Are those walk-in and free seminar events just upsell?

[1412p0oi]

Hello. So my first cruise happens this weekend, and I now notice a very heavily populated amount of activities listed in the app planner, many of which being the ship’s own jewelry shops, art gallery, spa, fitness center, etc.

 

In the interest of deciding what to do and avoiding having to awkwardly decline any special “treatments,” I was wondering how much of these events are just upsell of onboard services you can buy? And how much are actually useful information? For example, there are ones listed like “how to live healthily” or “free hair consultations” or the ones about acupuncture. 
 

I would appreciate hearing what experienced Princess cruisers have to say on this, since my curiosity was piqued but I don’t want to run myself ragged just trying to go to all the activities if they’re just advertising a product. 

Edited January 12 by 1412p0oi

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

They are all upsell events but if you can put up with the hard sell they sometimes do have some freebies, giveaways or special offers which you might be interested in. I don't go because I don't like the constant selling at me but my wife goes and if there is nothing that she wanted anyway she comes back without buying anything.

 

Personally, IMO I don't think they are worth going out of your way for but if it is on and you have nothing better to do then why not. 🙂 

[MissP22]

41 minutes ago, 1412p0oi said:

I was wondering how much of these events are just upsell of onboard services you can buy?

All of them.

Unless you're really interested in a purchase, it's a complete waste of time.

[cjpj]

The art auctions can be interesting.  I'd never buy anything, but I do enjoy listening sometimes if I have nothing better to do. I must have that look of I'm not really interested because I'm never offered the free champagne or sparkling wine.😭😭😭

[SargassoPirate]

These upsell events must work or they would disappear.

 

Also read your description details carefully to make sure part of the tour doesn't include a local craft "demonstration".  Some of them are worse than a Florida timeshare salesman.

[skynight]

"Hello. So my first cruise happens this weekend, and I now notice a very heavily populated amount of activities listed in the app planner, many of which being the ship’s own jewelry shops, art gallery, spa, fitness center, etc."

They are all selling events. My suggestion avoid any event that is run by any of the shops, spa, fitness and so on. I also avoid the art. They are selling art. Some people enjoy the art auctions. Me, I avoid them for sure.

Cruise Director staff run activities are real activities, not sales pitches.

I'm thinking your first cruise is a week/10 day voyage. Some longer cruises, example 15/16 day Hawaii, have actual naturalists on board. They give nice informational lectures. They are not selling things. 

[karatemom2]

Most of these activities that are sponsored by the spa or the stores are upsell, but if you don’t mind saying “No” you can sometimes enjoy some light services like a free neck and shoulder massage or mini facial (Ladies Pamper Party). I would totally avoid the acupuncture or weight loss talks and despite sometimes walking away with some cheap freebies like a charm bracelet, I’m not a big fan of the shop promotions. Things like the morning group Zumba or Yoga and dance instruction classes usually don’t come with a sales pitch. Arts and craft projects and onboard demos like cocktail making, fruit carving, towel animals, etc. are similarly free from upsell. Port lectures may have an upsell for shore excursions, but some are just informational or cover nature or history topics which can be quite interesting. The good news is you can always hang toward the back if you are unsure and sneak away if it ends up being not to your liking. 

[starvenger]

2 hours ago, cjpj said:

The art auctions can be interesting.  I'd never buy anything, but I do enjoy listening sometimes if I have nothing better to do. I must have that look of I'm not really interested because I'm never offered the free champagne or sparkling wine.😭😭😭

In fairness the art is pretty nice to look at. Not "I'll buy a print and take it home with me" nice, but nice to look at nonetheless.

[matamanoa]

My husband and I have spent some enjoyable hours listening to informative and educational talks from naturalists, historians and other speciality speakers.  We have found that the lectures on health - accupuncture, beauty products, relieving stress topics - are usually the ones which invite you to buy products after their presentations and we avoid those talks.  You have to read your daily activities list carefully to see what is on offer on any particular day and you should be able to choose from a variety of lectures that occur mostly on sea days.  We particularly enjoyed the daily lectures from a retired high school teacher whose talks about the South Pacific and Hawaii were standing room only on the four or five sea days it took to get to Hawaii from LA.  If you were to be on an Alaskan cruise, there is almost always a naturalist on board who gives lectures over the PA system as you are sailing into a fjord or some other natural landmark along the way.  As was mentioned above, the art auctions might not be your cup of tea but perusing the artwork itself could be of interest.  There are so many activities listed daily and you can pick and choose what you want to attend.  Sometimes one of the officers on board will give talks about the workings, etc. of the ship and they are always interesting talks, as are the Q & As events from one of the higher ups on board - the captain or another one of his officers.  

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Barb

 

 

[DCThunder]

1 hour ago, starvenger said:

In fairness the art is pretty nice to look at. Not "I'll buy a print and take it home with me" nice, but nice to look at nonetheless.

3/4ths of the "art" I see in the Princess Art Galleries is hideous.  And the other 1/4th is Thomas Kinkade.

[DCThunder]

Another presentation to avoid is the one in the fitness center where they take your footprint and then try to sell you orthotics for your shoes.

[cr8tiv1]

Once, on a short cruise to nowhere, my cabin mate and I decided to hit every “seminar”.  We even made it to the ice carving.  One and done.  
 

Art auction with Princess Fine Arts was enjoyable.  Now they make you register.  Free art packet not too bad, but what will you do with random prints that you would have to spend $$$$ framing?

 

Arts and crafts used to have good crafts.  Mostly origami paper folding.  
 

Some port talks and a few enrichment lectures may be watched in your tv.  Princess has some interesting speakers.

[1412p0oi]

2 hours ago, DCThunder said:

Another presentation to avoid is the one in the fitness center where they take your footprint and then try to sell you orthotics for your shoes.

Thanks haha I had actually bookmarked that one because I was curious to get an analysis…but it’s sad if it’s just an upsell. 😞

[1412p0oi]

2 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Once, on a short cruise to nowhere, my cabin mate and I decided to hit every “seminar”.  We even made it to the ice carving.  One and done.  
 

Art auction with Princess Fine Arts was enjoyable.  Now they make you register.  Free art packet not too bad, but what will you do with random prints that you would have to spend $$$$ framing?

 

Arts and crafts used to have good crafts.  Mostly origami paper folding.  
 

Some port talks and a few enrichment lectures may be watched in your tv.  Princess has some interesting speakers.

Was ice carving really boring? I noticed that too and wondered if it was going to be making ice sculptures or something. 

[cr8tiv1]

Ice sculpturing was interesting, but very crowded (hard to view).  Artist/crew made a mistake...oops and had to modify on the spot.

[helenb]

Another tip: if you get a service in the spa, write 'NO SALES PITCH' in big letters on the form that you have to fill out. It works, because those attendants want their gratuity.

Edited January 12 by helenb

[DCThunder]

37 minutes ago, 1412p0oi said:

Thanks haha I had actually bookmarked that one because I was curious to get an analysis…but it’s sad if it’s just an upsell. 😞

I was stretching in the room off the fitness center where the footprint seminar was going on.  The very fit looking sales guy was pitching $500-750 per pair orthotics to several women who were holding their footprints and listening very intently. 

 

I must say he was a very handsome dude in a tight tee shirt, so perhaps that was what was causing the attention.

[DCThunder]

33 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Ice sculpturing was interesting, but very crowded (hard to view).  Artist/crew made a mistake...oops and had to modify on the spot.

Unless they're using chain saws, it's a hard pass!  😎

[1412p0oi]

2 minutes ago, DCThunder said:

I was stretching in the room off the fitness center where the footprint seminar was going on.  The very fit looking sales guy was pitching $500-750 per pair orthotics to several women who were holding their footprints and listening very intently. 

 

I must say he was a very handsome dude in a tight tee shirt, so perhaps that was what was causing the attention.

Wow that is a crazy price! lol Those situations make it hard for me to refuse to someone's face before they finish their sales pitch, so I should avoid haha. Thank you all for saving me lots of time!

[starvenger]

39 minutes ago, helenb said:

Another tip: if you get a service in the spa, write 'NO SALES PITCH' in big letters on the form that you have to fill out. It works, because those attendants want their gratuity.

Wish you could do that when you're getting photos taken during the "formal" nights. We were asked at every photo station if we wanted to do an "all around the ship" photo session. The answer is always "no". And besides, I have the proverbial "perfect face for radio".

[spethstation]

3 hours ago, DCThunder said:

Another presentation to avoid is the one in the fitness center where they take your footprint and then try to sell you orthotics for your shoes.

 

I hate this!!!

[Thrak]

We have sailed with friends who never purchase a drink package. The lady of the pair always goes to the free Mimosa type "events" at Effy and any other "event" that offers her a free drink (or two). We don't go but these do seem popular and there is often a free "charm" offered along with the drinks. If this is something that might interest you then, by all means, go to these events. There is usually no real selling at them and you can enjoy a free drink while checking out the offered jewelry.

 

We avoid the art auction like the plague. On our first cruise we went and had the free "champagne". Never again. I'm always amazed when I'm walking past the art auction and they are asking $35,000 or so for the "art". If people can spend that much on the art what in the world are they doing sailing Princess? They talk about the wonderful Giclee process used for the art as if it's something special. What they don't explain is that Giclee is nothing more than large scale ink jet printing.

 

Be aware of the difference between a port talk from a Destination Host and a port talk by a Shopping Concierge. One is informative and useful while the other is all about directing you to the nearest Diamond's International or other selected venue where they want you to spend money.

 

I must say I'm a bit jealous. One only ever gets one first cruise. Enjoy yourself and have a great cruise. Take in the positives and, if there are any negatives, minimize their impact on your experience.

[1412p0oi]

39 minutes ago, Thrak said:

We have sailed with friends who never purchase a drink package. The lady of the pair always goes to the free Mimosa type "events" at Effy and any other "event" that offers her a free drink (or two). We don't go but these do seem popular and there is often a free "charm" offered along with the drinks. If this is something that might interest you then, by all means, go to these events. There is usually no real selling at them and you can enjoy a free drink while checking out the offered jewelry.

 

We avoid the art auction like the plague. On our first cruise we went and had the free "champagne". Never again. I'm always amazed when I'm walking past the art auction and they are asking $35,000 or so for the "art". If people can spend that much on the art what in the world are they doing sailing Princess? They talk about the wonderful Giclee process used for the art as if it's something special. What they don't explain is that Giclee is nothing more than large scale ink jet printing.

 

Be aware of the difference between a port talk from a Destination Host and a port talk by a Shopping Concierge. One is informative and useful while the other is all about directing you to the nearest Diamond's International or other selected venue where they want you to spend money.

 

I must say I'm a bit jealous. One only ever gets one first cruise. Enjoy yourself and have a great cruise. Take in the positives and, if there are any negatives, minimize their impact on your experience.

Thank you for the advice! I'm exactly in that position of not having bought any drinks packages (I hardly ever drink for health reasons) but bookmarked an art auction for that complimentary champagne haha...I'm not going to get that glass of champagne, am I?

 

That registration for free grand prize also seemed interesting, but I guess it's probably also useless. 

[JF - retired RRT]

7 hours ago, skynight said:

They are selling art.

Should have said, >they are selling "art".<

[helenb]

49 minutes ago, 1412p0oi said:

 bookmarked an art auction for that complimentary champagne haha...I'm not going to get that glass of champagne, am I?

Oh you'll get the glass of (low quality) champagne.... along with a sales pitch.

 

The best free drinks are the ones that come with past passenger status. Free minibar setup, free wine tasting... also free drinks at the past passenger events.