Hve you noticed this lately on ships concerning your bills?

[Krazy Kruizers]

HAL has changed a couple of policies.

 

One -- you do not get a preliminary bill on the last full day of the cruise.

 

Also -- it doesn't make any difference whose credit card is used to pay the final bill -- you get separate bills. Thus if you have shipboard credit -- the majority usually goes to one person -- so at the end of the cruise -- one person may have a huge bill and the other one will owe nothing (maybe even have shipboard credit left over).

 

We discovered these new procedures on our Nieuw Amsterdam cruise -- and they were the same on the Amsterdam.

 

So on about day 3 or 4 -- we asked for a copy of our bill -- then asked for the bills to be combined. This way all the shipboard credit we get is used.

 

On the last full day of the cruise I ask for a copy of the bill so that I can make certain that everything is in order. That way I don't have a lot to check out the last morning of the cruise.

 

And yes -- half way through our cruise we were charged for a bottle of water from our mini bar -- and the funny part was -- the bottles of water were multiplying!! None had been used!!

 

The lines at the front office were long on the final morning of the cruise!!

 

Make certain you check your bill frequently -- we always do.

[Steamboatin]

Have been checking our bill daily for years.

 

This is simply the smart and prudent thing to do.

 

Every day I ask for a print out and check it out before I leave their desk. Any problem is immediately taken care of before I leave the desk.

[mamaofami]

I always ask for a copy of the bill the last full day of the cruise. Nothing worse than standing in line at the office before disembarking. Well, maybe disembarking is worse.

[COLLEYBERRY]

Why ,oh why won't HAL put bills on cabin TVs ?? Or menus for all dining venues for that matter.

 

Everyone could then check their bill on a daily basis...on two of our three Hal cruises, we were charged for beer and water never consumed...we never, ever, use contents of the cabin fridge.

The amounts were not significant..and frankly I wasn't about to stand in line to adjust the bill for so little... my choice I agree. Makes you wonder how much revenue is gleaned from lazy people like me...maybe that's why there are no bills on the TVs.

I can't imagine it would be very costly to implement such a feature on the televisions.

[kazu]

Thanks KK, on our last cruise the bills were still being combined.

 

I always review them on a regular basis (it's easier to check as you go than go through all the stuff on the last day). It only takes a minute or two and can save a lot of aggravation.

 

I will definitely be asking for our bills to be combined if they are separate.

 

thanks again:D

[PSR]

Also -- it doesn't make any difference whose credit card is used to pay the final bill -- you get separate bills. Thus if you have shipboard credit -- the majority usually goes to one person -- so at the end of the cruise -- one person may have a huge bill and the other one will owe nothing (maybe even have shipboard credit left over).

 

 

I also noticed on our last Princess cruise we did not get a preliminary bill...was surprised. But we did check every so often as we cruised because we knew Princess didn't have on-TV shipboard charges checking like RCCL (that is a neat feature!). But are you saying that if we (2 of us) do not ask to combine the bills ourselves, there will be 2 separate charges to our card at the end of the cruise? There always has been 2 separate totals, but the final bill was always combined for the final grand total. Two credit card charges would be a definite change from past procedure.

 

Penny:confused:

[bet410]

Okay, I am definitely confused. Does this mean if people from two different households are rooming together that their bills are also combined? If so, this is very discriminatory against single people who travel together!

 

If there is a married couple, then it would work out okay. However if there are roommates that are not married, it makes absolutely NO sense! Can people demand that their accounts be separated?

 

On our upcoming cruise, I've purchased extra SBC for my account. So has my travel companion. I certainly would assume that we will each have our own SBC in our own accounts and charges made to our own credit cards!

[pms4104]

Okay, I am definitely confused. Does this mean if people from two different households are rooming together that their bills are also combined? If so, this is very discriminatory against single people who travel together!

 

If there is a married couple, then it would work out okay. However if there are roommates that are not married, it makes absolutely NO sense! Can people demand that their accounts be separated?

 

On our upcoming cruise, I've purchased extra SBC for my account. So has my travel companion. I certainly would assume that we will each have our own SBC in our own accounts and charges made to our own credit cards!

In your case, if you each provide a different/separate credit card, there will be a separate folio for each of you. I surmise HAL combines the accounts only when the same credit card is used to secure the charges of both people.

[ironin]

Okay, I am definitely confused. Does this mean if people from two different households are rooming together that their bills are also combined? If so, this is very discriminatory against single people who travel together!

 

If there is a married couple, then it would work out okay. However if there are roommates that are not married, it makes absolutely NO sense! Can people demand that their accounts be separated?

 

On our upcoming cruise, I've purchased extra SBC for my account. So has my travel companion. I certainly would assume that we will each have our own SBC in our own accounts and charges made to our own credit cards!

 

Don't worry! Passenger accounts are separate unless the passengers request them to be combined when entering the credit card information during "On-Line Check-In."

[bet410]

In your case, if you each provide a different/separate credit card, there will be a separate folio for each of you. I surmise HAL combines the accounts only when the same credit card is used to secure the charges of both people.

 

Don't worry! Passenger accounts are separate unless the passengers request them to be combined when entering the credit card information during "On-Line Check-In."

 

Thanks to both of you! That allays my "fears" to some extent. I hope that HAL also splits up the SBC so that each person gets what s/he should. It doesn't seem right that it would all be dumped into one person's account. We'll just have to monitor it and make sure that it's taken care of. Sure glad to be aware of this BEFORE we cruise!

[DutchByAssociation]

HAL has changed a couple of policies.

 

One -- you do not get a preliminary bill on the last full day of the cruise.

 

Also -- it doesn't make any difference whose credit card is used to pay the final bill -- you get separate bills. Thus if you have shipboard credit -- the majority usually goes to one person -- so at the end of the cruise -- one person may have a huge bill and the other one will owe nothing (maybe even have shipboard credit left over).

 

We discovered these new procedures on our Nieuw Amsterdam cruise -- and they were the same on the Amsterdam.

 

So on about day 3 or 4 -- we asked for a copy of our bill -- then asked for the bills to be combined. This way all the shipboard credit we get is used.

 

On the last full day of the cruise I ask for a copy of the bill so that I can make certain that everything is in order. That way I don't have a lot to check out the last morning of the cruise.

 

And yes -- half way through our cruise we were charged for a bottle of water from our mini bar -- and the funny part was -- the bottles of water were multiplying!! None had been used!!

 

The lines at the front office were long on the final morning of the cruise!!

 

Make certain you check your bill frequently -- we always do.

 

A couple things...

 

Like you mentioned, if you know the bills will be combined anyway, just ask when you get onboard. "Can we have our onboard accounts combined please, and it can be under ________'s name" (insert name of who is on the card that will pay)

 

As for the preliminary bill, there are a lot of guests whokeep track of what they are spending and literally don't care, so this was seen as a great way to save paper which saves costs and is green. It also doesn't affect the guest experience since you can ALWAYS ask for a copy at ANY point throughout the cruise. And if you only want to know the balance, they can tell you that and i's still just as green.

 

As for your lopsided onboard credit's KK, I'm going to assume that as an experienced cruiser with HAL you likely have the following:

Shareholder credit

Future Cruise Deposit credits

Perhaps a little something extra from a PCC/TA if you don't book direct

 

Carnival Shareholder Credits ALWAYS apply ONLY to Guest #1 on the booking. This is the way the credit is programmed. So depending on the length of cruise you will likely either see that $100 or $250 on whoever is Guest #1 in HAL's booking system.

 

Credits from FCD's are even between guests 1 and 2

 

Credits from PCC/TA are almost always even in the group amenity program but if the agent gets a gift that says "Bob and Suan, Enjoy this on your cruise. Carol, your TA" that will 9 times out of 10 be attached toguest 1 on the booking if it's for the whole room (it's just easier that way)

 

 

 

Thought this additional clarification would help to put your mind at ease. You seemed rather upset/troubled about this.

[DutchByAssociation]

Okay, I am definitely confused. Does this mean if people from two different households are rooming together that their bills are also combined? If so, this is very discriminatory against single people who travel together!

 

If there is a married couple, then it would work out okay. However if there are roommates that are not married, it makes absolutely NO sense! Can people demand that their accounts be separated?

 

On our upcoming cruise, I've purchased extra SBC for my account. So has my travel companion. I certainly would assume that we will each have our own SBC in our own accounts and charges made to our own credit cards!

 

If you don't opt to combine your accounts then this is a non-issue.

[bet410]

If you don't opt to combine your accounts then this is a non-issue.

 

Thank you so much for the clarification, DBA! That is a huge relief! :D

[DutchByAssociation]

Thank you so much for the clarification, DBA! That is a huge relief! :D

 

My pleasure.

 

And if you even wan to play it EXTRA safe, just stop by the first day of the cruise when you don't see a line and they can even confirm it right there as well :)

[luvcruisn']

Carnival Shareholder Credits ALWAYS apply ONLY to Guest #1 on the booking. This is the way the credit is programmed. So depending on the length of cruise you will likely either see that $100 or $250 on whoever is Guest #1 in HAL's booking system.

 

On one of my cruises my roommate and I, who were both singles, both owned Carnival stock. The stock credit was put in my name, as Guest 1 on the booking, as I had done the booking for both us. As we both owned shares, it seemed fair to share the $250.00 stock credit, as only one is allowed per cabin. I went to the front office and had them take $125.00 from my account and put it onto my roommate's account. There was no problem doing this, it was taken care of right away.

[erewhon]

Krazy Kruizers,

 

Thank you for this helpful information.

[DugboatLarry]

We don't like to complain so we did not bother..

[GeriatricNurse]

A couple things...

 

Like you mentioned, if you know the bills will be combined anyway, just ask when you get onboard. "Can we have our onboard accounts combined please, and it can be under ________'s name" (insert name of who is on the card that will pay)

 

As for the preliminary bill, there are a lot of guests whokeep track of what they are spending and literally don't care, so this was seen as a great way to save paper which saves costs and is green. It also doesn't affect the guest experience since you can ALWAYS ask for a copy at ANY point throughout the cruise. And if you only want to know the balance, they can tell you that and i's still just as green.

 

As for your lopsided onboard credit's KK, I'm going to assume that as an experienced cruiser with HAL you likely have the following:

Shareholder credit

Future Cruise Deposit credits

Perhaps a little something extra from a PCC/TA if you don't book direct

 

Carnival Shareholder Credits ALWAYS apply ONLY to Guest #1 on the booking. This is the way the credit is programmed. So depending on the length of cruise you will likely either see that $100 or $250 on whoever is Guest #1 in HAL's booking system.

 

Credits from FCD's are even between guests 1 and 2

 

Credits from PCC/TA are almost always even in the group amenity program but if the agent gets a gift that says "Bob and Suan, Enjoy this on your cruise. Carol, your TA" that will 9 times out of 10 be attached toguest 1 on the booking if it's for the whole room (it's just easier that way)

 

 

 

Thought this additional clarification would help to put your mind at ease. You seemed rather upset/troubled about this.

 

DBA, when is HAL going to (finally) upgrade to "interactive" televisions in all staterooms for the convenience of their guests so that they may check their accounts on them as so desired (and thereby lessen the workload of the Front Office staff)? :) X has had this for many years! ;)

[PetNanny]

Thanks for this info. I will make a note to ask for a copy of the bill as we too have been charged for water from the mini bar and we were told the charge would be removed but it was not.

[Krazy Kruizers]

A couple things...

 

Like you mentioned, if you know the bills will be combined anyway, just ask when you get onboard. "Can we have our onboard accounts combined please, and it can be under ________'s name" (insert name of who is on the card that will pay)

 

As for the preliminary bill, there are a lot of guests whokeep track of what they are spending and literally don't care, so this was seen as a great way to save paper which saves costs and is green. It also doesn't affect the guest experience since you can ALWAYS ask for a copy at ANY point throughout the cruise. And if you only want to know the balance, they can tell you that and i's still just as green.

 

As for your lopsided onboard credit's KK, I'm going to assume that as an experienced cruiser with HAL you likely have the following:

Shareholder credit

Future Cruise Deposit credits

Perhaps a little something extra from a PCC/TA if you don't book direct

 

Carnival Shareholder Credits ALWAYS apply ONLY to Guest #1 on the booking. This is the way the credit is programmed. So depending on the length of cruise you will likely either see that $100 or $250 on whoever is Guest #1 in HAL's booking system.

 

Credits from FCD's are even between guests 1 and 2

 

Credits from PCC/TA are almost always even in the group amenity program but if the agent gets a gift that says "Bob and Suan, Enjoy this on your cruise. Carol, your TA" that will 9 times out of 10 be attached toguest 1 on the booking if it's for the whole room (it's just easier that way)

 

 

 

Thought this additional clarification would help to put your mind at ease. You seemed rather upset/troubled about this.

 

I am not upset by this -- just thought I should warn people -- the long lines at the front desk on the last morning was bad -- thankfully we can use the concierges when we have a problem.

On every cruise that we have been on since the new star program began -- we constantly have to go to the concierges to get the 50% credit that we are due from our pre-booked specialty restaurant reservations. HAL should have a way of giving us this discount when we book online and not have to fuss with this once on the ship and once we have dinned in a specialty restaurant.

Yup -- I do know all about who gets which shipboard vredit as it has been done that way for years.

Like Colleyberry said -- HAL needs to go to Interactive TV where we can view our bills.

[Jade13]

We only provide one credit card for both of us. They separate by key card used for the charges by Guest 1 and Guest 2, which means the key cards need to be used evenly if there is a couple in the cabin (or we have to go have the folio combined?).

 

HAL needs an interactive TV system like Celebrity. The lines are way too long at the front desk.

[Randyk47]

We only provide one credit card for both of us. They separate by key card used for the charges by Guest 1 and Guest 2, which means the key cards need to be used evenly if there is a couple in the cabin (or we have to go have the folio combined?).

 

HAL needs an interactive TV system like Celebrity. The lines are way too long at the front desk.

 

All I can say is how our last cruise, and I actually think the ones before that for that matter, was handled. I did all the on line check in business. In that process I provided a credit card for myself and then under my wife's information I had to check a block that said I was responsible for her charges and to charge them to the same credit card. The final statement had a section that was all my charges and a section that was all her charges but the final total amount was charged to my credit card. Since I'm the one who usually dug my card out the vast majority of the charges were against my "half" of the account but Mrs. K bought a few things so she did have some charges. There was no thought given to or reason for trying to use the joint account equally.

[realnurse2]

I agree 100% its time HAL posted your bill on interactive tv. Much more accurate and can be reviewed daily and corrected when needed. I don't know if anyone LIKES to complain but if say one in ten people is charged for something they didn't use and lets it go, that makes for a good profit at the end of the cruise on mistaken charges.Why pay someone else's bartab? I don't think so!

[goodroe]

While waiting in our cabin recently to disembark, an employee came in and put a can of soda into the mini-bar. I did question him about it and said that we had not used anything from the bar and would we be charged for it. Answer - no, of course not. Well, when I received my credit card statement after arriving home there was a $7.00 mini-bar charge that was not on the final bill we received the last day. Pretty expensive for a can of 7-up. However, I did call HAL and was told that it was charged to the wrong cabin and they did credit our account. After reading previous postings, it made me wonder if this happens frequently and it's just easier not to bother for a small charge.

 

Just wondering how the inventory is tracked in the mini-bar? Is it the steward's responsibility? My experience with mini-bars is that there is usually a list in the bar.

[Randyk47]

Just wondering how the inventory is tracked in the mini-bar? Is it the steward's responsibility? My experience with mini-bars is that there is usually a list in the bar.

 

Unless something has changed I've seen one or two people who take care of the mini-bars, not the cabin steward. I don't recall seeing them on our last cruise but before I've seen them in the hallway with a little cart full of stuff for the mini-bar going from cabin to cabin. I think we even came back to the cabin once while they were in checking. Mrs. K drank a couple of diet Cokes out of our mini-bar on our last cruise but they didn't get restocked automatically. There was an order form we could have filled out and hung on the cabin door knob or taken to the concierge in the Neptune Lounge but we never bothered.