Most shocking cruise charge.....

As others have said, outside from kids running up arcade bills it's hard to be surprised by charges. Every time you charge something you have to sign for it and it lists what you are charged - and I've never had trouble finding the price ahead of ordering.

I think what gets first timers is simply irresponsible spending. If you walk on board with no plans or budgets in mind and just do as you please - $100 pp here and there for shore excursions, $13 pp pd for gratuities, $8-$13 charges per drink, bingo, $20 per photo, etc adds up really quickly. Doesn't take much to wind up with a $1,000 bill at the end of the week that you weren't planning for. But that's easily avoidable if you have a budget in mind and check your bill as you go to stay on track.

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I have heard two different shocks. One was parents who's kid had some how wracked up $1000 worth on his cards. The father was raging at the service desk, saying it was the cruise ships fault for his kid having a huge bill, and that the cruise line should have cut the kid off and he wasn't going to pay. I didn't stay to find out how that ended 😀

The last one I felt sorry for, there was a young woman (early 20's) crying at reception as her bar bill was over $2000, she had thought the drinks were included and so kept putting all the drinks on her card for people around her. How she didn't notice the cost of each bill she signed I don't know. I thought it very low of her travelling companions not to clue her in on the cost of the drinks. Obviously a very nieve and inexperienced woman.

I personally have never had a bill more than $300.

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On our last cruise after we got home I saw my cc bill online and noticed that the total was different from the bill which we had when we left the ship. By about 400 - 500 dollars. I called HAL and spoke to a rep. It seems they charged us for two bathrobes and alcohol from the mini bar. We told her we did not take the bathrobes (who wants "used" robes) and had them ck as we had ordered a bottle of our favorite liquor when we boarded the ship. The rep was very nice and HAL promptly removed the charges.

BTW like a lot of you as soon as we board we turn off our cell phones and put them in the safe and there they stay until we clean out the safe on the last day.

Lastly I would like to remind people to make sure before you leave your cabin check your safe especially along the edges where small things can hide between the wall and bottom cover. Last time we found someone's driver's license hiding there. We kept hoping that the person didn't need it to travel!

On our RC cruise they charged us tips for 4 people in our group(but in different cabins). After an hour at guest services trying to get it straightened out, they then charged us double rather than removing the charges.

Took a week after returning home to get everything straightened out. :( :mad:

Thank you for all the responses and great info, I will be sure to keep an eye on our daily spending and will definitely turn our phones off.

We check daily and have only ever seen extra bar charges, which were reversed.

We pay our bill in cash at the end of the cruise. ;)

As an FYI, I NEVER once signed a receipt or slip for drinks at any of the bars or coffees at International cafe on my Princess cruise and I did NOT have a drink or coffee package.

I ordered what I wanted, they took my card and scanned it, handed it back, gave me my drink and the charge showed up on my account. If I didn't ask at the time of purchase, I did not even know the cost of drinks.

Be very easy for a naive young lady to get confused and not realize she was being billed for her whole group's drinks.

;53336850]RCI, as example, will show you a daily running total of all charges on your room TV and every purchase you make has to be signed for and has a receipt presented. I don't understand how anyone can be surprised by their bill at the end of the cruise unless they didn't bother to pay attention to what they were purchasing.

[it is the same as those people who spend with their credit cards at home and are shocked at months' end when the bill comes in. Some people are responsible spenders and some are not.

it all behind IAs to what charges add up, drinks certainly pay a large part of that, but with the drink packages available, those costs can be fixed as well. Sometimes people may forget that gratuities that were not prepaid will appear each day on your account and do not require your signature or issue a receipt. But these are known charges which are limited in their amount, and they do appear each day on your account for your review.

 

But there are no surprise or hidden charges that appear at the end of your bill. The only charges that are there are the ones you made and signed for. Sorry, but given that, again I don't understand horror stories about being shocked or devastated with an end of cruise bill.

If they're not from North America those folk are probably referring to the daily "tips" / service charge / call-it-what-you-will - something which newbies don't know about & which cruise lines and (Brit) T/A's are rather coy about mentioning before booking - yes, it's somewhere on the websites but pretty obscure for a cost which adds around 10% of the ticket price and which unsurprisingly comes as a shock to them...

I have seen two North American family groups who were caught unawares by the gratuities. Sad to watch a man do the math for four people for 12 days.

You are right that travel agents won't jeopardize a sale by mentioning daily service charges.

Customer: “Wow, only $599 for a seven day cruise and kids sail for half price!”

Travel agent: “Correct.”

Customer: (Fiddles with calculator on phone.) “So just $1797.”

Travel agent: “Plus $129 port charges, government taxes, and fees.”

Customer: (Fiddles with calculator again. Sighs.) “Make that $1926. Still doable.”

Travel agent: (Checks her computer.) “$2313.”

Customer: “What?”

Travel agent: “$129 port charges, government taxes, and fees each.”

Customer: "Even the kids?"

Travel agent: "Yes, kids too."

Customer: (Fiddles with calculator.” “That's $516!”

Travel agent: “Correct.”

Customer: “That's a long way from the $1797 I was expecting.”

Travel agent: “Maybe you should visit your in-laws in Bayonne again this summer.”

Customer: “Here's my credit card.”

Any surprise the travel agent didn't mention a daily service charge? Besides, $11 per person per day is only another $308.

We were on a cruise when a passenger got on the elevator with us. He had a copy of his bill and he was shaking his head as he kept turning page after page. His bill was about 12 pages for a 7-day cruise. Finally, he looked up and said, "someone had a good time".

The real shock IMHO are cruisers that aren't monitoring their accounts on a daily based

All you need to do it turn on the tv in your cabin to do this

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I actually monitor all my credit card and checking account activity on a daily basis. Takes 10 minutes and gives me something worthwhile to do while enjoying morning coffee

I'd rather start my day managing my fortune lol than watching the news any day.

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We were on a cruise a number of years ago and the man in the cabin next to us was stunned when he got their bill and discovered that his wife and daughter spent a fortune in the beauty parlor and spa area.

I imagine the jewellery or the art would rack up some big bills.

I imagine the jewellery or the art would rack up some big bills.

Very true, but they would not be a surprise on the bill at the end of the cruise unless the one purchasing them did not tell their significant other - if one was traveling with them - that the purchase was made. ;)

I have heard horror stories of people being shocked/devastated at the end of their cruise by the charges they have accrued during the cruise....

 

Would the majority of this come from onboard drinks?

I'm curious to hear anyone else's experience .... and also a little worried we will rack up a huge tab before we know it on things I didn't budget for.

Looking at the TV account of charges and thinking "I was at what bar last night at what time?"

We were on a cruise a number of years ago and the man in the cabin next to us was stunned when he got their bill and discovered that his wife and daughter spent a fortune in the beauty parlor and spa area.

It amazes me that people even use the overpriced spa services lol

No need for $200 facials or massages

I guess because I get great monthly facials and massages for $59 at a well run gorgeous clean spa run by an Eastern European trained esthetician That I'm just spoiled

I never get the hard sell either

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It amazes me that people even use the overpriced spa services lol

 

No need for $200 facials or massages

 

I guess because I get great monthly facials and massages for $59 at a well run gorgeous clean spa run by an Eastern European trained esthetician That I'm just spoiled

I never get the hard sell either

 

 

 

 

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The spa services (as with the photographer and most on board retail outlets) are third party contractors. As they are not cruise line employees they earn their income directly and only from the services they provide - thus the hard sell.

The spa services (as with the photographer and most on board retail outlets) are third party contractors. As they are not cruise line employees they earn their income directly and only from the services they provide - thus the hard sell.

Yes I know that and that's just one reason why I would never use the shipboard spa service in addition to the prices. Hard sell is a no go as far as I'm concerned and even if telling ahead of time no hard sell I would still be uncomfortable.

I guess some people see it as something very special and therefore is supposed to be expensive

I see facials and massages at great prices as part of my pre vacation as well as monthly ritual in addition to mani pedi etc

I would hate to waste valuable sea day time in the spa or port time there. Not happening

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I go to the Spa on the ships for novelty value & when they are running special offers. Way better value on land

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Very true, but they would not be a surprise on the bill at the end of the cruise unless the one purchasing them did not tell their significant other - if one was traveling with them - that the purchase was made. ;)

Yeah, or they had too much of the free champagne (sparkling liquid), thought they paid $500 and didn't realise they paid $15000 for a disney print.:eek:

I've found the cheaper the cruise line the more they nickel and dime you. Turn your phone off, don't buy any pictures, drink the water off the ship, enjoy the meals in the standard dinning rooms, and limit your drinks. You will still have lots of fun.

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I think most people lose track of how much they drink and that's where the shock comes from.

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The only shock I've had when getting my statement on the last morning was being charged for a bottle of wine that we shouldn't have been charged for. The person at passenger services desk was unable to get it off the bill--so I had to dispute it (successfully) with the cruise line after getting home. We've had similar mistaken charges added to our account, but those have been earlier during the cruise, when we had time to get them corrected on the ship.

No shock with Regent, you have paid up front for everything. No extra's for excursions, drinks, gratuities, no photographer on the ship. The only surprise will be if you are unwell, or have an accident and need to see the doctor or use medical services as to a non north Americans this will give you palpitations.