High Pressure Specialty Dining Sales Pitches

[grapau27]

I have been on many RCI cruises and I have not found this to be a problem. Certainly not put me off going on cruises with them.

 

I feel chatter on forums sometimes creates a false/misleading impression.

I agree, we have been approached in WJ on Freedom and Independence but Chops and Giovanni's are next to WJ so understandable.They asked and we did a deal because we wanted to go in and was grateful to be asked and to get a good deal.

[MrYellowDuck]

We had 2 wonderful MDR Waiter/Asst Waiters, however my husband and I had a heck of a time having a private conversation. Between the lengthy description of EVERY item on the menu, constant refilling of the water glasses, and asking if we were happy with the service... it was kinda crazy.

 

How did these two respond once you had said that you valued a less over-the-top form of service?

[Mikew0805]

Wow.. I was on this same sailing. We never ran into this in the dining room, but then again we only ate in there for dinner. Sorry this happened.

[SRF]

It's odd. I've never experienced anything like what's being discussed; including the person who was tired of being hassled by time share people in Vegas or people selling excursions in ports. It may be that they do pick and choose who they approach.. I've been told by many friends that I have a RBF (resting b*** face); that plus avoiding eye contact and quick to cut people off with a 'not interested'... and I really don't get hassled for sales.

 

Similar. I wave them off, and they look at me and walk away. :)

[cjdixon4]

How did these two respond once you had said that you valued a less over-the-top form of service?

Guess I'll never know, since I shared my experiences only on the post-cruise survey. Probably nothing will happen. I guess it is what it is. :rolleyes:

[Carpy the Cat]

I look at it like this: it's no different than the constant interruptions you get in a normal restaurant. The waitress always pops up when I've just put food in my mouth then I feel like a jerk because I can't answer properly.

[dverzic]

I look at it like this: it's no different than the constant interruptions you get in a normal restaurant. The waitress always pops up when I've just put food in my mouth then I feel like a jerk because I can't answer properly.

 

 

 

Yeah, but they go away when you say everything is fine. It sounds like the sales people are more insistent than that.

 

 

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[Dennis#1]

......I wave them off, and they look at me and walk away. :)

 

Yes, this works for me too.

[Blauelini]

Spent last week on Oasis of the Seas and almost everything was great but it was impossible to enjoy a meal without enduring at least one flea market-style salesperson interrupting us to try and sell specialty dining packages, wine tastings, etc.

 

I finally got fed up one morning at breakfast and asked the salesperson, "would it be possible for us to enjoy a meal without constant interruptions from someone trying to sell us something?" She said, "Okay." Then she walked away muttering, "we're just doing our jobs."

 

Literally 5 minutes later, someone else stopped by our table asking if any of us had changed our minds about it.

 

I get that it's not their fault that Royal Caribbean has turned the main dining room into a time share-style high pressure sales environment with a captive audience. I'm sure they have quotas to meet. But I should be allowed to express my displeasure with the experience.

 

Just did a 7 day on Oasis, not 1 person ever came up to me in the MDR or WJ. Maybe it was the charming warmth I exude?:D:D

[TotallyNotARobot]

Having worked in sales in what feels like a past life, the fastest way to escape the "overcoming objections" cycle is to make yourself ineligible.

 

For example, at a timeshare pitch they will always keep trying to turn a no into a yes. That's literally what they get paid for, the space between your first "no thanks" and the sale. If you ask them something like "can I still get timeshare financing while I'm in my chapter 7 bankruptcy?", you will dust flying as they run away from you.

 

The same concept works for any salesperson. Make yourself ineligible to buy what they are selling and they will stop bothering you.

[trev71]

A firm thank you, but no thank you is the best response. Yes, she was only doing her job. Unfortunately, they are under sales quotes; but it should never be during a meal. The whole reason cruise lines went to specialty dining was so they could downgrade the quality in main dining room while pushing people into "fee" dining with a high quality. I don't think it was ever designed to interfere with your meals but given a sales quotas, pushy servers and a captive audience and you have the perfect storm. As long as people are willing to pay for "fee" dining the problem is not going away soon sorry to say.

 

Bingo, I except them to do that. Just thing is to say no thank you and smile and they will move to the next person.

[Clarea]

Having worked in sales in what feels like a past life, the fastest way to escape the "overcoming objections" cycle is to make yourself ineligible.

 

For example, at a timeshare pitch they will always keep trying to turn a no into a yes. That's literally what they get paid for, the space between your first "no thanks" and the sale. If you ask them something like "can I still get timeshare financing while I'm in my chapter 7 bankruptcy?", you will dust flying as they run away from you.

 

The same concept works for any salesperson. Make yourself ineligible to buy what they are selling and they will stop bothering you.

Love it!:D

[jll583]

We had the pitches beginning in the terminal after check in for both dining packages and drink packages. There were so many! We just said we already purchased and they moved on. We experienced some dining package selling in both the promenade and Central Park the first few days. We also had someone drop by once or twice while in Windjammer, but none in the MDR.

 

 

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[SRF]

If you ask them something like "can I still get timeshare financing while I'm in my chapter 7 bankruptcy?", you will dust flying as they run away from you.

 

That is a great one.

 

Although I must say, I have actually sat through time share pitches for the perks. Did one in Vegas for $100 chip. When we went one on one with the sales person, just told her, we were not in the market, and only came for the free chip. Told her, if we bought a time share, it would be based on trade ability, so it would be Maui. It went very well and QUICKLY after that. :)

[Dennis#1]

Having worked in sales in what feels like a past life, the fastest way to escape the "overcoming objections" cycle is to make yourself ineligible.

 

For example, at a timeshare pitch they will always keep trying to turn a no into a yes. That's literally what they get paid for, the space between your first "no thanks" and the sale. If you ask them something like "can I still get timeshare financing while I'm in my chapter 7 bankruptcy?", you will dust flying as they run away from you.

 

The same concept works for any salesperson. Make yourself ineligible to buy what they are selling and they will stop bothering you.

 

That is a great one.

 

Although I must say, I have actually sat through time share pitches for the perks. Did one in Vegas for $100 chip. When we went one on one with the sales person, just told her, we were not in the market, and only came for the free chip. Told her, if we bought a time share, it would be based on trade ability, so it would be Maui. It went very well and QUICKLY after that. :)

 

We also sat through one of those Vegas time share pitches. Had to listen for an hour to get all the free stuff they were offering (show tickets, meals, Vegas tour). I set my timer on my watch at the beginning of the pitch. After 61 minutes, I interrupted and said “I would like a copy of your presentation so I could forward it back East to my lawyer for review.” This blew their mind, and they admitted that our attorney most likely would not recommend that we buy the time share. We quickly left with all the free stuff.

[Cuizer2]

Reading this post really inspires me to go out and get that custom made Tuxedo I've been thinking about. Royal is such a classy cruise line.:rolleyes:

 

I wonder if Walmart sells tux's?:confused:

 

Here you go (and only $6) ...

 

[Rae Chull]

It's odd. I've never experienced anything like what's being discussed; including the person who was tired of being hassled by time share people in Vegas or people selling excursions in ports. It may be that they do pick and choose who they approach.. I've been told by many friends that I have a RBF (resting b*** face); that plus avoiding eye contact and quick to cut people off with a 'not interested'... and I really don't get hassled for sales.

 

 

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I’m the Vegas one.... you’re probably right. I tend to smile and if I make eye contact I nod. Toward the second half of our last week in VEGAS I could hear my husband whispering to me “don’t make eye contact, don’t make eye contact” every time he spotted a time share person. Unless we were in the Venetian (<3) we were hassled constantly. I actually made the mistake of feeling bad for one and talking to her. We are dinks... they were in love with us and we got stuck for at least a half hour. That’s when we learned you can’t live in Clark County - we live in Michigan but I used that one when I accidentally made eye contact from that point forward. My Dec cruise is a trial for a much more expensive two week cruise - if it goes like Vegas we definitely won’t go again.

 

 

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