation to be selling things above MSRP. People are on vacation, they're drinking, they are apt to buy gifts, and the environment is set up and represented as one you should do this in. I think the cruise ships should at least make sure the things sold are not unreasonably priced when they are advertised as deals...

 

This doesn't absolve the buyer of making a poor decision. But lets take your example. He COULD have gone to the internet kiosk and done his homework only to find that the watch is priced over retail. Should he have to do that on a cruise ship he paid to be on? I understand lip balm costing more in the sundries shop and obviously the ships need to make money as do the vendors on board, but don't gouge drunk vacationers who aren't expecting to have to do internet research on a $100 watch to keep from paying an unreasonable price...

[fin]

No, I'm not kidding, but probably didn't make my point very well. In all these posts there are kind of two themes. One is buyer beware, and I completely agree. Do your homework, and if you buys something and later find out you got took, shame on you.

 

That isn't the point I'm trying to make. My point is this. You are on a cruise ship. This is a small floating city that you paid a sizable chunk of money to be on for a vacation. Now, if they have a sundries store with convenience items, I kind of expect not to be paying Wal-Mart prices for these kinds of things.

 

BUT, the cruise ships ( All of them, I wouldn't single out NCL ) tend to have purchases available that all tend to be represented as being a good deal. Like you said, a watch isn't a necessity. Neither is trying to sell them on a cruise ship I'm paying money to be on. My point is you run across tables full of things like watches, or jewelry, gold by the foot, or the Art auctions, and all of these things are subtly or overtly advertised as deals. I just don't think it's right in this kind of situation to be selling things above MSRP. People are on vacation, they're drinking, they are apt to buy gifts, and the environment is set up and represented as one you should do this in. I think the cruise ships should at least make sure the things sold are not unreasonably priced when they are advertised as deals...

 

This doesn't absolve the buyer of making a poor decision. But lets take your example. He COULD have gone to the internet kiosk and done his homework only to find that the watch is priced over retail. Should he have to do that on a cruise ship he paid to be on? I understand lip balm costing more in the sundries shop and obviously the ships need to make money as do the vendors on board, but don't gouge drunk vacationers who aren't expecting to have to do internet research on a $100 watch to keep from paying an unreasonable price...

 

 

In a way I feel you answered your own question. The audience for the stores on board ships is apt to be drinking and in a spending mood, and what better time to try to get top dollar for everything from bug repellent to watches. They are in business to make money.

 

If the other point is that not all advertising is honest, well, I am not surprised. An educated consumer is a good consumer, on land or at sea and especially in some of the tourist traps I have seen near docks overseas. Just the difference in price that two posters here might pay for a similar stateroom is proof enough that it pays to do your basic research before spending money. The internet makes it ridiculously easy to do so.

[sjbdtz]

I don't understand one more thing.....

 

 

The MSRP USED to be $87. Now it's $109.

 

The fact that the vendor had unsold inventory from when the MSRP was lower, doesn't mean they have to sell at that lower price now.

[falken]

They spend the whole cruising trying to tell you what a great deal everything is and throwing the whole "TAX AND DUTY FREE" line around.

 

They put so much effort in to trying to make you think its a great deal, it should clue you off that its not a good deal.

 

I would guess 99%+ of the time you could find a better deal once you got home, you just have to decide if you want to get it now as a special gift you got on vacation or wait and get a better price on it. With jewerly you also may or not not be able to find the exact same thing when you get home (obviously with watches, you would however).

[CanadianTwosome]

You know, I posted on this thread earlier, and it occurred to me that I might not have been clear on one point... I think merchants that charge exorbitant prices for things are unscrupulous. I believe they knowingly and with full intent take advantage of people and count on customers believing that they're getting a good deal when they're not.

 

That being said, it's still the BUYER'S responsibility to make their own decisions. NO SELLER can force you to make a purchase you don't want to make. It's YOUR money. If you don't want to give it to a retailer, you don't have to.

 

I am curious about one thing... The OP does not mention any attempt to return the watches. Last night I was out with my daughter and she found a cute hair accessory in a sale bin. When we got to the till we found that it was regularly priced and so she had the option of paying the full price or leaving it behind. Did the OP have this option? What I mean is, if he had chosen to NOT buy the watch at the price he had agreed to after deciding that it was 'too much', could he have returned it? I don't know what the policies are for such things on cruise ships, but I can only assume that would have been an option.

[PokerDave]

I don't understand one more thing.....

 

 

The MSRP USED to be $87. Now it's $109.

 

The fact that the vendor had unsold inventory from when the MSRP was lower, doesn't mean they have to sell at that lower price now.

 

Have you been paying attention to our economy?!?!?!? You think that watches are worth more now than 2 years ago? I think not...

[Seanote]

Rent and overhead on land is huge. Could you imagine what rent and overhead is on a cruiseship for the jewelry vendor?? :eek:

 

Have you been paying attention to our economy?!?!?!? You think that watches are worth more now than 2 years ago? I think not...

 

I had previously financed a watch importer. One day he offered me one of his watches as a thank-you. I had to decline because it would have been unethical for me to accept something so expensive. He laughed at me and told me the secret. His watches that retailed for $150-$200, he sold to the retailers for $75-$95. He paid $25-$35 a piece to import them.

 

The true value of the Fossil watch is probably $15-$20.

[mbisson]

The true value of the Fossil watch is probably $15-$20.

 

Well that's not gonna make anyone who owns one happy ;)

[smeyer418]

you know that is the same for any branded item whether its Nike sneakers or Fossil watch. besides the cost of the watch you are paying for the brand's reputation and sometimes a lot for that as well. As for the OP I have always thought the stuff sold on the ship was overpriced....but that hasn't stopped me. You should always know what the same thing costs at Macys on sale or on ebay(but you do have a chance of getting a fake on ebay).....

[smeyer418]

if you want to be sick you know those designer glass frames you paid $200 for? They cost $2.00 to make.

[Seanote]

To expand on my point, the vendors on cruiseships are going to charge a lot more because of their overhead costs. What irks me, is that you are on a cruiseship, presumably sailing to a port. Now, most ports that I have been to have a plethora of jewelry dealers--St Thomas and Phillipsburg, St Martin are two excellent examples--that are all vying for your US dollars. Because of the competion (in some instances the shops are next door to each other), the pricing is typically excellent. I find it hard to understand why anyone would purchase on a ship and not undertstand they are being taken advantage of as a captive audience. Of course if you purchase with this understanding...

 

Being a cruiseship vendor is like being the sole retailer of ice water in hell.

[CruisnGram]

you know that is the same for any branded item whether its Nike sneakers or Fossil watch. ..

 

Exactly. Convince that a pair of sneakers are worth $150 or a pair of jeans $200, or a Coach purse worth $400 (on sale). I just mentioned $750 worth of merchandise that could be made for a total of $50 worth of time and material. LOL

 

CG

[NoPiratesPlease]

The Rule is the Rule--never buy anything if you don't know what the price should be. That way if you pay too much you know it up-front and need / want it anyway.

 

The other problem is the higher end jewelry WILL be declared to US customs if you are coming into a US port. So, especially in Alaska, make your major purchases on the beach, because it's in the US, but the ship is outside the US.

 

Still the question is price gouging. We've looked at the GV on various ships over the next Xmas /NY holiday and the prices are INSANE--jacked 'way, 'way up. If they were filled anyway I'd say NCL was on to something, but EVERYTHING is available so clearly they are out of step with the current state of the economy. They used to give HUGE discounts for booking this far in advance, but now? Nothing! Even the Dawn, the older ship, has screwy high prices. So, we are looking at other options.

[suzyed]

The Rule is the Rule--never buy anything if you don't know what the price should be. That way if you pay too much you know it up-front and need / want it anyway.

 

The other problem is the higher end jewelry WILL be declared to US customs if you are coming into a US port. So, especially in Alaska, make your major purchases on the beach, because it's in the US, but the ship is outside the US.

 

Still the question is price gouging. We've looked at the GV on various ships over the next Xmas /NY holiday and the prices are INSANE--jacked 'way, 'way up. If they were filled anyway I'd say NCL was on to something, but EVERYTHING is available so clearly they are out of step with the current state of the economy. They used to give HUGE discounts for booking this far in advance, but now? Nothing! Even the Dawn, the older ship, has screwy high prices. So, we are looking at other options.

You can shop on the beach....in Alaska?

[smeyer418]

You can shop on the beach....in Alaska?

 

and how can it be duty free on the beach? Alaska charges sales tax too....

[ImpulsivePuppy]

You can shop on the beach....in Alaska?

 

Well, with global warming and all...

[terrymtex01]

and how can it be duty free on the beach? Alaska charges sales tax too....

 

I hope I don't get flammed for this being wrong, but it is just what was told to me. Because we are on a voyage that stops on or at foreign soil, we are entitled to purchases during the voyage, even if the purchase is on American soil, as tax and duty free.

[ImpulsivePuppy]

I hope I don't get flammed for this being wrong, but it is just what was told to me. Because we are on a voyage that stops on or at foreign soil, we are entitled to purchases during the voyage, even if the purchase is on American soil, as tax and duty free.

 

I think that is right. Though I think you may have to apply for a tax refund or something along those lines??