Does the Nautica feature great onboard shopping?

[riversights]

This will be our first sail of the Baltic region.  We are wondering if onboard shops will feature regional products.  Maybe you have comments about the onboard shopping experience.  We welcome your shared insights.

[Harters]

To answer the question posed in the title.....No. 

 

Two small boutiques and that's it. These photos should give you a sense of them

 

https://www.cruisedeckplans.com/ships/shiptour.php?r=3085

[trickylibrarian]

Very limited shopping.

[DrHemlock]

Regional products?  Decidedly no.  Basically the same over-priced O-branded clothing, jewelry and watches on every one of our cruises aboard all ships except Vista.

I suspect it's because there already are "regional products" for sale on the dock or in the terminal of every stop along the way.  

OTOH, assuming you may be referring to the more artistic, less touristy types of regional products: that would require an O marketing specialist or department to seek them out, bring them aboard, price them accordingly and try to get them sold before hitting the next port.  Not likely in our lifetimes.

[EJL2023]

We were on a Baltic cruise in 2017 which had two overnights in St Petersburg.  A couple of days prior to arrival there they had a large pop up type store set up with various items from Russia.  So…it has happened in the past. 

[tropicalkerry2002]

and on our Baltic cruise, the jewelry store had the most beautiful, expensive sets of nesting dolls.

 

[clo]

4 hours ago, EJL2023 said:

We were on a Baltic cruise in 2017 which had two overnights in St Petersburg.  A couple of days prior to arrival there they had a large pop up type store set up with various items from Russia.  So…it has happened in the past. 

I'm so jealous. We were going on a similar cruise and then the Ukraine catastrophe struck and it was canceled.

[clo]

4 hours ago, tropicalkerry2002 said:

and on our Baltic cruise, the jewelry store had the most beautiful, expensive sets of nesting dolls.

 

And they were validated somehow of being from there?

[zodiacsign]

There’s a possibility there will be some Baltic amber stuff on board; but not much beyond that. 

[MEFIowa]

15 hours ago, riversights said:

This will be our first sail of the Baltic region.  We are wondering if onboard shops will feature regional products....

We'll be on Sirena in the Baltic Aug-Sept 2024. Expect to do such shopping in port or at a stop on an excursion. Off the ship. But avoid the obvious tourist trap shops right near the cruise terminals. That's part of the joy of cruising, get off the ship, walk around, and meet the locals where they shop.

 

Of course, a key is what exactly are you looking to buy? Find the store that sells that.

[Woodrowst]

33 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

 That's part of the joy of cruising, get off the ship, walk around, and meet the locals where they shop.

 

 

I fully agree with MEFlowa. If shopping is your thing, check out authentic shops on land and get a bit of the culture with your shopping experience. Some pre-cruise googling can help locate authentic shops that are often within walking distance of the pier.

[riversights]

Thanks to everyone who posted a reply to my question.  The conversation is helpful in imagining our voyage.  We don't expect a lot of shopping on Nautica, but the stroll through the ship market is part of the adventure.  The ports will have more options.  Your shared insights are much appreciated.

[clo]

7 hours ago, zodiacsign said:

There’s a possibility there will be some Baltic amber stuff on board; but not much beyond that. 

I don't know about that area or that stone but in other parts of the world I've read that when stones/jewelry are brought home reputable jewelers haven't had kind things to say about them.

[clo]

4 hours ago, MEFIowa said:

That's part of the joy of cruising, get off the ship, walk around, and meet the locals where they shop.

And eat the local food 🙂

[clo]

1 hour ago, riversights said:

ship marke

I'm not familiar with that term.

[riversights]

"Ship market" refers to the shops onboard our vessel.

[clo]

21 minutes ago, riversights said:

"Ship market" refers to the shops onboard our vessel.

Here's the deck plan.

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/ships/nautica/deck-plans-details?deck=05

[MEFIowa]

1 hour ago, clo said:

And eat the local food

On that we'll have to mostly disagree. The food is already paid for on the ship and we all know we paid for it. And I explore the places I visit. I don't have time for much food. Maybe a small bite or drink of something unique. I'm busy going places and seeing things and meeting people. (I bring back my fav hard liquor in my checked bag. To drink later.)

[fille_canadienne]

19 hours ago, DrHemlock said:

Regional products?  Decidedly no.  Basically the same over-priced O-branded clothing, jewelry and watches on every one of our cruises aboard all ships except Vista.

what's different about Vista, shopping wise? 

[Harters]

1 hour ago, clo said:

And eat the local food

Absolutely. We'd always try to have lunch ashore - particularly if it's a region we don't know well. 

[clo]

13 minutes ago, Harters said:

Absolutely. We'd always try to have lunch ashore - particularly if it's a region we don't know well. 

We you ever on CH? 🙂

[Harters]

CH? Chowhound?

 

If so, then yes. Left when they started banning folk and joined Hungry Onion (and I'm still there). I was/am Harters on both.  Do I know you from there?

Edited March 19 by Harters

[clo]

43 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

The food is already paid for on the ship and we all know we paid for it.

That separates folks like I from probably the majority. I find out so much about an area and the people through their food. And frequently really have fun with those locals. One time in Rio, we were up a side and mostly light industrial street having lunch. One of the locals who actually spoke some English went home and brought back an umbrella for our outside table and good-naturedly fussed at my husband for allowing my pale skin to sit out like that. 🙂

[clo]

9 minutes ago, Harters said:

CH? Chowhound?

 

If so, then yes. Left when they started banning folk and joined Hungry Onion (and I'm still there). I was/am Harters on both.  Do I know you from there?

Was I c oliver or cath oliver?

[riversights]

There have been some wonderfully engaging replies here.  One can even read between the lines. 😊