Jewelry shops onboard

[HarleyGirl]

I believe I read on here in the past that the jewelry stores on the ships have great deals and are a good place to shop, at least better than the ports you travel to. Can anyone tell of any good examples of things they got on board? Is it really cheaper than buying jewelry at home? Are the diamonds certified and everything? I am thinking of upgrading my wedding ring while on our cruise if this is the case. Are the best deals toward the end of the cruise? Thanks!:rolleyes:

[msolberg]

I have purchased diamond earrings on the ship - it was more of an impulse then a good deal. You can find great deals on diamonds in St. Thomas and St. Martin. Do your homework before you leave home to know what you would pay for the size and quality you are looking for. We have made multiple purchases in St. Thomas and have yet to be disappointed.

 

Diane

[HarleyGirl]

Thanks for the info! Just curious if you know anything about buying in Cozumel or Playa del Carmen. I hear so much conflicting information. Some say it's cheaper and some say not. This will be my first trip so I dont know!

[msolberg]

I have seen some really good deals on gold and silver in Cozumel. The last time I was in Cozumel, I really wanted an opal pendant and I shopped around quite a bit trying to find one that didn't have either diamonds or tanzanite on it. I found one and talked the guy down from $400.00 to $200.00 but even at that I think the price was just an okay deal.

 

They really are very pushy - it's difficult to deal with at first, but if you politely, but firmly, say no thanks or it's not what you had in mind, you will get the hang of it real quick.

 

 

Diane

[GinaDucey]

I would not buy jewelry in Playa! The prices are over inflated and they have a routine down of cutting the price by %50 at your first hesitation. Just go to a few place and test it out and you will see very quickly that this is the standard practice now. I agree with Diane - if you are going to St. Thomas or St. Maarten. I have had the best deals (for what I was searching for) in St. Maarten. I truly believe the days of the really good deals are over in Playa and maybe Cozumel. I have heard mixed reviews on Diamonds International. I do buy some jewelry onboard and have always been thrilled once I got home and compaired. I do not buy jewelry at home any longer (but then again I do own my own jewelry business). In the So. Islands they do design their own jewelry - so if you are seeking a one-of-a-kind piece - you can find it and love the price.

 

On board - Watches tend to be real good deals and often times you can find styles that either have not been released in the states yet or never will be. I also agree with Diane - just do your research before you leave and know what you would pay for at home - and study up on diamonds and go armed with knowledge.

 

Have fun! Gina

[zqvol]

There are great deals on jewlery in the Caribbean, providing you do your homework first. I think that if you want to buy gemstones that are unmounted there is no duty on them. If you buy jewelry make sure to declare it.

[weechloe]

I purchased a diamond ring on the Explorer last May. You get a warranty that if for no reason in the first year you want to return it they will give you a full refund. Also if it is appraised and not worth what you paid for it, no questions asked, a complete refund. Had mine appraised when I got home and it was worth two and a half times more than what I paid for it. When we were on the ship and stopped at Cozumel and the Cayman's, there was nothng even close in price.

[redskin80]

I purchased some diamond earrings a few years back, on board ship, I waited towards the end of the cruise and the price was about 1/2 from the start of teh cruise. This is a play and wait game, they might be there one day and gone the next. I figure that If they are still there when I want to buy them, then it was meant to be and if they are gone oh well. My mom did the sale thing on a tennis bracelet. I have also purchased in St Thomas. Got a good deal on a silver ankle, founds some good deals on diamonds, I waited for Aruba and wanted to KICK myself in the butt because the prices were better in St Thomas.

[cheshyrkat]

...The prices are over inflated and they have a routine down of cutting the price by %50 at your first hesitation. Just go to a few place and test it out and you will see very quickly that this is the standard practice now....

 

The salespeople always haggle with the prices. That's to be expected in Mexico. I don't like dealing with it, either but I've gotten some decent deals doing it.

[GinaDucey]

Yes it is standard practice. But the last several years prices have been insane. In Playa, November of '05 I saw prices on rings that I buy through my manufactures for $3 to $5 (very good sterling) the shops were trying to sell for $30.00 and more. I used to think I got great bargains untill I started my own jewerly business. Even after talking them down - I found the prices to still be higher for the same rings that you can buy stateside. Now I am only talking about Playa for this instance. We were redirected to Playa instead of Cozumel due to the hurricanes. However - the cruise before when I did go back to Cozumel I could see the trend there as well. I did find a great family owned shop there and made a large wholesale purchase of about 80 pieces for my business. The owner had to admit to me that I really forced him down - I was fully aware of what my per gram charge was and I was aware of the silver market and average per gram price.

 

I am just saying - you may thing that $20 ring was a good bargain - but do not be surprised if you find the same ring at home for $8.00. Also the Hematite is mass produced and made in China. It is not even real hematite - you think the $15 you are paying is a good bargain - I can buy them for .50 each all day long. Just be smart about your shopping.

[cheshyrkat]

I am just saying - you may thing that $20 ring was a good bargain - but do not be surprised if you find the same ring at home for $8.00.

 

This is so true. It's hard not to get caught up in the heat of the moment! And SOMEtimes you can find a unique piece...but you do have a definite advantage over the majority of people!! :)

[MamaParrotHead]

I have wanted a mother's ring for a while...but the cheesy ones available in most commerical jewlery stores just aren't my style. So, before going on our cruise, I decided that I wanted to get some loose stones to set into a mother's ring, instead of buying up gobs of tshirts and refrigerator magnets. That way, I was getting something I honestly had wanted for a while AND getting a nice souvenir of our wonderful trip.

 

I ended up buying my stones in St. Thomas (not many of the places I went to had the particular stones I was searching for...citrine and garnet). I paid $50 for a 1 carat emerald cut citrine and a 1 carat emerald cut garnet. The jeweler I took them to to set them here at home said I paid almost exactly what he would have charged for the stones, but I have them to remember my trip by every time I see them on my finger :).

 

As for the deals in the shops on board, we found almost everything we looked at to be comparable to those in port. DH decided he wanted a watch, and after scouring both St. Martin AND St. Thomas, he ended up buying the one in the shop onboard anyway, LOL. So my take would be this, unless you want to spend your trip nosing around dozens of jewlery shops (which very well may be the case, I don't know), if you find something you like, GET it.

[GinaDucey]

That is what it is all about! It brings you back to a good time and the loves of your life!