Port Shopping Talks - Poll

JimmyV · Aug 29, 2015

over50visits said:
Well known paid advertisements. I rank them right up there (down there) with the art "auctions."

...and time share presentations.
Seriously, once upon a time they may have served a useful purpose. But in the age of the internet, 10 minutes of research before you leave home will get you far better information on where to shop and what to look for. Cruise Critic has great "Port Summary" pages. Those are a great place to start.

starvenger · Aug 29, 2015

sweetpee_1993 said:
I'll go home and buy that stuff online for a lot less $$.

Oddly enough I've never felt the urge to go into one of their recommended stores. That said, the wife is considering upgrading her diamond this trip so we may actually go into Diamonds International to bargain if we find something she likes.

over50visits · Aug 29, 2015

tinkerone said:
and really, how many diamonds international stores do they need!
dcl should really clarify that the speakers at these are not dcl employees and the opinions are not that of the cruise line.

I agree on both points. I hate to pull into a port at a new island/country I have never visited, and there is Diamonds International and Señor Frogs. Sorry, but I am cruising to see new destinations and sights, not shop/eat at chains who have zero to do with the local culture. And yes, the shopping talk speakers have a single goal, to get you to shop in the stores than pay them.

Ignore the shopping talk, ignore the international chains, and relish what you can find of a new culture.

squirk · Aug 29, 2015

Yeah, seeing the Señor Frog's as we pulled up to Nassau really dampened my desire to get off the ship.

bumbershoot · Aug 29, 2015

squirk said:
Exactly. Maybe I am missing something, but I do not see why I would want to buy a $4,000 Omega watch at Little Switzerland (or wherever), and declare it at customs, when for roughly the equivalent price, I can buy it off Amazon.

I'm going to guess you live in a state without any physical amazon presence (yet) and therefore don't have to pay sales tax on it? For some purchases, the sales tax buying it at home is MORE than what you *might* have to pay in duties. And that would be why some would want to go to the talk, to learn about how much they can buy without duty, etc.

I've never been to a talk on DCL but I have on Royal, and I felt it was decent info. Also entertaining. (more entertaining than the Golden Mickeys is to me!) DH lost his mind and found the two smallest-face Invicta watches (his is definitely a women's watch, and mine must be an infant's watch LOL...Invicta loves their gigantor watch faces!). No duty (not expensive enough) and we saved on the sales tax we would have had to pay, living in WA and getting to pay sales tax on amazon purchases. I think that mine ended up being a little more than if we'd bought it at home (total) but his was way less, so we came out ahead. And they took out links on mine so it didn't go halfway up my arm, which I would have had to pay someone else to do at home.

over50visits said:
Ignore the shopping talk, ignore the international chains, and relish what you can find of a new culture.

Though, when we were exhausted in Sint Maarten after a huge day in San Juan, going into TI and chatting with the *local* salespeople was actually quite fun. The daughter of the saleslady came in on her way home from school, they talked about living there, etc. I've met DI people who just follow the ships around, and that might be so for some, but the people we chatted with were locals with family there. You can sometimes find local culture right there in front of you, when lazing about, exhausted.

squirk · Aug 29, 2015

bumbershoot said:
I'm going to guess you live in a state without any physical amazon presence (yet) and therefore don't have to pay sales tax on it? For some purchases, the sales tax buying it at home is MORE than what you *might* have to pay in duties. And that would be why some would want to go to the talk, to learn about how much they can buy without duty, etc.

Well, technically, we're all supposed to pay sales tax on that stuff, right? Even if Amazon doesn't charge the tax, you're still supposed to report and pay on your state tax return. Which I am sure everyone does.

dcassetta · Aug 29, 2015

I have won a prize or two at the talks and they always give a coupon for the Del Sol shops, and the kids in my family enjoy their color shirts. The port shopping person was a real help to me once. My mom had purchased a watch in Nassau and wanted to get one like it for my aunt. The shops her her town didn't have one, so I was hoping to find one in Nassau. The port shopping person was able to tell just which shop it came form, so I didn't have to hunt all over Bay St.

MillauFr · Aug 31, 2015

bumbershoot said:
DH lost his mind and found the two smallest-face Invicta watches (his is definitely a women's watch, and mine must be an infant's watch LOL...Invicta loves their gigantor watch faces!). No duty (not expensive enough) and we saved on the sales tax we would have had to pay, living in WA and getting to pay sales tax on amazon purchases

Still couldn't you get the same thing for less money and no sales tax in Oregon? They have all kinds of high end watches at the Costco store in Wilsonville when I go there. I always go there when I am buying a TV or laptop.

Quellman · Aug 31, 2015

tinkerone said:
and really, how many diamonds international stores do they need!
dcl should really clarify that the speakers at these are not dcl employees and the opinions are not that of the cruise line.

They need enough so they can have a special charm for each and every port you get off at so you can collect them all!

JimmyV said:
...and time share presentations.
Seriously, once upon a time they may have served a useful purpose. But in the age of the internet, 10 minutes of research before you leave home will get you far better information on where to shop and what to look for. Cruise Critic has great "Port Summary" pages. Those are a great place to start.

I like to visit the DVC ones on board if there isn't anything else going on that I want to see. My wife won the OBC while we were on the Magic. We had a great cabanas massage on Castaway Cay with the money! :cool1:

But no, we wouldn't buy DVC direct. Resale only for us when the time comes to get some points!

squirk · Aug 31, 2015

Quellman said:
But no, we wouldn't buy DVC direct. Resale only for us when the time comes to get some points!

Yeah, unless you really wanted to do RCI or really wanted to be one of the first guests to stay on a new property, I don't know why anyone would buy direct from DVC.

bumbershoot · Aug 31, 2015

squirk said:
Well, technically, we're all supposed to pay sales tax on that stuff, right? Even if Amazon doesn't charge the tax, you're still supposed to report and pay on your state tax return. Which I am sure everyone does.

Of course everyone is.

I personally am fairly glad that I live in WA and amazon doesn't let me choose.

MillauFr said:
Still couldn't you get the same thing for less money and no sales tax in Oregon? They have all kinds of high end watches at the Costco store in Wilsonville when I go there. I always go there when I am buying a TV or laptop.

Oregon is a couple hours' drive away and has its own expenses, because my family is legally contracted (in our minds) to stay at least one night at a McMenamins, I must buy Ruby Ale and a few bottles of wine to take home "for special" (but since I'm the only one that drinks, that "special" never actually arrives), we must eat, etc.

And we should all still keep track of what we would have paid in sales tax, and show that on our taxes when we don't pay it at the time of purchase. Not exactly sure how I do that, given that WA doesn't have state income tax so I submit nothing to WA directly, but....

OKW Lover · Sep 4, 2015

Interesting that half of the votes are for "waste of time".

Tonka's Skipper · Sep 4, 2015

I could never see taking the chance of buying expensive jewelry or stones. Now if your someone who knows what they are looking at and what is or is not a good price, fine, but that is not me.

we may spend a few hundred on something that she likes, but not a lot.

AKK

Deb in IA · Sep 4, 2015

I have never been and never will go.

1. I hate shopping.
2. I have already spent a ton on the cruise; I don't need to spend more.

OKW Lover · Sep 24, 2015

OKW Lover said:
Interesting that half of the votes are for "waste of time".

Replying to my own post here. The poll will end in just a few more days and still over half the votes are that these are a waste of time. Only ~7% consider them fun or helpful.

The Sasquatch · Sep 24, 2015

Deb in IA said:
I have never been and never will go.

1. I hate shopping.
2. I have already spent a ton on the cruise; I don't need to spend more.

RARRR

dlhowell · Sep 25, 2015

I went to one this past March prior to the ship casting off. I am not a shopper, not interested in jewelry, but I was curious if it was worth getting off at the port in Nassau just to look around and figured I might be able to learn where safer paths for travel might be. Lots of "info" about jewelry and "bargains", which was not super helpful for me personally.

I was able to collect a few "tickets" around the ship prior to attending, which all went in the bag for the drawing (increased my chances of winning significantly).

There were only about 25 people there for the presentation, and I ended up winning the "grand prize" necklace worth about $250. There were tons of coupons and special deals for those who attended which could be useful if you knew you wanted to visit one of the more "touristy" stores at port.

Would I go again? Maybe, if the timing was right an I thought that the crowd would be small, just for the chance of winning something. I did learn something and it ended up saving me money in the long run, but it was about an hour from my free time onboard.

xlxo · Sep 25, 2015

I enjoyed the show...

good way to fill the times on sea days. I think I slept through parts of it.
for me, by me, love me.... love the Diamond's international slogan. The charms were like a fun treasure hunt at each Alaskan port. I show up in my scum clothes.... they give me the charms and send me on my way so quick.
DVC... good idea... sadly I can't justify the monthly fees. Can't sign the papers when they get me so drunk.
Good Feet.... it helped a little, but I need proper orthotics for my flat foot.
there's got to be more shopping than the limited stuff on the ship.

Port Shopping Talks - Poll

Port shopping talks are:

Fun

Helpful

Waste of time

Misleading

Paid ads, but I enjoy the "show"

I never go any more

Por favor manténganse alejado de las puertas.

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

Saw what you did and knows who you are.

DIS Veteran

Saw what you did and knows who you are.

DIS Veteran

Buzz & Woody

Donald Duck

Saw what you did and knows who you are.

DIS Veteran

Retired and living 2 miles from The Castle.

DIS Veteran

Knows that KIDS are better

Retired and living 2 miles from The Castle.

DIS Veteran

Earning My Ears

DIS Veteran

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