Carnival charges my bill more than plan

[mymy31]

Good evening,

 

We came back from a carnival breeze cruise.

The last day i picked up my bill. No surprise: we payed for the gratuities and 3 days with the wifi.

We didn't do any others extras..

So we were supposed to pay $403.

Today i check my bank account and carnival debit $538 on my account and I have $25 in pending.

I don't understand why? I tried to call them but it was too late.

I only see 2 reasons but please tell me if there is any fees for that:

- We disembarked earlier than planed because my son started to have asthma attack and we wanted to go to the doctor.

- We had a problem with beach towels. We had 3 in our room and i think the cleaner took them. When i asked to the "towel desk" they told me it was OK i had 0 towels on my account.

[amystarfish]

Don't you get an itemized bill the morning you disembark? I would think a quick call the carnival would solve the mystery.

 

On a total side note - I never use carnival towels. I bring my own. I'm so paranoid about being charged for one.

 

 

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[springs741]

If you used a debit card you need to talk to your bank about when the holds are going to drop.

 

I know you said you had a $25 pending but I am betting some of what you think is a "charge" from Carnival is really a hold from early in the cruise.

 

First call should be to the bank then call carnival. I am not saying Carnival didn't mess up but several times here on CC folks have had issues with debit cards. Usually it is the bank not dropping the hold.

 

Let us know how things get resolved.

[mymy31]

Thanks for your feedback.

1- We had a bill the morning we disembarked and it was $403

2- I used my credit card. Yesterday i had many lines on pending for the cruise. Today, $538 has been charged and $25 is still in pending.

 

I know I should talk with the company but it was too late and for be honest i am very upset..I don't like this kind of surprise, especially when i know we had been very carefully

[springs741]

You have a copy of your bill. While it is frustrating I am sure it will get worked out.

 

Have a smile on my hubby: I charged $1400 worth of airfare on Sunday. He was looking at the CC on line last night. There was a $1400 in the pending and again listed on the charge. Needless to say he thought I spend $2800 on airfare. Took a few minutes to calm him.

[mymy31]

I am just wondering: If they charge us for the towels that we didn't take or for anything else the last day, how could we justify us.

$2800 could be reasonable..depends where you go and if you bring all your family :))))

[Jamericannn]

I am just wondering: If they charge us for the towels that we didn't take or for anything else the last day, how could we justify us.

$2800 could be reasonable..depends where you go and if you bring all your family :))))

 

3 Towels alone does not add up that much. Must be something else

[cruizinisthebest]

It's probably a hold and will fall off within whatever the normal hold is for your bank. Carnival has nothing to do with releasing it. If it's for towels, I'm sure they will adjust it. Only way to know for sure is to call. Good luck.

[riclop]

Good evening,

 

We came back from a carnival breeze cruise.

The last day i picked up my bill. No surprise: we payed for the gratuities and 3 days with the wifi.

We didn't do any others extras..

So we were supposed to pay $403.

Today i check my bank account and carnival debit $538 on my account and I have $25 in pending.

I don't understand why? I tried to call them but it was too late.

I only see 2 reasons but please tell me if there is any fees for that:

- We disembarked earlier than planed because my son started to have asthma attack and we wanted to go to the doctor.

- We had a problem with beach towels. We had 3 in our room and i think the cleaner took them. When i asked to the "towel desk" they told me it was OK i had 0 towels on my account.

This seems to be happening a lot . Towels $$$.

[mymy31]

A hold is not like a pending?

[mymy31]

This seems to be happening a lot . Towels $$$.

 

Oh damned...but who will take their towels? They are awful :mad:

[cruizinisthebest]

A hold is not like a pending?

 

A hold is a charge pre-authorization. Often it's over what you really spent and will straighten itself out within a week or so.

[mymy31]

A hold is a charge pre-authorization. Often it's over what you really spent and will straighten itself out within a week or so.

 

 

So if I understand : they charged more and after a week they pay you back the difference?

[First and Ten]

Never use a debit card for ships charges. Always use a credit card

 

 

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[mymy31]

Never use a debit card for ships charges. Always use a credit card

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

I used a credit card

[cruizinisthebest]

So if I understand : they charged more and after a week they pay you back the difference?

 

The correct amount to be charged - in this case you said $403 - will be the final charged to your account. The $538 should be pending. Often Carnival will authorize more than is actually seen on the final bill just to make sure the funds are there. Companies do this all of the time. But to be sure it's not something else (like the towels) call in the morning.

 

Never use a debit card for ships charges. Always use a credit card

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

The OP said they used a credit card.

[First and Ten]

It's probably a hold and will fall off within whatever the normal hold is for your bank. Carnival has nothing to do with releasing it. If it's for towels, I'm sure they will adjust it. Only way to know for sure is to call. Good luck.

 

 

They don't typically place holds on credit cards. They are put on debit cards. That is why you should never use. Debit card as the payment for your S&S account

 

 

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[cruizinisthebest]

They don't typically place holds on credit cards. They are put on debit cards. That is why you should never use. Debit card as the payment for your S&S account

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

Perhaps. But I take the OP at his or her word. They said they used a credit card. And I know when I use my credit card for items, yes holds for over the amount are placed on them depending on the purchase sometimes.

[mymy31]

Until yesterday I had many lines in hold or pending for carnival cruise

and today only one line charged but $133 more than planed.

And still $25 in hold/pending

[Organized Chaos]

If you're charged for a towel, they are only $22/ea. I say "only" because that number doesn't fit what you're seeing on your statement. I agree with springs741, call your bank. Ask them if any of the line items you're seeing are merely holds that haven't been released yet. Also, you keep saying it's "too late" to call Carnival. No, it's not. If it's not the bank's hold that's causing the issue, then you need to call Carnival to see if they can explain it to you and straighten it out if there's an error.

 

See if this information helps. It's from Carnival's FAQ in regards to S&S accounts opened with credit/debit cards and the holds that are placed on them...

 

Sail & Sign Account Opened with a Credit Card or Debit Card

 

• Guests may activate their Sail & Sign account on Carnival.com, My Cruise Manager - Online Check-In or on the first day of the cruise at embarkation.
  
  
• The guest's credit card or debit card will be swiped at embarkation with an initial hold placed on file as a deposit; if the card is activated online, the initial hold will be placed on file on the day of embarkation:
  
  
  • 2 - 5 day cruise: $100 USD per credit card or debit card
    
    
  • 6 days or longer: $200 USD per credit card or debit card
    
    
   
  [*]
  Throughout the cruise, additional holds will be obtained as needed when the Sail & Sign Account exceeds the amount of deposit Carnival has on file.
  [*]
  If a credit card is presented, this will reduce the amount available on the credit card for other purchases.
  [*]
  If a debit/check-cashing card is presented, the hold will restrict the available cash in the checking account.
  [*]
  Any remaining hold after the end of the cruise will automatically be released by the guest's issuing bank within a time period determined by the bank.
  [*]
  If the guest replaces a credit/debit card previously used, the hold will remain on the account. This will reduce the amount of funds available on the credit/debit card account. The release of this/these hold(s) is entirely up to the issuing bank and can
  [*]
  take from 3 to 7 business days after the cruise returns for the funds to be released.
  [*]
  All charges will automatically be billed to the guest's credit card at the end of the voyage. The total amount will be applied to the credit card presented during registration.

They don't typically place holds on credit cards. They are put on debit cards. That is why you should never use. Debit card as the payment for your S&S account

They do place holds on credit cards. See above FAQ.

[Drrandall]

Most credit card companies authorize a credit card for 20%extra to allow for gratuity. Maybe that's what it is. Then when the final bill goes through it will say $403. Maybe they treat a cruise like a restaurant. Just a thought. Let us know for sure though. We are on the Breeze in 81 days. How was the cruised otherwise?

[dad son team]

You need to call Carnival. There is an option in the phone menu for post cruise issues, then the next menu for S&S charges. I called them Monday and it took about 15 minutes for them to pick up. $22 extra was added to my S&S after my final bill and I learned it was for a towel they say was not returned. I advised that I did return it and they reversed the $22 right away. It has not popped up on my card yet, but it's only been 2 days.

[mymy31]

i called the guest service this morning and the $135 more was about..towels or blankets :eek::eek:

but they will refund me..i didn't have to negotiate.

i think their politic is : we charge and if there is complain we refund.

[mymy31]

You need to call Carnival. There is an option in the phone menu for post cruise issues, then the next menu for S&S charges. I called them Monday and it took about 15 minutes for them to pick up. $22 extra was added to my S&S after my final bill and I learned it was for a towel they say was not returned. I advised that I did return it and they reversed the $22 right away. It has not popped up on my card yet, but it's only been 2 days.

 

They said it tool 5 to 10 days...

[mymy31]

Most credit card companies authorize a credit card for 20%extra to allow for gratuity. Maybe that's what it is. Then when the final bill goes through it will say $403. Maybe they treat a cruise like a restaurant. Just a thought. Let us know for sure though. We are on the Breeze in 81 days. How was the cruised otherwise?

 

The cruise was OK...my kids love it. it's not really my kind of vacations.it's not in a couple of hours that we can visit a country. But if you want to eat good, rest, sun and pools it's pretty perfect