$263 Bogus internet charge

[siestatom]

One week voyage on Encore ending March 8.  As a couple our intention was to share one unlimited WiFi package for the week.  We didn't use anything on day of embarkation.  We had 250 free minutes as part of our package.  On day two I upgraded this to unlimited for the balance of the cruise.  This posted a charge of 179.94 but also a credit of 125.00.  So far, so good.

On our next to the last day I looked over our bill and saw an additional internet charge of 263.88, posted on day 2 of the cruise.  Guest services said we had purchased a second internet account, and I said no way.  They claimed their records showed a purchase had been made.  I asked them to look at our usage, which had to be pretty low, and explained that we would never need two distinct accounts.  They didn't budge and told me I'd have to file a dispute on their website when we got home.

 

Today I did that and got a reply that it would take 4-6 weeks for them to respond.  Given all that's going on with virus cancellations etc., it wouldn't surprise me if it's longer than that.  Maybe way longer.

I'm considering protesting this charge with my credit card company, because there may be a time limit for doing that.  Obviously I should have reviewed my charges sooner.

It's a pretty helpless feeling when they say you ordered something on line, and you claim you didn't.  Bottom line - a good cruise experience has been significantly tainted.

 

[gizfish]

Definitely protest the charge with your credit card.  NCL is notorious for poor and slow customer service.

[Petals22]

I am sorry this happened to you.  A really good example of why it is important to check your account statement frequently before the end of the cruise.  We were on the SKy for a 3 day cruise and the morning of disembarkation I discovered the spa had inadvertantly charged another lady's services to my stateroom because we had the same first name and they grabbed the wrong key card  or so they said.  Anyway, got it resolved but it was a frustration at the end of the cruise.

 

I hope you can get it resolved with out too much hassle.  We recently had to dispute some credit card charges because of a fraud issue that had nothing to do with NCL.  Some credit card issuers are easier to deal with than others and the process can take quite a while. We have been working on the issue for 4 months and it is almost resolved!  I wish you good luck and speedy resolution!

Edited March 10, 2020 by Petals22

[graphicguy]

Did you have more than one device you used to access the internet?  Were you logged into the internet with both devices at the same time?

[ziggyuk]

As @graphicguy says it's important to know how the second person accessed the internet.

 

Did both of you use the same credentials? If you were able to use both devices at the same time you must have accidentally set up a second account.

If you used just one account (same login) only one device can be used at a time, trying to log on with a second device you would be asked if you wanted to kick the other device off.

[zqvol]

Seems very clear that OP or partner logged in and used their own credentials instead of sharing them.

[siestatom]

23 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Did you have more than one device you used to access the internet?  Were you logged into the internet with both devices at the same time?

Ok, here's an update.  I heard back from NCL and they denied my claim.  They  attached a chart showing that, somehow, we HAD established and used two accounts.  I'm pretty sure I know how this happened.  I'm a rookie so I thought that you just had one account (and one log in) for each cabin.  So, we only used one log in.  EXCEPT, when my app shut down and I had to re-set it, logging in with my wife's credentials didn't work.  So the guy at the help desk had me log in by looking up my reservation!  Now that I was logged in as me (without realizing it - and without established a new sign in for me), he had me sign up for the wifi package.  I just figured it was a reset of everything.  I should have figured out that we weren't having to bump each other off when we both went online.  So in this case, I think both parties are culpable, and I'd be willing to split the cost.  Not sure if I'll plead with them a second time, or try the credit card dispute method.

[dasmonkey]

8 minutes ago, siestatom said:

Ok, here's an update.  I heard back from NCL and they denied my claim.  They  attached a chart showing that, somehow, we HAD established and used two accounts.  I'm pretty sure I know how this happened.  I'm a rookie so I thought that you just had one account (and one log in) for each cabin.  So, we only used one log in.  EXCEPT, when my app shut down and I had to re-set it, logging in with my wife's credentials didn't work.  So the guy at the help desk had me log in by looking up my reservation!  Now that I was logged in as me (without realizing it - and without established a new sign in for me), he had me sign up for the wifi package.  I just figured it was a reset of everything.  I should have figured out that we weren't having to bump each other off when we both went online.  So in this case, I think both parties are culpable, and I'd be willing to split the cost.  Not sure if I'll plead with them a second time, or try the credit card dispute method.

 

Doing a charge back for charges you did in fact make will not end well.

[Iworktocruiseandtravel]

40 minutes ago, dasmonkey said:

 

Doing a charge back for charges you did in fact make will not end well.

@siestatom, this above.   I thought I read on these boards in another post someone else disputed some NCL charge (perhaps their room/fees), cc refunded it, and NCL said they were blacklisted from any future NCL sailings. 

[siestatom]

I appreciate the feedback from more experienced cruisers.  But I do hold NCL responsible for not making it at all clear how this thing works.  Yet clearly I didn't monitor things well.  I may be a cruising rookie but I'm highly experience using the internet, apps, and purchasing services on-line.  And yet somehow, under the direction of guest services, I subscribed for an additional $263 of services!  Frankly though, getting blacklisted from NCL is not an issue.  My next cruise will be on a higher class company.

[dasmonkey]

1 hour ago, Iworktocruiseandtravel said:

@siestatom, this above.   I thought I read on these boards in another post someone else disputed some NCL charge (perhaps their room/fees), cc refunded it, and NCL said they were blacklisted from any future NCL sailings. 

 

They absolutely will as will any other cruise line. 

https://www.elliott.org/blog/do-not-sail-list-banned-from-cruising/

Your odds of getting something handled are far greater if you catch the billing "error" on board and plead your case while on board.  Once you get home your odds of getting cut some slack diminish greatly.  

[graphicguy]

Well, that sux.  Bottom line, they make it obvious if you sign in with a separate account, it’s a separate charge.  They also make it clear that the internet plans are for one user per one device.  If you log in with more than one device, you must logout from the original device.  One account per one device.
 

Doesn’t help your case,  but they are clear in their charges.

 

 

Good luck in your dealings with NCL!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[siestatom]

I did try to deal with this on the next to the last day of the cruise, but they pushed me to the customer service web site when I got back.  I'm not going to protest this charge with my credit card, and just chalk it up to not being diligent enough. 

 

At this point, I'm just glad our cruise got to sail as we now realize it was the next to the last voyage of Encore prior to the shut down.  I'll consider my double internet fee as my little contribution to their lousy financial situation.  I feel bad for everyone that has disrupted cruises.