Just came back from a 12 day Mediterranean cruise with my wife and friends. Italy, Greece, Turkey and a touch of Spain. The ship was fun and the side tours were amazing. Got to see the statue of David (no relation), the Trevi fountain, Vatican and the runs of Rome.

Cuisine wise, the food was much better off the ship: best pizza ever in Rome, Florence for lasagna and lamb ribs in Greece.

Besides relaxing and getting a new look at life from around the globe, what could you learn from your cruise that would help your store?

Here's a few:

1. Style of jewelry you'll see in Europe.
   
   Most jewelry stores here are nothing more than the "sea of same". Nothing exciting or over the edge. Store in Europe (at least the ones tourist would see from a cruise ship) are still pushing gold.
   
   But the bold look of designs and the use of colored gems, finer qualities by the way was very exciting. That's not to say that there weren't stores that looked like many here, there was. In Florence there's a large market over a bridge with lots of leather, scarves and jewelry. A sea of the same. My friend said it the best "this stuff could just as well be at Macy's!" But most stores and shops had unique at their mantra.
   
   Look at what you can start stocking that's really different. You'll see much of this at major jewelry shows, like in New York, Las Vegas and also the show in Miami. Travel abroad, reach out, take a chance.
   
   
2. True customer service.
   
   The ship of course has favorite vendors they want you to see in port. Often times their tours from the ship drop you off at a meeting place, which is a retailer. Thank goodness as this is a favorite bathroom stopping point!
   
   We were in rug store in Turkey and were shown a woman making a carpet on a loom. It was explained to us how the carpet was made, the painstaking hours it took to make each carpet (3-12 months per) and how each one looked when turned 180 degrees.
   
   They had us in a circle in a room as they explained the beautify of each carpet without any high pressure at all. They served us all a nice sandwich and a drink. "first we must EAT! Then we'll show you carpet!"
   
   Hospitality. True hospitality. We bought a carpet for the front entry area at home.
   
   In two jewelry stores we were served their favorite liqueur as we toasted to life. Then we looked at jewelry."
   
   In Greece more libations with "Oppa!" We bought a few items.
   
   Most stores here think they have good customer service. Many of these stores there made sure we became friends long before they took out the first piece from the case. Every one was ever so polite and talkative. I've seen stores here in the states that have bump on the logs for sales staff, boring people.
   
   In 100 stores I never heard "May I help you?" Only "Welcome!"
   
   In restaurants and where we bought I never heard "No problem". That bugs me so much now a days. More often I heard:
   
   "My pleasure"
   "No worries"
   No worries, Mate" (I loved "No worries", especially with the accent.)
   
   I'd fire sales staff here that said "May I help You?"
   
   I'd practice true warmth in the store, always giving customers drinks, water, snacks, places to sit. Talking first before showing items from the case. If possible, a tour of the store, introducing key people, even the jeweler (This is Harold, he'd be the one to size your ring to a perfect fit!" (even before they bought).
   
   Many times we were escorted to the door as we left, most didn't stay behind the showcases. Come to think of it, most cases were not barriers.
   
   On most cruises ships you tip the wait staff, head waiter and your room steward at the end of the cruise. On Princess they just add $12 a day per person "tip" to your bill and distribute the pot to the employees. So to me there was no individual "commission" but a group one. But I never had the impression that a single employee's mind set was "I don't get any tip, I'll be mediocre, who cares".
   
   Every employee was top notch, caring, sweet and attentive. Tell your staff to quit whining, these people work 12+ hour ships every day, 7 days a week. Every few weeks they get a few days off and do this for 9 months at a time (they are on a 9 month contract).
   
   My point? You should follow the cruise line's hiring technique:
   
   Hire enthusiastic people first, then train product knowledge.
   
   Anything you wanted, from more food (typical on a ship) to "get me another fork, more towels, clean up my mistake" or whatever you want was always done with graciousness and a smile. They never said "no problem", only "certainly, sir".
   
   Even in the buffet area where a roaming waiter might bring you a drink (there's a charge for many), you presented a room key which had your name on it embossed previous to boarding. You may never see that person again, even so they'd give you bill to sign, read your name and say:
   
   "Thank you Mr. David". They always used your name if they could.