Can a ship keep you on board until you pay the bill?

[Joebucks]

11 hours ago, AmazedByCruising said:

 

All my baggage would be worth 10 dollars of sold at a second  hand market? The suitcase itself 5?  I don't think that ships make use of that law. And the ship is flagged in Bermuda, it's not POA.

 

If I had to guess, it's because the suitcase has a solid value to you. Between all of the stuff in there, it could easily run a few hundred dollars to the average person. That might influence the decision to paying off a balance?

 

I'd say this probably isn't too far off from what happened:

Cruise line: "Hello, we ask that you please settle any outstanding balances before you leave"

The internet: "Evil cruise lines forces poor woman to pay thousands in unexpected costs so the CEO can afford another yacht"

[Blondilu]

Doesn't every passenger have to provide a credit card upon boarding?  It was my understanding that they just charge that card for any outstanding debt and if there isn't enough credit at that time, they try again the next month and then the next month until the amount owed them is paid in full.  Or is that not legal?

 

I suppose that wouldn't work if you put down cash or used a debit card.   

[ontheweb]

3 hours ago, Blondilu said:

Doesn't every passenger have to provide a credit card upon boarding?  It was my understanding that they just charge that card for any outstanding debt and if there isn't enough credit at that time, they try again the next month and then the next month until the amount owed them is paid in full.  Or is that not legal?

 

I suppose that wouldn't work if you put down cash or used a debit card.   

If you read the original thread with this story, you will see the aunt did have a credit card that had been provided.

[Blondilu]

31 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

If you read the original thread with this story, you will see the aunt did have a credit card that had been provided.

Well, I was responding to this thread.  Regardless, the question remains the same:  if there is a card and it's reached it's limit don't they just keep charging it until they get their money?  Or is that not allowed without the card holder's authorization?  I guess I don't get the issue.  They have your credit card info and you agreed to a contract to pay for all charges.

[Essiesmom]

1 hour ago, Blondilu said:

Well, I was responding to this thread.  Regardless, the question remains the same:  if there is a card and it's reached it's limit don't they just keep charging it until they get their money?  Or is that not allowed without the card holder's authorization?  I guess I don't get the issue.  They have your credit card info and you agreed to a contract to pay for all charges.

We don’t know what the credit limit was on the aunt’s card.  Perhaps it was a relatively low limit, under $10000 and with previous onboard charges, the medical charges exceeded the credit limit and the card issuer rejected the charge.  EM

[DirtyDawg]

I've never sailed with Princess. Is it the cruise line for deadbeats who won't pay their bills? Funny , prior to reading this thread, I'd have picked another line for that distinction.  😉

[Blondilu]

1 hour ago, Essiesmom said:

We don’t know what the credit limit was on the aunt’s card.  Perhaps it was a relatively low limit, under $10000 and with previous onboard charges, the medical charges exceeded the credit limit and the card issuer rejected the charge.  EM

Thank you for the explanation, but apparently I am not being very clear.  So let me try one more time.  This thread is not about "the aunt".  That may be where it has gone but the orignial question was a hypothetical query as to whether or not a cruise line can hold you on board if you owe them money and you don't have enough credit to pay.  That was the subject to which I was responding and the subject of my question.

 

I thought I read somewhere that in a case like this they will (with your permission) take as much from your credit card balance as possible.  Say you only have a balance of $500 at that time.  So, they take $500 now and $500 (or whatever amount you agree to) every month until the amount owed is paid.  This assumes, of course, that you are making regular payments of a sufficient amount to cover that payment.  This basically amounts to a lien on your credit card.  

 

My question is, based on a passenger having agreed to pay any charges they incur is the cruise line not able to put a lien on your card even without your permission?  They have your card on file.  I have no idea what the procedure would be or if it's even legal and am genuinely curious.  Certainly any company should should have some ability to get the money owed them with out resorting to holding a person captive.  Maybe it's in the fine print somewhere. 

[ldubs]

22 minutes ago, DirtyDawg said:

I've never sailed with Princess. Is it the cruise line for deadbeats who won't pay their bills? Funny , prior to reading this thread, I'd have picked another line for that distinction.  😉

 

Yes, Princess has more unpaid bills.  But we aren't deadbeats.   We are  just old and forget.  😄

[DirtyDawg]

5 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

Yes, Princess has more unpaid bills.  But we aren't deadbeats.   We are  just old and forget.  😄

So if I ever switch to Princess I guess I'll have to change my screen name to DirtyPuppy. 😁

[ontheweb]

13 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

We don’t know what the credit limit was on the aunt’s card.  Perhaps it was a relatively low limit, under $10000 and with previous onboard charges, the medical charges exceeded the credit limit and the card issuer rejected the charge.  EM

Perhaps, you could read the original thread that I posted the link to before you make comments like that.

[Essiesmom]

3 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Perhaps, you could read the original thread that I posted the link to before you make comments like that.

I did read the original thread.  EM

[sanger727]

First, the thread in Italy was so theatrically written it’s hard to take seriously. Especially since the OP was off the boat looking for luggage when the bill was still being discussed.

 

second, businesses often tell people that they can’t leave it surprises me how many listen. I’m in law enforcement and most of the major stores have ‘loss prevention officers’ which are nothing more than plainclothes security. They catch someone shop lifting and people voluntarily go to the security office with them and wait until the police come. 
 

third, can you really blame them for putting a little ‘pressure’ on people trying to skip out on a large bill?? You are disembarking in Florida but are traveling back home. No one actually thinks you’ll be kidnapped and sold into human slavery by carnival. When they say you can’t leave without paying they clearly mean ‘or else we will call the police’. And they are well within their rights to have you prosecuted for theft of services.

 

[Aquahound]

On 7/14/2022 at 8:21 PM, AmazedByCruising said:

In my, humble and not backed by studying law opinion, even saying that someone cannot disembark the ship for not paying a bill feels very illegal. Threatening to lock you up cannot possibly be legal. I don't think the employees at Guest Relations got creative, this must have come from higher up where there's a legal department thinking they can get away with this. This is the first time I think a well known ambulance chaser can make things better.

 

Depends on the circumstances.  If the payment failure was deliberate, it could be considered a theft of services and could be charged criminally.  It depends on venue and what the laws are.  One place I know it exists is Florida.  

 

Otherwise, in a civil matter, threatening to hold someone and actually doing it are two different things.  

[ontheweb]

14 hours ago, sanger727 said:

First, the thread in Italy was so theatrically written it’s hard to take seriously. Especially since the OP was off the boat looking for luggage when the bill was still being discussed.

 

second, businesses often tell people that they can’t leave it surprises me how many listen. I’m in law enforcement and most of the major stores have ‘loss prevention officers’ which are nothing more than plainclothes security. They catch someone shop lifting and people voluntarily go to the security office with them and wait until the police come. 
 

third, can you really blame them for putting a little ‘pressure’ on people trying to skip out on a large bill?? You are disembarking in Florida but are traveling back home. No one actually thinks you’ll be kidnapped and sold into human slavery by carnival. When they say you can’t leave without paying they clearly mean ‘or else we will call the police’. And they are well within their rights to have you prosecuted for theft of services.

 

The person "skipping out" was both  unconscious and had a credit card on file. The niece was not in any way legally responsible for her aunt's bill, something her credit card company agreed with when she contested the charge.

[Elaine5715]

On 7/15/2022 at 7:02 PM, Blondilu said:

Thank you for the explanation, but apparently I am not being very clear.  So let me try one more time.  This thread is not about "the aunt".  That may be where it has gone but the orignial question was a hypothetical query as to whether or not a cruise line can hold you on board if you owe them money and you don't have enough credit to pay.  That was the subject to which I was responding and the subject of my question.

 

I thought I read somewhere that in a case like this they will (with your permission) take as much from your credit card balance as possible.  Say you only have a balance of $500 at that time.  So, they take $500 now and $500 (or whatever amount you agree to) every month until the amount owed is paid.  This assumes, of course, that you are making regular payments of a sufficient amount to cover that payment.  This basically amounts to a lien on your credit card.  

 

My question is, based on a passenger having agreed to pay any charges they incur is the cruise line not able to put a lien on your card even without your permission?  They have your card on file.  I have no idea what the procedure would be or if it's even legal and am genuinely curious.  Certainly any company should should have some ability to get the money owed them with out resorting to holding a person captive.  Maybe it's in the fine print somewhere. 

Not paying your hotel bill in Florida is either a misdemeanor or felony depending on amount owed.  So before you debark, you make arrangements with someone to pay your bill via credit/debit card via phone or a traveling partner or you sign a promissory note.  Failure to do either, law enforcement who are right outside will meet you and escort you to jail.  If you are causing a commotion, they just stop debarkation. How far are you going to get?  

They don't put liens against a maxxed out credit card because when they already tried to charge the card on file, it was denied and most likely the card was shut off.  You would need to produce another card.  Credit cards are unsecured and a promissory note is collectable.  

Things you learn on a B2B.  

[sanger727]

19 hours ago, ontheweb said:

The person "skipping out" was both  unconscious and had a credit card on file. The niece was not in any way legally responsible for her aunt's bill, something her credit card company agreed with when she contested the charge.

the skipping out statement wasn’t referring to that specific instance. It was the general topic of ‘can they cruise line tell you can’t leave without paying your bill’. 
 

[Billish]

Just now, sanger727 said:

the skipping out statement wasn’t referring to that specific instance. It was the general topic of ‘can they cruise line tell you can’t leave without paying your bill’. 
 

And in the incident in question, Princess were trying to stop someone from leaving until she had paid a bill which was not hers !

[ontheweb]

4 hours ago, Billish said:

And in the incident in question, Princess were trying to stop someone from leaving until she had paid a bill which was not hers !

And that is a FACT that many posters here seem to be totally ignoring.

[Blondilu]

20 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

Not paying your hotel bill in Florida is either a misdemeanor or felony depending on amount owed.  So before you debark, you make arrangements with someone to pay your bill via credit/debit card via phone or a traveling partner or you sign a promissory note.  Failure to do either, law enforcement who are right outside will meet you and escort you to jail.  If you are causing a commotion, they just stop debarkation. How far are you going to get?  

They don't put liens against a maxxed out credit card because when they already tried to charge the card on file, it was denied and most likely the card was shut off.  You would need to produce another card.  Credit cards are unsecured and a promissory note is collectable.  

Things you learn on a B2B.  

Thank you.  I didn't think of the card being canceled and therefore unusable going forward. 

[Gwendy]

I wish.  I would never pay my bill and just stay on board. Lol

[ontheweb]

On 7/21/2022 at 11:22 AM, Gwendy said:

I wish.  I would never pay my bill and just stay on board. Lol

LOL, we were in Jamaica way back last century for our 20th anniversary. It seems there was a small departure tax. The woman in front of us in line said she had no money left, please make her stay. They did not. In fact they not only let her leave, they made her leave.

[iancal]

Sounds like it might be a bit of plan depending on the next itinerary.

[Abe3689]

As a lawyer they definitely cannot keep you on board against your will. If they do so, it amounts to unlawful detainment, and possibly kidnapping and you’d have a civil suit against the cruise line.

 

They have your credit card, and they can bill you or send you to collections. They can’t keep you on the boat until you pay. 

[Ferry_Watcher]

Some cruise lines will keep track of what you owe and you will be asked to acknowledge that you were informed of the outstanding debt at the check-in counter before you are embarked on your next cruise with the same cruise line.

[Gwendy]

3 hours ago, Abe3689 said:

As a lawyer they definitely cannot keep you on board against your will. If they do so, it amounts to unlawful detainment, and possibly kidnapping and you’d have a civil suit against the cruise line.

 

They have your credit card, and they can bill you or send you to collections. They can’t keep you on the boat until you pay. 

Yes please, make me stay on onboard. Lol