Princess charged VISA directly and not folio during cruise

[Seaspartan]

DH and I recently completed an 11 day cruise on Emerald Princess. I periodically checked my folio for errant charges and found none.  The final folio reflected our actual expenditures and I took a screenshot of it prior to disembarking.

 

The day after disembarking I checked my VISA statement to make sure the amount charged matched the total charges on my folio. It did, however I also found 5 additional charges pending on my VISA statement from “Emerald Princess”. These charges did not show up on my folio during the cruise and were charged directly to my VISA with transaction dates occurring during the cruise. The total was about $245.00. We did not purchase anything on shore using the medallion.

 

I contacted Princess and was told post-cruise issues could not be resolved by the CVPs.  He took my information and said he would contact the “relevant department “ and also gave me an email address for customer service. I received an email from Princess confirming the CVP’s email. I also sent an email. I have not heard from Princess but 2 of the charges have disappeared from my VISA statement and 3 remain.

 

Any ideas what could be happening here?  Has anyone else experienced this problem?

[Host CJSKIDS]

Are they pending charges or have they actually gone through?  Since 2 disappeared, they were probably pending holds.

[polmcs]

If they continue to show pending and not actually charged, then they should drop off after a few days. As your room charge balance increases during the cruise, Princess will place a temporary authorization/ hold on your card, just to make sure that you are “good” to pay the final bill when it becomes due.

[Seaspartan]

They are pending charges but for weird amounts -

 

11/11 57.96

11/12 44.98

11/13 32.00

11/14 73.89

11/14 23.60

 

They look more like items being purchased than holds.  We’re elite on Princess and I’ve never seen this before. Our folio was paid in full 11/16 but the charges remain.

 

I’ll provide an update as to what happens.

[hpeabody]

42 minutes ago, polmcs said:

Princess will place a temporary authorization/ hold on your card, just to make sure that you are “good” to pay the final bill when it becomes due.

 

THIS!

[Rick&Jeannie]

They will likely disappear...I very often see such charges but they are always marked as "pending".

[memoak]

Those are holds and will disappear. This is common 

[skynight]

I would speak to Visa and tell them they are not your charges. They do not look like holds. Holds are normally for even amounts, not dollars and cents.  

[memoak]

1 minute ago, skynight said:

I would speak to Visa and tell them they are not your charges. They do not look like holds. Holds are normally for even amounts, not dollars and cents.  

I often have these kinds OBC holds with Princess and they always go away and of course are never on the folio

[satxdiver]

3 minutes ago, skynight said:

I would speak to Visa and tell them they are not your charges. They do not look like holds. Holds are normally for even amounts, not dollars and cents.  

I have found that the credit cards will not look at pending charges as these are simply holds put on your card.  Once the credit card company received a valid charge the holds become true charges.  If it actually becomes a valid charge contact them to contest it.

[startedwithamouse]

44 minutes ago, skynight said:

I would speak to Visa and tell them they are not your charges. They do not look like holds. Holds are normally for even amounts, not dollars and cents.  

They're not charges, it's pending. Usually done to make sure you have enough credit. 

 

You'd be surprised how much companies get stuck with when people don't have enough credit. 

[startedwithamouse]

1 hour ago, Seaspartan said:

They are pending charges but for weird amounts -

 

11/11 57.96

11/12 44.98

11/13 32.00

11/14 73.89

11/14 23.60

 

They look more like items being purchased than holds.  We’re elite on Princess and I’ve never seen this before. Our folio was paid in full 11/16 but the charges remain.

 

I’ll provide an update as to what happens.

Pending and actual charges are very different. 

 

Princess just wants to make sure passengers have enough credit to cover their final charges. 

 

[BlerkOne]

It is normal and the charges will drop off over the next few days or so. I recently had pending charges and with my credit card I can request notification when the status changed. I would receive emails now and then indicating one by one the charges dropped off.

 

 

[Seaspartan]

I am familiar with credit card holds.  It just seemed like these were very small and odd dollar amounts.  Thanks to all for sharing your info!  

[polmcs]

3 hours ago, Seaspartan said:

They are pending charges but for weird amounts -

 

11/11 57.96

11/12 44.98

11/13 32.00

11/14 73.89

11/14 23.60

 

They look more like items being purchased than holds.  We’re elite on Princess and I’ve never seen this before. Our folio was paid in full 11/16 but the charges remain.

 

I’ll provide an update as to what happens.

The middle one looks like 1 days gratuities for 2 (I haven’t sailed since Feb, so no idea on the current daily rates). The other days could be grats, plus say a drink at the bar, or grats and a purchase from a store onboard, etc.

[trvlwrld]

Exact same thing happened to us on Enchanted at the end of October.   We had 5 smaller charges plus a final large folio charge.  I was upset when I saw the final folio charge that actually became permanent before the initial 5 dropped off (thought I was getting double charged)…after about a week those 5 dropped off on by one.  I understand their reasoning, but would have preferred that they just put an initial $500 hold rather than all those weird little details individual charges!

[2 cruises a year]

2 hours ago, Seaspartan said:

I am familiar with credit card holds.  It just seemed like these were very small and odd dollar amounts.  Thanks to all for sharing your info!  

They are the holds that you are familiar with, but yes, odd amounts.  The first time that this happened to me, I asked at the Pursers Desk.  Luckily I got someone that knew what the charges were and was able to explain it to me.  They are just credit holds to make sure the card is still good.  They will drop off shortly.

Edited November 22, 2023 by 2 cruises a year

[PrincessBuffy]

My understanding from previously questioning the same temporary holds is that at the end of each day they place an additional hold for the difference between your actual onboard folio balance and the total of all prior  authorizations/holds - hence creating odd amounts.  Just simple math - say your balance is $329 at the end of a day - they only have $300 in previous holds so they request $29 or just enough to keep you current.  If they followed the typical format of authorizing additional funds (say $300 additional) and you were using a debit card that would block you from spending that anywhere else - I think that scenario would create more complaints than these odd small holds do,  Hopefully, some one will write a script for the clerks that explains it better than they currently do...and hopefully better and shorter than I just did.

[nasa1974]

On my October cruise I had 3 charges to my Discover card. They disappeared a few days after the cruise. Temporary holds in case my OBC and Princess Plus didn't cover all the charges. 

[fpsphil]

There are always pre-auth charges on the card. Usually after the cruise they all go away and then whatever is on the final bill comes in as a separate charge

[david63]

I would also add that Carnival have been operating this system for several years - long before the pandemic.

[Mangrove Snapper]

I get alerts whenever I use my cards.  When I'm on a cruise, I will always get an alert each day for the amount I spent that day on the ship, even though it goes to the folio.  They're holds and drop off once the full amount gets posted at the end.  I also always get an alert for a charge of approximately $100 about an hour after sailaway on the first day.  Same thing - it's a hold and it later goes away.  I've had this both on Princess and Celebrity.  The final charge which actually posts to my card has always matched the folio.

 

An exception is future cruise deposits where it will go directly to the card and not appear on the folio.  But that was explained to me at the time of purchase/booking. 

[Seaspartan]

Thanks for all the great explanations. I knew I could rely on the wisdom of the cruise critic posters!  The charges have all been deleted from my card. 

[Rick&Jeannie]

Just now, Seaspartan said:

Thanks for all the great explanations. I knew I could rely on the wisdom of the cruise critic posters!  The charges have all been deleted from my card. 

Very good!