Have you ever wondered whether the shopping specialists on cruises are really their to help?

On a recent cruise, I had a bad experience that caused me to research exactly how the process works. I made a purchase from Diamonds International based on specific credentials and the diamond I was provided was not the diamond I was sold. I am the victim of a likely bait and switch scam. The only other option is that it was an honest mistake, but the refusal of Diamonds International to admit the mistake suggests otherwise.

Carnival Cruise lines (and others) contract out to the PPI Group¹ to be solely responsible for the shopping specialists onboard the ship. The job of the shopping specialist is to "creating a huge shopping frenzy". On my ship, the Carnival Valor, Rudi proclaimed himself as an expert in all things gemology (including price). He also told us to fill out a form that provides consumer protection. What he did not tell us (the guests) was that he earns commission from the recommended stores based on the amount of sales he brings in. This is what PPI advertises as a perk for working for them². In speaking with Jamie Sage, Corporate Trainer at PPI, I learned that stores pay a promotional fee to be recommended and then commissions are paid by stores based on their sales for the day.

Since the PPI Group receives commissions for their sales, a conflict of interest is created. How could PPI advertise consumer protection and receive commission from third party (some US based) companies? It sounds to me that some sort of anti-trust law is being breached, but because gemology is a grossly unregulated, specific, and often overlooked market, it has yet to be brought to the US court system and probably never will.

¹PPI Group
²PPI Job Qualifications