Problems with Shopping in Paradise

[Mickey with an A]

My parents, DH and I went on a cruise in May 2004. We purchased rings in St. Maarteen from one of the Disney recommended jewlers. We returned home and had them appraised at our local jewler. My tanzanite ring was appraised for a little more than what we paid, but my mothers emerald ring has turned into a nightmare. The emerald stone is loose and the diamonds on the sides are cracked. Of course, we could not tell this with the naked eye. Anyways, to make a very long, drawn out story as short as possible, my parents have been dealing with both Disney and Visa trying to get this taken care of since May, to no resolve. The latest is that the jewler in St. Maarteen told them to return the ring to a location in FL. My parents thought the nightmare was over, but a few weeks later the ring returned with an appraisal that says the ring is fine. Of course, the appraisal came from the place that the jewler in St. Maarteen told them to send the ring. My parents are getting no where fast with Disney or Visa. The last indication that Visa gave them was that they may be stuck with the ring and the bill.

Why does Disney give cruisers the impression that if you stick with shopping at their recommended jewlers, you are shopping worry free? They make it sound like they will back you up, but it does not seem to be happening for my parents.

Has anyone else had a similiar experience? Does anyone have any advice?

 

[4formickey]

The recommended shops pay a fee to the ship companies to send them customers. Its sad that these stores will not stand by their product but you can use the power of the pen . Tell everyone the name of the store and let it be known that you got a bad deal. It is up to us to let them know that we heard a unfaverable review of them. Losing customers will cause them more harm than good . Before you expose them give them fair warning that you will post how they responded to your problem. Also inform them that you will post your problem on all the message broads that you can find and you will write every cruise line that sail into that port. This should get you results.

 

[pppiglet]

4formickey....that was an excellent suggestion! I would think that the jewelers would help her out if they know how powerful the message boards are. It would really hurt their business to have something negative posted.

 

[Debbie H]

The same thing happened to our secretary. She was on a different cruise line, however, she bought a ring in St. Thomas and when she returned here with it, the stone fell out. She took it to a local jeweler and she was told that they did not think it was a real tanzanite. She called the stores number and they told her to ship it to this place in Florida. When she got the ring back, the stone was back in the ring, however, she swears it isn't the same stone. She's been dealing with this since February!

 

[pppiglet]

Boy I am sure glad I don't like jewelry! I told my DH he is soooo lucky to have a wife that doesn't like it!

 

[chasbos]

Wow, my family has bought plenty of jewelry in St. Maarten over the past 10 years and everything has been fine! My parents go every year and purchase something as does my aunt.

30 of us went for my brothers wedding this past Dec and I would hate to even guess the value of jewelry that came back to Canada - but we are all very happy.

And when we were in purchasing my last ring - which I love - a couple had come into the store (from a cruise ship) who come every year and were looking for more.

So maybe it is one particular store - and yes I agree that naming the store would help others. But lets not give all (which there are plenty) the jewelry stores on the islands bad names.

 

[4formickey]

If these stores are selling fake stones, we really need to speak out. Every know that we are going to the islands to get jewerly cheap so we go with fat wallets ready to spend money. Tell the cruise lines that we are not shopping at their stores, no one is standing behing thier product.

 

[tvguy]

I never paid attention to Disney's policy because we didn't intend to buy any jewelry, but when we cruised NCL and RCCL the CRUISE LINE stood behind the purchases if you went to one of their recommended stores.

 

[Regina]

This is very disappointing news. They make a big deal about buying from the shops that they recommend specifically because they'll help you if there's a problem.

I hope that you're able to resolve this. Let us know how it goes.