The Shopping Guide on board - do they work for us or the stores?

[graceinga]

Recently in port we heard our shopping guide from the ship, Dominica, checking in with a manager of a recommended jewelery store asking if she was meeting his needs, was their anything else she should be doing for them. We were nearby for the entire conversation and from beginning to end it was as if she worked for him. I found this odd. In a perfect world the stores would pay to be recommended and it would be her job to make sure the cruise line passengers were taken care of. I know this was just one conversation but it felt like she worked for them, not for us. Any thoughts on this?

[CorvetteLady]

I think they work for Carnival and Carnival gets money from the recommended stores. After you have attended several shopping shows it is easy to see the stores interest come first. You are not getting the best buys in port by using the recommended stores but you may be getting the best buys at the recommended stores by using the ships shopper. If you have no idea about buying gems than the shopper may be able to help by explaining different gem stones.

 

IMHO you need to go into a lot of stores and talk about gems and prices before you buy anything. It takes experience and you only get that by paying attention. When I am looking for jewelry I will look in several stores, check the prices, compare the pieces and then decide. I mostly buy topaz and know what I am looking for.

[chasinraynbowz]

I thought they didn't work for Carnival either, that they were an independent company.

[cuyahoga11]

They work for their bottom line

[duckhunt6969]

We were just in Nassau buying a wedding ring. The ring started out at over $14000.00 and the manger put his vip discount on it and came down to $5700.00. I made an offer $4100.00 and he told us no way he could do that. We told him we were not buying. The shopping guide happend to walk in while this was going on and the manager asked if he would approve the sale. So someone is getting something either Carnival or the shopping guide. He signed off on it and we have a nice ring for the wedding on the Triumph in Feb!!!!

[elcuchio24]

CCL gets a kickback from the vendors. Take whatever they 'recomend' with a grain of salt. It's Business.

[zqvol]

Recently in port we heard our shopping guide from the ship, Dominica, checking in with a manager of a recommended jewelery store asking if she was meeting his needs, was their anything else she should be doing for them. We were nearby for the entire conversation and from beginning to end it was as if she worked for him. I found this odd. In a perfect world the stores would pay to be recommended and it would be her job to make sure the cruise line passengers were taken care of. I know this was just one conversation but it felt like she worked for them, not for us. Any thoughts on this?

 

Of course they work for the stores. Carnival is paid by the stores to have them on board.

 

I NEVER go to any recommended shop, and if I happen to find myself in one I conveniently tell them that I am staying on island.

[blindrid]

Why would someone think that they would work for us?

 

Nothing CCL does is for us, it's for their bottom line.

[tandemcruzr]

"The Shopping Guide on board - do they work for us or the stores?"

 

The stores. :(