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No Watch Battery in Onboard Shops

knittinggirl

By knittinggirl,
in Royal Caribbean International

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Ocean Boy

Ocean Boy

Posted
Posted
All this has me wondering, if I buy a watch on ship or at Diamonds International on shore, how long has the watch been in the store, and how long until the battery dies. I've always assumed you buy a new watch and get a fresh battery. But if they can't replace the battery for you, they're selling a watch w/ an old battery. Really cute!

 

I've always figured that when I buy a new watch the battery dates back to when the watch was manufactured.

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squadron

squadron

Posted
Posted
Was there some sort of warranty that the battery wouldn't die? If not, I see no reason why the ship store would be expected to carry batteries or why you would consider that not standing behind their product.

 

I have four watches of different brands and each take a particular battery. It would be difficult I think for the store to stock the variety needed.

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cruisinfanatic

cruisinfanatic

Posted
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The onboard shop wouldn't because they told me they didn't want to be responsible if they broke the watch. But they tried to sell me one of their watches. Unfortunately, I didn't want to spend $30-40 (that they quoted) on a new watch when all I needed was a battery. The shops on shore just said they no to the answer "do you have any batteries."

 

I got by with my cell phone and DH's watch. In our stateroom, I had our travel clock on hourly chime a few times. Not too hard to ask for the time or read the time of someone else's watch.

Any of the souvenir shops in port will change a watch battery

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sandy toes

sandy toes

Posted
Posted

OP be glad they turned you away. A quality time piece needs a well trained individual to open the case, replace a battery. The crystal could be damaged or much worse. Just because you purchase a Stein, Omega, Breitling, TAG from a shop does not mean they are able to service the unit sold. May sound odd to some but warranty details and such demand service by only trained staff. I gave a watch to a friend for a 50th BD and he was very upset when he could not obtain service locally and had to go drive almost an hour for a shop that offered a trained service member. It is not just on ship and in port, it happens here at home too.

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Paulxyz2004

Paulxyz2004

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Posted
I've always figured that when I buy a new watch the battery dates back to when the watch was manufactured.

 

Me too.

 

I don´t think I´d ever expected the Shops onboard to Change a watch battery for me. Aside from their capability of handling the Job I´d not expect them to have all the various batteries in stock and even if they had, I´d wonder for how long those batteries have been in there, as I doubt they´d have a big Turnaround on these.

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kimann

kimann

Posted
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Just a confirmation for the OP. I have a P Stein I purchased on a cruise and there is only 1 jeweler in our moderately sized US city that is authorized to change a battery in it. And I wouldn't think of taking it anywhere else, I wear mine every day and have had a battery change twice.

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PORT ROYAL

PORT ROYAL

Posted
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My Philips Stein watch went dead the night before we left, and I figured that I could pick up the battery on the ship or one of their shops on shore since I had purchased the watch from one of Royal's Affiliated Shops.

 

Imagine my surprise when I learned that the onboard shop wouldn't sell me a replacement battery. (They would sell me a watch though). We stopped by Diamonds International Watch in both St. Maartins and Diamonds International & Kay's Jewelers in St. Kitts, and again they wouldn't sell me a battery for a watch they selll. St. Maartins suggested I take the water taxi to visit their other store, but by that time we were close to the boarding deadline.

 

All this time, I figured they'd support their watches, but they really don't.

 

To end any future battery problems PX the PS watch for a quality manual wind.

A manual wind has a soul and comes with a guarantee of no further battery problems.;)

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knittinggirl

knittinggirl

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Just a confirmation for the OP. I have a P Stein I purchased on a cruise and there is only 1 jeweler in our moderately sized US city that is authorized to change a battery in it. And I wouldn't think of taking it anywhere else, I wear mine every day and have had a battery change twice.

I'm on my third battery for my Phillips Stein, and I got it on 2/11, so it's really burning through them.

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alfaeric

alfaeric

Posted
Posted
Saw the title of this thread...wasnt sure. Read the content.......cannot believe it. Its a ship! They didnt have the specific watch battery your watch needed! Disgraceful. Dont book RCI again in disgust!

 

If this trivial thing is what stops people from taking a particular cruise line, so be it. (I suspect that this post is in jest of the OP).

 

We had a similar instance, but then recalled that many of the mass market jewelry stores won't do anything either. I had a Seiko that I took to all the jewlers in a mall, none would even open it up. Then again, I twice had it serviced at the mail in place, and both times if failed, again. No more Seiko for me.

 

There are retail stores, repair stores, and some that have both.

 

As for leaving a watch at home- since you know the battery last a long time (more than a week), you can always have the battery changed before you leave..... Unless the watch is broken, it's likely to last a whole cruise- even if that's a B2B2B with a trans Atlantic in the middle.

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alfaeric

alfaeric

Posted
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Upon getting my second cell phone, I thought it to be ridiculous to even own a watch.

 

To me, it serves no purpose.

 

Well except for those that like to flash their $10,000 "chronometers" to make a "point".

 

So then you don't wear earrings, bracelets, neaklaces, or any other jewlery?

 

The difference between a $10 Timex and a $10k Rolex is that. Just like wearing a pearl neaklace over one made of seeds. Or diamond earrings over a stainless hoop. Some watches look cool, some are there to express status, some are to do both. Just as any other jewlery does.

 

Plus it tells me the time without getting my phone. ;)

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Paulxyz2004

Paulxyz2004

Posted
Posted
Upon getting my second cell phone, I thought it to be ridiculous to even own a watch.

 

To me, it serves no purpose.

 

Well except for those that like to flash their $10,000 "chronometers" to make a "point".

 

 

What a strange post:confused:

 

While I appreciate your preference not to own a watch, I fail to see how it is ridiculous and how the only purpose for a watch would be to "Flash" it.:confused: (not that it has anything to do with the Topic at Hand anyway:rolleyes:)

 

To me it´s much more convenient to have a look at my watch than to take out my cell phone which isn´t even with me all the time just to know what´s the time.

 

But maybe I miss out on "flashing" my cell phone which is x times more expensive than the watch I wear.:p

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FLACRUISER99

FLACRUISER99

Posted
Posted
Upon getting my second cell phone, I thought it to be ridiculous to even own a watch.

 

To me, it serves no purpose.

 

Well except for those that like to flash their $10,000 "chronometers" to make a "point".

You will find on a ship, at sea in many parts of the world your cell phone will not show the right time.
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chadbeck

chadbeck

Posted
Posted

I'm actually surprised it has a battery. Most of the high end watches are mechanical. Anyway I had a similar issue with a watch and the main reason was because the oring had to be changed and they don't have pressure testers at the stores to do it correctly. Seeing as 95% of watches have a oring the last thing you want is for them to do it with out pressure testing and you go wash your hands now you have a really expensive watch that is really not working. I understand your frustration but you really wouldn't want them to do it anyway.

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Sherlock43031

Sherlock43031

Posted
Posted

- why do folks buy expensive watches on a ship? I'm kind of a watch geek and I didn't see any prices better then I could do on land in the US.

 

- replacing batteries is a no win for most shops.. once they replace it and it still doesn't work somehow if has now become their problem.

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PORT ROYAL

PORT ROYAL

Posted
Posted
- why do folks buy expensive watches on a ship? I'm kind of a watch geek and I didn't see any prices better then I could do on land in the US.

 

- To enable the purchasers to make donations to their respective countries tax revenues, after the Cruise ship has informed on the buyers to embarkation Customs Authorities.

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alfaeric

alfaeric

Posted
Posted
- why do folks buy expensive watches on a ship? I'm kind of a watch geek and I didn't see any prices better then I could do on land in the US.

 

 

Because it's fun. I never go watch shopping at home, but it's quite easy to on a ship.

 

Why do people feed slot machines- because it's fun.

 

If I were a watch geek, I'm sure I would not get a watch on board, too. But I'm not.

 

Heck, we never, ever go to a spa on shore, but have done it on a cruise.

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