Alaska's Attorney General has tackled consumer complaints about cruise line shopping lecturers who steer consumers to this and that shop ashore with the promise of high quality merchandise or purchase guarantees.
Sometimes consumers are happy but other times they feel they're not getting the value promised. Many consumers also don't know the lecturers are not typically cruise line employees. Some work for a firm with a vested financial interest in steering people to one shop or another.
Now, the state of Alaska is telling cruise lines they must tell consumers these port lectures are, in essence, advertising.
The state has also reached a $200,000 settlement with three companies. None acknowledged any wrongdoing, but disclosure is required for their future port/shopping lectures.
Travel agents may check out all the details from a recent story in the Anchorage Daily News: http://www.adn.com/2013/08/24/3040324/new-rules-in-effect-for-ship-shopping.html.