Don't make the mistake of coming home with a sail and sign balance owed!

[n6uqqq]

My friend had a bunch of OBC from a cancelled cruise rebook but managed to overdraw by around 11 dollars which he didn't notice when he left the ship. Now he has received an email from Carnival for the amount owed. When he called to inquire about paying on the 800 number provided there is now no one there to answer the phone and only a message to email guestcare@carnival.com which isn't responding either. There is currently no way to pay by credit card over the phone so they want certified checks mailed or wired money. You would think a big company like Carnival could come up with an easier way to pay via website and credit card! I wished him good luck 🤣. Calling the regular 800 number for Carnival does not work and there is an hour plus wait.

[groundloop]

He must not have had a credit card attached to his Sail & Sign account, otherwise that would have automatically been charged on the last day - crisis averted.

Edited December 8, 2021 by groundloop

[CruisefunSAN]

How did he get off the ship? Normally, when you check out of ship, they will ask you to settle on the account before you can leave.

[n6uqqq]

23 minutes ago, groundloop said:

He must not have had a credit card attached to his Sail & Sign account, otherwise that would have automatically been charged on the last day - crisis averted.

You are exactly correct. I always check my balance the evening before debarking and make sure my account is square. I also take a picture of my pool towels  because twice in the past they tried to bill me for taking them. 

Edited December 8, 2021 by n6uqqq

[n6uqqq]

1 minute ago, CruisefunSAN said:

How did he get off the ship? Normally, when you check out of ship, they will ask you to settle on the account before you can leave.

I don't know. They didn't ask him but billed him. Normally when they answer the phones you can pay over the phone but that option is gone for now and the email response hasn't come after more than a week. We are cruising again in March, maybe he can resolve it at check in if collections doesn't come after him. 

[MisterOJ2]

48 minutes ago, n6uqqq said:

You are exactly correct. I always check my balance the evening before debarking and make sure my account is square. I also take a picture of my pool towels  because twice in the past they tried to bill me for taking them. 

 

Really? They have always seemed so fast and loose with the towels, I can't imagine them actually trying to charge someone for them. And maybe once or twice one ended up in one of my bags by accident and I never heard anything about it....

[Drazil65]

How did he get off the ship? Normally, when you check out of ship, they will ask you to settle on the account before you can leave.

 

This...you would normally get called down the night before leaving or the morning of if balance on account.  We were disembarking from a cruise a couple years ago and the PA system was repeatedly asking for the same names over and over to report to GS.  Were told that more than likely the people owed a balance and ignored the telephone calls to their cabin that morning.  😏

[pe4all]

Just now, Drazil65 said:

How did he get off the ship? Normally, when you check out of ship, they will ask you to settle on the account before you can leave.

 

This...you would normally get called down the night before leaving or the morning of if balance on account.  We were disembarking from a cruise a couple years ago and the PA system was repeatedly asking for the same names over and over to report to GS.  Were told that more than likely the people owed a balance and ignored the telephone calls to their cabin that morning.  😏

Many times they will stop you as your card is swiped to debark, as it will "bong" instead of "bing", and a you will be sent back to guest services to settle your bill.  

[BennyBrun]

I am amazed he made it off the ship.  Usually any issues with the account you will not get a clear sound on debarkation day and security refers you to GS.

[n6uqqq]

I don't know how he got off without clearing the debt, but he did as you can tell from the demand letter I attached. 

[n6uqqq]

57 minutes ago, MisterOJ2 said:

 

Really? They have always seemed so fast and loose with the towels, I can't imagine them actually trying to charge someone for them. And maybe once or twice one ended up in one of my bags by accident and I never heard anything about it....

It was the large blue pool towels. I never use them as I don't go in the pools or hot tubs. 

[beerman2]

11 minutes ago, n6uqqq said:

I don't know how he got off without clearing the debt, but he did as you can tell from the demand letter I attached. 

It’s on your “friend” to check his account. Very easy to do.

Why blast the cruise lines, other than the fact he shouldn’t have been able to scan off the ship and they didn’t require/attach a CC to his account.

[icft]

7 minutes ago, beerman2 said:

It’s on your “friend” to check his account. Very easy to do.

Why blast the cruise lines, other than the fact he shouldn’t have been able to scan off the ship and they didn’t require/attach a CC to his account.

What blasting? It was a simple "mind the gap."

[n6uqqq]

11 minutes ago, beerman2 said:

It’s on your “friend” to check his account. Very easy to do.

Why blast the cruise lines, other than the fact he shouldn’t have been able to scan off the ship and they didn’t require/attach a CC to his account.

I am not blasting the cruiseline, I am just letting people know to be careful not to leave with any balance. Like most others stated, normally they won't let you debark before paying up. Maybe the charge came through late, I don't know. 

[mcgore83]

I am surprised they let your friend off the ship with a balance as well.  I agree with posters above that they usually start calling people to guest services early morning.  Easy fix.  Just get a money order or certified check and mail it in.

[gatour]

2 hours ago, n6uqqq said:

I don't know. They didn't ask him but billed him. Normally when they answer the phones you can pay over the phone but that option is gone for now and the email response hasn't come after more than a week. We are cruising again in March, maybe he can resolve it at check in if collections doesn't come after him. 

Why wait until March to take care of this.  Your friend has until 1 Jan to take care of this.  That is 2 and 1/2 weeks away and based on some of the other post your friend may have been identified a week ago.

 

Once every so often I have had non cruise billing issues, and I just contact the company in question to figure out how to make things correct.  Conversely there have been one or two times when my payment has crossed in the mail when the company had sent me a reminder notice.  I pay the "reminder" notice.  After a couple of months I get a refund check from the company due to the double payment that I made.

[MeHeartCruising]

4 hours ago, n6uqqq said:

My friend had a bunch of OBC from a cancelled cruise rebook but managed to overdraw by around 11 dollars which he didn't notice when he left the ship. Now he has received an email from Carnival for the amount owed. When he called to inquire about paying on the 800 number provided there is now no one there to answer the phone and only a message to email guestcare@carnival.com which isn't responding either. There is currently no way to pay by credit card over the phone so they want certified checks mailed or wired money. You would think a big company like Carnival could come up with an easier way to pay via website and credit card! I wished him good luck 🤣. Calling the regular 800 number for Carnival does not work and there is an hour plus wait.

How did they prove he owes the money?  If the only thing they sent is this letter, I would not pay it.  Unless of course his itemized bill he got on the ship shows he owed it.  Twice on cruises, I have had “addition charges” billed to my credit card after getting home.   I always check my bill closely while on board.  Usually daily.  So I knew these added charges weren’t mine.   When I called the cruise line, they said they were minibar items.  I never took anything from my minibar and told the agents this.  In both cases, they removed the charges with minimal pushback.  I’ve read about this happening many times here on CC.   
 

If your friend doesn’t see any proof of these charges, he should call (and remain on the phone until they answer it) to get it addressed.  

Edited December 9, 2021 by MeHeartCruising

[sanger727]

16 minutes ago, MeHeartCruising said:

How did they prove he owes the money?  If the only thing they sent is this letter, I would not pay it.  Unless of course his itemized bill he got on the ship shows he owed it.  Twice on cruises, I have had “addition charges” billed to my credit card after getting home.   I always check my bill closely while on board.  Usually daily.  So I knew these added charges weren’t mine.   When I called the cruise line, they said they were minibar items.  I never took anything from my minibar and told the agents this.  In both cases, they removed the charges with minimal pushback.  I’ve read about this happening many times here on CC.   
 

If your friend doesn’t see any proof of these charges, he should call (and remain on the phone until they answer it) to get it addressed.  

It doesn’t sound like the friend is disputing the charge. So not sure why you are jumping to the charges being wrong. Sounds like he is ok with the bill and just trying to pay it.

[hurricane0226]

2 hours ago, n6uqqq said:

It was the large blue pool towels. I never use them as I don't go in the pools or hot tubs. 

maybe should have just taken the towel animal lol.

[n6uqqq]

57 minutes ago, MeHeartCruising said:

How did they prove he owes the money?  If the only thing they sent is this letter, I would not pay it.  Unless of course his itemized bill he got on the ship shows he owed it.  Twice on cruises, I have had “addition charges” billed to my credit card after getting home.   I always check my bill closely while on board.  Usually daily.  So I knew these added charges weren’t mine.   When I called the cruise line, they said they were minibar items.  I never took anything from my minibar and told the agents this.  In both cases, they removed the charges with minimal pushback.  I’ve read about this happening many times here on CC.   
 

If your friend doesn’t see any proof of these charges, he should call (and remain on the phone until they answer it) to get it addressed.  

That is the main issue now. The 800 number provided won't allow speaking to a live person, you are told to send a " detailed" email about the issue. The regular Carnival 800 number doesn't handle post cruise issues.  He did email and they have not responded in more than a week. He probably will end up sending the money via money order or certified check but that will be as expensive as the 11 dollar charge. He has learned from this. 

[Elaine5715]

5 hours ago, n6uqqq said:

I don't know. They didn't ask him but billed him. Normally when they answer the phones you can pay over the phone but that option is gone for now and the email response hasn't come after more than a week. We are cruising again in March, maybe he can resolve it at check in if collections doesn't come after him. 

They won't let him board with an open debt.  They come after these hard.  As others have stated, people are usually stopped by the "bong".  Then people are required to produce a method of payment including calling family/friends to get a credit card.  Last step is to sign a repayment guarantee and it is not uncommon that police are standing by.

[matymil]

I didnt even think you could cruise anymore without attaching a card, regardless of how much OBC. I guess i was wrong.

[Virga]

While I would certainly begrudgingly go get an $11 certified check and mail it in long before I tried to board in March with an existing debt in the system... I do find it odd that you can't just call up and pay it by phone with a credit card number, or pay via an online portal.  I'd also send a friendly email about how absolutely insane their current limitations are - it would have been weird in 2001, and it's nuts in 2021.

[kdr69]

10 hours ago, n6uqqq said:

The regular Carnival 800 number doesn't handle post cruise issues. 

So the "Recently back from a cruise and wish to speak to someone" option isnt there anymore?

[babygrljaz]

12 hours ago, n6uqqq said:

That is the main issue now. The 800 number provided won't allow speaking to a live person, you are told to send a " detailed" email about the issue. The regular Carnival 800 number doesn't handle post cruise issues.  He did email and they have not responded in more than a week. He probably will end up sending the money via money order or certified check but that will be as expensive as the 11 dollar charge. He has learned from this. 

Neither of you have a pvp that could assist with this? Money orders are as cheap as 25 cents, some banks and credit unions do them for free. Plus add the cost of postage, it would not be over $11. Chaulk the extra expense up to a "penalty charge" for not taking care of it onboard. Maybe he didn't have a balance the last night but charged something else to his s&s the final morning. Who knows, but you, or your friend, seem to be making it more of an issue than it really should be.