Shopping on a HAL ship

[pamrose228]

I've been on CCL and RCI love browsing the shops but am not into buying jewelry (I live in NY so go to 47th). Like little souvenir type stuff have bought cross body bags and glitzt t-shirts. Like the shopping on CCL better than RCI. Dislike the mall feel and high end stores. What will I find on HAL?

 

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[cb at sea]

You will find about the same stuff....I don't mind killing 30 mins. or so "browsing" in the stores, but I rarely find anything I can't live without!

[Tampa Girl]

And I think that it depends on the ship and the itinerary. For example, I frequently find that the assortment of clothes is not as good on the westbound TA's because the inventory is being replaced when the ship get to the States for the Caribbean cruises. That having been said, I go out of my way to find something that I can't live without.

[RJ2002]

It seems that almost every HAL cruise we've been on, there will be a "sale" or two. Note that "sale" is in quotation marks. ;)

 

They will sometimes set up tables in the pool area on a sea day with various items. Same is true in the evenings in the atrium, although the evening "sales" seem to be more jewelry.

[3rdGenCunarder]

At least one sale by the pool is likely to feature souvenirs with a a local theme. I recall HAL Alaska T-shirts and other Alaska souvenirs one day on our Alaska cruise. HAL Panama Canal T-shirts on the partial canal cruise. And there will be watches, $10 bling and other stuff you might find useful, like wet-bathingsuit bags (but I saw them later at Harmon and Christmas Tree Shop for less).

[iancal]

Bought a fairly inexpensive Citizen watch that was supposed to be 60 percent off. Bought it because I liked it and the price was fair. Saw the same watch in FLL a few days later for a dollar less.

 

Priced a high end watch on board. Then found the identical on in the internet for about 30 percent less. I passed.

 

We do not know much about high end jewelry, stones, etc so we would never consider buying them on a ship or in the Caribbean. Too many false claims, scams, and phoney appraisal certificates for our liking. At least if we get scammed at home there is a better chance at getting some satisfaction.

[iancal]

DW says she bought a cover up on a HAL ship. It was great quality. It was not inexpensive nor was it a bargain. She was very happy with it. Other than that, she is not a big fan of HAL shops and has never bought anything other clothing on board. Same with Princess. She did however the NCL shops on both cruises much better in terms of selection and price than any other mass market ships that she has been on.

 

In our experience, the only bargains on a HAL ship are the ones you get when booking inside the final payment window.

[alwaysfrantic]

You'll find nothing. Seriously, the shopping is awful and I have written it in my comment forms. They have a large jewelry area, a small perfume corner and the store of Tylenol, cheap jewelry and logo sweatshirts. I would love to see boutiques, a kitchen shop, nice clothes...really ANY clothes without a Holland America logo.

[pamrose228]

i found the best buy on a ccl ta at the beginning on the cruise a small gray cross body guess bag patent leather for $20

 

 

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[Herfnerd]

Carnival ships have those gold by the inch sales - wonder how many people's skin turned green from the "gold"

 

 

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Edited August 14, 2017 by Herfnerd

[cruzin4us]

Carnival ships have those good by the inch sales - wonder how many people's skin turned green from the "gold"

 

 

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Mine :o:o:o:o:o

[Krazy Kruizers]

I see that you will be on the Zuiderdam in December -- partial Panama Canal cruise.

You may have a sale for Mola's and Panama t-shirts by the pool.

HAL also has the inch of gold stuff you can buy.

[Scrapnana]

The best shopping I found was on Cunard. Besides the high ticket items (jewelry, booze, designer handbags, etc.) which I have no interest in, they had a bookstore. It was small but amazingly well stocked. Besides books they had souvenirs (key rings, magnets, pens, bookmarks, etc.) and even some yarn and knitting needles. I was disappointed that HAL did not have anything like it.

[Underwatr]

Bought a fairly inexpensive Citizen watch that was supposed to be 60 percent off. Bought it because I liked it and the price was fair. Saw the same watch in FLL a few days later for a dollar less.

 

Priced a high end watch on board. Then found the identical on in the internet for about 30 percent less. I passed.

I noticed that the pricing onboard is promoted as being some respectable discount off of retail. Almost no jewelry stores sell watches at "retail."

[Underwatr]

The best shopping I found was on Cunard. Besides the high ticket items (jewelry, booze, designer handbags, etc.) which I have no interest in, they had a bookstore. It was small but amazingly well stocked. Besides books they had souvenirs (key rings, magnets, pens, bookmarks, etc.) and even some yarn and knitting needles. I was disappointed that HAL did not have anything like it.

Last week on ms Amsterdam, DW mentioned wanting to visit the bookstore. I had to break it to her.

[iancal]

The cruise lines all seem the same. Far too much logo wear.

 

Why on earth would I want to buy something with a HAL, or Princess, or Celebrity logo on it??

 

Neither of us are that vain.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Last week on ms Amsterdam, DW mentioned wanting to visit the bookstore. I had to break it to her.

 

Ohhhh, I know! Cunard has spoiled you. (me too, even with the reduced QM2 bookshop) The only books for sale on HAL are their cookbooks, and you have to go to the Explorations cafe to get those. The people in the shops don't know about them. HAL used to sell a nice Alaska guide and map. I just dug mine out to study in anticipation of our upcoming cruise.