Spa reminder, for no sales pitch

[SeaSpray]

I've been reading a few threads lately where people were mentioning the sales pitch at the end of their spa treatments. I haven't seen it mentioned much lately, so I figured I'd make a thread for any new cruisers out there: If you don't want a sales pitch at the end of your treatment, simply write "No sales pitch, please" on the bottom of the form they give you to fill out before your treatment.

At the end of the treatment, they will normally try to sell you the products that they just used on you. Some people have found this to be very unrelaxing, after just having a wonderful massage, or other treatment. DH and I recently had some spa treatments on our cruise and we both wrote that on the bottom of our forms, and we were not given the sales pitch at the end. Our spa technicians were wonderful and didn't even mention any of the products at all. Supposedly the products are good, but *very* expensive, and some cruisers have walked out of their treatment feeling like they were talked into buying them, and later regretted it.

So....don't forget! If you don't want a sales pitch at the end of your massage or other spa treatment, simply write "No sales pitch, please" on the bottom of the pre-treatment form

 

[Regina]

I don't know if I necessarily agree. I had a pedicure, and ended up buying the bronzer that comes in a clay pot. I love it and never would have known about it had I declined the sales pitch. It's a bit pricey, but it lasts forever.

I've never found them to be high pressure. I've only purchased products on a couple of occassions, and they've been pleasant when I've said "no thank you."

 

[TootyJane]

Originally posted by SeaSpray
....So....don't forget! If you don't want a sales pitch at the end of your massage or other spa treatment, simply write "No sales pitch, please" on the bottom of the pre-treatment form

Terry, thanks for posting this tip. Although I have not yet experienced any spa treatment on the Magic I did have have a facial when I cruised on Princess. The sales pitch through the facial and afterward was very uncomfortable. This is probably why I've never booked a spa treatment on any cruise ship after that.

 

[pvangordon]

I just tell them "No sales pitch and I'll double your tip!"

 

[jenlovesdisney]

I wish I had known this. I had a massage and it was wonderful (I chose the wrap and it was HEAVEN) but I really feel like once she went through her spiel and I said No that she was less courteous. Not rude but there was a change in attitude. She even said (when I mentioned that if you could buy online I would just ask for them for Christmas) "So you wouldn't care about the savings of tax and duty free then" and I was kind of taken aback. But I know for next time!

 

[DisneyWorld Delight]

Sea Spray,

Thank you! I would have never known this, and I would have hated it. It's just like those darn sales girls at Victoria's Secret. The do not want you to leave the store without signing up for an Angel card.

 

[trivial]

Great tip; thank you!

 

[missyoh8]

Excellent tip...............After my $200 massage (which was better than you know what!) I was very disheartened with the sales pitch, I wish I would have had this tip before hand. You could always put it on the form and if there was something you liked in particular asked when you were finished.

GREAT TIP

missyoh8

 

[JJsmama]

I had an uncomfortable situation after my Rasul this week. Dh and I were escorted to the steam chamber and then left alone. We left before the full hour because the steam is VERY hot and we had stayed as long as we liked.

Well, when I was back in the room, the spa attendant called me and made ME feel guilty for not staying the whole time. I got the feeling that she was annoyed about not being able to give the Sales Pitch. It definitely left me with a negative feeling about the whole experience.

 

[vossjemi]

Hmmm. Strange. When DH & I did the Rasul, they gave the sales pitch BEFORE we went into the room. They showed us all the stuff, how to use it, etc... gave us price list and let us be. When we were done, we went out front and paid, nothing even said about the lotions/creams, etc.... This was on RC though.

This is a great tip though as I plan to do some stone therapy in jan on the brilliance and I don't want to buy anything other than the treatment itself! Thanks. I just hope they give me a form to write this on...I don't remember filling out anything for the Rasul.

 

[maine_jennifer]

Thanks for the reminder. My cruise in January, I'm going to be persistant and tell them that their tip depends on it!

My spa experience started out good. I had the Oxygen Facial and she went through things and everyone once in a while, she'd mention a product and asked if I'd use it. I was trying to relax but had to constantly tell her that I don't have a skin care routine like what she was thinking, nor did I want one. At the end, the sales pitch was awful. The girl was very nasty. I told her I had to save money just to get the treatment and didn't have any extra in my vacation budget for her products. She proceeded to go through each one and why I needed it so badly. She finished by trying to sell me a great package because my skin was in such bad shape (it's in pretty good shape, I'm only 28!) a bargain at only $380. I thanked her, gave her the 15% tip, and then, she never charged it to the account. The last morning, I had to wait in line for 20 minutes while they tracked down the missing charge. I wonder what they would have done if I never told them it was missing, they didn't have a credit card on file.

 

[bubbasmom99]

What kind of products would they pitch after a massage? The oils?

 

[confal1]

After a massage they would probably pitch the oil used, the aroma used if any, any candle that was burning during the massage, the towel used to cover you while you were being massaged, and whatever else was touched during the massage. I am with a lot of the people in saying No Sales Pitch.

 

[grlzmom]

We have always written "no sales pitch please" on our spa paperwork and it worked great. However, on our last Magic cruise (June), I was still given the sales pitch after my hot stone massage (or she at least tried to give me the sales pitch). When I politely informed her that I already requested no sales pitch, she replied that it wasnt a sales pitch, it was a "treatment plan".

We did complain to guest services about it and they gave us an apology and some chocolate covered strawberries (yum yum). However, the whole point was not to be made to feel uncomfortable to begin with by having unwanted/unneeded products pushed on me.

So, on our next cruise I will write no sales pitch and/or treatment plan offerings please.


Jeanne

 

[trivial]

Of course, the next time they'll tell you, "It's not a treatment plan, but rather a beauty regiment." To be safe, go with "No sales pitches, treatment plans, beauty regiments, or used cars please."

 

[bubbasmom99]

What kind of products would they pitch after a massage? The oils?

 

[two-foxes]

I don't know, I have never been really bothered by what they offer to sell at the end of a treatment.....I expect it, and I know that it is their job and they are probably required that they give the pitch, and I have no problems saying, "No!" and not feeling uncomfortable about it. DH got sucked in like a vacuum cleaner, though! He came home with some milk bath after his massage, which both of us love! I certainly wouldn't lessen someones tip for doing their job, but if they were plainly rude while doing it, that is another story.

 

[RickW]

See, now I just use a simple 3-step system. (Of course, it won't work for a large number of spa visitors, but it seems to work OK for me):

1. Be a guy
2. Give them a look that says "Are you kidding? You're lucky that I part with enough money to buy soap and Pert plus when I could be spending it on more useful electronic things. The only reason I'm here is that my wife talked me into it."
3. Then say "Uhh...No"

Now I can't say that I have had a lot of experience with this method (see step 2), but it has worked pretty well for the couple of times I have actually done "spa" things. (With the exception of the Rainforest room on the ship, which is something I'll gladly pay $50 for the week to use, but in this case, you don't have to worry about the sales pitch anyway.)

 

[mickeymom923]

Never had a massage on the ship. I was always too shy to try one. but would like to. (I think) What is the Rainforest room?

Bev

 

[inkkognito]

Even if you write "no sales pitch," you may find products that you are interested in during the treatment and then you can ask specifically about those or anything else you might be interested in. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the refreshing gel. The first time I had a massage on Castaway Cay, it sold itself! They used it on me and then gave a very soft sell pitch afterwards, informing me that the sell it and the price. I bought some, and when I met up with hubby later (he had a massage in a different time slot), I found out that he'd purchased it too! He is much worse than me with spa products...he can't live without the bath salts from the Vista Spa. What a diva!
Barb