With so many activities to pursue aboard the Carnival Fantasy, it might not be at the top of everyone's list to attend a lecture about shopping. However, the ship's shopping consultant gives a relatively brief talk that can be useful. Just for walking in you can pick up numerous coupons that will be useful in many shops in Cozumel as well as a shopping map of the best stores. One warning, however. Carnival has contracts with many vendors in Cozumel but not in Progreso, the Fantasy's other major port. While you might not find beautiful diamonds, you certainly can find great knickknacks at the open air market near the pier in Progreso.
One thing you might not expect on board is price matching, but the Fantasy shops will usually match any price if you bring them a digital photo. This might seem trivial on smaller items, but if you are not sure you can trust the store on shore and you trust the shops on the Fantasy more, this can work to your advantage. If you are in the market for duty-free alcohol, go to the store on board and get a price sheet. Take the price sheet on shore so you know where your deals are. If you don't find any, you can always buy it back on the ship.
In the United States, you can't walk into Wal-Mart and haggle, but the merchants of most shops in Mexico expect you to negotiate. Never accept the first price offered, especially in the open air markets of Progreso. Expect the first price to be anywhere from 30 percent to 70 percent higher than what they will actually take. You might feel bad about it at first, but it really is customary.
