Shopping Ashore on a Cruise Ship Vacation

"Hi! My name is Melissa Schenk on behalf of expertvillage.com today we’re discussing cruise traveling tips. So let’s discuss the shopping program ashore, now when you board the ship you’ll probably be introduced to a super shopper or a shopping ambassador. They’re a little bit different depending on the cruise line but you’re normally with Carnival they’re normally super shoppers, Princess is a shopping ambassador, Holland American has something different. Each of the lines have their own but the good thing is that the cruise line do offer a recommended and guarantee shopping program ashore. What that means is that they back up and recommend certain shops ashore so that if you buy say jewelry or maybe you’re in Alaska buying salmon or a fur coat or something along the line of that. If you ever have any problems with it you can return it there those shops are backed up and guaranteed by the cruise ship. Very important especially if you’re thinking about buying something very special like jewelry expensive jewelry you want to have that guaranteed and recommended back up by the ship in case you do have any problems. Also it’s very easy to get carried away with shopping on the ship especially when you are at sea, there’s no place else to spend your money but on the ship so people tend to go shopping, they’ll go to the casino’s spend some money. But if you’re doing any shopping in the boutiques look and find something if you see something that you like I encourage you to hold off, wait until you get into the port of call you’ll be amazed of the things you’ll see there and for the actual savings you’ll find. You’ll probably be able to get things very similar to what is on the cruise ship in the port of call but for a bit cheaper and maybe a little bit of different variation as well. Another thing to keep in mind by the end of your cruise the boutiques on the ship, they actually put things on sale especially if you are on your cruise perhaps at the end of a season. Your ship might be in Alaska and then heading to Hawaii so they’ll want to get rid of all of their Alaska stock and you’ll see savings by the end your cruise, let’s say at 7 days by day 5, day 6 you’ll see things upwards of 50, 60, 70% off. Some great savings keep it in mind and save that money for going shopping ashore."