Observation about Navigator excursions

[sugarfoots_jones]

My wife and I just returned from the 08/04 Navigator Mediterranean cruise (Athens to Monte Carlo), and I was somewhat surprised and slightly put off by something that happened on one of the cruise excursions. At Kusadasi we toured ancient Ephesus and the village of Sirince and also had the opportunity to eat lunch with a local village family in their home. All of this was very enjoyable and a great experience. When our van returned back to Kusadasi, we were led to what was portrayed as a demonstration of Turkish carpet making, although this was not mentioned in the excursion description. In fact the demonstration was a high pressure sales presentation to purchase a rug and while technically we were free to leave at any time, the sales pressure and logistics of the presentation made leaving difficult. I understand that Regent probably got a cut of the rugs purchased and anyone who has been to Turkey before knows the level of sales aggressiveness by shop owners, but both my wife and I felt since we had paid for the excursion a sales pitch to end the day was actually quite crass.

 

Thoughts???

[Iamboatman]

It is definitely not what should have happened. Regent needs to make sure that its local vendors (tour operators) do not engage in that practice. While I am one who would most certainly get up and politely leave, I would have steam coming out of my ears doing so.

 

Unfortunately, in the realm of "almost all of the tour was good and a hiccup is just that" there is little that Regent probably will do...except hopefully make sure it doesn't happen to the next guest.

 

Sorry for the experience; especially since the good carpet sellers are actually very laid back and enjoyable to spend time with. Yes, they are persistent too, but not impolitely.

[DocDesdin]

I was on the Royal Viking Queen some years ago and experienced the same thing. The salesmen were pushy, but not as much as the ones in the marketplace. On many excursions, regardless of the cruiseline, there seems to be an almost obligatory stop at a local shop (I'm sure this is heavily pushed by the locals) which is often requested by the guests. However, as long as some passengers buy, which is always the case on excursions I have been on, I doubt there will be much change. Ideally, the cruiseline should tell you that at the end of the excursion there will be a carpet demonstration and sales presentation, which is optional. If enough people put it on the feedback questionnaires, I think the practice would change. For me, if I want to do any shopping, I'll do it on my own at my own pace.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I doubt very much that Regent would get a cut. I think this kind of stuff happens behind their backs and should be reported to them.

[ChatKat in Ca.]

We did the same tour via Oceania and on returning to Kusadasi the tour stopped at the Rug store for a snack and demonstration - which was a sales pitch. It seemed that all of the tour operators were from the same company at Ephasus from the ships tours.

 

We were captive for about 20 minutes while they showed us rugs in a group. We left politely and declined being shown any carpets. All of the tours received the same treatment. Just walking by the other stores caused much more sales pressure than we experienced in the shore excursions demonstration. I can see that it was possible the tour operator got a cut of the profit, but, not the cruiseline. But there is no commission on no sale!

[TedC]

After experiencing more than enough carpet sales pitches, sometimes labeled "cultural' events, we now always opt out.

 

We've had them in Tunisia and Greece, as well as Turkey - on ship excursions as well as private tours. It goes with the territory.

 

Just say "no" if you're not interested.

[RachelG]

We took a private tour booked through the concierge desk on the ship while at Kusadasi a few years ago. I specifically listed where I wanted to tour (Ephesus, Church of St. John) and specifically stated that I did not want to be taken to buy carpets; yet, at the end of the tour, where did we pull into--a carpet place. I would have just said I'm not interested, but my husband wanted to look, so we did. We actually did buy a couple of rugs at a very good price (my husband is a pushover). But I still was aggravated because this was specifically what I had asked to avoid. I did complain to the concierge desk, but I guess nothing has changed.

[Donaldm]

My wife and I have had the same experience. We hired a driver in Bangkok and specifically told him we did not want to visit any stores. Of course he drove us to a store and begged us to walk through the store. We complied and rejoined him in about two minutes without any purchases.

As to shops paying for visitors, it is my understanding that shops pay cruise lines fees to be "recommended" on board, so it would not surprise me if Regent and other cruise lines were being paid by shops to be included on shore tours.

Cruise lines should at least mention the duration of any shopping stops on shore excursions.

[JoAnne B]

My experience has been that Regent is more low key in shop recommendations than other lines I've sailed. Many cruise lines do get a cut of purchases by passengers, but I've never experienced this kind of pressure on Regent.

 

On the other hand, I've purchased rugs from several vendors in Istanbul and Kushadasi. My first was an overpriced mistake, but having learned from that experience, I love my others and was glad to have the opportunity to make purchases far below what I would pay in the states. But unless this was a published part of the "tour" I would have been as offended as you were and certainly would have passed along my complaint to the appropriate ship's officer.

 

JoAnne B

Houston

[Wendy The Wanderer]

This happens in other places as well. I remember a bus trip around Moorea off the Paul Gauguin. We made an unscheduled stop at the distillery (a common stop on Moorea, basically just to try to get you to buy booze.) Once the tour guide has you in the bus, they can really do anything they want, they just have to watch that they don't push too much, or passengers will complain and they might get fired. Our trip around Bora Bora included a stop to see how they made pareos (just tie die, nothing special), and of course, guess what? We got to buy some!