Shopping

Re: Onboard shopping

lwolfson — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 22:24:51 GMT

Debra P.:
Onboard shopping will have some special promotions, and you can get some small souvineir items. but beware of their shopping experts telling you you will save so much in non duty and taxes in the selected Port stores.
That is true you will save on duty within your duty free limit and the taxes.
This is an area you can really get cheated in.
It has always been buyer beware in any big ticket purchase such as Jewelry in the states or in a foreign country. At least the recommended stores stand behind their products and have facilities in the states to take care of it. If you do not know what you are buying then you shouldn't. Look through a loop at the stones check the setting before you buy just like here..
I know.Stands to reason they send you to these stores to buy because they get kick backs from the vendors,
and nobody denies it. Carnival even prints that on there shopping guides.
so please beware. CB
always buyer beware everywhere and with anything.

Re: Onboard shopping

lwolfson — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 22:16:16 GMT

Near the Beach:
I also agree with joan. Buyer beware on the chains by the inch onboard. The prices are good, but it's not real gold.
They do not advertise it to be real gold. Almost everyone knows that
You'll enjoy them for awhile, then they start to taint. I bought some. The price was good. I was happy. Then the color started to fade. I took it to a jewelry store, yesterday, to be cleaned. I was told that it was either plated or not real gold. I was disappointed.
Don't know why, do you actually believe you could buy real gold for $1.00 per inch? It is lifetime guaranteed so just take it back and they will give you a new one without additional cost. She who must be obeyed has done it lots of times.
I am still disapointed with Carnival for selling such poor quality products.
Why disappointed with Carnival? Not Carnival's fault the just rent space to the shops on board.
It won't stop me from sailing on Carnival after the cruise I am going on in 5 days.

But it does have an effect on my over all feelings about them.

Re: Onboard shopping

Debra P. — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 21:52:25 GMT

Onboard shopping will have some special promotions, and you can get some small souvineir items. but beware of their shopping experts telling you you will save so much in non duty and taxes in the selected Port stores. This is an area you can really get cheated in. I know.Stands to reason they send you to these stores to buy because they get kick backs from the vendors, so please beware.

Re: Onboard shopping

cruise lover — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 01:37:11 GMT

who would really think you could get real gold for 1.00 an inch. even on my cruise i know it was not real even before i bought it knowing it would be short lived. so for junk jewelry it is rightly priced. the real jewelry is very well priced.

Re: Onboard shopping

luv2cruise — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:02:45 GMT

I asked when I was on my last cruise, and was told the gold by the inch was plated, so I didn't buy and I didn't even ask if the silver by the inch was plated; but if you ask before you buy, I'm sure they will tell you. I did buy a really nice Anne Klein watch. When I got home, I checked the store and I saved $30.00 plus saved on the tax; so I thought that was pretty good. Another time I bought a gold dophin pendant and saved by waiting until the last day at a half price sale. They also have good sales on Carnival logo clothing at end of the cruise.

Re: Onboard shopping

Near the Beach — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:16:56 GMT

I also agree with joan. Buyer beware on the chains by the inch onboard. The prices are good, but it's not real gold. You'll enjoy them for awhile, then they start to taint. I bought some. The price was good. I was happy. Then the color started to fade. I took it to a jewelry store, yesterday, to be cleaned. I was told that it was either plated or not real gold. I was disappointed. I am still disapointed with Carnival for selling such poor quality products. It won't stop me from sailing on Carnival after the cruise I am going on in 5 days. But it does have an effect on my over all feelings about them.

Re: Onboard shopping

carol-anne — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:25:24 GMT

You know what i don't buy gold off the boat or jewellery stores i buy sliver or white gold and my mom's people are from india so i get most of my gold from india cause it can be 22 to 24 karat gold and you ever heard of dubai gold is cheap

Re: Onboard shopping

The Girlfriends — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:15:09 GMT

I agree with joan. Buyer beware re the chains by the inch onboard. The prices are good, but it's not real good. You'll enjoy them for awhile, then they start to taint.

Research is the keyword in most comments. I agree. Do your homework and compare. Always check the Carnival Capers for sales days and times. I've found that for ship souvenirs and trinkets, the best day to shop is the last full day at sea (even still watch for some cleverly disguised markups). Most items are on sale.

Re: Onboard shopping

rwilymz — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:02:25 GMT

It'd be fairly difficult to determine sales by cruiseline. You don't need to show your S&S [though some places ask if you're from a ship, and which one], and that'd be the only sure-fire way to tell.

The way it most likely works is a store opens up in, say, Coxen Hole Roatan, and wants to have a ready customer base of 5,000 people a week [i.e., two cruise ships' worth of passengers]; his marketing agency or bank thinks that for every 1,000 people through his store he'll sell $2,000 of stuff at a profit margin of 25% -- which is to say $500 profit/thousand customers; $2,500/week. Without the recommendation from the cruise lines, he'll get 500 people coming through each week, $1000 in sales, and $250 profit/week.

So he can easily spend $1,000/month paying Carnival to "recommend" his store; he'll still net $9,000/month. He just has to spring for one free seashell necklace to a lucky winner from each boat.

Re: Onboard shopping

VA_Cruiser — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:43:07 GMT

just another thing people should know... the shopping specialist on board all the ships..... is NOT a Carnival employee.

Re: Onboard shopping

Susie Q — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:40:06 GMT

Well, it wouldn't surprise me at all, if Carnival gets some type of percentage on the sales made to "cruisers". That is just my opinion.

Re: Onboard shopping

rwilymz — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:35:34 GMT

That's undoubtedly the way it works. Carnival gives these places "free" advertising to tens of thousands of money-laden splurging vacationers a week, directs a large portion [in some cases nearly all] those tens of thousands of spending people into their stores, and in return Carnival expects most or all of the following:

free trinkets or give-away drawings to passengers
US-style guarantees on their products/services
money, in the form of advertising income

I wouldn't give advertising to these places for nothing. It's a Carnival-wide thing joining their revenue-stream, rather than sweetheart kickbacks to individual "Super Shoppers".

Re: Onboard shopping

Luv 2 Float — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:31:30 GMT

I SERIOUSLY doubt THAT since the stores are usually chains that are at all the ports (Diamonds Intl., Tanzanite Intl., the t-shirts that change colors in the sun, that sort of thing) and they offer the same guarantee on ALL the ships - I don't think the cruise directors have anything to do with the selection of these stores!

Re: Onboard shopping

carol-anne — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:21:20 GMT

You know what i think that you know how some of these jewellery stores get on the cruise approve shopping list they other pay or these cruise directors get free stuf or major discounts who knows

Re: Onboard shopping

rwilymz — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:57:26 GMT

There's a place on St Tom we were very pleased with: Gem Casa at Royal Dane Mall; pre-made jewelry and they can custom make pieces. Small shop, husband/wife operated. They made me a 3-stone mother's ring for mother's day while we were in port when none of the name or "recommended" stores could begin to. 4-1/2 carats of stone in yellow gold for under $500.