Has Anyone Really Missed Them and Will Celebrity Bring Them Back?

[mailmama]

I must be the only one who feels differently.........my sister won a beautiful tanzanite necklace set, another sister won a bamboo sheet set, daughter has won also. Me, I'm still waiting to win anything.......

[NutsAboutGolf]

5 minutes ago, mailmama said:

I must be the only one who feels differently.........my sister won a beautiful tanzanite necklace set, another sister won a bamboo sheet set, daughter has won also. Me, I'm still waiting to win anything.......

 

Take away the contest freebies and would you still attend?  Many only go to the art auction for the free champagne 

[mailmama]

8 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Take away the contest freebies and would you still attend?  Many only go to the art auction for the free champagne 

Said post totally tongue in cheek!!  PS......you can "win" champagne at the art auction?? 😉

[markeb]

I didn't even realize Celebrity did them...

 

A long time ago we cruised HAL a couple of times. I don't remember their port talks (I think they actually mentioned the port before the first mention of DI...), but they handed out port maps that actually had sites on them. I remember our first RC cruise and grabbing a port map that only had shops on it. I swear, if Royal and Celebrity could cruise to Gettysburg, their port map would show the souvenir shops and ignore Little Round Top!

 

And even the things I enjoyed on board, once, ultimately became shopping events. On our first RC cruise, one of the "port ambassadors" did a watch event at the Schooner Bar, nothing for sale, probably the port shopping handouts, but most of what she was talking about wasn't sold by the "preferred shops" in port. It was a lot of fun (I'm a watch collector/geek). Next cruise had something similar, but the one after that was the on board jewelry shop doing the presentation, so their brands were the only ones really mentioned. Stopped going to the events, and never did the port talks.

[Loracpin2]

On 5/21/2022 at 11:19 AM, TeeRick said:

Just do some Google Maps research prior to your trip and type in the location "Diamonds International" and that should qualify you to be a Port Shopping Guide on board.😄

Just don't buy anything at Diamond International.  Many years ago (while on a Celebrity cruise) during their Port shopping lecture there was a promotion from Diamond International for a 2 carat diamond tennis bracelet for $699.00. Since our daughter's 21st Birthday was coming up, I figured it might be worth checking out although I was a little skeptical....and I was right. While I was looking at the braclete, I asked the sales rep for a jewler's loop so I could see the quality of the diamonds (something I learned how to do from my Grandfather). His immediate response was...."if you know how to use a loop, then don't want this bracelet!!!

[Saab4444]

8 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Specialized crew can have benefits/perks including pay during rest, built in to their "fixed" contracts yet they are still independent contractors.

They are not…

[mfs2k]

On 5/21/2022 at 11:09 AM, Ipeeinthepools said:

I’m on my third cruise since the pandemic and I just realized there are no Port Shopping Guides.  No port shopping talks, no jewelry giveaways, etc. and I don’t really miss them.  Is anyone hoping the Port Shopping guides return?  I would trade 2 Port Shopping guides for 1 bar server.

I assume the port shopping guides were profitable for the ship in the form of commissions and fees from the stores mentioned. 
Perhaps in a post-Covid world it’s no longer profitable. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

10 hours ago, Saab4444 said:

They are not…

 

lol.  So you're saying even though many captains including Capt Kate have said "my contract" they're not actual contractors, that they're actual W2 employees of the Celebrity cruise line?

[Orator]

45 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

lol.  So you're saying even though many captains including Capt Kate have said "my contract" they're not actual contractors, that they're actual W2 employees of the Celebrity cruise line?

They are not employees of Celebrity, but work for a company that is involved with port shopping on many lines. One once told me that he was going to Princess next. You can check the next time you are on a Celebrity ship since my information was before Covid. 

[canderson]

As I've said here before, when my time comes to take that boat ride down the river Styx, I fully expect that when I disembark in Hades, I'll find myself facing a Diamonds International at the end of the dock.

 

[Ride-The-Waves]

Only the brave and honored warriors gain entrance to Sto'vo'kor.

 

The dishonored sea travel to Gre'thor on the Barge of the Dead.

 

Its there where DI solicits your last penny...

[Mimiya11]

I love Celebrity but the continuous sales pitches at these so called Port "Lectures" was ridiculous (never went but had it on our tv once to see what it was about).   Maybe Celebrity can focus on more interesting lectures about the ports, minus shopping.   

While I did not enjoy aspects of our HAL Mexican Riviera cruise a few years ago, they did a terrific job of having Mexican themed lectures, entertainment, activities and food throughout the week.  That's what I would like to see on Celebrity.     

 

[Saab4444]

20 hours ago, Orator said:

They are not employees of Celebrity, but work for a company that is involved with port shopping on many lines. One once told me that he was going to Princess next. You can check the next time you are on a Celebrity ship since my information was before Covid. 

We discussed Captains and other Senior Officers…

[Saab4444]

21 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

lol.  So you're saying even though many captains including Capt Kate have said "my contract" they're not actual contractors, that they're actual W2 employees of the Celebrity cruise line?

If they talk about their contract they refer to their current assignment to a ship. After leaving the ship a Captain or other Senior Officer is still employed with Celebrity. As most of them are not US based employees of course they do not fall under US tax and social security law (similar to expatriates).

[Orator]

33 minutes ago, Saab4444 said:

We discussed Captains and other Senior Officers…

Sorry,! Must have read title of the thread and reacted to post without fully understanding.

[DCPIV]

I know I already chimed in, but I must add this:

 

The port shopping folks definitely served a purpose, at least at one time.  My first cruise was our honeymoon (27 years ago).  I was young and figured I was bulletproof.  When someone said that the average cruiser on a 7-nighter gained between 7 and 15 pounds, I just laughed that off.

 

The port shopping guy told me a good place to buy new pants when I needed them halfway through the cruise.

 

I'll never forget him.  His name was Bob.

[TeeRick]

19 minutes ago, DCPIV said:

I know I already chimed in, but I must add this:

 

The port shopping folks definitely served a purpose, at least at one time.  My first cruise was our honeymoon (27 years ago).  I was young and figured I was bulletproof.  When someone said that the average cruiser on a 7-nighter gained between 7 and 15 pounds, I just laughed that off.

 

The port shopping guy told me a good place to buy new pants when I needed them halfway through the cruise.

 

I'll never forget him.  His name was Bob.

Oh yeah,  the port shopping guy Bob.  We knew him well.😁