how to keep track of on board account

with the different conversations on this board about watching your account to see how much balance and credits are throughout your cruise I think I have missed details on how to check on this ......can you check your account on your cabin TV like in some hotels or how do I monitor my account

You can:

Check with the front desk, or Neptune Lounge regularly. Koningsdam is rumored to have the ability to check your account on your TV, but no other HAL ship currently does.

You need to bring all your documents for OBCs, expenses, etc. Including keeping all your receipts for onboard purchases.

No, HAL does not have that information on the TVs; you have to get a printout from the front desk.

thanks for such quick replies....

I found on my last 2 cruises that the best way to keep track of your on-board expenses can best start with creating a budget.

I make up a spreadsheet for each cruise detailing the individual expenses I expect to have. These include the cruise fare, tips & gratuities, spending money, parking, pre-cruise hotels and travel, drinks on board, etc.

No expense is too small to detail.

With this information, then I know exactly what I want to spend (or what my spending limits are) on board. I check my account daily against this amount. It keeps me honest with myself :).

I have also had a couple of instances where charges ended up on my account that were not mine or were different from what I "spent". I corrected them on the spot.

I hope this helps.

No interactive or other reporting on the TV, but the front desk will happily provide a copy whenever you want. I generally get a copy on the second day to verify any pre-cruise credits or debits, then every few days thereafter.

I take all copies of everything I have pre-ordered. Also take copies that we get from our TA showing shipboard credits.

On about the 3rd day of the cruise, I ask for a print out of our shipboard account.

To keep the number of receipts down -- especially for cocktails and bottles of wine, I buy a couple of $250 Beverage cards. Once I get the new receipt back, I throw out the old receipt. It is a lot less slips to check over at the end of the cruise.

One of the things I like on Princess was the self-service kiosk where you could enter your name and cabin # and generate a print out. Wish HAL had those.

Roz

One of the things I like on Princess was the self-service kiosk where you could enter your name and cabin # and generate a print out. Wish HAL had those.

 

Roz

That sounds like a great idea. I like to have the print out sheets.

Check out this thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2260519&highlight=interactive+tv+s

I forgot to mention that about every 2 or 3 days I ask for new copies of our ship account.

Too often a surprise shows up -- and not a good one.

You can:

 

 

Check with the front desk, or Neptune Lounge regularly. Koningsdam is rumored to have the ability to check your account on your TV, but no other HAL ship currently does.

 

 

You need to bring all your documents for OBCs, expenses, etc. Including keeping all your receipts for onboard purchases.

It's one of the 'bells and whistles' any new ship should have.

QM2 had it when she was new in 2004. You could see your account, check the day's menus, see photos (if they'd scanned your card when it was taken), and use a ship-based email (cunardcruisemail or something like that) Somewhere along the way, that system disappeared along with the keyboard in the desk drawer. The cruisemail hardly matters since most people use a web-based email that they can access through their own devices, but I miss being able to check my account on the TV.

Koningsdam is rumored to have the ability to check your account on your TV, but no other HAL ship currently does.

I've actually heard that coinciding with or near the launch of Koningsdam there will be an app. I've heard some compare it to NCL's "iConcierge" app which I just used on my cruise a couple weeks ago and it was amazing... others have likened it more to whatever Princess has.

As for the OP's Q -

We recommend to hold onto all your receipts or just make a quick tally and jot it down on a slip of paper in your room. Every so often you can check your balance verbally (or get a printout) at the front desk. Get kind of a "pulse check"... then at the end make sure it all lines up.

On recent cruises we have authorized a credit card but every few days put money down that represents where we are at that point. Just every so many days pay it down to zero. The last bit usually goes on the card so we don't have to deal with night before and day of disembark chaos. If we anticipate $100 on the card and that's what hits the card then we're all good. If we expect $100 and see $125 go through then we would ask questions with the cruise line after the fact.

It's a wordy explanation but a simple concept that has served us well.

WCB's thread reports today that the Amsterdam has a kiosk set up but not working yet. Post #61

We hope this will expand to all HAL ships!!

I found on my last 2 cruises that the best way to keep track of your on-board expenses can best start with creating a budget.

 

I make up a spreadsheet for each cruise detailing the individual expenses I expect to have. These include the cruise fare, tips & gratuities, spending money, parking, pre-cruise hotels and travel, drinks on board, etc.

 

No expense is too small to detail.

 

With this information, then I know exactly what I want to spend (or what my spending limits are) on board. I check my account daily against this amount. It keeps me honest with myself :).

 

I have also had a couple of instances where charges ended up on my account that were not mine or were different from what I "spent". I corrected them on the spot.

 

I hope this helps.

A spreadsheet on vacation? Really?

WCB's thread reports today that the Amsterdam has a kiosk set up but not working yet. Post #61

 

We hope this will expand to all HAL ships!!

I used a kiosk on Zuiderdam last month to get a printout.

A spreadsheet on vacation? Really?

If you're used to working on spreadsheets then it's a simple task. I use them for trips all the time. They're great for tracking many things.

I used a kiosk on Zuiderdam last month to get a printout.

Great!!!

WCB's thread reports today that the Amsterdam has a kiosk set up but not working yet. Post #61

 

We hope this will expand to all HAL ships!!

We had two of these kiosks on the Eurodam in June near the front office just put in your cabin card and you received a full print out of your account,very easy.

I just got off the Eurodam. There is a free app to use on your phone or tablet while on the ship. You log in ( does not use Internet minutes) and you can see your personalized schedule and view your account. It is from that app that you can sign on to the paid Internet. The app was great.

WCB's thread reports today that the Amsterdam has a kiosk set up but not working yet. Post #61

 

We hope this will expand to all HAL ships!!

I read that and thought, finally!!:D Other cruise lines have had something similar for quite some time, it's good to see HAL finally catching up.

Great to be able to use a kiosk or have the ability to use an app on my cellphone.

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I used a kiosk on Zuiderdam last month to get a printout.

Carnival has had these for YEARS! About time HAL "caught up" to its sister brand that less is expected from

One of the things I like on Princess was the self-service kiosk where you could enter your name and cabin # and generate a print out. Wish HAL had those.

 

Roz

Don't you have to swipe your cruise card? I thought that is what we had to do on the Regal Princess, but I could be mistaken, though I don't think I could print my SO's account.

I just got off the Eurodam. There is a free app to use on your phone or tablet while on the ship. You log in ( does not use Internet minutes) and you can see your personalized schedule and view your account. It is from that app that you can sign on to the paid Internet. The app was great.

new WIFI with the faster speed and lower priced internet packages available on the Eurodam as well? Thinking if they had the app capability that you mentioned that they may have done the tech upgrade on the Eurodam already.

HOPE SO

No internet upgrade yet on the Eurodam.