Business in the Caribbean is Not Good......

[Mel'smom]

Personally, I cruise to visit places, not to shop. I don't particularly enjoy shopping at home, and I really don't enjoy bucking the crowds at a cruise port when I could be elsewhere doing something I couldn't do at home?

 

Am I that unusual?

I'm with you Koshlong. Shopping is probably way down on my "10 top things to do on a cruise" list!!

[Boytjie]

Personally, I cruise to visit places, not to shop. I don't particularly enjoy shopping at home, and I really don't enjoy bucking the crowds at a cruise port when I could be elsewhere doing something I couldn't do at home?

 

Am I that unusual?

 

No! :D

[sapper1]

I guess that means I'm still in the first part of my life:D. I still seem to want all the stuff;).

Why you're still a spring chicken girl!! :)

[mamaofami]

I too had way too much stuff. I've given lots to my children, and I'm in the business of cleaning out. The recent flood in our basement helped a lot with that.

[innlady1]

I too had way too much stuff. I've given lots to my children, and I'm in the business of cleaning out. The recent flood in our basement helped a lot with that.

 

I still have way too much stuff, Carol. Four sets of china. Who needs that much? Our two...every day and the Lenox china...and then china from my parents and another set from Fred's parents. It's overwhelming.

Someone mentioned Hummels earlier...as I look up at the shelves over my computer, I see 4 that belonged to my parents! It goes on and on...and my kids have enough of their own stuff...they don't want ours.

[lettienets]

Retirement homes and churches are great places to give china dishes, cups and saucers, tea sets they can use it for receptions and events, etc. When we get to live there it will feel like home :)

Local theater groups like old things for props.

[sammiedawg]

Maybe regular cruisers have enoiugh "stuff" sitting in drawers and cabinets and they don't want any more. I personally have had no desire to "shop" when in a cruise port because I won't have the opportunity to change my mind and return it. Also I don't want to carry junk home in the limited luggage we have on a trip. People do not want to pay extra fees to check luggage.

I also think the Caribbean is losing its allure. Lots of been there, done that.

[sail7seas]

Maybe regular cruisers have enoiugh "stuff" sitting in drawers and cabinets and they don't want any more. I personally have had no desire to "shop" when in a cruise port because I won't have the opportunity to change my mind and return it. Also I don't want to carry junk home in the limited luggage we have on a trip. People do not want to pay extra fees to check luggage.

I also think the Caribbean is losing its allure. Lots of been there, done that.

 

 

Thus, one imagines, the reason HAL is scheduling fewer itineraries/ships sailing the Caribbean. Maasdam just returned from 45 days away transatlantic/Europe. Normally she would have spent those 7+ weeks in the Caribbean at this time of year.

 

Next year she is going to So. America.

[mamaofami]

I also think the Caribbean is losing its allure. Lots of been there, done that.

 

I've been all over the Caribbean, both on many land vacations and cruising, so I don't go to shop or sight see anymore. I go for the beaches, food in some of the ports, and to escape the cold winters, ice, and snow in the north.

[GPoll189]

Sails

 

The reason that the smaller ships don't sail in the Caribbean that much any more is that they are not profitable against the bigger ships. If you notice the Vista and Signature class ships are doing most of the Caribbean runs during the winter months while the R and S class ships are doing the longer and more exotic ports.

 

I saw your first post about people not spending money in ports because they don't have it and then you asked why they still sail. For me I come from a pretty well off family. My father is a doctor and I am a Physician Assistant. For the last three years I have been traveling by myself. If you don't know I have to pay 200% of the fair to sail. When I go into port I don't shop. I have everything I need. Sometimes the deals on jewelry I can do better with my jeweler at home. The deals that were once available with duty free stuff isn't there anymore.

[Karennella]

Retirement homes and churches are great places to give china dishes, cups and saucers, tea sets they can use it for receptions and events, etc. When we get to live there it will feel like home :)

Local theater groups like old things for props.

 

My mother-in-law's assistant care home was getting a lot of things around that incoming residents had obviously donated for the common areas. Has just been all replaced with brand new furniture and accessories; I presume because furniture here depreciates tax-wise over four years or so. Many of the poor residents were less than impressed but thankfully they can have their own stuff in their rooms.

But we have some of mother-in-law's things here along with everything that my daughter and son-in-law left behind when they moved to England three years ago, as well a lot of my other daughter's stuff that won't fit into her small apartment. Plus I have a husband who is a hoarder. No wonder I dont like shopping.

I think it is a world-wide trend that the younger generation prefer to live in the inner cities, choosing small expensive apartments over spacious suburburn houses. So all our friends have their houses cluttered up, like ours, with their kid's things or with stuff they kept as they thought the kids might want it some day.

[innlady1]

Maybe regular cruisers have enoiugh "stuff" sitting in drawers and cabinets and they don't want any more. I personally have had no desire to "shop" when in a cruise port because I won't have the opportunity to change my mind and return it. Also I don't want to carry junk home in the limited luggage we have on a trip. People do not want to pay extra fees to check luggage.

 

I also think the Caribbean is losing its allure. Lots of been there, done that.

 

Personally, we enjoy getting away every winter on a cruise to the Caribbean... prefer 10 or more days, so I hope HAL doesn't change them all to 7 day cruises.

Sail...I see that in '13, the Ryndam is doing a similar Caribbean itinerary that the Maasdam did in '11 and is doing in '12.

[sail7seas]

We are booked to repeat the great Maasdam itinerary in April, 2012. If we like it again as much as we did last year, we'll look at booking Ryndam. She's a sister to Maasdam, as you know, and we've had great cruises on her but she isn't Maasdam. ;)

 

Too soon to worry what we'll do two years from now. It's all I can do to book a year in advance. :)

 

I agree with those who say Caribbean cruises, for us, are an escape from cold winter, easy to get to, down and dirty, sun and fun, is what I call them. The ship is our destination and if we stop at a port we really like, we'll get off. Some cruises, we don't leave the ship for days. We like the 10 day Maasdam cruise.

 

[edmusic]

Sail7seas wrote: I have searched endlessly to find Alviero Martini products in the U.S. and cannot locate them. If anyone knows of a source, PLEASE share the information.

In 5 seconds, I found 188 different items by Alviero Martini on Ebay including handbags, clothing, watches, jewelry, makeup and fragrances.

[DFD1]

edmusic.....that's sure quicker than a trip to St. Thomas!!!

[Caribbean Chris]

I still have way too much stuff, Carol. Four sets of china. Who needs that much? Our two...every day and the Lenox china...and then china from my parents and another set from Fred's parents. It's overwhelming.

Someone mentioned Hummels earlier...as I look up at the shelves over my computer, I see 4 that belonged to my parents! It goes on and on...and my kids have enough of their own stuff...they don't want ours.

 

What, no Christmas china?

[peaches from georgia]

In 5 seconds, I found 188 different items by Alviero Martini on Ebay including handbags, clothing, watches, jewelry, makeup and fragrances.

Don't you love the internet! You can quickly find anything your heart desires.

[sail7seas]

In 5 seconds, I found 188 different items by Alviero Martini on Ebay including handbags, clothing, watches, jewelry, makeup and fragrances.

 

 

You are most kind.

I don't like shopping e-bay and want new articles. (The only thing I bought on e-bay was a HAL Inaugural Plate.)

Since I wrote that post, I have found legitimate sites on line where I can buy Alviero Martini and will do so.

As little as 12-14 months ago, the only Alviero available on line, that I could find, was either used or from 'questionable' sources. They have only recently made it more readily available. We've been buying it for more than 20 years.

 

Thanks for the referral though.

[world~citizen]

Must be an American thing. Life, liberty etc. Work hard. Achieve things and help those who do the same.

 

Yes Americans invented that. :rolleyes:

[world~citizen]

Interesting thread. I think there are a lot of things contributing to a decline in $$$ being spent at the islands/ports.

 

There are many more berths due to more and bigger ships being added all the time. This drives the price down ($499 or even less as mentioned above is common in shoulder seasons). This puts cruising in the hands of persons who may not be as inclined to seek boutique shopping opportunities. Second; A lots of folks just don't have the play money they once did. Third is the internet... Where the islands once provided very competitive prices on watches, cameras and perfumes the best prices are now found online.

 

Just an observation.

 

Also, there is a global financial crisis. I wonder...

[innlady1]

What, no Christmas china?

 

Bits and pieces of Lenox and Spode Christmas pieces, too, I'm afraid! :o

[babyher]

Ditto.

I had to break down a close relatives three bedroom condo filled with all the 'stuff' like silver, china, crystal. Like others said, I'm done with things. It's beautiful and valuable to someone who may want it and one can't just send it to a dump........ Few of the young folks want these things. Thankfully I found a way to pass it along.

 

Our generation and those before us collected things like Lladro and Hummel figurines and porcelains, dinner sets for a small mob etc but today there is no interest in these things. The younger generation is smart.... they don't need to dust all this 'stuff'.

 

 

Sail , my Mom is the same way. For years she collected the LLadros and Stueben Glass and the Hummels. Also enough place settings and dinner ware for an army.

 

Jewelry like you wouldn't believe , but although beautiful and very expensive. They are pieces that the younger people would not wear today.

 

A mink coat , a stole, remember those little fur stoles with the "martins" I believe they are called , with the heads and feet still on them *LOL* No one wears those anymore. My sisters and DW and niecs and DDs don't even want to look at them *LOL*

 

Today most of the young girls getting married want all kinds of electronic gadgets and cook ware . They are big things with the popularity of these celebrity chefs . But can care lesss about China and crystal and silverware.

[LSEA]

Personally, I cruise to visit places, not to shop. I don't particularly enjoy shopping at home, and I really don't enjoy bucking the crowds at a cruise port when I could be elsewhere doing something I couldn't do at home?

 

Am I that unusual?

 

I'm of the same thought. Ferragamo and Louis Vuitton can be found a short drive from my home. Jewelry I prefer to purchase from a local, trusted source that we enjoy doing business with.

 

As others have stated on this thread, I wonder how many cruisers are now choosing to spend on "experiences" instead of "things" when visiting Caribbean ports.

[cruisemom42]

As others have stated on this thread, I wonder how many cruisers are now choosing to spend on "experiences" instead of "things" when visiting Caribbean ports.

 

Or any port, for that matter.....:)

[aidansaunt2004]

So far I haven't purchased anything in the Caribbean because the prices I've seen are actually higher than where I live. For instance, I looked at cosmetics in St Maarten and found them to be $5-$10 more than my local Sephora charges. Even though I'm on vacation, I would rather wait until I get home to purchase something for less if it's not a necessity. I wouldn't purchase jewelry in the Caribbean either. I'm heard numerous stories of people purchasing jewelry because they got such a great "deal" and when they get it home to have it appraised they are told the jewelry isn't worth anything close to what they paid.