Why the surprise about Sales Pitches

[feathersandnananose]

About the photographers -

 

We've been able to wave them off fairly easily (but I admit being annoyed with the embarkation/photo line)....

 

Perhaps they're learning that if you say "NO", you probably won't be buying any photos..... and therefore it's a useless expenditure on their part to print photos that just get thrown out.

[Watson's aunt]

Hi

 

On my last 3 cruises I have never been harrassed by anyone. I see photographers and just said no they never bothered me. As for on ship things being handed a bunch of papers a few times while boarding is not being harresed. Plus stuff in mail boc I just toss unless I need to write on back.

 

 

Mary

[djhsolara]

I've had spa treatments in the past and never had a sales pitch. On this last cruise my Mom got her hair done in the salon (as she always does for formal nights). The stylist sold her the cream that they used on her face while they washed her hair...for $120!! Mom didn't realize the price because she said it was not told to her and the fact that the printer ink needed to be changed and she really couldn't read what she signed didn't help. When she returned to the suite I immediately took the cream back to the spa and cancelled her two other appointments. I also challenged the tip that she left and it was refunded as well. In my opinion this was very sneaky and they were taking advantage of an "older" customer. I've never been so upset at the spa!!

 

 

Sent from my iPad

[startwin]

We're not bothered by the photographers these days either (with the exception of how they clutter various walk-through areas on formal nights and make it difficult for you to pass). Over the years we have seen a big change in this, however. At one time you absolutely could not get past the embarkation photographer, and you had to stand and wait, and then it was a major hassle to have them accept "No thank you". Also at the ports, when they have someone wearing a silly costume at the bottom of the gangplank to take your photo with. Now it is very easy to bypass them politely, and they accept it. Obviously, at some point there was a change in policy. Now if they could only do that at the spa.....

[Tina G]

In our opinion, HAL is much more laid back than Princess. I like Princess, too, but the garage sales they have every day are ridiculous.

Somebody does buy this junk, though. That is why we can cruise as often as we do. We don't drink, don't gamble, and don't buy stuff on the ship. Somebody else can pay the profit cruise ships must make to stay in business.

[Tampa Girl]

My beef is not so much the attempted sales, but the sales clerks in the shops, who are sometimes downright rude - and unknowledgeable. There was a 40% discount on some cruise wear on our last cruise. I had to argue with the clerk before she acknowledged that, yes, the discount did apply. Another young man in the costume jewelry department opined that he saw no purpose for those stretch rings. i had to laugh. Of course he would see no purpose! He was not 70 with arthritic fingers. Now . . . if only jewelers could figure out how to make stretch bands from real gold.

[sapper1]

My beef is not so much the attempted sales, but the sales clerks in the shops, who are sometimes downright rude - and unknowledgeable. There was a 40% discount on some cruise wear on our last cruise. I had to argue with the clerk before she acknowledged that, yes, the discount did apply. Another young man in the costume jewelry department opined that he saw no purpose for those stretch rings. i had to laugh. Of course he would see no purpose! He was not 70 with arthritic fingers. Now . . . if only jewelers could figure out how to make stretch bands from real gold.

 

You can have two gold arthritic balls put on the inside of a larger ring so that it will slide over the knuckle and then not spin around or slip off your finger. They are very comfortable and solve the problem quite nicely.

[Micmac]

I agree that the photography has gotten much easier to decline in the past few years. For a few years, it felt like a timeshare demo! RuthC - we hear you about the mobility issues. We couldn't get a wheelchair through once and they made us go back/around.

 

Worst experience ever was on a spa on another line. Went against my will with friends and in the middle of my relaxing massage, she started telling me how dry my skin was and trying to shame me into buying lots of products. I travel internationally for work and spend a lot of time in the air - I KNOW I have dry skin. I got dressed and left (jaws were dropped). Talked to an officer and told them that if I wanted to be lectured, my mother would do it for free (If you are reading, Mom - sorry!) to which he laughed, agreed and bought me a drink.

[bjkrlk]

A trick of mine that seems to work. When I fill out my form and make my appt - I say I'm not interested in product. Done

[wander]

I agree that the photographers were much more responsive to "no thank you" on my last two cruises since last April (total 98 days). For years I have discouraged pictures, always with success, but in the past there was sometimes a response like - are you sure? I have always found on ships that a smile and a pleasant "no thank you" did the trick with all the ship concessionaires.

 

Spa - at least on the Amsterdam, Steiner no longer runs/staffs the Spa. I have forgotten the name of what company now runs it. With the Spa, after the heavy sales pitch experience had during my first cruise spa visit (about 15 yrs ago), I aways say hello to the staff person and then stated "I will not be buying any products, please do not give me such a sales pitch". After that statement I never got a sales pitch. On my most recent cruise at my first spa visit I FORGOT to say that and was VERY pleased that there was absolutely no sales pitch, not even a hint or suggestion. As a test I did not give my statement on my subsequent spa visits and to my surprise, I never did get a pitch, hint or suggestion, just a great massage.