Quality of Jewelry onboard gift shops

[princesstiffany]

I was wondering if the more expensive jewelry in the onboard gift shops is actually worth it. Is it really the 40% off that they claim? I would like to purchase a really nice pair of earrings next cruise but don't know how I would know if it would be worth it. Has anyone purchased fine jewelry onboard and what was your experience with the quality and pricing?

[valancy1]

I was wondering if the more expensive jewelry in the onboard gift shops is actually worth it. Is it really the 40% off that they claim? I would like to purchase a really nice pair of earrings next cruise but don't know how I would know if it would be worth it. Has anyone purchased fine jewelry onboard and what was your experience with the quality and pricing?

 

While they weren't earrings, a good friend of ours purchased from the ship and their appraisal at their own jeweler was well more than what they paid. What I would do is go online and google "blue diamond earrings" (or whatever you are looking for) and just see what going prices are before you sail. I did this after the fact when we got engaged and I was happy to find that what on-line sites were offering for the diamond alone (same CCC) I got the entire ring. So online might be a nice resource for you to do some checking.

[Brenna's Mom1]

Since jewelry is often one of those commodities that has very little "real" value (have you ever tried to sell a used wedding ring or diamond ring? and no jewelry isn't a good investment) as long as the purchase makes you happy and you think you are getting a good deal...well then go for it.

 

My Mom passed away with scads of real and initially expensive jewelry. No one wanted to buy it from us...even at 25cents on the dollar. Now all the grandkids have a piece which they keep in their memory drawers since it is too old fashioned to wear.

 

My whole point is...I too buy jewelry on vacation since I love to wear it and the piece always reminds me of the joy I had on the vacation. And it lasts a lot longer than some of the souvenirs I see others spending their money on. I also never search for what it would cost somewhere else after I purchase it...I mean, really, what's the point.

[valancy1]

The point is, really, that I wanted to just check. Nothing wrong with that, even though it WAS after the fact. :D

[Brenna's Mom1]

The point is, really, that I wanted to just check. Nothing wrong with that, even though it WAS after the fact. :D

 

Please, don't think I'm criticizing you....I'm sure that finding out if you spent your money in good faith is important to you (as it is to many). For me it doesn't really matter. If I loved the piece to begin with I wouldn't suddenly hate it if it was worth a lot less.

[Chris64]

I have bought my wife several different pieces as well as an expensive brand watch for myself. And regardless of others opinion about appraisals after the fact, we always found that the price we paid on board was significantly better than on shore. :):rolleyes:

[Pauser]

I bought an expensive watch onboard a couple of years ago. When I got back home, I decided to see whether it was actually a good deal. It turned out I could have bought it for about the same price at home. I was fine with that and love my watch. It's probably a good idea to have a general idea of what things cost if you are going to make a major purchase (note to self ;)).

[guxu]

For those appraisal thing, say if a jewelry store appraised my ring's value as $5,000, will they buy my ring @ $5k? or $4k?

[princesstiffany]

Thank you all for the great information and opinions! I don't have a lot of nice jewelry but I really want a really nice pair of tanzanite, diamond, and white gold earrings. I guess I don't even care if it's a great deal- just as long as I'm not getting ripped off. I would like to get them on the ship so that they are a cruise memory- if that makes sense. The 40% off thing seemed like a bit of a scam to me and I just wanted to make sure the rest was legit. Thank you!

[Pauser]

For those appraisal thing, say if a jewelry store appraised my ring's value as $5,000, will they buy my ring @ $5k? or $4k?

 

Depending on the ring - can they make one inhouse? clarity, setting, etc - probably close to what a pawn shop would pay, which is more like a few hundred dollars.

[Tapi]

I personally think that the better deals are ashore. Not on the ship.

 

Yes, they'll tell you how you are getting such a great deal, and that they'll give you 40% off (an overinflated price), blah, blah, blah, but as someone mentioned, many times you're paying just as much as if you bought it back in the U.S.

 

With that said, I had a watch in mind which I had been researching for a long time. I checked it out at local stores where I live as well as online. When we sailed to Nassau in 2010, I checked onboard the ship and, while they didn't have the same exact one, they had a similar watch (priced considerably higher than in the US). :mad:

 

When we got to Nassau, I went into one of the local jewelry stores and sure enough, they had the exact watch that I wanted. The tag on it was $200 cheaper than in the US! :) My reaction of happines must've confused the clerk because she said "That's not the real price. Don't forget that you get an additional 20% off!" :D Needless to say, I purchased the watch on the spot! (and yes, it's authentic. It came with the certificate of authenticity and I verified it with a local jeweler when I got home)...

[Prof Peg]

I agree with Brenna's Mom that if I found out the jewelry was worth less, I wouldn't hate it suddenly; but I might feel badly if my DH spent a lot of money on it for me.

 

Years ago I worked for the court system in Florida and I learned that in placing a price on jewelry, there is a 300% mark-up. I was really surprised at that.

 

 

[Vettebuf]

We cruise a lot (26th cruise is coming up) and something in the onboard jewelry shop always manages to catch my eye. A couple of cruises ago, I bought an Eco bracelet watch thinking that I got a good deal. I checked online when I got home and found out that I could have gotten it for a little less at home. It's not a big deal that I may have overspent on some of the jewelry. I love everything that I bought but I have plenty now and won't buy any expensive pieces in the ship shop anymore.

[vacation_junkie]

I was wondering if the more expensive jewelry in the onboard gift shops is actually worth it. Is it really the 40% off that they claim? I would like to purchase a really nice pair of earrings next cruise but don't know how I would know if it would be worth it. Has anyone purchased fine jewelry onboard and what was your experience with the quality and pricing?

 

Its best to get an idea of what stuff would be priced at home.

We found that the prices weren't much different on the ship or in port from what we would pay at home.

[p_mori7]

I bought a nice Citizen watch on board...advertised @ 50% off if I remeber correctly. For the quality of the watch at the price offered I decided to take a chance.

 

When I got home, discovered that the rebate on board was indeed on an over-inflated retail price... BUT... the price on board was still about $50 less than the best deal I found online...about $100 less than at the shopping center... and NO TAX on board. Where I live, we have 5% Federal Sales Tax + 9.5% Provincial Sales Tax.

 

I was happy with the deal, and it's an awesome watch !

[Holders3]

A jewelry shop is telling you what an insurance company may pay you if there is a theft or loss of the item. If you really want a shock take the item to a reputable gold/silver buying business. The typical diamond that most of us get goes for 10 or 15 dollars at the business my son works for. That's because diamonds aren't rare and the ones we can afford aren't great quality as far as experts are concerned.

 

You can find out how many grams of gold or silver you bought and calculate the raw value of the material.

 

That said, if you love it and it seems reasonable to you, buy it for the pure enjoyment. Never the investment, unless you are the rare individual who is wealthy enough to purchase investment quality stones and pieces.

[beach410]

My husband bought me beautiful gold earrings on a cruise for our anniversary, he likes to buy me jewelry, I am normally too frugal to encourage him, but these were different, very pretty and the price was very reasonable, I did not discourage him and still think they were a good deal.

[hockeyluver]

my husband bought me a beautiful blue topaz/diamond ring for our platinum cruise :D We recently had it appraised for insurance coverage and it appraised at close to 50% more than what we paid :D

 

 

Hmm since my birthday is the day before we cruise and we set sail on valentines day hmmm maybe a matching pair of earings .......... oh hunnny

[kimba6539]

I would like to add my two cents here. My friends bought me an opal ring with diamonds as a birthday gift. It was not an expensive ring but not cheap either. I went to get it sized and two diamonds are missing and the opal is cracked. The company that runs the gift shop/jewelry could have cared a less. After much persistence on my friends part, they are refunding her money but I think it's just to shut her up. Buyer beware is all I am saying.

 

Kim

[Jane2357]

Just adding my 2 cents as a jewelry lover, on a Celebrity Cruise I was lusting over some Canary Diamond Rings - I have wanted one for 20 years, way back before colored diamonds were considered cool. The prices seemed high and the quality might have been suspect - I mean lets face it - on a ship you can't run down the street to another store to compare prices. Of course in the moment they play to the excitement and romance and of course dh was willing to buy one. I wasn't so sure and they didn't seem to want to negoiate on the price so I walked off. Later - after buying a beautiful canary ring on St. Maarten - I strolled back through the on ship store - flashing my new ring. The salesperson was pretty upset and I just smiled and told her she should have given me a better price. I still have the ring - and no it isn't "top" quality but I love it and always get raves when I wear it. The rings on board were in the $12,000 range and off ship - $9,000. The ring now appraises for $15,000 for insurance replacement value but if I went to sell it - I'd be lucky to get $3,000. Jewelry should be bought for your enjoyment and nothing else, resale is very low and styles come and go. I have drawers full of sapphire, ruby, tanzanite:eek: (which is the biggest scam there every was - rare my @--) - none of which is in style any longer, none of which I wear, nor does my daughter want.

[Gloria Mundi]

I don't have a lot of nice jewelry but I really want a really nice pair of tanzanite, diamond, and white gold earrings.

 

I haven't bought jewelry on cruise ships but have bought plenty out of my home country and enjoy it all- a few pieces at a time! I stay away from diamonds except as small accent pieces- I think that's where you can get ripped off because there are so many variables. You can get a cloudy, poorly-cut diamond for a lot less than a clear, well-cut one and you can't always tell with the naked eye what you're buying. But, other than that- my feeling is that if you're in a place where you trust that the gold and stones are what they say they are (and that should be true on a ship and most of the big shops) and you've done your research so you have an idea of price ranges, buy it and enjoy it.

[valancy1]

Another thing to keep in mind is the store you purchase from *usually* will offer trade-ups for the dollar value paid. This is something offered to us by the store that sold us my engagement ring. Diamonds International also offers it... as I'm sure many of the other brands endorsed by the cruise line.

 

I am not sure the ship offers it, though. :)

[kyrisong1]

My husband bought me a beautiful floating diamond ring on board several years ago. It's amazing, and appraises at twice what he paid!!

Love that ring and wouldn't part with it for the world!!!

Cheers, Carole

[valancy1]

I haven't bought jewelry on cruise ships but have bought plenty out of my home country and enjoy it all- a few pieces at a time! I stay away from diamonds except as small accent pieces- I think that's where you can get ripped off because there are so many variables. You can get a cloudy, poorly-cut diamond for a lot less than a clear, well-cut one and you can't always tell with the naked eye what you're buying. But, other than that- my feeling is that if you're in a place where you trust that the gold and stones are what they say they are (and that should be true on a ship and most of the big shops) and you've done your research so you have an idea of price ranges, buy it and enjoy it.

 

I would strongly recommend going to the jewelry buying talk on the ship. Not the one where they tell you where to buy (DI, EFFY, etc.), but the one that they talk about how to look through a loup, the clarity, cut, carat, etc. I learned SO MUCH at that talk (I had a great presenter, I think).

 

This has made me interested in taking courses in gemology. I would love to purchase (and have) diamonds in the Caribbean. You just have to be educated. When you ask to look at a stone through a loup, it makes things crystal clear (pun sort of intended... LOL) as to whether the stone is what you want or not. Plus, it indicates to the seller that you at least have an idea of what you're looking at and it will save you money.

[jmwg49]

I was going to start a new thread on this topic, but I will just tell the tale in a post here!

 

In September, we were on a cruise with my cousin and her husband (Carnival Splendor) to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. My cousin absolutely fell in love with a diamond ring in the gift shop. After admiring this ring for the entire cruise, her husband surprised her and made the purchase. $2,600 for a very pretty ring! Needless to say, she was thrilled. They listened to all that the salesperson had to say regarding the worth of the ring, the 40% off, the WONDERFUL policies that are in place for replacement and guarantees. They were very confident in their purchase.

 

Fastforward one month after.......she wakes up one morning to find that one of the largest diamonds on the ring is gone...vanished! She, of course is broken hearted. Quickly remembering this WONDERFUL GUARANTEE...She contacts the phone number on the paperwork provided. They had been told it is as easy as mailing it back, having it repaired, etc etc etc. HOWEVER!!!! They would have to pay extra insurance because the value was over $1000 (we are in Canada), it would take up to 12 weeks for repair and a few other tidbits that were very disheartening. They decided to go into their 'local jeweler' to have him have a look at this ring. Interestingly, a notice was up on his wall stating "DO NOT BUY JEWELRY ONBOARD CRUISE SHIPS OR IN THE CARIBBEAN"...very ironic, considering the problem! :) Anyway, the jeweler had a close inspection of this ring (minus the diamond of course) and said it was a very poor design, that the ring had not been put together up to any 'standard' and essentially, they were ripped off. Yes, the diamonds were of decent quality, but the workmanship was poor. His suggestion was to NOT send it back, because they would simply reset it in the same fashion.

 

Moral of the tale is this...she has to purchase a new diamond, to the tune of approximately $600, pay a jeweler closer to home to re-set the ring....probably costing her in excess of $1500 MORE THAN SHE PAID. She has since decided NOT to send it back to Miami (it is not Carnival, but another company that sells to Carnival), because of the advice given to her. Very very expensive and heartbreaking lesson learned.

 

Yes, some people have good luck, others have very poor luck. Their policies are not at all what is pushed very heavily onboard the ship. It is not as easy as dropping it in a Fed Ex box and having it repaired. There is alot of leg work to be done. So, in purchasing onboard, consider the time, effort and heartbreak if something goes wrong. Maybe it is worth it to stick with what you know?!? It certainly would make me think twice. Just sayin'!