Port and Shopping Show (On the Golden)

[LauraKRN]

Does anyone have an opinion regarding the Port and Shopping Show on the Golden Princess (Alaska). I was looking at Patters that were posted and saw that there were so many activities on the first sea day, it will be hard to choose. I'm curious what this particular one is about and if it's worth it. Are there any other onboard activities that you would recommend or advise to steer clear of?

 

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!!!! :)

[Toto2Kansas]

Each onboard shopping talk/show I have ever seen or attended is mainly to promote the ships sponsered stores. Just a lot of hipe to shop where the cruise lines are paid to promote certain stores. :cool:

[rcacace]

Unless you're a die hard shopper the shopping show is just one big advertisement to get you to go to their "recommended" shops. If there were anything else to do at that time I would choose it over the sales pitch. It's really a shame they don't give more info about the island you're going to visit but that doesn't bring in the dollars from the kickbacks they receive from the shop owners.

[mii]

Got to agree with Toto here. When I first started cruising I also attended the Port and shopping show and found out quickly that all it is is that you buy from ship sponsored stores. Have not attended one since. Go for the other activities. Just my opinion of course

 

Marilyn

[TracieABD]

After reading numerous posts on CC about the Shopping Show on the Golden, I avoided it like the plague. I am also not much of a shopper...

I did talk to some others who attended it (tablemates at dinner other roll call members) and felt like it was a complete waste of time. They also did not feel that the $25 coupon book was worth the money.

Just passing along what I heard.

[Colo Cruiser]

And to try and sell you a worthless $25 coupon/shopping book, don't be dupped. ;)

 

Do P/U the Alaska book that is being handed out in the Pier 91 terminal as you board, its free and their are manycoupons for all the stops. :)

[LauraKRN]

Awesome feedback, that's what I assumed. I was hoping it would be more on the ports but I knew it was a long shot. Thanks everyone for the heads up.

[KENANDPAT]

Better to research the shopping at each port on your own. There is usually info on each locations tourism website. Too much hipe for sure and the shops they represent are always much more expensive.

[PescadoAmarillo]

...advise to steer clear of?

Definitely add the ship's port and shopping show to your "steer clear of" list, even if you'd kind of like to do some shopping. It is totally biased toward the stores that provide remuneration to the cruise line.

 

What you'll want to do depends mostly on your interests. My thing is line dancing (thank God Princess offers it most every sea day); DH enjoys scavenger hunts and some trivia. It's wonderful that so much is offered to appeal to a wide range of interests.

 

On our first cruise, we sat at breakfast in the dining room on a sea day with the (RC's) Compass, deciding how we were going to fit it all in. Someone else at the table commented, "This must be your first cruise". We had no idea then how they knew. Now we understand how. We worry far less about attending activities and far more about relaxing and enjoying. And when we see first time cruisers with their highlighters out trying to fit it all in, we remember when...

[chisoxfan]

Yes, as stated it is a rip off. My understanding is that the people doing the shopping spiel are not even compensated by the cruise line but by the shops that pay to be included in their preferred list. When we were on the Golden the shopping guide "kindly" offered to help "negotiate" pricing of some loose tanzanite gemstones (after explaining how very rare they were sure to become). They make a big deal of 'registering' your purchases to 'guarantee' them but really it is a means to measure their sales performance.

I have no problem with a little transparent commercialism but this is too misleading for my ethics barometer.

The ONLY thing you might get from the presentation is a map and some general info on how to get around the port.

[caribill]

.

The ONLY thing you might get from the presentation is a map and some general info on how to get around the port.

 

 

Which will be delivered to your room anyway the night before the port.

[dclark]

Most of the time is spent telling you to buy jewelry at DI. I loved the little lies that came out of the "Super Shoppers" mouth. SHe said that jewerly in Alaska is cheaper than in the states because DI absorbs the cost of duties and taxes and passes on the savings to the customer.

I sat through it with my 17 year old daughter and despite being toward the front, she threw out the free Del Sol color changing hair clips to an old man who had no hair, who then gave then to his wife who didn't have much hair more hair! My daughter (who has hair going down to her waist,who might have been the only person in attendance under the age of 40) was disappointed.

Just grab one of the coupon books given out free at the dock. I used two of them:

Del Sol- buy a shirt, get a free cap.

Skagway Brewery- Get a beer sampler (I think it cost $7) get a free cap.

[rcacace]

Most of the time is spent telling you to buy jewelry at DI. I loved the little lies that came out of the "Super Shoppers" mouth. SHe said that jewerly in Alaska is cheaper than in the states because DI absorbs the cost of duties and taxes and passes on the savings to the customer.

I sat through it with my 17 year old daughter and despite being toward the front, she threw out the free Del Sol color changing hair clips to an old man who had no hair, who then gave then to his wife who didn't have much hair more hair! My daughter (who has hair going down to her waist,who might have been the only person in attendance under the age of 40) was disappointed.

Just grab one of the coupon books given out free at the dock. I used two of them:

Del Sol- buy a shirt, get a free cap.

Skagway Brewery- Get a beer sampler (I think it cost $7) get a free cap.

 

Don't tell me you missed out on your free gold "looking" charm from DI. :rolleyes:

[Tina G]

The shopping talks will be played endlessly on your TV, so you can watch them later if you wish. I have been pleased with the DVD's from Questar, their "Cruise" series. They are a few years old, but they feature the things that don't change much. I buy mine from Amazon.com, and used disks are available for only a few $$. We like to watch them both before and after our cruise.:)

[ell52]

No need to attend the "live" presentation. It will be replayed on your stateroom TV ad infinitum afterwards. :rolleyes:

[dclark]

Don't tell me you missed out on your free gold "looking" charm from DI. :rolleyes:

 

No, I got it. My wife has one of those DI charm bracelets and we have a lot of the charms on it already (each port has its own unique charm). SInce I went to AK without her, I promised to get the ones up in AK (Skagway,Juneau and Ketchikan).

When we get all the charms, I'll get it professionally gold plated.