Check your onboard charges carefully

[CJDepew]

So I was part of a group on the March 13th sailing on the Conquest. Many of us in the group purchased the Cheers drink package. One of them thought it was odd that the price for the same drink fluctuated by a dollar depending on which bar she went to. She left a one dollar tip on each drink.

 

When she got her itemized purchases her tip amounts had been changed from one dollar to four dollars, and they had more drinks on their daily slips than they actually ordered. After calling Carnival she had her charges reversed but will never step foot on a Carnival ship again. Carnival claims they are going to track down the bartenders responsible and terminate their contracts.

 

Hopefully this is an isolated incident, but I thought it was worth mentioning because some folks don't look at their charges as carefully as others.

[elainmir]

I take a bunch of singles for this reason...waitstaff, barstaff and room service get cash tips...none go on my sail and sign card...a big fat zero goes on the gratuity line with a line through it.

[StolidCruiser]

This is excellent advice. It's also important to check your account carefully before you leave the ship so you don't have to call afterwards to try resolving it.

 

With evidenced fraudulent manipulation of the receipts, those who did so should absolutely have their contracts terminated.

 

Sorry to hear this happened to your friend and disappointed her opinion of Carnival has been tarnished by this isolated event. I would certainly feel the same were I in her shoes.

[figdu]

I check daily just to make sure there are not any inadvertent charges to my account. As more ships add the hub app it will become easier.

[ready2cruzagain]

Just curious as to why she wouldn't check her bill before she left the ship. A little hard to prove after you leave the ship and I am surprised Carnival did. Glad they did but surprised.

 

It is always a smart move to check your bill BEFORE leaving the ship.

Edited March 25, 2016 by ready2cruzagain

[kona_wahine]

There is a 15% added to each drink, correct?

[firemanbobswife]

There is a 15% added to each drink, correct?

 

Not if you have Cheers. You pay that upfront at time of purchase.

[Purvis1231]

Did this person has the same waiter and bartender each time or was their a conspiracy among numerous waiters and bartenders to inflate her tips?

[evandbob]

There's usually a few minutes of quiet time before late session dining in the MDR, and I use some of that time to preview the menu choices and review my S&S acct on the cabin TV.

 

In 26 Carnival cruises, the only unauthorized charge was for $15 for laundry when I was platinum and it should have been offset or free. It wasn't a big deal to get that corrected, a few minutes at Guest Services, no big deal.

[sfaaa]

Just curious as to why she wouldn't check her bill before she left the ship. A little hard to prove after you leave the ship and I am surprised Carnival did. Glad they did but surprised.

 

It is always a smart move to check your bill BEFORE leaving the ship.

 

Not hard to prove when you have to sign off your bar printout checks. There is always an audit trail on every charge made on board. This sort of frauds also happen on land and not just onboard cruise ships.

[sfaaa]

Did this person has the same waiter and bartender each time or was their a conspiracy among numerous waiters and bartenders to inflate her tips?

 

Every server has to enter his/her own ID # or code every time a charge is put through the POS system. It's not difficult to spot a pattern.

[ready2cruzagain]

Not hard to prove when you have to sign off your bar printout checks. There is always an audit trail on every charge made on board. This sort of frauds also happen on land and not just onboard cruise ships.

Yes but Carnival no longer hands out bar printout checks in the norm. On the Glory, if I wanted a receipt I had to ask for it and sometimes I got one but mostly not.

[CJDepew]

Did this person has the same waiter and bartender each time or was their a conspiracy among numerous waiters and bartenders to inflate her tips?

 

Most of her drinks were poured at the Red Frog.

[Purvis1231]

Every server has to enter his/her own ID # or code every time a charge is put through the POS system. It's not difficult to spot a pattern.

 

This is true but it seems that it is more difficult for several waiters to defraud the same person over and over, than one waiter to cheat a bunch of different people of $1 or $2 bucks. I am not sure this story is adding up.

[CJDepew]

I take a bunch of singles for this reason...waitstaff, barstaff and room service get cash tips...none go on my sail and sign card...a big fat zero goes on the gratuity line with a line through it.

 

That's what we do. Hubby is law enforcement and he's seen it happen enough that the cash tips have become habit.

[RuthlessBoss]

This is true but it seems that it is more difficult for several waiters to defraud the same person over and over, than one waiter to cheat a bunch of different people of $1 or $2 bucks. I am not sure this story is adding up.

 

I thought it was strange too. Same about more drinks than they claim.

[GUT2407]

I am shocked every time I read about someone who didn't check their account, at sea or on land.

 

Even if nothing underhanded is happening, mistakes happen.

[HamSammie]

So I was part of a group on the March 13th sailing on the Conquest. Many of us in the group purchased the Cheers drink package. One of them thought it was odd that the price for the same drink fluctuated by a dollar depending on which bar she went to. She left a one dollar tip on each drink.

 

When she got her itemized purchases her tip amounts had been changed from one dollar to four dollars, and they had more drinks on their daily slips than they actually ordered. After calling Carnival she had her charges reversed but will never step foot on a Carnival ship again. Carnival claims they are going to track down the bartenders responsible and terminate their contracts.

 

Hopefully this is an isolated incident, but I thought it was worth mentioning because some folks don't look at their charges as carefully as others.

 

Something is not adding up for me. Maybe it is just me.

 

1. If had Cheers!, why would price difference matter since it would be covered either way and show up as $0 (plus added tips)?

 

2. More drinks on slips than they ordered? Thought with Cheers! it was only one drink every X minutes?

[bar1068]

Thanks so much for bringing this up, I never would have thought to check my onboard spending while still on the ship...this advice is invaluable....Thanks again.

[KPfromCT]

This is actually kind of sad.

We never ANALYZE our S&S account.

Never thought that the employees would steal from us.

Pretty disturbing......

Hope they caught the creep and fired his arse!:mad::mad:

[KPfromCT]

I am shocked every time I read about someone who didn't check their account, at sea or on land.

 

Even if nothing underhanded is happening, mistakes happen.

 

According to the OP, this was NOT a one time thing. It happened multiple times throughout the cruise.

 

Who is going to run to GS or a kiosk every single time they purchase something, to make sure they didn't get screwed? Seriously?:rolleyes:

 

Definitely not the way I want to spend my vacation.

[hftmrock]

According to the OP, this was NOT a one time thing. It happened multiple times throughout the cruise.

 

Who is going to run to GS or a kiosk every single time they purchase something, to make sure they didn't get screwed? Seriously?:rolleyes:

 

Definitely not the way I want to spend my vacation.

 

no one needs to do that. Check once a day or Check once midweek or check once the night before disembarkation

 

I think your scenario is way too extreme. just once the night before disembarkation works

[emm126]

I was on the 2/14 Pride sailing. Last morning I received my final bill (and thought holy crap:) ) Anyway, couple of days later I noticed on my Amex account it was over $300 more and I thought it must be fraud. I called Carnival and I was sent my final, final bill and oh yes it was me!. Forgot the last minute slots, maybe I can win something the last night charges and an extra tip for my favorite bar waitress.

 

However I really don't check my bill, If I see $1 charge, I assume I had a drink and tipped the waiter, I would like to believe this doesn't happen often.

[crazyboutdisney]

Like someone else mentioned, we check ours on the tv before heading to dinner. We have been overcharged once for a drink and they corrected it, no problem. The do advise you to check your sign and sail account before you disembark.

I was on this sailing also and the bartender made me the wrong drink at the Red Frog. She voided it and I received the credit no issue.

 

We had quite an experience at the Miami Airport on our way home! We ate lunch at TGI Fridays and the waitress accused my friend of not paying (she had payed cash, I used my debit card. My friend had left the restaurant while I finished my drink and collected my things). She just kept saying "You friend no pay!! Look in your purse" Finally the manager came over and asked what was wrong.We explained. They all went over to the podium and he came back and said, its fine we found it in her apron. We walked out and he followed us and said he was so embarrassed. He gave my friend a $5 coupon. We were all kind of shocked at what had just happened. Later, thinking about it we realized she had tried to steal the cash. There was no way the cash had slipped into her apron and she had taken my receipt and placed it in the leather cash folder. (I had layed it on the table, not in the folder.) She was trying to fluster us and get my friend to pay again!

 

It can happen anywhere!!

[tango55]

we were on a b2b triumph cruise.one was for a beer in the morning.they said it from the night before,but said 9 in the morning.another 2 times on half moon cay.prices changed after we got back on ship.got money back on one drink .again no paper trail to look back on.