Incident on Sapphire

[silkismom]

We just got off the Sapphire on Sat. There is a place next to the pursers desk where you can print your on-board statement at any time. We like to keep track of our charges, its a good thing that we do. On our last morning the final statement showed 2 charges in Skywalkers from the final night that we didn't know about. We had the lady pull the charge slips, someone had used our room number--we had both of our cards with us--all we could think was that someone didn't have their card and said our room or the server misunderstood E or D** for C. Anyway we were charged over $20 for drinks when we were in our room. The signature was unreadable but the first letter looked like a G, Larry showed his signature and the lady gave us a refund. I don't know if this happens very often, but just thought I'd give a warning.

[cruz chic]

I've had it happen to me a few times. Princess seems to take their sweet time reversing the charges even once they know they are not yours. One one cruise I had to keep after them to do it. Not cool. Time was on your side since you were getting off the ship.

[Pia1913]

We just got off the Sapphire on Sat. There is a place next to the pursers desk where you can print your on-board statement at any time. We like to keep track of our charges, its a good thing that we do. On our last morning the final statement showed 2 charges in Skywalkers from the final night that we didn't know about. We had the lady pull the charge slips, someone had used our room number--we had both of our cards with us--all we could think was that someone didn't have their card and said our room or the server misunderstood E or D** for C. Anyway we were charged over $20 for drinks when we were in our room. The signature was unreadable but the first letter looked like a G, Larry showed his signature and the lady gave us a refund. I don't know if this happens very often, but just thought I'd give a warning.

 

I would like to think this was an honest error and not deliberate.

[SG81]

they allow people to charge things by just saying your room number? don't you need to have the room key for them to swipe? if not, then this should have been changed a long time ago

[gooch47]

I thought they charged things with the portfolio number (or whatever it is called) on your card. The room number isn't even on the card. They probably can look it up with just a room number, though.

[Toto2Kansas]

I swear they have always copied our Folio number from our card, and then asked us our room number also:confused:

[silkismom]

Yes, they have always used our card for charges, that's why we were so baffled by it, it happened at the last Elite, suite, etc "special" cocktail time which was packed the times we did go up there. Usually one of us got some nibbles and brought it back to our cabin to eat while we dressed. Just thought I'd warn people.

[ksm77]

One night on the Ruby Princess we had drinks in the Wheelhouse bar. The server added an extra tip to our bill. It was the only time we did not get a copy of our receipt. Princess did adjust our bill, but we have never had anything like that happen in 25 cruises. I will always ask for a copy of my receipt from now on.

[Tralynn]

Thanks for the heads up....It's always good to periodically print out your charges and look them over. Mistakes happen often.

[Pam in CA]

I thought they charged things with the portfolio number (or whatever it is called) on your card. The room number isn't even on the card. They probably can look it up with just a room number, though.

I agree. Anything you charge anywhere on the ship is done by folio number on the card, not cabin #. It's possible someone transposed a number when entering it. I know our server would look at the card and write the folio number down, then hand the card back.

[kruisey]

At the second cruise critic 'meet & greet' on Sapphire there was a bar bill for $6.95 which I know was not mine because Princess provided coffee and free bites.The pursers office found the bill with an unreadable signature and removed it from my account.

[RickEk]

I agree. Anything you charge anywhere on the ship is done by folio number on the card, not cabin #. It's possible someone transposed a number when entering it. I know our server would look at the card and write the folio number down, then hand the card back.

 

Pam is, of course, quite correct. :) The servers usually just glance at the folio number on the card and give it right back. In a dark venue like Skywalkers it'd be easier to transpose the numbers... I'd certainly say that it was an honest mistake on the part of the server. And definitely another reason to look at your folio at least a couple of times during the cruise.

[Nanatravel]

All good reasons to check your Folio account during the week, and review it thoroughly before disembarking the ship. Errors happen no matter how trained an employ may be.

[WeBeGone]

I always ask for a receipt. Sometimes the servers are not too happy but unless you ask, you don't get a receipt for drinks.

[ONT-CA]

Because we primarily custom the same bar during our cruises the waiters get to know us and by the third day we no longer have to produce our key card. We review our charges mid cruise and then again as we approach disembarkation. We have yet to see anything that strays from the norm either way. There could be times when drinks were served but never charged and visa versa. As long as the overall charges look appropriate, what Princess looses on the limes they gain on the bananas.

[KansasCityGuys]

On our most recent cruise on the Emerald the week after Thanksgiving, the same thing happened. A charge for about $35 also from Skywalkers. We were in Skywalkers the night in question but I didn't have a receipt for this amount. When I went to the Pursers desk, he pulled the bill and it listed gin and tonic and cigarettes. Neither of us drink gin and we did not buy any cigarettes. The signature was just a bunch of scribbles. Since we were in Skywalkers that night, he pulled out a receipt that we had actually signed for and he could tell the signatures did not match.

 

The next day when I went to go check our on board account, the charge still hadn't been removed. I went back to the pursers desk to inquire. He looked at his computer and very rudely said, "sir, you don't need to keep coming here and asking about this charge. We will contact you after we have received word back from Skywalkers."

 

I was very perturbed! As to say the next day the charge had been removed.

[dfwhgsfan]

We were on the Crown last week and everytime we ordered a drink, ate dinner or anything, they always asked our cabin number as well as for the card. We almost always received a receipt for every purchase and we checked our account 3 times to be sure there was no charges out of the ordinary. Would be nice if they did like I've read Celebrity does and allow you to access your account through your tv.

[unboringuy]

I would say that about half the time we see a charge on our account that we did not make. The most glaring error was on the second night of a cruise when we were charged in the dining room, during early seating, for a nice bottle of wine. We then received a second charge on the same night, during late seating, for the same bottle of wine. Believe it or not, it took them several days to get approval from the dining room to remove the second charge. I don't know if they have many pax trying to welch on charges, but their reversal process (manually sifting through reams of charge slips) leaves much to be desired.

[shushu]

The crew should check if the name printed of the card matches with the of the printed check. .....

[MONGO12]

Has never happened to me, but I sure prefer the Celebrity method of having your account available on the TV in your room.

[Pia1913]

I would say that about half the time we see a charge on our account that we did not make. The most glaring error was on the second night of a cruise when we were charged in the dining room, during early seating, for a nice bottle of wine. We then received a second charge on the same night, during late seating, for the same bottle of wine. Believe it or not, it took them several days to get approval from the dining room to remove the second charge. I don't know if they have many pax trying to welch on charges, but their reversal process (manually sifting through reams of charge slips) leaves much to be desired.

 

You must have rotten luck, because never in almost 50 Princess cruises have we been charged for something we didn't purchase.

[cruisnpat]

On RCCL you can also access your account on the tv in your cabin which is nice. I usually check mine every day or 2. I didn't know that you couldn't check it in your room on Princess. Thanks for the information.

[HomelessBear]

I also had a charge for drinks in a bar that I never went into and at a time when I was eating dinner in the dining room (and ordered a bottle of wine). Signature couldn't be read but looked nothing like mine. The other extra charge I had on my account was for laundry. When checked, whoever had inputted the cabin number into the computer, had put the cabin numbers in the wrong order! Issues soon rectified. Good advice to check during the cruise and not to leave it until you get your statement on the last day, as the queues at the pursers desk to rectify issues and charges often snakes around the ship!

[FLACRUISER99]

One night on the Ruby Princess we had drinks in the Wheelhouse bar. The server added an extra tip to our bill. It was the only time we did not get a copy of our receipt. Princess did adjust our bill, but we have never had anything like that happen in 25 cruises. I will always ask for a copy of my receipt from now on.

 

I always ask for a receipt. Sometimes the servers are not too happy but unless you ask, you don't get a receipt for drinks.

Can't see how asking for a receipt helps. You have to check a printout of your folio and the front desk. They will have all the original charge slips.

[rdsqrl]

The crew should check if the name printed of the card matches with the of the printed check. .....

I think they do -- or at least, try to. Seems to me that they often call me by name when returning with my drink and the slip to sign and I'm (no doubt naively) assuming that's a partial check on accuracy. Also, to be fair, it's on the passenger, too, to glance at the slip and make sure it's their own name. After all, I may want my drink for free and think it would be nice if it went on Mr. X's bill instead, but it also could be that I'm signing for the 16 bottles of Dom that Mr. X just bought on the other side of the bar . . . !