Just off Eurodam, overcharge warning on Holland America!

[Two Boys Cruising]

Just returned from my first (and last) Holland America cruise. While I did enjoy the cruise, and any cruise is better than being back at work, I was highly disappointed. This line does not hold a candle to Celebrity. Prior to sailing, I was under the impression they were direct competition in the same class of middle-upper luxury. WRONG! I actually think it was the worst cabin of all my cruises. But enough about that, cruise is over. The point of this post:

 

I have never before been on a cruise where a signature was not required for charges. First of all, I always tip the hard working staff a little extra, but that is not even an option. They swipe the card and bring you the receipt: And therein lies the problem. The bar staff walks along taking a number of orders and collecting a number of cards. They have ZERO incentive to be careful and get it right, so they end up swiping your card for the bills of others. Since there are no signatures required, VERY difficult to dispute. We had it happen three times on this cruise, and it happened to many of our friends on the sailing as well. Every time it happened, you could see on the check numbers that they were consecutive numbers, and that the checks were rung ONE MINUTE apart. That was the only thing that got us out of our three overcharges. One of them was for a large round of drinks and a bottle of wine! The bar manager was even dumb enough to try to tell us after investigating they had verified it and it was ours! When we questioned how he verified and wanted proof since we didn't consume the order, he finally adjusted it. What a schmuck!

 

As for the rest of the cruise, the food was mediocre and while some of the staff were fantastic, the vast majority were average to below average as cruise ship service goes. I had been eager to try the line, and maybe my expectations were too high. From now on I will stick to Celebrity.

 

TBC

[Two Boys Cruising]

A positive comment I forgot to include: They had just overhauled the shows and "Ever After" was absolutely fantastic if you find yourself afloat on this barge.

[cruz chic]

It's good you've found a cruise line that you enjoy. I think celebrity is mediocre at best but everyone is different. I have had items charged to my account and the only thing I haven't been able to get reversed was some coffee. I think they do tend to be a little sloppy but it's happened to me on Princess too.

[eandj]

Thanks for reminding us to watch the receipts. DH is good at that.

We too find Celebrity our usual. Their new ships, room design, amenities are very nice, aren't they? But new itineraries draw us to other lines too.

[SilvertoGold]

We had the same problem once, our order and someone's else's rung up 70 seconds apart.

 

It took some doing, two trips to the Front Desk in two days, but the cellarmaster was finally called and reversed the second charge.

 

On our last two cruises, the bar servers were using post-it-notes to keep track of which card belonged to whom. End of problem!

Edited August 2, 2014 by SilvertoGold

[Fouremco]

Whether or not a signature is required, everyone should check their charge receipts as a matter of course. Harried waiters and busy bartenders do make mistakes - don't we all? - but I've found them to be quick to rectify errors when approached politely. If your post calling the bartender a dumb schmuck is any reflection of your attitude, you may want to rethink how you deal with people.

 

BTW, I too enjoy cruising with Celebrity, and I've often had charges not backed up with a signature, so don't make this sound like a HAL issue.

[SilvertoGold]

Whether or not a signature is required, everyone should check their charge receipts as a matter of course. Harried waiters and busy bartenders do make mistakes - don't we all? - but I've found them to be quick to rectify errors when approached politely. If your post calling the bartender a dumb schmuck is any reflection of your attitude, you may want to rethink how you deal with people.

 

BTW, I too enjoy cruising with Celebrity, and I've often had charges not backed up with a signature, so don't make this sound like a HAL issue.

 

I understand the problem as not a matter of receipts. It is about having someone else's bar bill charged to your account. The other pax get the receipt. You have to check your statement and then try to prove that the charge was not yours. As I wrote, it isn't easy.

[Fouremco]

I understand the problem as not a matter of receipts. It is about having someone else's bar bill charged to your account. The other pax get the receipt. You have to check your statement and then try to prove that the charge was not yours. As I wrote, it isn't easy.

I guess I'm just very careful and keep all my receipts. If a charge appears on my account for which I have no receipt I know it as soon as it's posted, and I've had no difficulty get charges like this reversed on the couple of occasions they've occurred.

[canadianbear]

I'm sorry about your experience-we loved the Eurodam but that was a few years ago. I do understand and agree-signatures should be required.

 

On a different topic Two Boys Cruising-did you like the Regatta? We were torn between it and the Noordam for the Panama Canal cruise.

[Linda&Vern]

After reading these comments I am very happy we purchase beverage cards. Even though they are not discounted, it is so easy to keep track of any drinks we buy. DH puts his name on the back of the card(s) and checks it is indeed his when the card is returned. Check the new receipt they give you, compare the balance to the old one and that's it. You only have to keep the current receipt and have no others to keep track of. Easy peasy!

[Loreto]

I, too, have been charged for something I did not purchase, which is why I always check my receipts and rectify the charge with the front desk.

 

Karen

[Laminator]

After reading these comments I am very happy we purchase beverage cards. Even though they are not discounted, it is so easy to keep track of any drinks we buy. DH puts his name on the back of the card(s) and checks it is indeed his when the card is returned. Check the new receipt they give you, compare the balance to the old one and that's it. You only have to keep the current receipt and have no others to keep track of. Easy peasy!

 

I agree 100%. I have had beverage cards that were given to me by the casino with my name imprinted on them so I know that is possible for the ship to imprint your name on the card.

Edited August 2, 2014 by Laminator

[Linda&Vern]

I agree 100%. I have had beverage cards that were given to me by the casino with my name imprinted on them so I know that is possible for the ship to imprint your name on the card.

I understand that if you preorder the cards before your cruise they will have your name imprinted on them. We usually buy them once on the ship, thereby using some of our OBC. That's why we put DH name on the back of the card. Using them makes sense to us.

[sail7seas]

There were a few times DH was given back a card when we charged drinks and only because he was careful to check did he notice it was not his card.. Of course, he then carefully read the receipt that accompanied the card and that was correct.

 

[Two Boys Cruising]

Whether or not a signature is required, everyone should check their charge receipts as a matter of course. Harried waiters and busy bartenders do make mistakes - don't we all? - but I've found them to be quick to rectify errors when approached politely. If your post calling the bartender a dumb schmuck is any reflection of your attitude, you may want to rethink how you deal with people.

 

BTW, I too enjoy cruising with Celebrity, and I've often had charges not backed up with a signature, so don't make this sound like a HAL issue.

 

Reread...it was the bar manager for the entire ship who confidently told us he had investigated. How? In what way? He lied to try to avoid reversing the charge....That's a schmuck! And on Celebrity, I have had errors as well. Everyone makes mistakes. But as soon as they pulled the receipt, they could see the signature was not mine. I did not have to debate, wait for it to be "investigated", and have a bar manager involved at all. So yes, very much an HAL issue.

[Two Boys Cruising]

I understand the problem as not a matter of receipts. It is about having someone else's bar bill charged to your account. The other pax get the receipt. You have to check your statement and then try to prove that the charge was not yours. As I wrote, it isn't easy.

 

Exactly

[Two Boys Cruising]

I guess I'm just very careful and keep all my receipts. If a charge appears on my account for which I have no receipt I know it as soon as it's posted, and I've had no difficulty get charges like this reversed on the couple of occasions they've occurred.

 

I have had it happen on every cruise line, as was stated above we all make mistakes. This is the first time I have ever had an issue, and it all centered on the fact that there was no signature and no proof on either side. It was my word against theirs that their employee performed their duties properly, and I did not appreciate it. I think a signature should be required to make it easy to acknowledge and show they guest they did sign for it if that is the case. I'm responsible for a number of hotels and a number of bars within those hotels. All room charges go to our front office sorted by date so if a guest disputes a charge, we can immediately get our hands on the receipt and look at the signature. Most of the time, it is that the guest forgot they had the particular item and seeing the signature they are fine with it. It seems to me the signature would protect the cruise line more as well.

[Two Boys Cruising]

I'm sorry about your experience-we loved the Eurodam but that was a few years ago. I do understand and agree-signatures should be required.

 

On a different topic Two Boys Cruising-did you like the Regatta? We were torn between it and the Noordam for the Panama Canal cruise.

 

Absolutely loved it. Smaller ship, different experience, but love it. The staff, the service, the food...all top notch!

[sail7seas]

I have had it happen on every cruise line, as was stated above we all make mistakes. This is the first time I have ever had an issue, and it all centered on the fact that there was no signature and no proof on either side./B] It was my word against theirs that their employee performed their duties properly, and I did not appreciate it. I think a signature should be required to make it easy to acknowledge and show they guest they did sign for it if that is the case. I'm responsible for a number of hotels and a number of bars within those hotels. All room charges go to our front office sorted by date so if a guest disputes a charge, we can immediately get our hands on the receipt and look at the signature. Most of the time, it is that the guest forgot they had the particular item and seeing the signature they are fine with it. It seems to me the signature would protect the cruise line more as well.

 

 

 

<snip>

 

I have never before been on a cruise where a signature was not required for charges. First of all, I always tip the hard working staff a little extra, but that is not even an option. They swipe the card and bring you the receipt: And therein lies the problem. The bar staff walks along taking a number of orders and collecting a number of cards. They have ZERO incentive to be careful and get it right, so they end up swiping your card for the bills of others. Since there are no signatures required,

 

<snip>

 

 

 

I'm confused.

First you posted you did not have to provide a signature and then you indicated it was not your signature.....

 

Was there a signature or not? :confused:

[canadianbear]

I'm confused.

First you posted you did not have to provide a signature and then you indicated it was not your signature.....

 

Was there a signature or not? :confused:

 

I think they meant when on Celebrity with the signature.

[canadianbear]

Absolutely loved it. Smaller ship, different experience, but love it. The staff, the service, the food...all top notch!

 

Thanks...good thing to debate in our heads!

[Two Boys Cruising]

I'm confused.

First you posted you did not have to provide a signature and then you indicated it was not your signature.....

 

Was there a signature or not? :confused:

 

THERE IS NO SIGNATURE ON HAL. I was quoting another comment and answering that yes I have had issues on other cruise lines where there WAS a signature and the comparison was made.

[sail7seas]

Please don't 'yell at me'. I said I was confused and merely was asking.

 

It seems to me if a bar bill is over a certain amount, a signature is required.

 

Where in the two posts of yours I quoted, did you indicate you were quoting someone else? :confused:

 

Yikes, seems, I'm still confused. :o

Edited August 2, 2014 by sail7seas

[Two Boys Cruising]

Please don't 'yell at me'. I said I was confused and merely was asking.

 

It seems to me if a bar bill is over a certain amount, a signature is required.

 

Sorry, did not mean to yell, was just capitalizing for clarification. One of the items in question on our bill was $60 and it had no signature. Not sure what that amount would be if $60 did not require it.

[sail7seas]

Was your cruise a charter?