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Mysterious Charges After Cruise


Selbourne
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On one of the FB pages there is quite a long thread about this. There are numerous reasons why they do not seem to be in a rush to sort this out (it does happen a lot)

 

The amounts are small so we don't bother to query it, or it will cost more to ring and chase it.

I don't check my bank account after the bill has been paid so don't know if there has been any other charges.

As it is, it is just pin pricks with the odd person either emailing or ringing to say whats this amount .

As they are quite quick to answer messages on the official Pando FB page I suggested that every one uses that. It costs nothing and if they suddenly had 100's or 1000's of messages saying whats this extra amount they will know they have a problem. While loads let it go, they will not see it as a problem. For what its worth I think it should be an option on booking,,do you want a mini bar..no..on boarding fridge is empty.

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Bit of an odd one this, but the following has happened to us after our last 3 or 4 P&O cruises and I’m interested to know if this is a widespread problem.

 

We returned from a cruise on Arcadia on Sunday. My credit card was charged with the correct on board account balance, as per my closing statement, but then a day or so later a random additional charge was made.

 

On this occasion it was £3.20 but on our last few cruises it has been even less than that. In all cases, the charge has been an error, as I religiously keep all receipts and check off against the on board account and all spend has always been shown on the closing account. We never buy anything on the last morning and we never touch anything in the mini bar throughout the entire cruise.

 

Because the amounts have always been small, I haven’t bothered to pursue them, as I have figured that the cost of the call would be as much or more than the erroneous charge, but this is now happening like clockwork and, if this is happening to lots of other passengers, this is resulting in a tidy sum of money for P&O (or the staff member, if it is a fraud).

 

Has anyone else experienced this?

Yes.

It is often a bottled water charge from room service.

There was a long thread on Royal Caribbean about this too where lots of us were charged approximately $6 for a litre bottle of water which was not used.

After many complaints RCCL got room service to take the 2x1Litre bottles of still water from customers cabins.

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On one of the FB pages there is quite a long thread about this. There are numerous reasons why they do not seem to be in a rush to sort this out (it does happen a lot)

 

The amounts are small so we don't bother to query it, or it will cost more to ring and chase it.

I don't check my bank account after the bill has been paid so don't know if there has been any other charges.

As it is, it is just pin pricks with the odd person either emailing or ringing to say whats this amount .

As they are quite quick to answer messages on the official Pando FB page I suggested that every one uses that. It costs nothing and if they suddenly had 100's or 1000's of messages saying whats this extra amount they will know they have a problem. While loads let it go, they will not see it as a problem. For what its worth I think it should be an option on booking,,do you want a mini bar..no..on boarding fridge is empty.

 

Thanks for sharing. I don't use Facebook (personally, I think it does far more harm than good), but it's very interesting to know that this is a very big problem (as confirmed to me by P&O)!

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Thanks for sharing. I don't use Facebook (personally, I think it does far more harm than good), but it's very interesting to know that this is a very big problem (as confirmed to me by P&O)!

Hi Selbourne....so if it is a big problem which is known to them why are they dragging their feet in getting sorted out. It does make you wonder with it being to their financial advantage not to get it sorted.

On an earlier post on this thread someone had done the maths and just on the Ventura for the rest of this year it came to well over £90,000....reckon up over the entire fleet for the whole year....it could end up being well over a million pounds!!! and for the few....like me... who do actually " complain" about the paltry sum they hand out ....just a few quid in OBC that goes back to them anyway....no wonder they are dragging their feet. It really needs everyone to complain and be reimbursed plus OBC ....bet the problem would be sorted out instantly

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This charge relates to the large bottle of water which is left in the cabin. I know because it happened to me and as soon as I said £3.24, they said that was the one litre bottle of water. We have has the same problem on three cruises with Cunard and yes they do refund it, but thats not the point. I wonder how many people never check their bank statements and don’t realise they have been charged..

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This charge relates to the large bottle of water which is left in the cabin. I know because it happened to me and as soon as I said £3.24, they said that was the one litre bottle of water. We have has the same problem on three cruises with Cunard and yes they do refund it, but thats not the point. I wonder how many people never check their bank statements and don’t realise they have been charged..

 

I had always assumed that most P&O passengers would buy the 6 large bottles of water package, taking the one in the cabin as part of this. For £10 it is a cheap way of not drinking the tap water in the cabin and it is quite drinkable.

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I had thought twice before starting this thread as it seemed quite trivial, but I am glad that I did. This is clearly a major money spinner for P&O and completely unacceptable, especially as they are fully aware of the issue.

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I had thought twice before starting this thread as it seemed quite trivial, but I am glad that I did. This is clearly a major money spinner for P&O and completely unacceptable, especially as they are fully aware of the issue.
It is and it has happened to us on P&O and also a few times on RC so someone is making money.
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It is and it has happened to us on P&O and also a few times on RC so someone is making money.
Some suggestions on the RC thread was it was room service keeping a bottle of water and also they got the 18% gratuity on the sale as well.

On P&O and RCCL it is an 0844 number to call to complain which costs almost as much to ring as the overcharge.

In RC case they refunded the mini bar charge only but not the phone charge.

After lots of complaints their corporate instructed room service to remove the 2x1 litre still water bottles from the cabin's.

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Some suggestions on the RC thread was it was room service keeping a bottle of water and also they got the 18% gratuity on the sale as well.

On P&O and RCCL it is an 0844 number to call to complain which costs almost as much to ring as the overcharge.

In RC case they refunded the mini bar charge only but not the phone charge.

After lots of complaints their corporate instructed room service to remove the 2x1 litre still water bottles from the cabin's.

 

Hi....I phoned the free phone number so there is no need for it to cost you anything...on an earlier post on this thread the number was given.

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Hi....I phoned the free phone number so there is no need for it to cost you anything...on an earlier post on this thread the number was given.
Your right just checked back to post#8.

Selbourne was right to post this thread because although it might be a small amount and most people would not check or query their bill later it all adds up to a lot of money for someone most likely on the ship rather than P&O corporate.

In 46 cruises from our first on Aurora in 2003 I know of 6 times we have been charged but only because I looked closer at our bills after I noticed a descrepency 12 cruises ago so it might have occurred on more occasions.

On RC with the water bottle charge it includes an 18% gratuity for room service so you can draw your own conclusion.

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I’m sure there are all sorts of causes for the extra charges. I’m equally sure that it isn’t a corporate plan to sneak an extra million per ship into the shareholders’ pockets. One cause ( which, sorry if it’s been mentioned before) is the ambiguous nature of water bottles that appear in your cabin. As I understand it you get two small bottles of water per cabin gratis as welcome aboard. A 1l bottle of water often appears in the cabin without request. I wonder if passengers sometimes confuse the second 1l bottle (chargeable) with the two smaller free bottles...just a thought.

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I’m sure there are all sorts of causes for the extra charges. I’m equally sure that it isn’t a corporate plan to sneak an extra million per ship into the shareholders’ pockets. One cause ( which, sorry if it’s been mentioned before) is the ambiguous nature of water bottles that appear in your cabin. As I understand it you get two small bottles of water per cabin gratis as welcome aboard. A 1l bottle of water often appears in the cabin without request. I wonder if passengers sometimes confuse the second 1l bottle (chargeable) with the two smaller free bottles...just a thought.

 

Hi....I don't think it is an extra million per ship...but possibly in total.

Not even convinced that it is the water bottles in the cabin . Yes you are allowed a couple of complimentary small bottles but as I have already stated a couple of times before we have the fridge cleared upon immediate arrival...no extra 1 litre bottle comes into the cabin yet still a charge of £3.20 went onto my card a day or so after we arrived home.

If people did by chance use the extra water it would go on their on board statement and certainly be on their final on board statement but that isn't what is happening.... It isn't until you arrive home that the charge shows on your credit card.

 

The fact that P&O are aware of the problem and yet appear ...or want to appear powerless to rectify the problem is causing concern

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Hi....I don't think it is an extra million per ship...but possibly in total.

Not even convinced that it is the water bottles in the cabin . Yes you are allowed a couple of complimentary small bottles but as I have already stated a couple of times before we have the fridge cleared upon immediate arrival...no extra 1 litre bottle comes into the cabin yet still a charge of £3.20 went onto my card a day or so after we arrived home.

If people did by chance use the extra water it would go on their on board statement and certainly be on their final on board statement but that isn't what is happening.... It isn't until you arrive home that the charge shows on your credit card.

 

The fact that P&O are aware of the problem and yet appear ...or want to appear powerless to rectify the problem is causing concern

People had the water bottle cleared from their cabin's on RC and were still charged.

The charges only stopped when their corporate withdrew all the litre bottles of still water from the cabin's.

Believe me it is not just one cruise line where these small charges are occurring and it always is a cabin water bottle charge.

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Aaahhh....so you are charged for a bottle of water that hasn't been anywhere near your cabin....wonder how that is happening....but as I said in my last post P&O know about it but choose not to sort the problem out..I am sorry but I still see it as a " nice little earner".....well....not so little ...in my book a few hundred thousand isn't to be sneezed at

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Aaahhh....so you are charged for a bottle of water that hasn't been anywhere near your cabin....wonder how that is happening....but as I said in my last post P&O know about it but choose not to sort the problem out..I am sorry but I still see it as a " nice little earner".....well....not so little ...in my book a few hundred thousand isn't to be sneezed at

Surely if it's deliberate by P&O that's in the realm of fraud / theft? I'm not sticking up for P&O and fortunately it's not affected us on any of the lines we've sailed with. I'm hoping it's incompetence on their behalf or the cabin stewards as opposed to anything illegal.

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Aaahhh....so you are charged for a bottle of water that hasn't been anywhere near your cabin....wonder how that is happening....but as I said in my last post P&O know about it but choose not to sort the problem out..I am sorry but I still see it as a " nice little earner".....well....not so little ...in my book a few hundred thousand isn't to be sneezed at

 

On P&O, (this is the P&O forum isn’t it?), the large 1.5 litre bottle is in the cabin. If it is left there, no charge should be made, if it is used or disappears, it is charged for (approx £2) I think. As I said previously, we buy the 6 for the price of 5 package for £10 and this becomes one of the 6. If these mysterious extra charges are for more than £2, it won’t be for this bottle of water. I wouldn’t know because I have never experienced such a charge. But as usual, a simple error either on behalf of P&O or the passenger gets blown up into fraudulent misappropriation of money to reward shareholders.

 

I sometimes wish P&O would be more proactive over quashing such accusations but I suppose they consider they have more important things to do such as providing holidays for around 20,000 people every minute of every day.

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Aaahhh....so you are charged for a bottle of water that hasn't been anywhere near your cabin....wonder how that is happening....but as I said in my last post P&O know about it but choose not to sort the problem out..I am sorry but I still see it as a " nice little earner".....well....not so little ...in my book a few hundred thousand isn't to be sneezed at
Yes and the bottle water charge always appeared after the final bill was left outside the cabin and other people reported the Same and I only found out when I got my credit card statement 3 weeks later.

That's why room service who supply these drinks are getting away with it.

P&O have known about this for several years as did RC.

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Hi....the charge that went onto our credit card was £3.20. I never buy water on board ship....I use the water from the buffet and put in a few drops of cordial from home then put it in the " fridge" to chill...I find it easier to drink that just plain water. I think a full explanation from P&O when we phone them would be helpful....seeing as they know about it they must have looked and the OP said after phoning P&O was told it is a regular occurrence. The OP has had the charge added on the last 3/4 cruises.

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Surely if it's deliberate by P&O that's in the realm of fraud / theft? I'm not sticking up for P&O and fortunately it's not affected us on any of the lines we've sailed with. I'm hoping it's incompetence on their behalf or the cabin stewards as opposed to anything illegal.
Like I posted it was widespread on RC and it was the 1 litre bottles of still water being charged every time that was supplied by room service and the same thing is being reported on this thread.

I complained to P&O about this over 6 years ago.

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On P&O, (this is the P&O forum isn’t it?), the large 1.5 litre bottle is in the cabin. If it is left there, no charge should be made, if it is used or disappears, it is charged for (approx £2) I think. As I said previously, we buy the 6 for the price of 5 package for £10 and this becomes one of the 6. If these mysterious extra charges are for more than £2, it won’t be for this bottle of water. I wouldn’t know because I have never experienced such a charge. But as usual, a simple error either on behalf of P&O or the passenger gets blown up into fraudulent misappropriation of money to reward shareholders.

 

I sometimes wish P&O would be more proactive over quashing such accusations but I suppose they consider they have more important things to do such as providing holidays for around 20,000 people every minute of every day.

It's not P&O or cabin stewards it is room service responsibility for filling the mini bar and the phantom charges.
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On P&O, (this is the P&O forum isn’t it?), the large 1.5 litre bottle is in the cabin. If it is left there, no charge should be made, if it is used or disappears, it is charged for (approx £2) I think. As I said previously, we buy the 6 for the price of 5 package for £10 and this becomes one of the 6. If these mysterious extra charges are for more than £2, it won’t be for this bottle of water. I wouldn’t know because I have never experienced such a charge. But as usual, a simple error either on behalf of P&O or the passenger gets blown up into fraudulent misappropriation of money to reward shareholders.

 

I sometimes wish P&O would be more proactive over quashing such accusations but I suppose they consider they have more important things to do such as providing holidays for around 20,000 people every minute of every day.

It is a P&O forum.

We are Atlantic 930 points on P&O,Elite on Princess, and D+ 187 cruise nights on RCCL and just highlighting that this isn't a problem exclusive to P&O and to show people who don't sail other lines that it is an industry problem with room service.

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To those who say PO are trying to scam everyone well without fail every single time PO have added a small additional charge to our account they have been correct to do so. The last time it was £7.... the time before £3... the time before that another £3... but I knew it would be added as we had room service in the last week which hadnt been included in the final bill. Also we had bought water from a table on going ashore which hadnt been included, I could go on. No we dont touch the mini bar but I think a lot of folk just forget what they've had around the ship. The only criticism is PO are sometimes slow to add adhoc charges so when they appear on your credit card after the cruise everyone is adamant its a false charge. Well they havent scammed us.

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To those who say PO are trying to scam everyone well without fail every single time PO have added a small additional charge to our account they have been correct to do so. The last time it was £7.... the time before £3... the time before that another £3... but I knew it would be added as we had room service in the last week which hadnt been included in the final bill. Also we had bought water from a table on going ashore which hadnt been included, I could go on. No we dont touch the mini bar but I think a lot of folk just forget what they've had around the ship. The only criticism is PO are sometimes slow to add adhoc charges so when they appear on your credit card after the cruise everyone is adamant its a false charge. Well they havent scammed us.
That's good for you.

After the first time I had a mysterious charge I keep all my receipts and they are charges for things we never had.

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