Buying a Watch on the Wish

[exploringamigo]

Hey all,
We're going to be sailing on the Wish in November. I was thinking of getting a watch on our cruise to mark our anniversary. Any info you guys can give would be helpful. Who owns these stores? Are they authorized retailers of the brands they sell or are they grey dealers? I'm looking for Omega mainly. Are the taxes from customs brutal? Anyone have a first hand experience? We'd definitely be looking for an enjoyable experience not something that feels shady. Thanks for any insight!

 

[emchen]

Hey all,
We're going to be sailing on the Wish in November. I was thinking of getting a watch on our cruise to mark our anniversary. Any info you guys can give would be helpful. Who owns these stores? Are they authorized retailers of the brands they sell or are they grey dealers? I'm looking for Omega mainly. Are the taxes from customs brutal? Anyone have a first hand experience? We'd definitely be looking for an enjoyable experience not something that feels shady. Thanks for any insight!

I'm a watch lover and was on the Wish for the Member Cruise in September 2023. I didn't buy a watch but my impression was that it would've been a good deal simply due to the virtue of being duty free. They were absolutely NOT grey market dealers and certainly not shady. I assumed they were ADs because of the setup (similar to a Watches of Switzerland store). They had Omega, Hublot, Tag Heuer, and other similar brands. I remember seeing an Omega Seamaster 007.

I will be on the Treasure in the Eastern Caribbean in Feb of 2025. I'll be looking again on ship as well as in the Virgin Islands Happy hunting!

 

[MWW]

The "duty free" limit is 800 USD. Depending on the item you buy, and what else you purchase to take home, you may exceed the DF limit. I'm not sure what the actual taxes and duties are in that situation, but do not let them sweet talk you into buying a lot of expensive stuff because it's supposedly Duty Free. Other than that caveat, the stores are really nice. But do keep in mind the sales people are genuinely sales people, and the hard selling is aggressive from the outset. I love looking at jewelry but found i couldn't go into the shops because it became way too much way too fast.

 

[emchen]

The "duty free" limit is 800 USD. Depending on the item you buy, and what else you purchase to take home, you may exceed the DF limit. I'm not sure what the actual taxes and duties are in that situation, but do not let them sweet talk you into buying a lot of expensive stuff because it's supposedly Duty Free. Other than that caveat, the stores are really nice. But do keep in mind the sales people are genuinely sales people, and the hard selling is aggressive from the outset. I love looking at jewelry but found i couldn't go into the shops because it became way too much way too fast.

I didn’t know about the cap till now. Here is a reference and explanation from “The Points Guy”:

“Currently, Americans can spend up to $800 within 31 days without being taxed for their purchases, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. To verify duty-free allowances for your particular country, visit the Duty Free Americas website.”

Something is better than nothing!

 

[bdrex28]

I didn’t know about the cap till now. Here is a reference and explanation from “The Points Guy”:

“Currently, Americans can spend up to $800 within 31 days without being taxed for their purchases, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. To verify duty-free allowances for your particular country, visit the Duty Free Americas website.”

Something is better than nothing!

As an owner of an Omega Planet Ocean, duty free would be great but it's more than the limit.

 

[emchen]

I suppose one could accidentally wear it off the ship and forget to declare a new $5000 - $10000 dollar purchase. Same with a purchase on St. Thomas.

…Theoretically speaking.

 

[hrhdhd]

The limit is combinable with family members traveling together, so if it's you and your wife, it'd be $1,600. And if you bought it in St. Thomas (or other USVI), it would double to $3,200 (individual $1,600).

 

[MartyParty]

Hey all,
We're going to be sailing on the Wish in November. I was thinking of getting a watch on our cruise to mark our anniversary. Any info you guys can give would be helpful. Who owns these stores? Are they authorized retailers of the brands they sell or are they grey dealers? I'm looking for Omega mainly. Are the taxes from customs brutal? Anyone have a first hand experience? We'd definitely be looking for an enjoyable experience not something that feels shady. Thanks for any insight!

Last year we did a Disney cruise out of NYC. While on the ship I had my eye on a TAG. Wasn’t ready to pull the trigger. Fast forward in time off the boat, I bought the TAGat a store. About the same price but had to pay the sales tax. Should have bought duty free while on the cruise.

 

[emchen]

The limit is combinable with family members traveling together, so if it's you and your wife, it'd be $1,600. And if you bought it in St. Thomas (or other USVI), it would double to $3,200 (individual $1,600).

Great to know!

Do members under 17 count or is there an age threshold?

 

[hrhdhd]

Great to know!

Do members under 17 count or is there an age threshold?

Children get the same amount, but cannot declare alcohol or cigarettes.

 

[exploringamigo]

It's going to be my wife and I so getting the $1600 hundred allowance is pretty nice. Paying taxes on the remainder will certainly be better than paying the 8.25% sale tax on the entirety at home. I'll be pushing to see if they offer any discounts on retail price as well. Really hoping to get something nice on the cruise. I'll have to update the post if we get something. I've been lusting after the Omega Speedy it's such an awesome watch. Thanks everyone for the responses!

 

[71 Truck]

Where are you cruising to?

Are you looking to buy on the ship or on an island?

On the Fantasy back in December 2023 it was Diamonds International that ran the watch store, not sure who it is now or who it may be on the Wish.

If on an island try to contacted the Authorized dealers on that island before you sail to find out who they are and where they are located in relationship to the cruise port. Also ask them if the watch you are looking for is in stock?
You can usually go to the Authorized dealers web site to find that information and how to contact them.

Some stores will be Authorized dealers for several brands of watches like Omega, Tudor, Breitling, Bremont, Hamilton, Tag Heuer, Hublot and so on.

Some Islands will have stand alone Boutiques for some of the brands mentioned above.

Last time we were in the islands I talked to the manager of an authorized dealer I know. He told me that they were not aloud to do as good of deals as the had in the past but don't be afraid to haggle.

When you find the dealer who sells what you are looking for do not be afraid to try to negotiate a price with them. Make sure you have an idea what all of the total cost back home will be to get an idea if it is worth it to buy while on a cruise also do not be afraid to walk away if the deal is not what you are comfortable with.

Duty will be based on several factors to see how it will affect you depending on what country you are from and what island you are traveling to, do your research.

Something I have told people in the past, and this may not be as true now as it was back then,
depending on the deal you got on the watch plus any and all other cost you have when you travel home, sometimes the saving will large enough to make it worth buying a watch in the islands vs buying back home, it just depends.

This is why I say to know what the total cost of the watch back home vs the total cost to buy in the islands and bring it home.

 

[emchen]

It's going to be my wife and I so getting the $1600 hundred allowance is pretty nice. Paying taxes on the remainder will certainly be better than paying the 8.25% sale tax on the entirety at home. I'll be pushing to see if they offer any discounts on retail price as well. Really hoping to get something nice on the cruise. I'll have to update the post if we get something. I've been lusting after the Omega Speedy it's such an awesome watch. Thanks everyone for the responses!

They definitely had speedy's, different sizes too! No Snoopy's on my cruise

 

[emchen]

Where are you cruising to?

Are you looking to buy on the ship or on an island?

On the Fantasy back in December 2023 it was Diamonds International that ran the watch store, not sure who it is now or who it may be on the Wish.

I will be checking out AH RIISE on St. Thomas. I've found their website and email address and will be shooting out an email well before going in February. Hoping to score a hard to come buy stainless steel sports Rolex (ie. Pepsi, Sub, Daytona, etc). @exploringamigo notice the ship's vendor, Diamond International is there as well.

 

[exploringamigo]

We're on a three night to Nassau, we weren't planning on getting off the ship. So we're looking at the shops on the ship primarily. My main interest on who runs the shops on the ship is to be sure that they are an authorized dealer that can provide the full warranty. I know the best price would probably come from ordering from an online grey dealer like jomashop or something, but I want the full warranty and not much of a memorable experience just ordering one and having it shipped home. I'll have to see if I have any success haggling, I do love getting a deal lol.

 

[exploringamigo]

I will be checking out AH RIISE on St. Thomas. I've found their website and email address and will be shooting out an email well before going in February. Hoping to score a hard to come buy stainless steel sports Rolex (ie. Pepsi, Sub, Daytona, etc). @exploringamigo notice the ship's vendor, Diamond International is there as well.

@emchen I hope you get to score a ss Rolex! That would be epic! I've been on the waitlist since March for a Sub I've been building a relationship with my ad hoping someday it pays off. I'm just not willing to go grey. My feeling is that Diamond International runs all these shops on the ships. It seems like have a big presence in tourist areas.

 

[71 Truck]

I will be checking out AH RIISE on St. Thomas. I've found their website and email address and will be shooting out an email well before going in February. Hoping to score a hard to come buy stainless steel sports Rolex (ie. Pepsi, Sub, Daytona, etc). @exploringamigo notice the ship's vendor, Diamond International is there as well.

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I wish you luck on finding a Rolex. Some people on the watch forums have talked about the supply starting to return on some models. They have talked about either walking into an AD and finding something like a Date Just or being able to order one.

In the past before the run on Rolex watches it was not a problem buying on from an Authorized dealer on one of the Islands. Some people even got discounts, however over the last several years people have mentioned on the watch forums that most dealers save their best stainless steel sports watches for customers who have a purchasing history with them, not sure how true this is.

Back in March 2020 I was offered a Rolex DeepSea Seadweller James Cameron at retail at an AD I had done business with in the past, I turned it down, it was a lot more than I wanted to spend on a watch.

It also may have had something to do with the fact it was the week before cruising shut down for Covid and there was only one ship in port that day as to why it was offered to me.

Once again I wish you luck.

 

[bdrex28]

I will be checking out AH RIISE on St. Thomas. I've found their website and email address and will be shooting out an email well before going in February. Hoping to score a hard to come buy stainless steel sports Rolex (ie. Pepsi, Sub, Daytona, etc). @exploringamigo notice the ship's vendor, Diamond International is there as well.

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Good luck finding a Daytona as it's highly unlikely.

However, you could possibly find one used as all of the crypto babies that ended up losing their pants are selling their rolexes.

FYI might take a look at Panerai or IWC. Two brands that often get overlooked for some incredibly strange reason.

 

[71 Truck]

We're on a three night to Nassau, we weren't planning on getting off the ship. So we're looking at the shops on the ship primarily. My main interest on who runs the shops on the ship is to be sure that they are an authorized dealer that can provide the full warranty. I know the best price would probably come from ordering from an online grey dealer like jomashop or something, but I want the full warranty and not much of a memorable experience just ordering one and having it shipped home. I'll have to see if I have any success haggling, I do love getting a deal lol.

I know in the past on the Disney Fantasy the watch shop sold Omega watches, however I am not sure if they still do or if they are sold on the Wish. Back in 2019 on the Fantasy I bought a Tudor watch and it had the manufacturers warranty with it.

When we were on the Fantasy back in December 2023 Diamonds International was selling watches however I am not sure if they still are the company who runs the watch shop.

If you see something on the ship you are interested in ask if it comes with the Manufactures warranty just to be sure.

I saw that Little Switzerland in Nassau was an Authorized dealer for Omega however I have never been to Nassau so I am not familiar where the ship docks in relation the their store.
It might be worth it to send them an email to get more information as to their location to the Disney Wish when it docks, also if they have the watch you may be looking for and they might even quote you a price.

 

[emchen]

I wish you luck on finding a Rolex.

Heh, I know I will have better luck winning the lottery, but it doesn’t hurt to dream on vacation right? Appropos finding some treasure while on the Treasure (or the Wish, Dream, Fantasy…even Magic). Lol!