Facets - Watches

[Murphey]

Google blue dial watches and check out the prices. 10% off Citizen watches is peanuts.,

 

Thanks for that information!! I paid $3 less for my watch on board. Yay! Love the double 10% discounts.....it worked for me.

[jacketwatch]

Thanks for that information!! I paid $3 less for my watch on board. Yay! Love the double 10% discounts.....it worked for me.

Also Blue Dial has free S/H. :)

[PescadoAmarillo]

6 years ago I wore my work watch, a Timex, on our cruise. My thinking was if something happened to it I would not cause my any undo concern. And, I just wanted a watch that would keep me from missing anything with a scheduled time.

 

So, first day out the battery died. So, I head off to the ship shops to purchase a new battery. Find the shop with watches and request a battery.

 

At that Point I am told they do not carry batteries for watches. As I am receiving this good news a lady walks up and hears the input. She stated she also needed a battery.

 

At that point I go to plan B which was to purchase a watch. I rolled right on past the Rolex watches down to the cheap end of the counter. I found a nice Citizen Eco Drive that I liked and made the purchase.

 

Back in the cabin the wife started to laugh when she asked how much did I save with my cruising watch plan?

 

Now for the funny part of my story. If you are still reading, read on.

 

5 days later I was walking past the sale tables set up in the hallway, everyone knows about them right, and I see a bunch of $10.00 watches "On Sale". I see one that I like and purchase it. Then when I am back in the cabin I put the Citizen watch into the safe.

 

Bob

They got my husband with the 'we don't sell batteries, but can we interest you in an ecodrive watch?' too. I was thrilled he splurged. He got me a Rolex for my 40th birthday but had been wearing Wal-ex's (from WalMart) himself. Glad he's gone a bit more upscale. ;)

[Nezmo]

Also Blue Dial has free S/H. :)

 

Based on recent reviews of that Website and some extremely suspect prices on some of their items, I wouldn't go near that seller.

 

But I think it's a generally accepted point that often you can do better shopping around, especially if you are prepared to go grey market. In some cases you might find a slightly better deal on the ship. Just know your prices ahead of time. I know I just had fun buying a couple of watches a few cruises back. It was an impulse buy and made my better half very happy. I think the price I got was about the same as I could have done back home.

Edited July 15, 2015 by Nezmo

[downsmead]

As someone has already mentioned, it helps to know the price at home. My daughter bought a Michael Kors watch on the Regal which represented a substantial saving on the UK price. Citizen are also a good deal onboard compared with UK prices. The higher end watches do not seem to offer such a large saving in our experience. I will say that I thought Princess offered an excellent range of watches to suit all pockets.

[jacketwatch]

Based on recent reviews of that Website and some extremely suspect prices on some of their items, I wouldn't go near that seller.

 

But I think it's a generally accepted point that often you can do better shopping around, especially if you are prepared to go grey market. In some cases you might find a slightly better deal on the ship. Just know your prices ahead of time. I know I just had fun buying a couple of watches a few cruises back. It was an impulse buy and made my better half very happy. I think the price I got was about the same as I could have done back home.

 

I bought several watches form them but that was a while ago. I had no issues but now I see there are some problems since then. Looks like things have changed for the worse.

 

Here in the Chicago area Citizen and Seikos are routinely 25% off MSRP but of course you add tax which around here is 10% more or less.

 

I was able to get a Citizen eco drive skyhawk at JC Penneys some yrs. back which came to nearly 50% off when a coupon was added to the 25%.

 

In Ketchican I got an eco-drive 2100 cal. for a flat 50% off MSRP, no tax. Cash. :S-

 

In St. Thomas las May I got one of their new Astron models for 20% off, no tax but of course it took some bargaining as they offered only 10% off as this is the newest model they have.

 

In Ocho Rios I got an eco drive model with a face that resembles a race car dash board for about 40% off.

 

Don't forget to bargain when in duty free ports.

[jacketwatch]

In Europe or the UK do Seiko and Citizen watches sell for the at least 25% off that we normally see in the U.S. ?

[Proud Grandparents]

Don't waste your time, or money. Recently (Feb.) was on the Coral to the Caribbean and saw a Tag that was "on sale". $3,500 seemed a good price (didn't buy it) until I did an on-line search and found it for hundreds less with free shipping and no sales tax.

[jacketwatch]

Don't waste your time, or money. Recently (Feb.) was on the Coral to the Caribbean and saw a Tag that was "on sale". $3,500 seemed a good price (didn't buy it) until I did an on-line search and found it for hundreds less with free shipping and no sales tax.

Was that grey market or from an AD?

[emmak8]

I am wary of buying watches, jewelry and "fine art" on board any cruise ship.

 

Although I'm eager to hear stories of passengers who think they got a great deal.

[MGnut]

Just this month I bought a Citizen Eco-Drive watch while on the Ocean Princess. With the Elite discount, it cost me $213. List is $475, and Amazon price is $356.

 

I'm happy. :)

[Putterdude]

I purchase a Tag a few years ago in St. Thomas and negotiated hard to get a good deal. Six months later I was looking at the exactly same watch in Facets and with the discount and Elite discount they were still a few dollars higher but it would have saved me a lot of time and effort to have purchased at Facets. I don't know if this is still the case with the new management group but they used to match any price that you could find in a port.

[caribill]

I don't know if this is still the case with the new management group but they used to match any price that you could find in a port.

 

They still will, but you must prove that you actually could get that price for the exact same item in a port.

 

If you are negotiating a price in port, I suspect the vendor will not give the negotiated price to you in writing so you can buy it elsewhere.

[Putterdude]

They still will, but you must prove that you actually could get that price for the exact same item in a port.

 

If you are negotiating a price in port, I suspect the vendor will not give the negotiated price to you in writing so you can buy it elsewhere.

 

I suspect you are right and have always felt that the offer was a bit toothless, however that goes for most other retailers who make that offer.

[USN59-79]

Last year while aboard ship in Asia my eco-drive I had bought (also aboard ship) about four years before was failing. Couldn't easily set the date and time. They were having a watch sale onboard and I bought another eco-drive on sale and with 10% off it came to $85. Had what I needed; large, luminous numbers, day and date, and waterproof to 100 meters. Only problem was an ugly cloth band. When we stopped in Beijing I went to the knockoff place called the Silk Market. Showed them the watch and said I needed a good stainless steel matching band. They fitted a perfect one from an Omega knockoff for $15. Has worked fine for the last year. When I got home I sent my 4-year old one in for warranty repair. It came back with a new movement so now I am the happy owner of two Citizen eco-drives.

[Pjran]

The Caribbean Princess also sell Longines.

 

I admired the ladies Longine Classique silver watch and am now regretting not buying it. I should have done some internet research whilst on board last week to check the UK prices but convinced myself I could buy it cheaper once home. Not that I really need another watch of course! Even with our poor £ to $ exchange rate I now realise it was a good price on the ship.

 

Live and learn.

[caribill]

I suspect you are right and have always felt that the offer was a bit toothless, however that goes for most other retailers who make that offer.

 

What is even more toothless is the guarantee for purchases made at suggested Princess stores in a port (e.g.: Diamonds International). Any appraisals used to be able to be made by an independent appraiser in your home area. Now they can only be made at a couple of internationally recognized appraisers with only one or two locations in the USA. And Internet pricing does not count.

[PrincessMelody]

Recently returned from Caribbean Princess and the watch brands onboard to memory are-

 

Rolex

Hublot

Omega

Tag Heuer

Gucci

Raymond Weil

Citizen

Movado

 

Wow, they sell Hublot and Rolex onboard now? Nice! :)

[majortom10]

Wow, they sell Hublot and Rolex onboard now? Nice! :)

 

Yes I naively enquired about a Hublot watch onboard Caribbean Princess last week and was told it was $25000 but with my Elite discount would be ONLY $22500 and he gave me a book and said I would think about it lol. With current exchange rates it meant it would have cost me approx £15000 when I got home did a check on internet and cheapest UK price I could find at a Hublot dealer for same watch was £20000 so it was a bargain :).

[caribill]

Yes I naively enquired about a Hublot watch onboard Caribbean Princess last week and was told it was $25000 but with my Elite discount would be ONLY $22500 and he gave me a book and said I would think about it lol. With current exchange rates it meant it would have cost me approx £15000 when I got home did a check on internet and cheapest UK price I could find at a Hublot dealer for same watch was £20000 so it was a bargain.

 

If you bought it for the £15000, would you have had to pay any customs tax when going home?

[GUT2407]

I don't know why some people think everything sold on board is a rip-off.

 

Some items ARE [in my opinion] overpriced, some are good value, just like shopping anywhere you need to know what you can buy it for elsewhere.

 

The same applies to Watches, Art, Perfume, Electronics or anything else they sell.

[caribill]

I don't know why some people think everything sold on board is a rip-off.

 

Some items ARE [in my opinion] overpriced, some are good value, just like shopping anywhere you need to know what you can buy it for elsewhere.

 

The same applies to Watches, Art, Perfume, Electronics or anything else they sell.

 

 

Tax-free shopping on a ship and in airports really meant no import tax. Today that has much less meaning because in much of the world meaningful import taxes do not exist.

 

The USA has greatly reduced tariffs on many, many products and some sold for full list price in a tax-free environment often costs more than what is sold in the USA in a discount store or online. Of course sales taxes still apply in the USA.

 

The only bargains you can count on for USA residents purchasing in a tax-free environment will be for alcohol and tobacco products, but these have low allowed quantity limits when coming into the country.

 

In Europe the EU has greatly reduced the value of the airport tax free stores. With no individual country tariff tax, airport prices in Amsterdam (again at full list prices) will not be better than if you purchased the items outside the airport in an EU country.

 

Most of the items which people report as having lower pricing on a Princess ship have the lower pricing from either the 10% discount on purchases early in the cruise or the 10% discount that elite passengers get in the boutiques or from being able to utilize both of these discounts.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Tax-free shopping on a ship and in airports really meant no import tax. Today that has much less meaning because in much of the world meaningful import taxes do not exist.

 

The USA has greatly reduced tariffs on many, many products and some sold for full list price in a tax-free environment often costs more than what is sold in the USA in a discount store or online. Of course sales taxes still apply in the USA.

 

The only bargains you can count on for USA residents purchasing in a tax-free environment will be for alcohol and tobacco products, but these have low allowed quantity limits when coming into the country.

 

In Europe the EU has greatly reduced the value of the airport tax free stores. With no individual country tariff tax, airport prices in Amsterdam (again at full list prices) will not be better than if you purchased the items outside the airport in an EU country.

 

Most of the items which people report as having lower pricing on a Princess ship have the lower pricing from either the 10% discount on purchases early in the cruise or the 10% discount that elite passengers get in the boutiques or from being able to utilize both of these discounts.

This might help explain why people from other countries (Brits especially) seem to think the on board shops offer incredible values, especially for things like makeup and perfumes. I look at the same items and know I can get them for the same price, usually less, at home. The only time I buy that sort of thing on a ship is if I happen to need it on the cruise.

[majortom10]

This might help explain why people from other countries (Brits especially) seem to think the on board shops offer incredible values, especially for things like makeup and perfumes. I look at the same items and know I can get them for the same price, usually less, at home. The only time I buy that sort of thing on a ship is if I happen to need it on the cruise.

 

The make-up and perfume was certainly not cheap for us Brits recently on Caribbean Princess no cheaper than we can get on the high street.

[jacketwatch]

The make-up and perfume was certainly not cheap for us Brits recently on Caribbean Princess no cheaper than we can get on the high street.

I bought a bottle of men's cologne in St. Thomas that was way less than what it was onboard though that price beat the price in the stores in the Chicago area.