Beware of Inflated on Board Prices and Misrepresentations on Celebrity

[Jade13]

Was on Celebrity Constellation Sept 15. One night photo department had some binoculars for sale. I saw a pair for $124.95 I liked and asked how that compared to what I could expect to pay off the ship.

 

Was told their price was 30% to 40% less.

 

Checked price on Amazon, Best Buy, Nexttag when I got home. They sell for $79.99. List price is $119.00.

 

Complaint to Celebrity just answered. They are sorry but they use a third party vendor and have nothing to do with price.

 

The third party does not price match and Celebrity refuses to make this right in any way.

 

Anyone think I am being unreasonable in saying this is wrong and fraudulent?

 

They should at least sell for the manufacturers suggested retail and not less.

 

I wouldn't go crazy over $5.00. A lot of people buy onboard not because of the best price but to use OBC they have received, or in a case where they may need a camera since theirs was lost or broken.

Edited December 26, 2013 by Jade13

[wwcruisers]

Because we are idiots!

 

I use a local jeweler who we love. But in a port on a cruise, I spotted a very inexpensive string of Pearls and jumped on them. Very proud of myself!

 

Then the string broke and the pearls ran all over the floor. Ooops.

 

So I sheepishly took my loose pearls to my jeweler. He properly restrung them so they wouldn't be all loose, and then mentioned how nice the 'pearls' are. I told him I thought they were real because I rubbed them against my teeth and they felt rough - I'd heard to do that to check for 'real pearls'. He just grinned and told me the way to check if the pearls are real is to ask the Reputable Jeweler selling them......I got very quiet.

 

Den

 

Den -- the "tooth test" is how I was taught (back when I was young) to tell the difference between "real" and "fake" pearls. Was your local jeweler saying that they are now making synthetic pearls that feel rough on the teeth? :eek:

Well, even if your great bargain turned out to be fakes, the legendary Jackie-O said that all ladies should have (at least) one string of really great synthetic pearls -- for everyday wear. So, you came out a winner, either way! ;)

[teecee60]

I find it appalling that Celebrity put a gun to the OP head and made him buy over priced binoculars! For shame Celebrity.

 

I agree with you COMPLETELY! There is but ONE way to solve this problem!

 

I am writing my congress person a letter to DEMAND legislation that REQUIRES ALL cruise ships operating in US waters be designated gun free zones! ;)

 

Lovely... and on Christmas Day.

.

 

Unfortunately it may be just a while, before the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Future, get around to visiting ALL of the vendor personnel working for/on Celebrity cruise ships. :rolleyes:

[Gig103]

Cant understand how the OP could get a $50 refund from American Express as this purchase would just be added to the on board account and its nothing to do with price matching, faulty goods ets, but Kudos to the poster who used their CC to buy the 14K tanzanite earing which turned out to be fake. This is where purchasing on credit card pays off.

 

While in some circumstances the credit card company can issue a chargeback, Amex does have guarantees that they will pay out of pocket for if necessary. I have a feeling that in this case, American Express would rather give the OP $50 out of their own pockets, and have him singing praise of Amex, than have him go online and say "EVEN AMERICAN EXPRESS FAILED".

 

Heck, I called Amex this week since I never got my $10 "Small Business Saturday" credit, and the supervisor gave me a $20 credit instead of the $10 I was owed (I didn't ask for it, I just asked for my $10). Chump change to Amex.

Edited December 27, 2013 by Gig103
Clarifying

[Adammara]

As the purchase happened in September, and the thread stared on December 23rd, American Express have had plenty of time to investigate the matter, and maybe the seller agreed to a refund to the customer as a matter of goodwill. As in many issues on here, we do not know all the facts.

 

Richard

[hcat]

We have cruised often--more so in the past--now just once or twice a yr...sometimes we splurge on spa, drinks, purchases, excursions, ect. but a few times it was fun to just enjoy the cruise and keep our extra expenditures to a minimum,., It can be done and did not make the cruise any lesfun!

 

when shopping on vacation--always know prices & quality ahead to time,!!

[boogs]

While in some circumstances the credit card company can issue a chargeback, Amex does have guarantees that they will pay out of pocket for if necessary. I have a feeling that in this case, American Express would rather give the OP $50 out of their own pockets, and have him singing praise of Amex, than have him go online and say "EVEN AMERICAN EXPRESS FAILED".

 

Heck, I called Amex this week since I never got my $10 "Small Business Saturday" credit, and the supervisor gave me a $20 credit instead of the $10 I was owed (I didn't ask for it, I just asked for my $10). Chump change to Amex.

 

Especially since it is the OTHER Amex customers who will be paying that credit in the form of interest rates and fees.

[DirtyDawg]

Especially since it is the OTHER Amex customers who will be paying that credit in the form of interest rates and fees.

 

As one of the other 102 million Amex cardholders that $50 bucks means my fees etc are going up by $0.00000050. :eek:

 

But I can't get too tick off though. By paying off my balance every month I'm costing my fellow cardholders way more than that.:D

[Lsimon]

As one of the other 102 million Amex cardholders that $50 bucks means my fees etc are going up by $0.00000050. :eek:

 

But I can't get too tick off though. By paying off my balance every month I'm costing my fellow cardholders way more than that.:D

 

I doubt AMEX gave them anything - I presume it was some sort of chargeback to the vendor negotiated through AMEX.

[boogs]

As one of the other 102 million Amex cardholders that $50 bucks means my fees etc are going up by $0.00000050. :eek:

 

True, for just this one customer. But what about one customer getting a $50 refund because they weren't a smart consumer and overpaid for an item bought on board and placed the blame on everyone but himself, then another who was given a $20 credit because he called to ask where his original $10 credit was, to the thousands more people who also ask - some even DEMAND - a refund, credit, etc.? It adds up. A couple of years ago I read about one credit card company - don't remember which one - that in the previous year offered several MILLION $$$$ in refunds or credits in the form of "customer good will". Where do you think those millions of dollars are coming from? It certainly isn't coming out of the shareholders wallets!

 

I doubt AMEX gave them anything - I presume it was some sort of chargeback to the vendor negotiated through AMEX.

 

And who pays the wages for those negotiators? The rest of the customers in fees and interest.

Edited December 27, 2013 by boogs

[DirtyDawg]

True, for just this one customer. But what about one customer getting a $50 refund because they weren't a smart consumer and overpaid for an item bought on board and placed the blame on everyone but himself, then another who was given a $20 credit because he called to ask where his original $10 credit was, to the thousands more people who also ask - some even DEMAND - a refund, credit, etc.? It adds up. A couple of years ago I read about one credit card company - don't remember which one - that in the previous year offered several MILLION $$$$ in refunds or credits in the form of "customer good will". Where do you think those millions of dollars are coming from? It certainly isn't coming out of the shareholders wallets!

 

Do you know how small several million $$$$ is to a big credit card company like AMEX? Their "Marketing, promotion, rewards and cardmember services" expense for last year was $8.5 Billion. To worry that a few million for "customer good will" somehow affects you or I in any significant way is ludicrous. You have also ignored the benefit to the business from making these small expenditures in terms of customer retention. Over the long term card customers generate significant profits for the CC companies so these extra little "customer good will" costs pay off over the long term. They didn't spend this money because they are nice guys and gals - they did to increase profits.

Edited December 27, 2013 by DirtyDawg

[boogs]

Do you know how small several million $$$$ is to a big credit card company like AMEX? Their "Marketing, promotion, rewards and cardmember services" expense for last year was $8.5 Billion. To worry that a few million for "customer good will" somehow affects you or I in any significant way is ludicrous. You have also ignored the benefit to the business from making these small expenditures in terms of customer retention. Over the long term card customers generate significant profits for the CC companies so these extra little "customer good will" costs pay off over the long term. They didn't spend this money because they are nice guys and gals - they did to increase profits.

 

You have your opinion, I have mine. I don't like the idea that I am subsidizing people's carelessness. I guess I should just give in and stop worrying about being a responsible consumer, knowing that the card company will happily bail me out of every dumb purchase I make. Why bother being responsible when people like you are so supportive of them covering my mistakes?

Edited December 28, 2013 by boogs

[DirtyDawg]

You have your opinion, I have mine. I don't like the idea that I am subsidizing people's carelessness. I guess I should just give in and stop worrying about being a responsible consumer, knowing that the card company will happily bail me out of every dumb purchase I make. Why bother being responsible when people like you are so supportive of them covering my mistakes?

 

Look, I just don't buy your argument that this is costing the other 102 million AMEX cardholders any significant amount of money. For me it goes under the heading; "Don't sweat the small stuff".

 

If you don't like the entire concept of a CC company providing this type of 'insurance' to cover other people's dumb mistakes and you believe that it's costing you money, you can always switch to another CC company that doesn't offer this service. Following your argument this other CC company should have a lower cost structure and lower fees and interest rates.

[Cruisercl]

It seems that the OP was only posting here to vent and give a negative opinion about Celebrity in this situation. It appears they are a very new CC member.

 

The OP must have thought Celebrity did a good job up until now; they indicated they had been on Celebrity several times before and to leave a good thing for $50 is too bad.

 

OP, it would be nice to hear you share some of the good things too, rather than just making this a complaint forum. I encourage you to participate in CC for both; all opinions are welcome and help us all learn.

 

Happy and safe cruising all! :)

[LMaxwell]

I would never expect or anticipate prices on anything to be lower on a ship than on land. Even the great shopping the Caribbean is known for; just about every price can be beaten by Amazon these days. I would assume any good purchased at a resort or on ship to be priced at least 25% higher than could be found "at home".

 

Don't lose all hope though; many credit card companies offer price matching policies. Call up your credit card company, this may be a free service offered to you and might not even be aware of it.

 

This is not fraudulent or deceptive business practices, this is failure to do any comparison shopping. You made an emotional purchase, not a rational one. I am not beating you up for that, but it is what it is. They advertised binoculars for XYZ price, you paid XYZ price, got the binoculars.