We just got back from a cruise on Freedom of Seas to eastern Caribbean, including St Thomas and St Martin. We have been on many Disney cruises but our boys are older now and switched over to a grown up ship. We had bad experience with the highly recommended DI, and are still trying to resolve it. These"shopping guides" must get a cut of what is sold to sucker cruisers in these listed jewelry stores. Any feedback? thanks! Loved Freedom of the Seas ship BTW!
Hi new here, question about the pushing of Diamonds international
- Thread starter jen1959
- Start date
Shopping guides? are you referring to those that give the shopping lectures onboard the ship?. You bet, maybe not the guides but the cruise line definitely gets a cut of the action, if they didn't they would have no reason to push the product. Diamonds International is probably THEEE biggest peddler in the Caribbean, if not the world, they are like flies in a barnyard but if you did everything right the cruise line supposedly backs up the guarantee from DI so you may have some recourse through the cruise line. I'm sure there are some on here that have had personal experiences with DI and hopefully give you some input, as for myself, after some real high pressure walking through one of their stores several years ago, I don't even set foot in them anymore.
well, we spent mega buck in both St Thomas and St Martin, and yes, the St martin store was very high pressure, and we had to get back on the ship, and of course what sold us was thew fact that they said if we get onboard and decide we dont like the piece we can return it, they fail to mention that its for a store credit! My piece in question is being appraised as we speak, a 3 carat Alexandrite ring, and from what i was told by a gemologist, a poor quality one, at that. If for no other reason, now that we are on to the hard sell tactics by both the shopping guides on RC and the DI people themselves, we will definitely be cruising back to those islands again in the near future on RC!
Cruizer
Staff Captain
That is correct, they do.
we are very limited on when we can go, we have 2 weeks spring break and like to have direct flight to port, and Indy- Orlando is only direct flight for us, with FS leaving out of Port Canaveral, and sails the last week of march. Would like to find another RC that goes to more places tho. we have always left from this port tho and are familiar with it.
iluvcruzin
Staff Captain
Diamonds international is a US company. Many have had issues with them. My sister was sold junk. They told her the stones were channel set and they were glued an fell out. She had a hard time getting things resolved and I don't know if she ever did. Good luck
we like Imperial Jewelers have bought jewelery there since 1990 when I bought my wife a engament ring. Also make sure you get a wriiten appraisal and use a credit card so you can fight it if there is a problem. Be careful on credit cards some charge a international rate, but since St Thomas is part of US I thinks you should be ok, we did have that problem with St Martin. Imperial Jewelers will also give yhou free beer while you are looking.
Have not had a problem with DI. My cruisemate bought a ring and before we even got back to the ship a diamond fell out and so she rushed back to the store and they took care of it immediately and due to the timing they even drove her to the ship. (Alaska cruise) Then the following night one of the other diamonds fell out. Immediately filled out all the paperwork on the ship and the lady that was the shopping consultant on the ship took the ring, gave up copies of all the paperwork and DI sent a new ring and there have been no additional problems since and that's been over a year. That's the only problem we've run into and all the stuff I've purchased has always appraised for more here. I many others have had problems. We've just been lucky.
Susan
Susan
Mbandy
Staff Captain
I loved the island of Dominica and Carnival stopped calling there shortly after my cruise on the Victory. They gave some silly excuse about conserving fuel as the reason. My theory is they don't go there any more because there is no Diamonds International there :whistle:
Yes, I love conspiracy theories.
Yes, I love conspiracy theories.