Jewellery sales and competitive cruise deals
Looking around the average ship, you’re likely to see passengers from many walks of life. The breadth of interests among passengers is usually broad, but you’ll certainly find a mix of adventure lovers, affluent luxury travellers and couples celebrating special occasions. One of the common denominators among current cruise deals is the quest for affordable jewellery from exotic locations. Everyone has heard rumours about other travellers returning with a gemstone or jewellery set that ends up being worth much more than they paid for it. The possibility of making a similar find is almost palpable for some travellers, and it drives them to seek out the best possible bargains while cruising through exotic locations like the Caribbean.
Splendid Equinox Theatre
Gem dealers are aware of this, and they sometimes prey on unsuspecting shoppers. In order to prevent others from taking advantage of you, there are a few things to consider before heading off to buy jewellery as part of your next vacation. First of all, it is important to understand that gem and jewellery dealers at various Caribbean ports of call have made special arrangements with the operator. This isn’t necessarily underhanded, but it is at least worth mentioning. In fact, in some cases it allows the operator to lower the ticket price and offer more competitive cruise deals. If an employee of the company recommends a specific shop, bear in mind that this could indicate a fine retailer, or it could just as easily indicate the crew receives a modest kick-back for bringing in customers. It is also important to seek out jewellers who will stand behind their products with a guarantee. Some of these business operators have retail outlets on several islands, and they offer tourists a limited exchange policy. If after a few days of wearing the jewellery you decide you would rather have something different, you can exchange it for another item of equal value at the next port (as long as the same company has a shop there). A third item to consider is the tax schemes of the islands you are visiting.
Oceanview Cafe
Certain Caribbean Islands have no sales tax or duty, and buying a high-end item like an expensive necklace or engagement ring would be considerably cheaper. These sorts of arrangements are even more attractive when a passenger has enjoyed considerable savings by taking advantage of cheap cruise deals available online. Finally, practically every ship has a jeweller onboard, and this person is likely to carry a limited selection of top-end jewellery for passengers to peruse. These experts are also likely to offer seminars on the prospects for jewellery shoppers in upcoming ports. As long as you approach these with a healthy dose of scepticism, understanding that this person may lean strongly toward particular shops purely for economic reasons, then you are still likely to learn valuable information in the process. The most important thing to remember is simply to buy a piece of jewellery because you like it and not because you feel pressured in any way.
May 11th, 2010 at 7:00 am
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