Billing Dispute

[Geo1688]

Recently returned from an Alaska cruise on the koningsdam and was charged 200 for sale of general supplies after disembarkation.  I called guest relations and was told it was for the binoculars in my stateroom.  
 

We did not take any binoculars and were not even aware there was a binoculars in the stateroom until I spoke with a couple of other families after the cruise that there was one in their staterooms.  After relaying this to guest relations, they indicated they would refund the charge if the koningsdam also agrees.

 

Called this morning and was told that the koningsdam cabin crew insists there was one in my stateroom during my stay, which means they are saying I stole it.  Now they have to work with mgmt to see if they can authorize a refund for something that I did not take like it is a favor for me. Pretty disappointed. 
 

Has anyone else also encountered this before?  Overall, while the cruise experience itself was good, this billing issue is ruining all good will I have towards Holland America. 

[CH_ca]

Sorry to hear that! I hope it will get sorted out soon.

 

Did you and the other families all stay in suites?

[FlaMariner]

Interesting....makes me want to hand them over to the stateroom attendant during embarkation introductions and get a receipt.  We certainly do not want/need them. 

[Fouremco]

Over the years, I've read many posts about passengers being charged for an item from the minibar after the fact, but in these cases, the minor amount was refunded, no questions asked. But I can understand why HAL isn't about to follow that path with a $200 pair of binoculars. However, it does appear that they are trying to resolve the issue in your favour. Do let us know the outcome.

[Hlitner]

We have had multiple reasons to not trust HALs onboard accounting system...regarding extra or overcharges.  Our normal practice has been to ask our cabin steward to please empty our mini-fridge so that there can not be any related charge issues.  But have never heard of the binocular overcharge.  In fairness HAL, I noticed this morning on an article about the Viking Sky giving their passengers an expansive price list of what they would be charged for items in their cabins.  Among the items were tissue box ($280) and "throw blanket" ($190).  Interestingly, they only charge $24 for the "small" binnoculars.

 

Hank

[Geo1688]

My family and our friends all stayed in verandah rooms.  To imply that I would steal a used binocular after spending over 7k on the trip is annoying.  Will update when I hear back from them. 

[Real NHDOC]

There really is no excuse for the way they treated you.  Keep in mind you can contact your credit card company and dispute the amount in question telling them it was a charge you never authorized and have already told the cruise line you did not "steal" their binoculars. 

 

Let them fight with the credit card company.    

[trtog7]

Had trouble with Customer Service  in the past.

Was trying to get a refund for charge on on board account.

Finally sent an email to president of company and after months all was sorted out

Good Luck

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Sadly there is a good chance those binoculars were not there when you started your cruise and could have been missing from that cabin for several sailings. I have learned to check in the Neptune suite for things like the binoculars, umbrella, robes and the extra blankets they have during Alaska cruises.

Going back to Alaska 2011 on the Westerdam we found the very first day we did not have the binoculars in our Neptune Suite, I told our cabin steward about it when he return to our suite with more hangers. He said yes he knew and that it has been missing for a few weeks and they had not replaced it. So continue on with the week. This was back when they gave you an itamized list of charges, we would get one from the Concierge. Wouldn't you know it they were charging us for Binoculars. I let the Concierge know that we had already told the cabin steward there was no binoculars. Of course they did the normal song and dance of we need to verify with your cabin steward. Then we got the disembarkation list the next morning and it was still there. At this point I was a bit mad. Calling the front desk instead of the Concierge. They did handle it then and it was removed. But sadly I can see where it is even harder now. Especially if you have never had a suite that has these types of ammenities. This will be the first thing I do this coming Sunday.

 

[canadianbear]

1 minute ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

Sadly there is a good chance those binoculars were not there when you started your cruise and could have been missing from that cabin for several sailings. I have learned to check in the Neptune suite for things like the binoculars, umbrella, robes and the extra blankets they have during Alaska cruises.

Going back to Alaska 2011 on the Westerdam we found the very first day we did not have the binoculars in our Neptune Suite, I told our cabin steward about it when he return to our suite with more hangers. He said yes he knew and that it has been missing for a few weeks and they had not replaced it. So continue on with the week. This was back when they gave you an itamized list of charges, we would get one from the Concierge. Wouldn't you know it they were charging us for Binoculars. I let the Concierge know that we had already told the cabin steward there was no binoculars. Of course they did the normal song and dance of we need to verify with your cabin steward. Then we got the disembarkation list the next morning and it was still there. At this point I was a bit mad. Calling the front desk instead of the Concierge. They did handle it then and it was removed. But sadly I can see where it is even harder now. Especially if you have never had a suite that has these types of ammenities. This will be the first thing I do this coming Sunday.

 

Good reminder.  We have a Neptune suite in November.  I check stuff (but not binoculars which I’ll do this time) and always take a photo of when we open the fridge & just before we disembark in case of issues (which there has been in the past). 
 

I wish they’d have a list of what’s in the cabin that you have to sign is there & they can check before you leave that all items are there instead of after you leave and at home.  The doors to cabins were left open a lot when people disembark & anything could be taken then. 

[cbr663]

We always do a check on embarkation to make sure that the suite/cabin amenities that are suppose to be there are actually there.  I download to my phone the amenities list from the website and compare.  I also take a few minutes prior to disembarking to take pics of the condition of the cabin as I left it.  This includes pics of open closets, pics of washroom, pics of the open mini bar and screen shots of our online account and anything that could go missing.  I always have these pics just in case.

[scooter6139]

Just off the Westerdam and we checked to make sure they were there.  I brought my own pair but sometimes both the wife and I will be watching for whales and whatnot.  I can hardly believe HAL wants 200 for those 10x42 binoculars, since you can get them on Amazon for well under $100.

[kazu]

45 minutes ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

Sadly there is a good chance those binoculars were not there when you started your cruise and could have been missing from that cabin for several sailings. I have learned to check in the Neptune suite for things like the binoculars, umbrella, robes and the extra blankets they have during Alaska cruises.

Going back to Alaska 2011 on the Westerdam we found the very first day we did not have the binoculars in our Neptune Suite, I told our cabin steward about it when he return to our suite with more hangers. He said yes he knew and that it has been missing for a few weeks and they had not replaced it. So continue on with the week. This was back when they gave you an itamized list of charges, we would get one from the Concierge. Wouldn't you know it they were charging us for Binoculars. I let the Concierge know that we had already told the cabin steward there was no binoculars. Of course they did the normal song and dance of we need to verify with your cabin steward. Then we got the disembarkation list the next morning and it was still there. At this point I was a bit mad. Calling the front desk instead of the Concierge. They did handle it then and it was removed. But sadly I can see where it is even harder now. Especially if you have never had a suite that has these types of ammenities. This will be the first thing I do this coming Sunday.

 

 

Excellent advice.  On our Hawaii Tahiti Marquesas cruise, all of a sudden our Bose speaker, binoculars, etc were gone and our mini bar was locked.

 

I went straight to the concierge and it turned out our cabin steward thought we had gotten off and the short cruise was getting on in our cabin.  I certainly didn’t want to be accused of these missing things.

 

Everything was back where it should be (not that I really cared - just didn’t want to be accused of taking them).  It’s a good idea to take inventory and make sure it’s all there and report right away if it’s not.

[julia]

Sorry to hear if your hassle with this...  please let us know the outcome?

 

I have often commented on the problems with the minibars... we have been charged numerous times when nothing was consumed.  I just WISH they would leave the fridge EMPTY to start, and if you'd like anything stocked, then have that as an OPTION. And, when you request the steward to empty it, they just stick the contents somewhere in your cabin.  Annoying and unnecessary.

[Geo1688]

Thanks everyone!  I am pretty sure the binoculars were never in my stateroom to begin with as we opened every closet and storage space to see where we could store our belongings.  I guess it’s a good idea to have a checklist of what should be included and have the stateroom attendants to sign off if something isn’t there. Hopefully they resolve my issue timely. 

[AllTheSun]

29 minutes ago, Geo1688 said:

Thanks everyone!  I am pretty sure the binoculars were never in my stateroom to begin with as we opened every closet and storage space to see where we could store our belongings.  I guess it’s a good idea to have a checklist of what should be included and have the stateroom attendants to sign off if something isn’t there. Hopefully they resolve my issue timely. 

If not and you paid with a credit or debit card file a partial dispute for the amount of the binoculars. Not saying you will necessarily win (like you might, it’s not a worthless effort) but it will at a minimum bring the issue to the attention of more people at HAL and light a little fire under them to resolve it.

Edited August 28, 2023 by AllTheSun

[Geo1688]

Yeah, I filled a dispute today on my cc for the 200 dollars.  Hopefully it helps.  

[leerathje]

Did you ask HAL why there supposedly were binoculars in your stateroom when there are not a normal item in a verandah?   Personally, there have never been binoculars in any of the verandahs that I have stayed in, but they were in my Signature suite.  Like @scooter6139, I have learned to bring my own binoculars.

 

L.

 

[GatorMomInNC]

Are they in all rooms or just suites and verandahs?  now I am wondering if I have to worry about this next week.  I bought my own binocs just for the trip so would be especially galling to be charged. 

[CH_ca]

1 hour ago, leerathje said:

Did you ask HAL why there supposedly were binoculars in your stateroom when there are not a normal item in a verandah?   Personally, there have never been binoculars in any of the verandahs that I have stayed in, but they were in my Signature suite.  Like @scooter6139, I have learned to bring my own binoculars.

 

L.

 

Exactly! Binoculars were not on the list of amenities for verandah and lower. How could HAL charge the OP for something that's not even supposed to be in the room?!

 

If they can do that, they could charge all kinds of things that passengers don't even know they are in their cabin in the first place but are now missing. That's ridiculous!

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, GatorMomInNC said:

Are they in all rooms or just suites and verandahs?  now I am wondering if I have to worry about this next week.  I bought my own binocs just for the trip so would be especially galling to be charged. 

They are normally just in suites. We've never had them in any verandah and always had them in all suites. I've never had that kind of billing "error."

@Geo1688Sounds like the steward thought he had put them in but did not. I hope it resolves soon in your favor.

[oakridger]

Just to add to the information, I have never had binoculars in a HAL veranda cabin on any ship.  The website does not state there are binoculars in veranda cabins either!

 

What a hassle for @Geo1688 and pretty inexcusable on the part of the "customer service" people.  They should know which cabins have binoculars and which don't.

 

Good luck!

 

~Nancy

[alwaysfrantic]

I think I recall the same thing happening on our first cruise.  I don’t have a lot of recollection if it so HAL must have believed we didn’t take the binoculars and corrected the error. 

[Caribbean Chris]

11 hours ago, Geo1688 said:

Yeah, I filled a dispute today on my cc for the 200 dollars.  Hopefully it helps.  

Hope so. It can truly leave a bad feeling when you feel accused unjustly! Years ago we were on a 21-day Ryndam transatlantic and one evening had dinner in Canaletto. We enjoyed a bottle of wine with our dinner.
 

The next day when I routinely checked our charges, I saw a Main Dining Room charge to our account for a glass of wine around the same time we were up in Canaletto. No big deal. I stopped by the front desk, explained someone made a mistake, and asked them to remove the charge. 
 

Then calls to our room began, questioning my request. Two or three management people involved in F&B probed for details, strangely refusing to let it go. I knew (and explained, of course) that we were not drinking wine simultaneously in two venues and had never been near the MDR that night. I began to feel gas-lighted, and asked for the paper copy with our signature (back then, you had to sign for such charges). Of course, it was never produced and eventually the charge was removed. And after that, the wine steward ghosted our table for the rest of the cruise. 

Because the wine steward had seemed a bit sly or slick, always slow to produce receipts to be signed each night, I concluded that F&B management might have begun seeing a problem with him, hence the probing. But it left me with a bad feeling to be cast as a dishonest passenger over a few dollars.

 

[Haljo1935]

We routinely have to get erroneous drinks removed from our statement; it's annoying, but happens w/such regularity we ask each other "where'd you sneak your toddy today?" In Feb on NA, the Pinnacle Bar hit us everyday, strange.

Guest Services would send the obligatory email to F&B then the charges would be removed. I do wonder if whoever is supposed to be charged ever is. If not, that's a good chunk of lost revenue. I truly hope those are errors; I just can't see that many servers across so many ships risking their jobs by falsely charging drinks. They don't get the $$ amount of the drink, the ship does and the 18% tip is pooled, so their net $$ is very small. And I couldn't stomach it if HAL intentionally used phony charges as a revenue stream - ugh!!

I've only gotten home 1 time to a charge I had to reach out to have removed. I check the statement daily (not obsessively) and get a final print out late on the last night so I know it's correct when we disembark. The credit I saw on CC a couple weeks later was less than I was expecting, so I looked at the statement in "previous bookings." There was a $49 charge for a robe. Nope, didn't make off w/a robe and didn't order one. One call and it was corrected and I was issued $49 CC credit a couple weeks later. I'd likely has pursued it if it hadn't been resolved in my favor as I knew I didn't have their robe, but glad I didn't have to as HAL did the right thing.

I do hope OP is able to resolve.