watch for additional charges on your credit card when you get home!

We had a wonderful cruise on the Noordam March 8-18. My surprise was when I looked at my credit card statement and was charged more than my final statement.

Now, it isn't much, $6.27 to be exact.

And I know that we didn't have any drinks or coffee drinks or purchases the last day/evening after they might have done the account statement.

We didn't take anything from the mini-bar, but there was no charge sheet or inventory sheet in the cabin for the mini bar (from the first day onward) so we don't know if anything was missing at any time during our stay.

It certainly is not enough money to call and complain about - and there really is nothing we can do. Just hope our cabin steward enjoyed eating or drinking that item that cost us $6.37.

I assume it was our steward because he was not one of the better cabin stewards we ever had - I had to call housekeeping to ask for Robes and a bar of soap on the second day of the cruise - in the late afternoon. (we had one bar of soap for a cabin with two sinks, a tub & a shower...)

I'm assuming it is from the mini-bar, since there is a statement that any mini bar charges incurred on the last day on board will be added to the account and charged to the credit card.

So, don't be surprised if you see some minor additions to the credit card bill that you weren't expecting. Maybe in the future (If we do cruise again, just cruised-out) we will demand an inventory of the mini bar (or removal of all contents) on our first day - not something we want to do, since we know they are all working extremely hard on embarkation day.

I think you should contact HAL even if it's a small amount and ask them to explain as it bothered you enough to post it here.

I don't really think it's fair to blame the cabin steward when you really have no idea where the charge came from.

Just my 2 cents...

Hi Joni-

I appreciate your opinion. And you are correct, it's not really fair to blame my cabin steward; it could have been a misdirected charge (wrong cabin #, etc.).

If it was a larger dollar amount (say $25.00) I would contact HAL. For this amount, I don't want to spend an hour or more on the telephone with various representatives - who may or may not be able to pull up records from a cruise that ended almost a month ago. I feel my time is worth more.

BUT, I wanted to make sure that other people are aware that there may be charges against their credit card AFTER they leave the ship and think they are all paid up; and they could be larger than the small amount I experienced. It's worth checking your credit card after you get home for additional charges. I didn't - I waited until I got my statement.

I posted this as an FYI to other cruisers, just in case.

Beth

Could be a minor port charge/tax adjustment.

We had a charge on our bill that was not ours. The people evidently had put the wrong cabin # on their slip. It can happen. It was taken off with no problem.

I was sympathetic until you automatically blamed your cabin steward with no evidence. There is no history at all reported on CC of cabin stewards causing charges on pax bills and this incorrect charge could have come from anyone of a number of places. Very unfair.

BUT, I wanted to make sure that other people are aware that there may be charges against their credit card AFTER they leave the ship and think they are all paid up; and they could be larger than the small amount I experienced. It's worth checking your credit card after you get home for additional charges. I didn't - I waited until I got my statement.

 

I posted this as an FYI to other cruisers, just in case.

You should always check your credit card charges and not only after a cruise. A friend check hers after eating at a restaurnat, they had left cash for the tip and paid for the food with the credit card. My friend discovered that an additional $15 was added to the charge even though my friend crossed out the tip line and specifically wrote down the total that should have been charged to the credit card.

OKAY, Okay - I was wrong to say the cabin steward enjoyed something from our mini-bar. But it is possible- since he was a VERY POOR cabin steward. I'm not going to go into detail, since it really isn't my point.

My point was to make other people aware to look at their credit card statements carefully - that is all.

So - I take back my comment about the steward.

I've complained about this much before. All I had to do is send an email. If it would cause me an hour on the phone I wouldn't have done it. My time is more valuable. It's a bit long ago to complain to HAL now.....but you might try.

Could it have been for in in room beverage/snack or bottles of water that you were never charged for? Just a thought because this is exactly what happened on our last cruise. Was a weird amount like yours, but on our final statement we were never charged for the two bottles we consumed. Worked out to the penny when I realized that is what had happened.

I believe there is another "department" that stocks and keeps track of in room purchases. I know in the past we have had someone other than the room steward restocking these items.

We were still in our cabin when a crew person - not one of our cabin stewards - came in to inventory the mini bar. He was really rushing!

We had one cruise where mini bar charges appeared (2 sodas, I think) early on (I had gotten an early bill because of multiple cabin issues). They took off the charges when I disputed them with no problem. On that same cruise, a crew member came in the day before disembarkation, inventoried and locked the mini bar. Hee.

Anyway, not AT ALL surprised that mistakes get made!

This is some good advice. I have never double checked. But having discovered it, no matter how small the charge was, I believe my curiosity would have gotten the better of me to find out what the charge was for.

OKAY, Okay - I was wrong to say the cabin steward enjoyed something from our mini-bar.

 

So - I take back my comment about the steward.

We were charged for a bottle of water we didn't use. We knew it before we got off the ship, but it wasn't worth the wait through a long line to have it removed.

If it is of concern, I would definitely send an email to HAL. I keep careful records on our cruise and compare it to the statement so that I know everything is accounted for. They can miss things and catch up. Mistakes can also happen.

an email doesn't take much longer than posting here and would at least put your mind at ease (if it isn't too late).

We had a wonderful cruise on the Noordam March 8-18. My surprise was when I looked at my credit card statement and was charged more than my final statement.

 

Now, it isn't much, $6.27 to be exact.

And I know that we didn't have any drinks or coffee drinks or purchases the last day/evening after they might have done the account statement.

We didn't take anything from the mini-bar, but there was no charge sheet or inventory sheet in the cabin for the mini bar (from the first day onward) so we don't know if anything was missing at any time during our stay.

 

It certainly is not enough money to call and complain about - and there really is nothing we can do. Just hope our cabin steward enjoyed eating or drinking that item that cost us $6.37.

 

I assume it was our steward because he was not one of the better cabin stewards we ever had - I had to call housekeeping to ask for Robes and a bar of soap on the second day of the cruise - in the late afternoon. (we had one bar of soap for a cabin with two sinks, a tub & a shower...)

 

I'm assuming it is from the mini-bar, since there is a statement that any mini bar charges incurred on the last day on board will be added to the account and charged to the credit card.

 

So, don't be surprised if you see some minor additions to the credit card bill that you weren't expecting. Maybe in the future (If we do cruise again, just cruised-out) we will demand an inventory of the mini bar (or removal of all contents) on our first day - not something we want to do, since we know they are all working extremely hard on embarkation day.

Instead of presuming it's mini-bar and assuming guilt of your steward, call HAL and ask them what it's for. You'll probably find out it is a HAL 'fee' that increased and was booked to your shipboard account.

If you re-read your contract you'll find that sometimes fees increase and this is passed on to the passengers, just as a reduction in fees is passed on as a small credit.

We never use anything from mini bars...we always have our own drinks we bring with us or buy elsewhere. Is there a way we can asked to have the stuff removed from the mini bar so we don't have to worry about it and can use the space for our own drinks?

If anyone is interested email address for billing

onboardaccounts@hollandamerica.com

Will need

Booking Number

Ship

Departure date

Cabin number

If anyone is interested email address for billing

 

onboardaccounts@hollandamerica.com

 

 

Will need

Booking Number

Ship

Departure date

Cabin number

Thanks! That's good to have and keep in case of a problem. Fortunately, none yet! :)

Good - because your cabin steward doesn't take care of the mini-bar. That is done by a bar steward/ess who comes around to restock items and charge for any used.

 

We were charged for a bottle of water we didn't use. We knew it before we got off the ship, but it wasn't worth the wait through a long line to have it removed.

This has happen to us. We drink ship water and after a tour we came back to room and a large bottle of water(second one to the stock) had been added & a bill had been left -- called room service & said an error had been made - they came and got it and credit was made.

We were luckly as this was in the middle of the cruise.:)

Ray

Could be a minor port charge/tax adjustment.

This may indeed be the case; port taxes/charges change often. A few weeks after we got home from our Ryndam cruise in Feb., we found a $12 or so credit to our credit card, from HAL Seattle. I had occasion then to call HAL to make a payment on an upcoming cruise, and used the opportunity to ask about the credit. The rep said "hold on" and came back a short time later and said it was indeed a change to port taxes/fees, which HAL had paid to the credit card to which we charged our onboard account.

I agree with others -- if it bothers you (not so much for the money, but if you are like me, just wanting to know why), call HAL and just ask.

Dave

We had a wonderful cruise on the Noordam March 8-18. My surprise was when I looked at my credit card statement and was charged more than my final statement.

 

Now, it isn't much, $6.27 to be exact.

And I know that we didn't have any drinks or coffee drinks or purchases the last day/evening after they might have done the account statement.

We didn't take anything from the mini-bar, but there was no charge sheet or inventory sheet in the cabin for the mini bar (from the first day onward) so we don't know if anything was missing at any time during our stay.

 

It certainly is not enough money to call and complain about - and there really is nothing we can do. Just hope our cabin steward enjoyed eating or drinking that item that cost us $6.37.

 

I assume it was our steward because he was not one of the better cabin stewards we ever had - I had to call housekeeping to ask for Robes and a bar of soap on the second day of the cruise - in the late afternoon. (we had one bar of soap for a cabin with two sinks, a tub & a shower...)

 

I'm assuming it is from the mini-bar, since there is a statement that any mini bar charges incurred on the last day on board will be added to the account and charged to the credit card.

 

So, don't be surprised if you see some minor additions to the credit card bill that you weren't expecting. Maybe in the future (If we do cruise again, just cruised-out) we will demand an inventory of the mini bar (or removal of all contents) on our first day - not something we want to do, since we know they are all working extremely hard on embarkation day.

...avoid overcharges on your cruise on-board account.

1. Mini-bar items can be placed in the desk stool or cabinet by the cabin couch on embarkation day and then placed back on the desk / cabinet / cooler (depending on the ship) prior to debarking. We often need the space for other items and, thus, we do so.

2. For any cruise, whether it be only for 10 days or 30+ days I go to the front desk and ask for a print out of my on-board account charges on a weekly basis (or for the shorter cruises every 5 days or so).

I've only had 2-3 problems for minor amounts over the past 20+ years with HAL. BTW, when I do find an error the good folks at the front desk have been more then accomodating and my bill has been adjusted with no problemo.

3. If there was any major problems I would certainly dispute it with your credit card company (and do so in 60 days or you loss the dispute due to a "staue of limitations" on charge card disputes, as it were). I've used this remedy for airlines and hotels only in so far as travel-related expenses goes over the past few years.

4. And has been mentioned, contact HAL for accounting problems you may or may not have incurred. I doubt your cabin steward is responsible for any additional charges but then again, I'm a cock-eyed optimist.

Be well and don't fret about six buck. Life's too short.

Bon Voyage & Good Health!

Bob:)

We got a final bill the last day of the cruise, which was correct. When we got home, there was a small amount added to our credit card. We didn't charge anything, use the mini bar, etc. However, it was a small amount, so we choose not to pursue it. Now that others have had the same experience, if it happens again, I think I will pursue it. Thanks for sharing.

We had similar charges after we got off the ship. I emailed under the Hal site where you can contact them about billing charges. They emailed back it was for mini bar charges--ours had been emptied on boarding to keep our son's insulin and snacks he brings. I emailed them that and the charges were credited.

I would guess the guys are in such a hurry to inventory they miscount things and therefore charge--maybe they are overlooked, maybe they were used the prior sailing and not replaced.

It seems like a recurring problem which seems small but $15 here and there on a ship of 1000 cabins adds a nice sum to their bottom line.

To those who have asked yes, you can have all the mini bar items removed. We do this routinely to make more available space. It has never been a problem we just let our room steward know on the first day we would like it removed and by dinner time it they are gone.

I agree with above regarding regular reviews, etc. of both your cabin charges and your credit card to match.

It will be very useful when HAL gets up to speed with some other cruise lines on technology regarding access to cabin specific information in your cabin. I found it great on my last cruise where I could see our account information on the TV in our cabin. That will also save paper from those of us who need to review our account every few days, more green iniatives for HAL. When cruising with the ability to review on the TV in the cabin, I reviewed daily, not that I am a big spender but I want to make sure no one else has mistakingly billed to my cabin.

Maybe some of the HAL ships have this capability now? Have not heard of any yet?

I disembarked the Oosterdam on Saturday and today discovered an additional $39.74 added to the credit card charge. My friend two doors down had a little over $50 added to hers. I used nothing from the minibar - I removed a few items and left them right on top of the fridge, then put them back into the minibar before departing the ship. And it was only a bottle of water and a single beer, so no way do they add up to that amount.

I checked my folio twice during the cruise, including the last day, and everything matched my receipts.

I've already emailed HAL and am awaiting a response. We'll see what they say.