Final statement

[Typhoon1]

We always check our statement several times during the cruise, so there are no surprises on departure day.

 

If HAL is unwilling to remove the charge, contact the credit card company, and dispute the charge no matter how small.

[ColoradoCherry]

This happened to me, too!

 

I was on a cruise with my niece on the Zuiderdam, Jan 2012. We received an invitation to the Pinnacle Grill to dine with some couple I didn't know. I called to inform the front desk of the mistake and to cancel the reservation. It turned out the cabin next to us was supposed to receive the invite. Simple error.

 

On the day of disembarkation I received the final bill and the Pinnacle charge was on it. I called the front desk and they said it would be removed.

 

It had been on the back burner of my mind to check and make sure if it had been removed but life happens, however I'm preparing to go on a cruise soon so I was on HAL website and found I could request a copy of the bill (a very easy process with a pull down menu in the "email us" section, btw). In the comment section I said I wanted to check on the Pinnacle Grill charge on the account. In 10 minutes time I received both a personal reply and a copy of the bill. The Pinnacle Grill charge was not on there. However I found an amount for the mini-bar that was not on my final bill... almost $40!! - and nothing had been consumed from the mini bar.

 

 

My previous sailing on the same ship a few months prior I found a receipt from the Crow's Nest bar where I had purchased my mom's drink one evening. I was in shock - the total was $19 - she had ordered a glass of wine. I asked my mom - what kind of wine did you have - that was an expensive drink, mom, geez! She said she just had white zin - so I made an inquiry. Turns out I was charged for a bottle of wine. Honest mistake? quite possible. Until my mom viewed her receipts and found several more glasses of wine charged as bottles. I don't think that was an honest mistake by the same wine steward several times over the course of 11 days. I think he did it the first time, didn't get caught - then did it again and again. When the "mistake" was caught, he blamed it on another person using his key card, but I still don't know how someone else using his card could charge us on our card - incorrectly - so many times. We let it go because he seemed genuine face to face but after the fact his story didn't make sense.

 

I have been lax checking my statements but now that I've checked twice and I've found errors both times, I will be vigilant and suggest the same.

[cruz chic]

I think you are right Colorado. I think some bad apples do try to charge things seeing if people will notice. If they don't, they pocket the money. I know some people don't want to hear this about their beloved HAL but things happen. I'm a HAL fan but some things are just too fishy. I have to say that I didn't think HAL sold a bottle of wine for $19. That's a deal considering their prices.

[jtl513]

I have to say that I didn't think HAL sold a bottle of wine for $19. That's a deal considering their prices.

Me either. On the HAL site the cheapest are the "Bon Voyage" red and white for $24.04 including the 15% S.C.

[CowPrincess]

Reading the posts about inaccurate bar/alcohol (not mini-bar) charges makes me wonder if the stewards have a sales quota to meet. We had one wine steward who seemed to "play games" with our wine card (back in the day of wine cards).....

[jtl513]

We had one wine steward who seemed to "play games" with our wine card (back in the day of wine cards).....

We had a wine steward who "played a game" with our new-type $50 beverage card. Three or four times when we ordered two glasses of wine he would charge us for two digestif drinks in those souvenir shot glasses, and bring us the wine and empty shot glasses. Maybe he had a quota of those to sell?

[Sapphire723]

I wonder how the line accounts for all of these "mistakes" when it comes to recognizing revenue. Whether or not it's intentional, it seems as if they have a very poor set of internal controls that prevent this from happening. Because of this, they are probably recognizing revenue that hasn't actually been earned and deceiving not only passengers but shareholders as well.

[ColoradoCherry]

I just wanted to clarify - the receipt did not say (that I recall) "bottle of wine". I picked up the paper when I was straightening the cabin and went to toss in the garbage. that's when I noticed $19 - it could have been $19.xx or $19.xx with the gratuity - I don't recall. but it was $19 - and I questioned my mom on what the heck she ordered, what drink cost that much, etc.

 

It was in talking with the steward that he told me I was charged for a bottle by mistake, that someone had used his card to run the charge - alleviating himself of the blame. Later my mom checked her receipts and found the same charges and he was our only attendant in the Crow's Nest every night. I don't know what exactly the charge was REALLY for except it said $19 and the bar attendant said it was for a bottle.

 

And yes, I do believe there is a sales quota that the bar staff has to meet. The dining room stewards have a quota for the bottles of water in the main dining room as well. How do I know? If you are in the right place at the right time you can overhear the senior staff discussing things... like this.

[pms4104]

So, here's some hypothetical food for thought. Say half the passengers were to secure their account with cash ... what revenue decrease might HAL realize from in-room mini-bars and ship bars? What about if all passengers were to do that? What would the revenue loss impact be? I wonder what the percentage drop would be.

 

Seriously, I'm considering taking along a wad of travelers checks next cruise, cashing them out at the Front desk to secure my expenses, checking my account a couple of times during the cruise, getting a check for any remaining monies last night onboard. They can't pass along these additional erroneous charges after the fact if they have no credit card on file for me. Yeah, it's a PITA, but I resent the petty insinuations that I didn't recall what I consumed when I've called to get the bogus charges reversed.

[Mjjpower]

Since we are leaving on Saturday I decided to read through this entire thread. What would people suggest as being the most proactive way to deal with this, either purchasing a beverage card ahead of time (although I believe the beverage cards are not good for happy hour specials?) or check your statement each day and deal with issues as they appear. We will be in a suite for the first time so we have access to the Neptune Lounge so the concierge could probaby pull our statement easily I would think. We are the type who look at our reciepts at the end of each day and keep very careful track of our spending so as to avoid any surprises at the end of the cruise. Have people checked their final statement but found when they received thier credit card statement it had changed?

[fleckle]

Since we are leaving on Saturday I decided to read through this entire thread. What would people suggest as being the most proactive way to deal with this, either purchasing a beverage card ahead of time (although I believe the beverage cards are not good for happy hour specials?) or check your statement each day and deal with issues as they appear........... Have people checked their final statement but found when they received thier credit card statement it had changed?

Yes, that is exactly what happens, far too frequently merely to be coincidence.

 

If your final statement on the ship is correct, it is so easy to forget about it after you get home, especially if you had no problems with invalid charges while you were on the cruise.

 

When your credit card statement arrives weeks later, by then you would be unlikely to remember the exact total amount of your cruise account.

 

So unless the charge on the credit card statement is unusual enough to trigger a red flag, or unless you actually compare it to the final statement from your cruise, it would be very easy to miss the discrepancy and overlook it.

[cruz chic]

So, here's some hypothetical food for thought. Say half the passengers were to secure their account with cash ... what revenue decrease might HAL realize from in-room mini-bars and ship bars? What about if all passengers were to do that? What would the revenue loss impact be? I wonder what the percentage drop would be.

 

Seriously, I'm considering taking along a wad of travelers checks next cruise, cashing them out at the Front desk to secure my expenses, checking my account a couple of times during the cruise, getting a check for any remaining monies last night onboard. They can't pass along these additional erroneous charges after the fact if they have no credit card on file for me. Yeah, it's a PITA, but I resent the petty insinuations that I didn't recall what I consumed when I've called to get the bogus charges reversed.

I bet you would have to leave the cash in place until the morning. This does sound like a good solution.

[jtl513]

... (although I believe the beverage cards are not good for happy hour specials?) ...

It depends on the ship Beverage Manager. On the Maasdam last week the happy hour deal was "second drink $1" and they did accept the beverage card. Other ships do not.

 

... or check your statement each day and deal with issues as they appear ...

We check ours every 3 days or so, but we don't charge a lot each day.

[cruz chic]

Since we are leaving on Saturday I decided to read through this entire thread. What would people suggest as being the most proactive way to deal with this, either purchasing a beverage card ahead of time (although I believe the beverage cards are not good for happy hour specials?) or check your statement each day and deal with issues as they appear. We will be in a suite for the first time so we have access to the Neptune Lounge so the concierge could probaby pull our statement easily I would think. We are the type who look at our reciepts at the end of each day and keep very careful track of our spending so as to avoid any surprises at the end of the cruise. Have people checked their final statement but found when they received thier credit card statement it had changed?

Yes, mine has changed. I go down to the front desk every few days to get a printout. I also go and put cash deposits down during the cruise. I like to give my credit cards a break when I'm on holidays because the poor things get a good workout with me at home:D.

[Boytjie]

I like to give my credit cards a break when I'm on holidays because the poor things get a good workout with me at home:D.

 

When I am on vacation I am the one on the break, the credit card can keep on working. It doesn't need a vacation! :D

[DaveOKC]

Since we are leaving on Saturday I decided to read through this entire thread. What would people suggest as being the most proactive way to deal with this, either purchasing a beverage card ahead of time (although I believe the beverage cards are not good for happy hour specials?) or check your statement each day and deal with issues as they appear. We will be in a suite for the first time so we have access to the Neptune Lounge so the concierge could probaby pull our statement easily I would think. We are the type who look at our reciepts at the end of each day and keep very careful track of our spending so as to avoid any surprises at the end of the cruise. Have people checked their final statement but found when they received thier credit card statement it had changed?

 

The Neptune concierge can easily print you off a bill at anytime. I usually do it about half way through the cruise and again early in the day before departure day.

 

Once I happened by the front desk and did not see a line, so I stopped and asked them to print off a copy of my bill so far. The lady did so, but made a curt comment that my Neptune concierge could do it for me! Kind of pissed me off the way she said it, but I just nodded and walked away - not worth a hassle.

 

DaveOKC

[cruz chic]

When I am on vacation I am the one on the break, the credit card can keep on working. It doesn't need a vacation! :D

I bet yours doesn't get the workout mine does:D;).

[cruz chic]

The Neptune concierge can easily print you off a bill at anytime. I usually do it about half way through the cruise and again early in the day before departure day.

 

Once I happened by the front desk and did not see a line, so I stopped and asked them to print off a copy of my bill so far. The lady did so, but made a curt comment that my Neptune concierge could do it for me! Kind of pissed me off the way she said it, but I just nodded and walked away - not worth a hassle.

 

DaveOKC

Nice! So what if the Neptune could do it. If they weren't busy what is the problem? I think some of the front office staff needs more training.

[sail7seas]

I bet you would have to leave the cash in place until the morning. This does sound like a good solution.

 

 

The problem with that is you will be paged and unable to disembark until you go to the office and pick up whatever balance still remains. If there is $10 left on deposit, you'd have to get in that line to collect it. Is that worth it?

 

 

 

Nice! So what if the Neptune could do it. If they weren't busy what is the problem? I think some of the front office staff needs more training.

 

 

So inappropriate for a front office worker to make such a comment and seeing Concierges all rotate from the from office staff, IMO, that makes it even worse. I would have been 'put out' for a Front Office person to say that to me. Suite guests are able to use conciernge for all those tasks but they certainly do not have to.

 

[cruz chic]

The problem with that is you will be paged and unable to disembark until you go to the office and pick up whatever balance still remains. If there is $10 left on deposit, you'd have to get in that line to collect it. Is that worth it?

No, that so wouldn't work for me because as a Canadian I find we're running from pillar to post on the last morning with immigration. It may work for the person who suggested it.

[fleckle]

The problem with that is you will be paged and unable to disembark until you go to the office and pick up whatever balance still remains. If there is $10 left on deposit, you'd have to get in that line to collect it. Is that worth it?

Good point! You are right. It is easier just to leave your account on the credit card and avoid any hassle on the last day of the cruise.

 

But remember to check the charge on the next credit card statement. Even if it turns out that you need to take a few minutes to call HAL to get an overcharge credited back to you, that is still less trouble than dealing with a cash account and you can do it at your own convenience.

 

Besides, you get cash back or airline miles or other reward points when you pay your account with a credit card, and you have the protection of the credit card company in case of a dispute. :)

[Hawaiidan]

Your talking about a floating resort hotel,with almost 1000 rooms at times and having every guest check out at once, and having to turn the ship around in a scant few hours, do all the accounting, get and transpose reports form all the departments of thisng missing. extras....

 

.I would expect some normal margin of error in such an opperation. Do you ever make errors?

:rolleyes: A covert plan... I dont think so.

 

I think its amazing what they do and do it well.

 

Think...much ado about nothing

[cruz chic]

Think...much ado about nothing

Unless it happens to you...correct:rolleyes:?

[Sapphire723]

 

.I would expect some normal margin of error in such an opperation. Do you ever make errors?

:rolleyes: A covert plan... I dont think so.

 

I think its amazing what they do and do it well.

 

Think...much ado about nothing

 

When I make errors, I apologize profusely and do everything in my power to make the situation satisfactory. From the anecdotal evidence provided from others, it seems as if HAL first tries to fault the passenger and then begrudgingly fixes the mistake they shouldn't have made to begin with.

 

The burden of proof is on the cruise line to prove that the charges are valid and not on the passenger to prove that they aren't and HAL should not be charging people until they have evidence that the charge is valid.

[jayjaycan]

To Mjjpower

 

I think if you make sure you get a receipt for each purchase/charge,check them daily as you do and reconcile them to an interim statement every 3 to 4 days you can resolve any issues with the front desk.

 

Reading all the postings here I am surprised by the number of mistakes and amount of charges involved.If I discovered as many errors and added charges to my acccount from the same bar or bar/wine steward as one poster stated I would have discussed the matter with the Food & Beverage Manager.