Watch your onboard account carefully!

[neverlaysup]

We just came off a 14 day cruise on the Millennium and our cards were charged for drinks almost every day in the theatre (we never ordered a drink there) and the MDR (we dined in Luminae). The other funny one was the 26 consecutive charges on the same afternoon from the Sky Lounge. Only one of the over 50+ incorrect charges actually cost money as most were a $0 charge since we had a premium drink package but it was super annoying. Guest relations was quick to refund the charge and told us there were dozens of passengers complaining about the same thing.

Edited October 19, 2023 by neverlaysup

[hcat]

19 minutes ago, neverlaysup said:

We just came off a 14 day cruise on the Millennium and our cards were charged for drinks almost every day in the theatre (we never ordered a drink there) and the MDR (we dined in Luminae). The other funny one was the 26 consecutive charges on the same afternoon from the Sky Lounge. Only one of the over 50+ incorrect charges actually cost money as most were a $0 charge since we had a premium drink package but it was super annoying. Guest relations was quick to refund the charge and told us there were dozens of passengers complaining about the same thing.

only proof is signing for a drink or signing on a tablet they can upload.

 

either cheating going on,   clumsiness or bad  on bd accounting

[neverlaysup]

48 minutes ago, hcat said:

only proof is signing for a drink or signing on a tablet they can upload.

 

either cheating going on,   clumsiness or bad  on bd accounting

I am pretty sure it’s just a lazy server punching in a room number that they know has a premium drink package or a mistake. The frequency that it happened to us last cruise makes me lean towards option #1. As I mentioned, all but one was a zero charge. 

Edited October 19, 2023 by neverlaysup

[hcat]

3 hours ago, neverlaysup said:

I am pretty sure it’s just a lazy server punching in a room number that they know has a premium drink package or a mistake. The frequency that it happened to us last cruise makes me lean towards option #1. As I mentioned, all but one was a zero charge. 

I see zero charge   but still not right to put it on someones's acct  and what abt a tip they might get?

[neverlaysup]

19 minutes ago, hcat said:

I see zero charge   but still not right to put it on someones's acct  and what abt a tip they might get?

If there is no additional amount due because the package covers it, there is never a receipt to sign and then give a tip. Hopefully whoever was drinking on my dime, tipped in cash!

[SusieAV8R]

6 hours ago, neverlaysup said:

We just came off a 14 day cruise on the Millennium and our cards were charged for drinks almost every day in the theatre (we never ordered a drink there) and the MDR (we dined in Luminae). The other funny one was the 26 consecutive charges on the same afternoon from the Sky Lounge. Only one of the over 50+ incorrect charges actually cost money as most were a $0 charge since we had a premium drink package but it was super annoying. Guest relations was quick to refund the charge and told us there were dozens of passengers complaining about the same thing.

 

2 hours ago, neverlaysup said:

If there is no additional amount due because the package covers it, there is never a receipt to sign and then give a tip. Hopefully whoever was drinking on my dime, tipped in cash!

Fifty plus wrong charges?! It seems to me that servers may be giving free drinks to passengers  who don't have a drink package and charging your account/stateroom knowing that you won't be charged because you have a drink package.  You might want to address this issue in your survey or email X.

[SusieAV8R]

50+ incorrect charges goes beyond bad accounting IMHO.  This thread alone is evidencing a potential problem; the cost of which will be passed along by X to the passengers.  

[neverlaysup]

1 hour ago, SusieAV8R said:

 

Fifty plus wrong charges?! It seems to me that servers may be giving free drinks to passengers  who don't have a drink package and charging your account/stateroom knowing that you won't be charged because you have a drink package.  You might want to address this issue in your survey or email X.

I had multiple conversations with the Retreat staff and customer service. They said this had been happening quite a bit on this cruise. From what I can gather, the bartenders were just asking if people had packages and ringing stuff up en mass later using one room number. I wasn’t the only one this happened to. I tried to address it via the survey but they did t ask for any explanations on negatively review items. To be honest, the survey is a joke. Perhaps it’s time for Celebrity to join the 21st century and use medallions or wristbands……for everyone. I also emailed the head office with my comments as it pertained to this issue and the ridiculous survey; I have yet to see a response. 

[abbydancer2003]

On 10/16/2023 at 6:51 PM, georgetheblue said:

Good advice to snap a pic from tv. Have to say I liked the Princess medallion.  Easy to scan, no swiping, no paper receipts, no mis charges, super easy to wear. I’m not looking forward to wearing a lanyard all week.  If I have to wear it, they better be swiping it.  

I've had more mistakes on Princess with the medallion than with the card on X, but I've had extra charges on both.

[tschwa2]

12 hours ago, neverlaysup said:

I had multiple conversations with the Retreat staff and customer service. They said this had been happening quite a bit on this cruise. From what I can gather, the bartenders were just asking if people had packages and ringing stuff up en mass later using one room number. I wasn’t the only one this happened to. I tried to address it via the survey but they did t ask for any explanations on negatively review items. To be honest, the survey is a joke. Perhaps it’s time for Celebrity to join the 21st century and use medallions or wristbands……for everyone. I also emailed the head office with my comments as it pertained to this issue and the ridiculous survey; I have yet to see a response. 

or use the room card key - swipe or chip read.  They obviously have the tech to pull up your picture, why not charge with the input of the drink at that time.  Just make it an expectation that even in the MDR, they need to swipe or tap the card each time you order a drink.  

[PTC DAWG]

If the bartender knows me and my room number, they never swipe the card…happens frequently at the Sunset and Casino Bars which I frequent whilst cruising. 

[SusieAV8R]

8 hours ago, tschwa2 said:

or use the room card key - swipe or chip read.  They obviously have the tech to pull up your picture, why not charge with the input of the drink at that time.  Just make it an expectation that even in the MDR, they need to swipe or tap the card each time you order a drink.  

 

8 hours ago, tschwa2 said:

or use the room card key - swipe or chip read.  They obviously have the tech to pull up your picture, why not charge with the input of the drink at that time.  Just make it an expectation that even in the MDR, they need to swipe or tap the card each time you order a drink.  

I agree tschwa2.  Our pass cards are swiped in al Bacio and used to be swiped for every drink, regardless of whether the server/bartender knew us.  I see no reason for staff to go back to that.

[hcat]

21 hours ago, neverlaysup said:

I had multiple conversations with the Retreat staff and customer service. They said this had been happening quite a bit on this cruise. From what I can gather, the bartenders were just asking if people had packages and ringing stuff up en mass later using one room number. I wasn’t the only one this happened to. I tried to address it via the survey but they did t ask for any explanations on negatively review items. To be honest, the survey is a joke. Perhaps it’s time for Celebrity to join the 21st century and use medallions or wristbands……for everyone. I also emailed the head office with my comments as it pertained to this issue and the ridiculous survey; I have yet to see a response. 

That's just unacceptable laziness.. who wants someone elses drinks on their account even if there's  no charge..

[LinRon3]

Just a FYI on the $99.75 'hold' charge Celebrity put on our credit card.  Yes, it finally went away as others had suggested it would.  It's a weird figure though and took 5 days after we got home from our cruise to disappear.  We had never seen this 'hold' charge before on past Celebrity cruises [or any other cruise].  Wish Celebrity could put a note on this somehow as we spent a few hours when we got back trying to figure out what it was.    

[NMTraveller]

On 10/19/2023 at 10:50 AM, neverlaysup said:

We just came off a 14 day cruise on the Millennium and our cards were charged for drinks almost every day in the theatre (we never ordered a drink there) and the MDR (we dined in Luminae). The other funny one was the 26 consecutive charges on the same afternoon from the Sky Lounge. Only one of the over 50+ incorrect charges actually cost money as most were a $0 charge since we had a premium drink package but it was super annoying. Guest relations was quick to refund the charge and told us there were dozens of passengers complaining about the same thing.

That sounds like theft to me.

 

I hope that my Millenium cruise is better...

Edited October 21, 2023 by NMTraveller

[SusieAV8R]

23 hours ago, hcat said:

That's just unacceptable laziness.. who wants someone elses drinks on their account even if there's  no charge..

 

20 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

That sounds like theft to me.

 

I hope that my Millenium cruise is better...

 

I agree.  Sounds like theft to me too.  

[neverlaysup]

18 hours ago, SusieAV8R said:

 

 

I agree.  Sounds like theft to me too.  

The charges were more annoying to me than anything because I was trying (actually it became quite comical every morning when I checked my previous days charges) to whittle down my last $200 in OBC to zero out my account. Scrolling through all those extra charges just ended up wasting more of my time, especially when I had to head to the Retreat Lounge or Customer Service to deal with it. 

[PTC DAWG]

On 10/20/2023 at 8:07 PM, hcat said:

That's just unacceptable laziness.. who wants someone elses drinks on their account even if there's  no charge..

Who cares? No charge to me, I know I don’t. 

[NMTraveller]

1 minute ago, PTC DAWG said:

Who cares? No charge to me, I know I don’t. 

Because it raises the price of the cruise.

 

If people are getting drinks who don't have a package or don't have the premium package yet get premium drinks.

 

 

[PTC DAWG]

1 hour ago, NMTraveller said:

Because it raises the price of the cruise.

 

If people are getting drinks who don't have a package or don't have the premium package yet get premium drinks.

 

 

I have seen bartenders verify which package everyone had, re shots etc…then run one card..no harm no foul in that situation. 

[billc23]

TL/DR. In February we were on the Millennium in the PH and received many zero charges for drinks we never had. It turned out that the butler was using our room number when getting drinks for other suites she/he was taking care of. We never asked the butler to deliver drinks to our room. There was no cost to us and I assumed it was just easier for the butler to put down one room number to charge the drinks to, however, with the discussions regarding what SS were and are now entitled to, I now am not sure. This also occurred on the Edge last October while staying in an upper suite with room deliveries of drinks and at the martini bar. We would order 2 drinks at the bar and often more drinks were charged to our sea pass card. No charge to us but now I wonder if free drinks were given out and put on our card. Oh well...

[drakes2]

On 10/16/2023 at 8:45 AM, hcat said:

our errors have not been  so much with individual  drink charges,  but with  mini bar charges post disembark..odd b/c we have it emptied as soon as we arrive .... that can add up!

I once had a mini bar charge on the last morning possibly cabin steward miscounted but they removed immediately

 I now let cabin steward know ahead of time I do not avail myself of anything from mini bar

 No issues since

 

[hcat]

1 hour ago, PTC DAWG said:

I have seen bartenders verify which package everyone had, re shots etc…then run one card..no harm no foul in that situation. 

Unless it's my card.

If it were mine,  I  would  be at Guest Rel to have chgs removed and file a  complaint.  And would stay away from that bar.. 

 

We check our acct each morning and will be on the alert for this sloppy practice!

Edited October 22, 2023 by hcat