Pushy salespeople?

Does St. Thomas and Nassau have a lot of sales people harrassing you to buy things as you get off the ship? Are they pushy in the stores?

[Darcy]

In the straw market in Nassau they can be pushy. I just saying no thank you. If you want something be prepared to bargain. The first price they mention is not the final price.

[Mandy]

The only place I have ever felt was so pushy was in Ocho Rios. If we return there on a cruise, we would be very tempted to just remain on board - it really left a sour taste in our mouth (just walking from Dunn's Falls back to our tour bus had people literally standing in our way and moving to the side when we moved to the side to go around them).
We have never had a problem in St Thomas with the vendors (on cruises or land vacations), and it was rainy the one time we went to Nassau and visited the straw market (not uncomfortable there).

We don't like the shop owners and workers standing in the doorways trying to get us to go in.Sometimes they can be intimidating. I just keep walking and say "no, thank you". Ochos Rios is terrible for pushiness, especially in the Straw Market. We didn't have any trouble in St.Thomas because we went on a ship excursion tour, but we had to pass the stores in Phillipsburg when we shopped on the main st. Cozumel was the same, with workers standing in the doorways trying to get you to go in. Lynne

[Lizzy]

Nasauu is bad. The straw market isn't a good deal. You can find just as good bargains in the stores. The straw market is squishy. We couldn't get out of there fast enough.

[Dot73]

I found shopping in the stores in St. Thomas and Nassau very pleasant. The salespeople were pleasant and helpful. If I find a salesperson pushy, I just tell them very politely that I'm browsing for now and will let them know if I need help. If they persist, I just walk out of the store. There are always other stores.

The only place that I truly hated shopping in was Jamaica. It's a nightmare both in Ocho Rios and Montego Bay. It's a real shame because Jamaicans produce some wonderful hand-made items but they lose a lot of business because they intimidate tourists with their pushiness.

[LisaK]

in St. Thomas the sales people weren't rude or pushy at all, actually in some of the bigger name jewlery stores it was just the oposite, they ignored you basically unless you were definatley going to purchase a large ticket item, then they couldn't do enough for you.
Nassau - very pushy at the Straw Market, didn't like the place, they expect you to barder put they are insulted when you first ask them "can you do better on the price"

I've only been to St Thomas (not Nassau), and I didn't find the salespeople there to be pushy at all. Shopping was actually really pleasant and we got some great bargains. We did do some haggling though.

Labadee has the most PUSHY people.

[rollerdonna]

St. Thomas and Nassau were not a problem. We experienced the most harassment on the beach in the new Carnival port at La Romana Casa de Campo. My god, those people were in your face every minute - hair braiding? coconut? drink? chair? massage? necklace? come buy my art? Don't ever want to go back there!

donna

Sorry to hear this abt La Romano. It was really bad on Catalina Isl, just of the coast of DR. They also spoke disparagingly of shoppers in Spanish without realizing some of us do know the language! Did not even feel safe there & returned to the ship early. Also experienced the gauntley in Cozumel as they beckon you into the shops--but did get some nice buys in shop we chose---Best thing is a firm no thank you & move on.-

[Tauruschick]

In the Straw Market in Nassau, people can be very pushy. The only people in St Thomas that were pushy were the cabbies.

I have been to Nassau twice. had the best time shopping in the straw market. i love it. I found a simple No thank you works anywhere I have gone. They want your business. i f they have what I am looking for I buy. if not I jsut say. No thinks.. and move on to the next hut. I love the shopping where ever I go. i love to bargain with the people/ Hey they r there to amke a living too. happy cruising....

[KarenB]

The only people that were a little pushy in Nassau that I found were the taxi drivers. We just said no thanks and walked on. I went in the market that you go into just as you pass thru the customs part and walked all around there without anyone begging me to look or pushing any prices on me. We also walked around the stores and kicked ourselves because we didn't bring enough cash or our credit cards, but they were all nice. Nassau isn't the cleanest place but it isn't any dirtier than some cities in America.

[pg.]

St Thomas is fine. Jamaica sucked. Nassau, haven't been there.