Duty Free, Perfume, and online shopping

[WanderlustNZ]

Hi everyone,

I have a 3 part question and will be grateful for advice on any of the 3.

Firstly, do people usually find it's cheaper to buy their duty free from Aus/NZ or the U.S.? Or for those in the know, perhaps there are good deals to be found in the ports during a Caribbean cruise? Specifically, I want to buy some perfume for myself and cologne for my husband.

Secondly, any recommendations for nice, long-lasting perfumes? I prefer summery florals to heavy orientals. My absolute favourite perfume is Stella by Stella McCartney. I'm tempted to keep buying it, but it only lasts on my skin for a few hours. I also have Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb which lasts all day, but is a tad to sweet for my liking. Anyway ladies, looking forward to your recommendations.

Lastly, how early can I make online purchases and have them delivered to my Disney resort? I'd like to do a bit of online shopping before leaving NZ, but it'll be almost 2 weeks between starting my trip and arriving at the first Disney resort. I worry they'd get angry holding on to packages for that long.

Thanks everyone

 

[australiankaren]

 

[australiankaren]

Hi everyone,

I have a 3 part question and will be grateful for advice on any of the 3.

Firstly, do people usually find it's cheaper to buy their duty free from Aus/NZ or the U.S.? Or for those in the know, perhaps there are good deals to be found in the ports during a Caribbean cruise? Specifically, I want to buy some perfume for myself and cologne for my husband.

Secondly, any recommendations for nice, long-lasting perfumes? I prefer summery florals to heavy orientals. My absolute favourite perfume is Stella by Stella McCartney. I'm tempted to keep buying it, but it only lasts on my skin for a few hours. I also have Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb which lasts all day, but is a tad to sweet for my liking. Anyway ladies, looking forward to your recommendations.

Lastly, how early can I make online purchases and have them delivered to my Disney resort? I'd like to do a bit of online shopping before leaving NZ, but it'll be almost 2 weeks between starting my trip and arriving at the first Disney resort. I worry they'd get angry holding on to packages for that long.

Thanks everyone

ok....we buy our perfume and watches etc on our RCCL cruise, also at st thomas/st maarten...

just put your name and date of arrival plus resort info on delivery....what resort are you staying at?? Contemporary/BLT and any resort at wdw that has a business centre will charge you for holding them, other resorts ie pop its free of charge.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Don't buy it duty free in Australia (or NZ). Perfume is significantly cheaper; even if you're buying it at full retail pricing in department stores like Macy's or Bloomingdales.

I'm a Givenchy and Chanel kind of perfume person. Chanel no 22 or 19?

 

[WanderlustNZ]

ok....we buy our perfume and watches etc on our RCCL cruise, also at st thomas/st maarten...

just put your name and date of arrival plus resort info on delivery....what resort are you staying at?? Contemporary/BLT and any resort at wdw that has a business centre will charge you for holding them, other resorts ie pop its free of charge.

Thanks Karen. Very useful to know. Will have a bit of time to shop in St Maarten, so will look there.

My resorts are BWV for the first 5 nights and AKV for the following 6 nights. My first hotel will be HRH. Not sure if they hold packages?

 

[WanderlustNZ]

Don't buy it duty free in Australia (or NZ). Perfume is significantly cheaper; even if you're buying it at full retail pricing in department stores like Macy's or Bloomingdales.

I'm a Givenchy and Chanel kind of perfume person. Chanel no 22 or 19?

Thanks PIO. Very useful info

 

[Caroline NZ]

PIO -do you know if perfume in the US even cheaper than buying from Strawberry Net? (I buy Oscar de la Renta)

 

[PrincessInOz]

I bought Chanel No 5 in November 2012. The Christmas packaging. I got a Chanel No 5, Eau de Parfum spray, 1.7 oz (50 ml), and the Christmas box included a small travel size bottle and a body lotion for about US$110. I think the last time I bought the No 5 out of the Christmas period, it was around US$95 at Bloomingdale's for the 50 ml. That was the 2010 trip and I think I checked the pricing at SFO duty free.....I think it was US$105.

I also bought Givenchy Ange o Demons, christmas packaging in 2011. The very large bottle (100 ml), plus two small travel size bottles, body lotion and a crystal pendant came to US$130. At the time, the 50 ml bottle was retailing at Myers for over AU$170.


I'm pretty sure the pricing works out cheaper than Strawberry.net.

 

[baf65]

i bought Roberto Cavalli 100ml in Macys for $95 incl a purse size roll on perfum, body wash and moisturiser plus as i spent over $90 i got a macys goody bag including heaps of samples and stuff....same perfume duty free for 80ml was $90AUD

 

[Sugarglider]

My first hotel will be HRH. Not sure if they hold packages?

A couple of years ago I stayed at RPR and they kept packages for me. they have a conference centre and i had to go down to their office, however they didn't charge me. I am hoping HRH would do the same for you.

 

[australiankaren]

We also are at BWv and have started sending stuff there..my disney package arrived last week 8 weeks before we get there...so yes they hold for a while...started on my ebay stuff last night so BWV will be getting my parcels for the next 7 weeks

The cruise is where you shop duty free....avoid Aussie duty free like the plague.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

We also are at BWv and have started sending stuff there..my disney package arrived last week 8 weeks before we get there...so yes they hold for a while...started on my ebay stuff last night so BWV will be getting my parcels for the next 7 weeks

The cruise is where you shop duty free....avoid Aussie duty free like the plague.

Wow, thanks, that makes me feel better.

My DH has found a place where he wants to buy t-shirts. So will tell him to start buying some from next month.

What about Garden Grocer? How far in advance can you put in an order? I would like to get these last little things sorted asap.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

A couple of years ago I stayed at RPR and they kept packages for me. they have a conference centre and i had to go down to their office, however they didn't charge me. I am hoping HRH would do the same for you.

Thanks SugarGlider. Good to know. If I find anything I think I'll need on the cruise (which is straight after my HRH stay) I'll email them to see if they'll accept packages.

 

[australiankaren]

Wow, thanks, that makes me feel better.

My DH has found a place where he wants to buy t-shirts. So will tell him to start buying some from next month.

What about Garden Grocer? How far in advance can you put in an order? I would like to get these last little things sorted asap.

if you are staying at a dvc location, they do have a good grocery store on site...especially when its just for bits and bobs...we have done garden grocer before and it was good, but with the $14 delivery PLUS tipping for 3 diff people it gets a tad expensive......the onsite store has breaky stuff, booze, bread, fruit etc etc.....and since i get the refillable mug, i dont need to buy crates of diet coke.....

has DH looked on amazon for the t's...click free shipping and see whats on offer.....heres the boardwalk address

Your name
Boardwalk Villas
2101 Epcot Resort Boulevard
Lake Buena Vista
Orlando FL
32830-8442

hope this helps

also,they sell individual cereals and milk, we take a 8 pack from home (coco pops etc) as the villas have fridge/kitchenette studios. Just bring dry goods from home, saves a fortune and a lot of running around.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

if you are staying at a dvc location, they do have a good grocery store on site...especially when its just for bits and bobs...we have done garden grocer before and it was good, but with the $14 delivery PLUS tipping for 3 diff people it gets a tad expensive......the onsite store has breaky stuff, booze, bread, fruit etc etc.....and since i get the refillable mug, i dont need to buy crates of diet coke.....

has DH looked on amazon for the t's...click free shipping and see whats on offer.....heres the boardwalk address

Your name
Boardwalk Villas
2101 Epcot Resort Boulevard
Lake Buena Vista
Orlando FL
32830-8442

hope this helps

also,they sell individual cereals and milk, we take a 8 pack from home (coco pops etc) as the villas have fridge/kitchenette studios. Just bring dry goods from home, saves a fortune and a lot of running around.

Thanks Karen.

I don't know why it never occurred to me to just buy groceries from the DVC store, but that actually makes a lot of sense.

Am I correct to assume that they sell loaves of Toast bread? Most days our breakfast is as simple as a couple of pieces of toast with peanut butter, so it's probably not worth doing a grocery order for items as basic as this. If we feel like a treat, we could always go to the Boardwalk bakery.

Do you know if they sell non-food items like toilet paper, shampoo and conditioner, sunscreen etc in case we run out?

I'll tell DH to look at Amazon for t-shirts. He likes ones with witty or retro phrases and pics on them and has seen a few websites he'd like to order from. He mentioned one called threadless.

 

[Mum from oz]

So does POFQ hold packages for free??

How early can I start sending them?? I am staying in November...

This is going to work out sooooo well because:
1. I only have 4 days @ WDW at the end of this trip and no days allocated for shopping
2. I am flying back to Vegas with Southwest, therefore free baggage and then home from Vegas on Qantas/AA so baggage is included!!

Starting to get a bit excited!!

 

[australiankaren]

So does POFQ hold packages for free??

How early can I start sending them?? I am staying in November...

This is going to work out sooooo well because:
1. I only have 4 days @ WDW at the end of this trip and no days allocated for shopping
2. I am flying back to Vegas with Southwest, therefore free baggage and then home from Vegas on Qantas/AA so baggage is included!!

Starting to get a bit excited!!

yep pofq is free package holds, only the resorts with business centres ie: contremporary, coronado springs etc charge to hold them

so start shopping

 

[cola]

Most days our breakfast is as simple as a couple of pieces of toast with peanut butter, so it's probably not worth doing a grocery order for items as basic as this.

It might be worth taking your own peanut butter - the American ones are soooooo much sweeter you might not be happy. I can cope with almost anything being sweeter, but the peanut butter was just that bit too far ( this is coming from someone that hardly eats any peanut butter but when I do it's usually a Kraft one because I like it sweet)

 

[becpee]

Hi everyone,

I have a 3 part question and will be grateful for advice on any of the 3.

Firstly, do people usually find it's cheaper to buy their duty free from Aus/NZ or the U.S.? Or for those in the know, perhaps there are good deals to be found in the ports during a Caribbean cruise? Specifically, I want to buy some perfume for myself and cologne for my husband.

Secondly, any recommendations for nice, long-lasting perfumes? I prefer summery florals to heavy orientals. My absolute favourite perfume is Stella by Stella McCartney. I'm tempted to keep buying it, but it only lasts on my skin for a few hours. I also have Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb which lasts all day, but is a tad to sweet for my liking. Anyway ladies, looking forward to your recommendations.

Lastly, how early can I make online purchases and have them delivered to my Disney resort? I'd like to do a bit of online shopping before leaving NZ, but it'll be almost 2 weeks between starting my trip and arriving at the first Disney resort. I worry they'd get angry holding on to packages for that long.

Thanks everyone

In regards to for recs for perfume I love all Marc Jacobs, the new Daisy Sunshine is simply sublime
Also maybe try Dot (also Marc Jacobs), can't go wrong with those

 

[WanderlustNZ]

It might be worth taking your own peanut butter - the American ones are soooooo much sweeter you might not be happy. I can cope with almost anything being sweeter, but the peanut butter was just that bit too far ( this is coming from someone that hardly eats any peanut butter but when I do it's usually a Kraft one because I like it sweet)

Thanks for the heads-up Cola. I know we'll be taking our own coffee as my DH couldn't live without his morning Moccona, but I think I'll assess how much luggage space we have before I pack the peanut butter.