Shopping on QM II

[GUT2407]

Mrs Gut here.

 

Pinching Gut's tablet while he's not around.

 

Shopping, what can I expect on QM II?

 

Our daughter is coming with us and between us interests would likely be:

 

Handbags

 

Make up

 

Watches (Gut might want one too).

 

I know Mr Gut will be looking at Cameras (Canon or Lieca, maybe Go Pro) and if they have quality pens, Mont Blanc or similar, it might make buying handbags easier on us girls.

 

Thanks all and sorry you have to put up with him, but then we have to so why not you.:eek::D

[Salacia]

Mrs. Gut, you are too funny!:D

 

I don't know what voyage you have planned, but certain ports have much better prices than the shops on board. Unless, of course you have a HUGE on-board credit, and then shopping on board is a treat (if there's any left after the OBC has been applied to the H&D charges, and the beverage charges, etc )

 

Cheers,

Salacia

Edited June 2, 2016 by Salacia

[Aussieflyer]

I am trying to remember what the shops were like last time. I know a friend bought a lovely rose gold bracelet (but unfortunately lost it in Hong Kong). The only thing I have really bought on board was a Citizen watch on Celebrity.

I remember that the Furla handbags are now mostly made in Thailand or similar and only the very expensive ones were labelled as made in Italy (I know because I checked as I was interested in buying but refuse to pay if a company is just trading on its name).

Make up and perfume from memory were about the same as duty free here. Think there was some quite nice Swarovski with similar products to other cruise lines. QM2 had a section of Harrods labelled stuff as well and the library had a small shop with books, pens (souvenir), bookmarks etc.

Personally I would not buy anything high end on a cruise line. There is a thread on the Princess board about someone who bought a diamond ring and after 10 days lost a diamond and now is having difficulty getting it repaired. I wouldn't take the risk.

Also unless I know the actual model and pricing I would not even look at cameras. Much rather do that on land so I could take it back if there were problems.

QM2 had the usual suspects for the $10 'treasure' sales - whatever that company is that is at airports with scarves etc for $20 and heaps of other things I don't need. I try to steer clear of the melee.

[GUT2407]

Mrs. Gut, you are too funny!:D

 

I don't know what voyage you have planned, but certain ports have much better prices than the shops on board. Unless, of course you have a HUGE on-board credit, and then shopping on board is a treat (if there's any left after the OBC has been applied to the H&D charges, and the beverage charges, etc )

 

Cheers,

Salacia

 

Thank you Salacia

 

Only Hobart and Port Arthur

 

We've got a fair bit of Credit and it's only a 5 day cruise, pity we aren't in Hobart on a Saturday or Sydney on a Sunday or I'd hit the markets, but our December cruise leaves on a Monday so our daughter and I will hit The Rocks markets, she is driving us down to Sydney on the Sunday.

[GUT2407]

I am trying to remember what the shops were like last time. I know a friend bought a lovely rose gold bracelet (but unfortunately lost it in Hong Kong). The only thing I have really bought on board was a Citizen watch on Celebrity.

I remember that the Furla handbags are now mostly made in Thailand or similar and only the very expensive ones were labelled as made in Italy (I know because I checked as I was interested in buying but refuse to pay if a company is just trading on its name).

Make up and perfume from memory were about the same as duty free here. Think there was some quite nice Swarovski with similar products to other cruise lines. QM2 had a section of Harrods labelled stuff as well and the library had a small shop with books, pens (souvenir), bookmarks etc.

Personally I would not buy anything high end on a cruise line. There is a thread on the Princess board about someone who bought a diamond ring and after 10 days lost a diamond and now is having difficulty getting it repaired. I wouldn't take the risk.

Also unless I know the actual model and pricing I would not even look at cameras. Much rather do that on land so I could take it back if there were problems.

QM2 had the usual suspects for the $10 'treasure' sales - whatever that company is that is at airports with scarves etc for $20 and heaps of other things I don't need. I try to steer clear of the melee.

 

Thank you Aussieflyer.

 

Harrods... Mmmmm interesting.

[GUT2407]

I am trying to remember what the shops were like last time. I know a friend bought a lovely rose gold bracelet (but unfortunately lost it in Hong Kong). The only thing I have really bought on board was a Citizen watch on Celebrity.

I remember that the Furla handbags are now mostly made in Thailand or similar and only the very expensive ones were labelled as made in Italy (I know because I checked as I was interested in buying but refuse to pay if a company is just trading on its name).

Make up and perfume from memory were about the same as duty free here. Think there was some quite nice Swarovski with similar products to other cruise lines. QM2 had a section of Harrods labelled stuff as well and the library had a small shop with books, pens (souvenir), bookmarks etc.

Personally I would not buy anything high end on a cruise line. There is a thread on the Princess board about someone who bought a diamond ring and after 10 days lost a diamond and now is having difficulty getting it repaired. I wouldn't take the risk.

Also unless I know the actual model and pricing I would not even look at cameras. Much rather do that on land so I could take it back if there were problems.

QM2 had the usual suspects for the $10 'treasure' sales - whatever that company is that is at airports with scarves etc for $20 and heaps of other things I don't need. I try to steer clear of the melee.

 

Sorry I should have said above, but can't work out how to change it. Gut knows his cameras, once upon a time he even kept us in food and under a roof with one.

[Aussieflyer]

But think GUT may find that pricing is not all that good onboard. And from memory a very limited selection of cameras.

 

And being a domestic cruise there won't be any duty free alcohol. I think I bought some QM2 pens and bookmarks to give away when I was on the short QM2 cruise. From memory I think I ended up with a Harrods bag as we had more than a carry on and I forgot something to put the last night's stuff in!

Edited June 2, 2016 by Aussieflyer

[Pushka]

I am Aussieflyer's friend who bought a lovely bracelet on QM2 and who promptly lost it in the awful mess that was Hong Kong's disembarkation. There are jewellery sales that are offered by independent merchants who come onboard during the world tours. It is very random. But I do like citizen eco-drive watches and have bought 2 while on various cruises.

 

 

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[3rdGenCunarder]

But think GUT may find that pricing is not all that good onboard. And from memory a very limited selection of cameras.

 

And being a domestic cruise there won't be any duty free alcohol. I think I bought some QM2 pens and bookmarks to give away when I was on the short QM2 cruise. From memory I think I ended up with a Harrods bag as we had more than a carry on and I forgot something to put the last night's stuff in!

 

I agree about the camera selection. There weren't many to choose from. And if Mr G is that serious about cameras, he's probably got specific features in mind. It wouldn't hurt to do some research and see if they've got something he likes, but I wouldn't bet on it.

 

I don't think I've ever bought anything high-end on a cruise. I so look through the shops, but I find the clothing is very expensive compared to what I can get at home.

[GUT2407]

I am Aussieflyer's friend who bought a lovely bracelet on QM2 and who promptly lost it in the awful mess that was Hong Kong's disembarkation. There are jewellery sales that are offered by independent merchants who come onboard during the world tours. It is very random. But I do like citizen eco-drive watches and have bought 2 while on various cruises.

 

 

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Thank you Pushka

 

We tried to buy the Eco Drives on Princess last year, but they were sold out, so I will keep an eye out.

[Aussieflyer]

The watch I bought on X Infinity was an eco-drive. It's been great so I might look for another one on my Cunard trip. Pricing was excellent on X but not sure what it will be like on Cunard.

[cruiseluvva]

I bought a lovely eco drive watch n QV a couple of weeks ago. The prices were good I thought, though as we had more OBC than we could spend, it really wouldn't have mattered if they weren't good.

[GUT2407]

I bought a lovely eco drive watch n QV a couple of weeks ago. The prices were good I thought, though as we had more OBC than we could spend, it really wouldn't have mattered if they weren't good.

 

Thank you cruiseluvva, do you recall what you paid?

Edited June 3, 2016 by GUT2407

[ansoninc]

I was just on the Island Princess in May. I bought a beautiful Night Hawk Eco drive for 50.00 less then Amazon. I was quite surprised.

 

 

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[Pushka]

I think my ecodrive was about $130 and it retails close to $180. That was on X. On Princess I bought a really pretty ecodrive, again around $120. Both are still going well. The X one is a functional waterproof one.

 

 

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[tv24]

They always put out a large selection of watches in the main lobby area. Unfortunately the display looks too much like Walmart.

[Aussieflyer]

I think my watch was about the same price at Pushka paid. They were't laid out on tables on X - they had them in the cabinets. Also bought a man's one for our son and it's still going well.

[Pushka]

They always put out a large selection of watches in the main lobby area. Unfortunately the display looks too much like Walmart.

 

 

Ah. But its the challenge to find the good ones.

On the same cruise on QM2 that Aussieflyer and I were on, there was a woman who refused to let anyone get to the front. She commandeered her position. Caused quite some angst from the gentlemen who didn't want to be rude to her.

 

Gosh I love people watching on cruises.

 

 

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[cruiseluvva]

Thank you cruiseluvva, do you recall what you paid?

 

I paid $189 and it retails here at £169.

[cruiseluvva]

I wish I'd bought two! But the computers went down the penultimate day and then again on the last day and we xouldn't easily check how much OBC we had

left. As it happened we committed the cardinal sin of NOT SPENDING about $50!!!!!

[NSWP]

Ah. But its the challenge to find the good ones.

On the same cruise on QM2 that Aussieflyer and I were on, there was a woman who refused to let anyone get to the front. She commandeered her position. Caused quite some angst from the gentlemen who didn't want to be rude to her.

 

Gosh I love people watching on cruises.

 

 

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I hope the said 'Lady' was not one of those awful, uncouth, lanyard/cruise card wearing Orstralians who got on board for half price !! LOL.

[pepperrn]

... On the same cruise on QM2 that Aussieflyer and I were on, there was a woman who refused to let anyone get to the front. She commandeered her position. Caused quite some angst from the gentlemen who didn't want to be rude to her. Gosh I love people watching on cruises.

So do I! :)

 

I noted one particular elderly "lady" on a QM2 crossing a few years ago (you couldn't miss her).

First saw her in the Ocean Terminal; 5ft tall, "Acid Raine" hair-do almost bigger than she was, too much jewellery, decorative walking stick, with long-suffering tweed-wearing sherpa constantly the obligatory three paces astern of her.

During the voyage I noted her using her stick (which she didn't seem to need as an aid to walking) to lightly tap people's legs so they'd move to let her into a lift (rather than ask). Let her get close to doors ready for them to open (Britannia Restaurant, Queens Room), or make room for her to get to the front at the "Tables of Tat" sales set up in the Grand Lobby. If someone picked something off the table quick as lightening she'd say "I am buying that" and when it was handed to her she'd glance at it and throw it back on the table.

I once overheard her "pursuading" a couple to vacate two seats in a crowded Queens Room (tea) "I have to sit near a window" (the polite removed couple found nowhere else to sit and wandered off).

Because of her age, coiffeur and over-rouged "look", she seemed to intimidate people. A "lady" she was not.

 

Yep, like you, one of my favourite occupations onboard is people-watching :eek:

[Pushka]

So do I! :)

 

I noted one particular elderly "lady" on a QM2 crossing a few years ago (you couldn't miss her).

First saw her in the Ocean Terminal; 5ft tall, "Acid Raine" hair-do almost bigger than she was, too much jewellery, decorative walking stick, with long-suffering tweed-wearing sherpa constantly the obligatory three paces astern of her.

During the voyage I noted her using her stick (which she didn't seem to need as an aid to walking) to lightly tap people's legs so they'd move to let her into a lift (rather than ask). Let her get close to doors ready for them to open (Britannia Restaurant, Queens Room), or make room for her to get to the front at the "Tables of Tat" sales set up in the Grand Lobby. If someone picked something off the table quick as lightening she'd say "I am buying that" and when it was handed to her she'd glance at it and throw it back on the table.

I once overheard her "pursuading" a couple to vacate two seats in a crowded Queens Room (tea) "I have to sit near a window" (the polite removed couple found nowhere else to sit and wandered off).

Because of her age, coiffeur and over-rouged "look", she seemed to intimidate people. A "lady" she was not.

 

Yep, like you, one of my favourite occupations onboard is people-watching :eek:

 

 

I am afraid that if confronted by such said lady, by a rap to my shins, that I may not be a lady in response! :eek:

 

But from afar - watching her performance would indeed bring a world of entertainment. :D

Edited June 10, 2016 by Pushka

[NSWP]

I believe it is the 'ye olde Blue Rinse Ladies' one needs to avoid on any cruise line, inc Cunard. They can outsprint and/or shove anyone to the tenders, buffet, laundrette, deck chairs, theatre and shop sales.

[Salacia]

I believe it is the 'ye olde Blue Rinse Ladies' one needs to avoid on any cruise line, inc Cunard. They can outsprint and/or shove anyone to the tenders, buffet, laundrette, deck chairs, theatre and shop sales.

 

Wow. How clever it is to categorize those we need to avoid by the color of their hair, skin or their age or nationality. Generalize, propagate prejudice and carry on like it was 1939 - but know that your views are not shared by me.

 

Salacia