Shopping is a main attraction on your cruise vacation.
Whether you are on board or at a port of call.

Cruise lines offer their own suggestions and recommendations
for stores to shop at that may also be backed with guarantees.

Key Point - Cruise lines charge these merchants to advertise
in the cruise line’s shopping programs. While on the ship
these merchants will be mentioned several times during your
cruise and you will probably be given maps showing where
they are at your ports of call.

The cruise lines may offer a 30-day guarantee when you make
purchases from these particular merchants. For example, you
purchase a diamond in port and when you return home you discover
it is only a piece of glass. The cruise line will make sure
your item is replaced or refunded.

This type of program does offer you piece of mind but it does
limit you number of merchant choices. Remember, merchants pay
cruise lines to be part of this marketing.

These merchants pay a substantial amount to participate. They
also must agree to repair or replace any items within 30 days
of the purchase date. Bottom line is the merchant is the one
who is guaranteeing the purchase not the cruise line.

It also makes sense that only the larger merchants can afford
to participate and pay the fees required by the cruise lines.
Some of the smaller shops, which offer the same quality or
product are left out in the cold.

Also, shop around and compare prices before you make your
purchase.

When you see incredible savings be aware they may not be
What they seem. Do you research. I suggest you do your
research over the Internet before you leave to see what
the item would cost in the U.S. If you are looking for
handcrafted items made in a specific local then this would
not work.

Bottom line, it does not hurt to look at some the smaller
shops in the port of calls prior to making your final
decision.