Charges to my credit card after return

[racepoint]

We had a wonderful cruise on the Dawn, Boston to Bermuda, in May. I just received my credit card statement and noticed a charge for $15.34 from NCL that was posted a full week after our return. Granted, it's not a lot of money, but I really didn't know what it was for and decided to make a phone call. Long story short (and it turned out to be several calls to several different departments), I was told that it was for "items we took from the mini bar". Problem is, we took nothing from the mini bar. In fact, when we first checked into our stateroom, we asked the room steward to remove everything from the fridge so we could fill it with water bottles and whatever was left over from our buckets of beer;) Interestingly, he politely refused and suggested that we just unload it ourselves and put it on the shelf above the fridge. We complied and that's the last I thought of it. I am writing now to say that NCL was gracious about it and, after hearing my story, agreed to reverse the charge on my card. After reading multiple complaints about NCL customer service, I just wanted to share my experience.

[vols_159]

We had a wonderful cruise on the Dawn, Boston to Bermuda, in May. I just received my credit card statement and noticed a charge for $15.34 from NCL that was posted a full week after our return. Granted, it's not a lot of money, but I really didn't know what it was for and decided to make a phone call. Long story short (and it turned out to be several calls to several different departments), I was told that it was for "items we took from the mini bar". Problem is, we took nothing from the mini bar. In fact, when we first checked into our stateroom, we asked the room steward to remove everything from the fridge so we could fill it with water bottles and whatever was left over from our buckets of beer;) Interestingly, he politely refused and suggested that we just unload it ourselves and put it on the shelf above the fridge. We complied and that's the last I thought of it. I am writing now to say that NCL was gracious about it and, after hearing my story, agreed to reverse the charge on my card. After reading multiple complaints about NCL customer service, I just wanted to share my experience.

 

 

I havnt had any weird charges my parents was on a cruise out of miami and had a footlocker charge while they was at sea..

 

I also ask my room stewart to remove the mini bar and from the room i dont wanna accidently break something.. They will if you ask nicely most of the time I know they are very busy sometimes a xtra tip helps out. Last cruise I received a free bottle of wine.. I dont drink but opened it to taste of it.. Was awful after sitting there a couple days my room stewart asked me what i wanted done with it.. I told him he could have it i didnt want it.. He seemed very happy said he would share with his friends..

[Unknotted]

I worry about that on every cruise (not just with NCL) but have never had a problem. Sorry you did, but happy it was resolved.

[goose30]

Some of them are"Stewarts" all of them are "stewards".

[RuthlessBoss]

I worry about that on every cruise (not just with NCL) but have never had a problem. Sorry you did, but happy it was resolved.

I've not had that problem either, but wondered what I would do if it happened. Is there a master list of what is supposed to be in the fridge? Do all cabins carry the same thing?

[crystalaziza]

I too have had this happen to me. Twice if memory serves me correctly. I simply call my CC co. & have it removed. It was a lot quicker than calling NCL. It always pays to re-check your CC statements. I do it on line before I even get my statement...........The sooner you catch something the better off you are. I'm thinking they thought something was missing from the mini bar, really................$6.00 for 1/2 a mouthful of Bailey's..........:o

[gra2172]

My credit card bill always shows weird NCL charges for a couple days. Itll say something goofy like +700$ -15$ +30$ -15$ then come out right.

 

I had an odd one that turned out to be the bus transfer I bought at the pier. I had to think about what I couldve spent 50$ on in Seattle that wasnt NCL..

[luddite]

Some of them are"Stewarts" all of them are "stewards".

 

I have never met anyone named Stewart on a cruise. Weird, huh?

 

OP's post just reinforces the reasons for not ever using a debit card on the ship.

[che5904]

Sorry to hear NCL charged you for this, but glad it got resolved. We haven't had an issue with any stewards removing the minibar items when we requested it done. But I'm sure there are a few that are more difficult.

[garycarla]

My credit card bill always shows weird NCL charges for a couple days. Itll say something goofy like +700$ -15$ +30$ -15$ then come out right.

 

I had an odd one that turned out to be the bus transfer I bought at the pier. I had to think about what I couldve spent 50$ on in Seattle that wasnt NCL..

 

Some of those may be temporary charges. Especially numbers like that. (no cents)

 

I watch all my credit cards often using MINT.com and all those charges show up as shaded until they drop off or become real.

[Oviedo32765]

I have never met anyone named Stewart on a cruise. Weird, huh?

 

OP's post just reinforces the reasons for not ever using a debit card on the ship.

 

I think the OP used a credit card.

[luddite]

I think the OP used a credit card.

 

Correct. OP never had actual money tied up because it was on a credit card. Imagine a 1200 buck issue and it being a debit card.

[RuthlessBoss]

Almost the same conversation going on on the Carnival board.

[slidergirl]

Those even numbered amounts sound like authorizations. The cruise will get an authorization on your card for some amount at check in. If you go over that authorization, they could be nightly doing authorizations to get you back to a virtual zero balance. When you actually settle your bill, the actual amount is charged and any of the excess authorization is wiped out. Happens the same way at hotels.

[Pokeraddict]

We have had this happen to us a couple times and just did the same and called NCL, we don't even drink so they only have to look on board acct to verify that.

 

But we have never had a room steward refuse to remove the stuff and I always make sure that one of us tells him to take inventory when doing so.

[KansasCityGuys]

The same thing has happened to us twice while sailing NCL. About a week after arriving home, having a strange small amount charged to our credit card. After calling NCL post cruise customer service, they gracefully removed the charge.