Thread: Do you feel that cruiselines are trying to sell things/services at every turn?

I read a couple of reviews today which highlighted the fact that the cruisers felt pressured 'at every turn' to buy either items/photos/services throughout their cruises. This sort of hard sell tactic would make me feel very uncomfortable while trying to enjoy my vacation.

I am sailing on HAL and booking a suite, but we have arranged our own excursions. While we more than likely will spend some time having a cocktail at the bar, we plan to bring our own wine and just enjoy that expansive veranda that we have been dreaming about. I am spending quite a bit more on this vacation than I usually do, and really don't want to have to deal with feeling as though I am at some second rate time share sales pitch.

I was just wondering, do most cruiselines pressure their customers to spend more and 'buy, buy, buy!' What have your experiences been and how do you handle them?

I voted 'other' because it really does depend on the cruise line - some are more agressive than others.

We've never felt pressured to buy anything, but on some cruises they are a bit more 'in your fact' than some of the others we've been on.

But I had a client point this out to me a couple of weeks ago; she books at least one or two cruises a year with us and has been a client for more than 8 years. When booking her next cruise, she made a comment that she thought the price was very similar to the same cruise 8 years ago. I looked in her file to find that the difference for 2 people on the same cruise had only increased by $100!

Everything has gone up; the price of fuel, food, labor, ships, taxes, etc. Yet at the same time, the cost of a cruise has not gone up all that much. So, they have had to come up with ways to keep their costs down and increase their revenues in other areas.

Bottom line, cruising is still a really good bargain when compared to other vacations.

Pete

I voted no because other than a waiter in a lounge asking if you want a drink I don't think I have been approached personally.

Most of the time a "no thank you" will suffice. But I would definitely get peeved if asked to buy over and over again.

The worst was on what I consider my "pre-cruise" when hubby (then boyfriend) took me on an one-day "gamblers' special" RT from San Diego to Ensenada. Constant pitches to buy drinks. I felt like it would be more useful to have a "No, I don't want a drink" button than sunscreen.

On our "real" cruises, there's been the usual selling of drinks, artwork, cookbooks, etc., but I understand that the mass market cruiselines look at selling as a major source on secondary onboard revenue. If some other passenger is buying those bingo cards, it could be a lower fare for me.

Pete brought up some very good points. The basic price of a cruise is actually less than it was 30 years ago. Not even counting inflation. In those days is was basicly just inside or outside. On our first cruise we paid $1,001 for11 nights in an inside cabin. (we got a free upgrade to a porthole)

The cruise lines need to make money somewhere. I have found that there is less pushing for drink sales that there was a few years back. Some things like photos have gotten rather expensive. One of the big improvements on our last RCL cruise was that we did not have to hear all the announcments for the art auctions, they no longer have them.

I voted no, naturally ship photographers are after your trade, but last cruise, never had one taken, joked with them on embarkation, and leaving the ship at ports, but no hassle. If you enquire about something in the ship shops, it is their job to try to get you to purchase, as in all forms of life. Don't forget you can say NO many times, but only have to say YES once.

Originally Posted by Blizzard

Pete brought up some very good points. The basic price of a cruise is actually less than it was 30 years ago. Not even counting inflation. In those days is was basicly just inside or outside. On our first cruise we paid $1,001 for11 nights in an inside cabin. (we got a free upgrade to a porthole)

The cruise lines need to make money somewhere. I have found that there is less pushing for drink sales that there was a few years back. Some things like photos have gotten rather expensive. One of the big improvements on our last RCL cruise was that we did not have to hear all the announcments for the art auctions, they no longer have them.

You mentioned pictures.... I was told that Carnival makes about $1 million a year per ship just on pictures. It's definitely a huge money-maker for cruise lines.

And speaking of pictures, we were on the Allure of the Seas last week and they have a very interesting way of doing pictures - they've adopted the Carnival system of asking for your cabin card when they take a picture so it's available to look at on their electronic system. But if you want to see a hard copy, they still have those to but they are in portfolios instead of laid out all over the walls. They said eventually they'll phase out the portfolios, but seniors prefer to see hard copies versus the electronic version, at least for the time being. Once they go to a fully electronic version, this will save them even more money and their profit margin will increase accordingly.

Pete

I said no. I am not ever overwhelmed, I buy a soda card as soon as I board. I am not a picture person. Not at boarding or in the dining room. We say no thank you and they are not pushy. Only once were they pushy and I pushed back. It all depends on what we want to buy. The key word is want.

I also vote no. Sure they ask but a polite "no" keeps them in bay.
Its rather in Port, when you leave the ship and are not going direktly on a already booked tour.
But jey with the economic right now - i guess we have to understand them to

Originally Posted by Cruiuselover

I also vote no. Sure they ask but a polite "no" keeps them in bay.
Its rather in Port, when you leave the ship and are not going direktly on a already booked tour.
But jey with the economic right now - i guess we have to understand them to

Now I am curious, what is it like when you leave the ship and are not going on a cruise-booked tour?