Spa staff try to upsell during service?

[Sarah@Sea]

I have attended the Spa open house on embarkment day, never lucky enough to win anything. I already get massages each month, for medical reasons, and usually get a pedicure before I go on vacation. But I was thinking it might be nice to try a facial or some other service. However, I was reading some reviews on Carnivals website and read several accounts of the staff trying to upsell other services during the treatment. Example, during a massage commenting on the woman having cellulite on her thighs and how she should really get their thermawhatever treatment to lose pounds and inches. Read several similar reviews such as this...made comment about body and the need for a wrap.

 

I understand trying to upsell during booking, and trying to promote products during a service to try and sell them, but to make sure statements about a persons body during what is to be a relaxing massage is out of line. Not to mention that thermawhatever is such a scam for "losing lbs" and I laugh at the quotes of how much weight an average person gains on a cruise, well yeah, the heat and ship water, salt content in food...etc. :rolleyes:

 

Anyone have similar experience, or have good spa review to share?

[Out of Iowa]

I took my teenaged daughters to the spa for a massage. It was a real treat for them and the younger one still talks about it longingly.

 

Anyway, after the massage was over, they gave us time to get dressed - then they came back in with "recommendations" for each of us, a several minute push of their products. Be prepared to politely say no. They'll give up.

 

Massage is far cheaper with a local provider - but it added to our cruise experience. With specials on port days, I'd book again.

[charris1980]

i joke with my wife from the last time i got a shave for formal dining night. every time she suggests face lotion or soap for me i tell her "my barber won't let me use that, i have to use this product instead" - referring to the guy on the cruise up selling me a bunch of stuff :)

[tootsiescurly]

The staff does try to upsell for products you will take home but never use. Also, the worst massages I have ever had were on cruise ships. The last cruise massage I had left me with a very sore back for about a week!!! :(

[Sarah@Sea]

Perhaps my $ would be better invested in the Casino. :)

 

I have to be careful given my medical condition, like I would not get a pedicure on board because I really have to trust the person and sanitation of the tools, etc. Was thinking a facial or something...but then come to think about it shouldn't one avoid sun exposure after a facial? Hmm...yeah the slots are calling my name.

[sassy0930]

The first massage I ever had was on a carnival ship and I can tell you, I'd never waste my money again. The masseuse went from barely touching to practically beating me when I said I could handle it a little firmer. My muscles were unhappy for at least a day after that. I don't remember anyone trying to get me to buy anything though, so I guess that was good? Thankfully I've gotten much better massages on land!

[daksimba]

I can attest that the nail services I received on the ship were a joke. I'd never do that again

[LHP]

I agree that the upsell is there and should not be......

[daksimba]

As far as the up-selling is concerned, what I did was when they give you the questionnaire to fill out, don't check anything on it no matter if it is true or not (this is how they bug you about more stuff to buy) and write on there that if they try to pitch you sales then their tip will be greatly effected. It worked for me.

[QTPie68]

My spa experience was quite good! I did comment to the assistant about some leg problems, and she concentrated on that during massage. She did politely suggest an oil and massaging brush, which were over priced, but I was just as polite in my negative response. However, to her credit, the type of brush she suggested, has positive feedback on internet....but of course, much cheaper locally. She at all times was polite and I enjoyed our time together.

[xitappers2bx]

I always get massages on board, and never once have they tried to sell me ANYTHING while performing the massage.

 

Afterwards... now that is a different story.

[Sinjan]

I won one of the raffle prizes on embarkation day. It was good for 50% off any service so I decided to splurge and get the hot stone massage. It was still a little pricey compared to what I could get at home but not outrageously so like it would have been full price.

Anyway, I really liked the massage. Very relaxing and she was good about really digging in deep in some problem areas I have. No sales pitch during, but as others have said after I was dressed she really laid it on thick. I tried the "No thank you" approach and she just kept going. And going. I finally had to tell her flat out that I was not going to buy anything today period. She seemed surprised by this and asked why. So I told her I was only there because of having won the raffle prize and that I felt the products were over priced. She was not happy about this and left out of the room in a huff.

[Sarah@Sea]

My spa experience was quite good! I did comment to the assistant about some leg problems, and she concentrated on that during massage. She did politely suggest an oil and massaging brush, which were over priced, but I was just as polite in my negative response. However, to her credit, the type of brush she suggested, has positive feedback on internet....but of course, much cheaper locally. She at all times was polite and I enjoyed our time together.

 

:D I own a brush for "dry brushing" massage for my lymphedema...which again I shouldn't risk someone not fully knowledgeable of the condition to massage.

[razzledee]

Hi everyone,

 

My daughter worked in the spa on the Victory a couple of years back. She lasted 5 months of a 12 month contract. Though my girl could probably sell ice to an eskimo she hated the pressure she was under to sell products.

 

Please don't get cross with these girls. I can assure you their wages are terrible and the only decent money they make is from a percentage of product sales and sometimes tips. The Victory is bad because many of the passengers are local Puerto Ricans who simply don't have the extra money to pay for the expensive treatments and products so that is why the pressure is on to sell to everyone else.

 

Another thing my daughter found was that she would try to market herself by meeting and greeting passengers on departure days (she didn't have to do that but she wanted to give it the personal touch). When her clients would book asking for her they would be given to staff who had been there longer than her. They were literally stealing clients my daughter had found for herself. She was not given a share of the fees nor any percentage from product sales.

 

She would also be relegated to massages only even if she had booked a client for a facial.

 

No wonder she left. It was nothing short of slave labour!!!

[Crusin6]

Just tell them you don't do checked luggage only a 21 inch wheel on so you have no way to get their liquid/cream/gel like products home lol

[razzledee]

Actually I got it wrong. Was just talking to my daughter and she said they only received commission (no base wage) and out of those earnings they had to pay board fees.

 

When she signed up with the spa firm (it's not Carnival but a contracted firm that supplies staff to lots of cruise lines) they made it sound so glamorous. Perhaps on other lines but not on the short haul cheap cruises.

[sailinglisa]

Steiner is the spa provider on most cruises and they just plain suck!

[razzledee]

Steiner is the spa provider on most cruises and they just plain suck!

 

That's them Lisa... their name escaped me. They don't care about the staff. My daughter was being bullied by one of the managers who had received complaints before from staff. She (the manager) went to another ship for awhile and my daughter was doing okay... but then she came back.

 

My daughter was so miserable and both her and another left on the same day :(

Edited February 28, 2014 by razzledee

[YB Nrml]

DH and I had hot stone massages on our very first cruise. It was listed as an hour long massage but after 30 minutes the massage was over and the hard sell began.

 

We've never booked any spa services since.

[Sparky2]

Friends of ours did a couples massage recently and told me they kept trying to sell them stuff.

 

I had my hair done on a cruise several years ago, and the hairdresser tried to sell me all sorts of stuff.

 

Just say "NO".

[suzeqlts2]

While on the Magic last week I had the top to toes massage and facial. It was wonderful ! afterwards Rebecca did have a list of "recommendations" but I just politlely said "no thanks" and that was it --no big deal . it did last almost 2 hours and included a skin treatment . I paid $139 which compared to our local spa was very reasonable !

[QTPie68]

Actually I got it wrong. Was just talking to my daughter and she said they only received commission (no base wage) and out of those earnings they had to pay board fees.

 

When she signed up with the spa firm (it's not Carnival but a contracted firm that supplies staff to lots of cruise lines) they made it sound so glamorous. Perhaps on other lines but not on the short haul cheap cruises.

 

Do they get the 15% auto tip? I tipped an extra 5% on my massage and the young lady was very grateful, so I got the idea she didn't make too much. I would like to know for future reference so that on my next cruise if I get someone as nice as before, I add even more extra tip!

[sailinglisa]

What I do if I decide to book a spa service on a ship that Steiner is used to run the spa....I tell the therapist that I am there for relaxation only.....if she tries to sell me products, it will impact their tip. If they don't try the sales pitch, I tip them extra......it works for me every time!

[buddha'smoo]

Do they get the 15% auto tip? I tipped an extra 5% on my massage and the young lady was very grateful, so I got the idea she didn't make too much. I would like to know for future reference so that on my next cruise if I get someone as nice as before, I add even more extra tip!

 

No the 15% is not automatically added. The spa therapists earn 7.25% of each treatment preformed/product sold, hair and nail earn 10%. So yes, tips are hugely appreciated. And that's why there's the big push on products. When I first started we used get a $50 p/w basic, but that has long stopped.

 

But unless they've changed it in the 4 years since I left, I don't know why your daughter said they had to pay board fees razzledee? The accomodation and food is part of your employment package, the only thing we ever had to pay was $10 per week to our room steward for cleaning the cabin which is hardly unreasonable. Although if your daughter is a US citizen she would of had to pay tax.