Disputing a charge after the cruise

[bunduo]

My sister bought a painting at an art auction on the NCL Jewel last summer. NCL contracted with a company by the name of Fine Art Wholesalers. We paid NCL (onboard account) and NCL was supposed to pay the art company. NCL stopped payment to the company without notification to the effected customers. The art company is now in bankruptcy.

 

Anyway, we called to find out what happened to the painting. NCL gave us the run around. They were holding a substantial amount of customer money.

 

Finally, we went to the bank that issued my sister's Visa. The bank representative was given the run around by NCL. After two hours, she was able to get the information she needed. She faxed the info to Visa. Visa gave my sister a temporary refund pending the investigation. NCL can dispute it. Of course, they never delivered the merchandise so they don't have a leg to stand on. After 90 days, the credit becomes permanent.

[Drew358]

In case anyone was wondering, there are two charges from the minibar that was posted on my account on the last day - one for 29.21 and another for 32.43. I'm curious how they'll handle this since nothing was removed from the minibar on the last day, and why is there 2 seperate charges?

[Drew358]

Oh yeah, they also took the amount off the final bill. I would recommend that everyone check their final bill and compare it to what their credit card was charged. Perhaps when they cleaned the rooms and left them open, someone took a bottle of champagne and a few beers? Or it was it a honest mistake?

[newmexicoNita]

I looked at my credit card statement that Celebrity charged and it is $62 more then the final statement they delivered under my door in the morning at the end of the cruise. I was thinking of anything that I charged that would make up this discrepancy, and I couldn't think of anything. I left both of the bathrobes in the cabin, as well as the umbrellas and I didn't buy any drinks or pictures or anything else on the last day. How do I contact Celebrity to inquire about this?

By any chance did you take any wine to the dining room and have it corked? I ask, because something similar happened to DD on our last NCL cruise only it was on the final bill: We couldn't figure out for the life of us what the $30 was, then just before she was about to question it, we remembered the corkage fee. Just a possibility. It looks like my message crossed yours. Yes, I always make fun of DH for wanting to keep every single receipt, now I know why. AS for the NCl situation that isn't anything like what is happening here: sometimes honest mistakes do happen, plus the whole story about NCL is still being ironed out and most have received their paintings or will soon. It was quite a mess, I will say that. I have learned not to purchase anything from auctions. That's still another subject. NMnita

[Lsimon]

By any chance did you take any wine to the dining room and have it corked? I ask, because something similar happened to DD on our last NCL cruise only it was on the final bill: We couldn't figure out for the life of us what the $30 was, then just before she was about to question it, we remembered the corkage fee. Just a possibility. ...

 

On our past Summit trips the wine steward has presented us with a voucher to sign each night that there was a corkage fee.

 

Our overcharge was for $50 even or something like that. Celebrity customer service indicated it was from the on-board shops. I told them there was no such charge and after a few minuites discussion they issued us a credit.

[gallslin]

Would it be possible to arrange to pay your account in cash to avoid these extraneous charges? It seems like everyone is getting them, and I am concerned about them overcharging my already fragile credit limit.

[newmexicoNita]

Would it be possible to arrange to pay your account in cash to avoid these extraneous charges? It seems like everyone is getting them, and I am concerned about them overcharging my already fragile credit limit.

paying in cash at the end of the cruise does work, but many of us don't want to carry that much cash or traveler checks with us. NMnita

[uktog]

Just returned from a wonderful week on the Zenith only to find my card has been charged an extra $42 than was on my final bill and to add insult to injury they converted my charges into UK£(at a 3% charge) even though I requested to be billed in USD as my credit card company makes no charges for foreign transactions.I even highlighted the choice on the xpress pass.

 

I have already passed on the relevant info to customer services, luckily I kept the contact details from the last time they did this. It took about 5 weeks to sort it last time.

I really think Celebrity needs to address this problem. I wonder how many people overlook this.

I urge everyone to check their Credit card statements against their onboard accounts when they return home.

 

Oh dear I do hope this gets sorted for you as we have also had this problem happen THREE times in our last five cruises. I was just printing off our express passes and I intend to use a very very bright highlight pen this time. Nwide must think I am a pain as I am always having to dispute the bills with X and they seemed last time to be a bit suspcious until I faxed them a photocopy of the pass I had done just in case

[Sparkle 123]

Hi UKTOG

I hope the same thing doesn't happen to youagain. I used pink highlighter pen and even wrote on my express pass -please bill me in USD do NOT convert my charges! I guess you could follow it up by telling guest relations to make sure your request is honoured, although you shouldn't really have to do this when you have filled the form in correctly.

The person who I am dealing with in the UK office has assured me they will look into this problem as it is happening frequently to non US cardholders. she has also taken my booking details of future cruises I have booked with Celebrity/RCI to try ensure they don't convert my charges the next time I am onboard.

I do hope they sort this out as it does take the edge off your holiday when you have to come home and deal with these matters.

I have also contacted Nationwide to make them aware of this matter, maybe if more of their cardholders complain they will have to take it up with Celebrity too.

Hope you enjoy your Hawaii cruise, love to hear about it when you get back.

Lisa

[Hflors]

Do all cabins on Celebrity ships get robes and mini-bars? I was thinking of asking our cabin steward to clean ours out that way I won't need to worry about being charged an extra charge for anything. On my last cruise Rcl I had to go to the pursers to move some charges from my account to my sisters (between 2 sisters they accumulated over $1200.00 in phone bills for the week Rcl would only charge my account because I was the # 1 person and had done all the reservations) DH would have had a coronary if he saw that on my account. Anyway while I was there our cc's were charged and cleared out at that time. I used my bank card so I wanted to be sure all was correct.

 

ALso another note while we are on the subject of charges. Sooooo many people were being turned away from disembarkment because their charges were being denied by their banks (some were over the limit, but others seemed to be because the banks did not know that charges were going to be coming from out of the passenger's home area). It was causing quite a line at the pursers desk.

 

I learned a long time ago that 1) notify the bank for any large charges (over $1000.00 because as you know final payment can be over the limit. ON my last cruise the final payment was close to $7,000.00) my limit is $3500.00 per day on my bank card, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. 2) always notify the bank that I will be away from my home area (again about 1000 miles) 3) Make sure, if say you and your husband have the same bank cards that you also let the bank know if one of you will be at home and one away, from what I understand bank card use in your home area and a bank card use in a far away area is a red flag that someone has stolen your info. I always make it a point to go to our local bank and speak to the manager. I tell them approx where I will be and on what cruise line and the dates I will be gone, and the fact that the cruiseline will charge in one lump sum. Then the bank notes these items on your account and charges won't be denied. I like doing this. I just hate to come home and a month later the charge card comes in with the charges from the cruise. It's funny since I have started using my bank card I don't go over my budget.

 

I hope this helps someone have a less stressful dissenbarkment by using these tips.

[uktog]

Lisa

Thanks for your efforts to educate X. I too had used highlighter pen so I will also I think double check with the rep at check in that they have processed it properly. I think that Natinowide will be the best to escalate this at the right level - I work in the industry and I know if disputes with a company reach a certain level or if a certain number of disputes are all for the same reasone, there is a process that is followed. IF the company does not get their act together, the card company can refuse to work with them any moe - that would not happen in this case. I would think the threat of that, plus your own excellent efforts will resolve things.

I will try and remember to post a Hawaii review as I am really now looking forward to escaping the rain, wind and cold

AJ

[wa.mama]

Would it be possible to arrange to pay your account in cash to avoid these extraneous charges? It seems like everyone is getting them, and I am concerned about them overcharging my already fragile credit limit.

 

after reading the boards we used a cash account for our rooms. On embarkation, I brought the traveler's checks to the purser to deposit in our onboard account, and before leaving had a few extra dollars left to take out. I hate disputing charges - am not that patient waiting on hold for $50 - so I knew this would be better for my sanity. X never gave me a problem with the cash account, except when my kids "overdrew" their limit, then I was given a call to put some more cash in.

[excitedofharpenden]

AJ and Lisa, just to let you know that I have just checked my credit card statement and Celebrity did bill me in US Dollars as I requested, so no need to dispute it. I did actually check with Guest Relations by 'phone whilst on board, having read threads on this subject, but wasn't entirely convinced with the quick response I received, although it seems all is well.

 

Phil

[uktog]

Thanks Phil

Fingers crossed it will all be ok for me as well then. I thought I might edge the said box in tartan, maybe that will do the trick!!

[keela1eva2]

I followed the advice of all of you and make double sure that I brought this matter to their attention at check in. I also use an Nationwide credit card and I also asked for the check in for my friend also to be in $. I don't have a large bill as I had $250 OBC and I don't drink. I found that the quality of the items in the on board shop left me with little to buy. I asked for several brands of Perfume to be told that they didn't stock it. Not just the quality of the items but the limitations on what you could buy was a problem.

I know that the Spanish have imposed a Tax of 16% on all goods sold in shops as well as not allowing them to sell alcohol or tobacco products. This seemed unfair as those of us who live in the EU had this imposed where US citizens can have the tax refunded.

On the minibar issue I found that mine was locked with a note attached saying this was for stock taking. I didn't use anything from the minibar other than store some milk to take my medication with. The milk was left out and this was not a problem.

 

My friend who incidentally did not drink found that her minibar remained unlocked. I have never experienced this before so don't know how general the practice is.

 

Century 25th September cruise.

 

Sue

[trurodoc]

Did you have all your receipts from the cruise? You can try calling the customer service and ask them to send you the list of charges. You can expect quite a running around by them, last time when I have a dispute just on the exchange problem (they converted all my charges into Canadian then my credit card company converting them back to my US$ credit card), it take me two whole weeks talking to the Celebrity Customer Service and going nowhere. Finally, I asked my TA to talk to them (she has offered to help at the beginning, and I was foolish enough to say I would try it on my own first), anyway, she got the problem fixed in one phone call. So if you booked your cruise through a TA, and if they are good, they will be able to help you and save you a lot of grief. Be prepared to wait a little bit longer if you've just finished you cruise as I was told that the accounting office does not get their paperwork for another 2 weeks.

 

Just wonder how could they send out their charges to the credit card company without any paperwork:(

 

We disembarked from Century last week, and I see on the online transaction list for my US Dollar credit card, issued by Bank of Montreal, that Celebrity converted our bill to Canadian, and the BMO then made an additional charge to convert it back to US. This might have been a little less infuriating had it not happened on our last cruise with Celebrity in 2005. It took some weeks to sort that out.

 

On this occasion, I made sure the online boarding pass form had the checkmark properly placed to refuse any currency conversion, and I also spoke very clearly to the representative when boarding. If Celebrity intends to ignore customers' requests, why do they solicit them?

 

I am tempted to make what Celebrity might consider a mistake on our next booking, and go with another cruise line!

[suzeyQ]

We disembarked from Century last week, and I see on the online transaction list for my US Dollar credit card, issued by Bank of Montreal, that Celebrity converted our bill to Canadian, and the BMO then made an additional charge to convert it back to US. This might have been a little less infuriating had it not happened on our last cruise with Celebrity in 2005. It took some weeks to sort that out.

 

On this occasion, I made sure the online boarding pass form had the checkmark properly placed to refuse any currency conversion, and I also spoke very clearly to the representative when boarding. If Celebrity intends to ignore customers' requests, why do they solicit them?

 

I am tempted to make what Celebrity might consider a mistake on our next booking, and go with another cruise line!

 

RCI did the same thing to us on our cruise last March. Luckily, we noticed it on the bill they slipped under our door the last night of the cruise, so we were able to get it sorted out before we disembarked.

 

I suspect that most people don't check the box, so they often overlook it when processing the forms. It's annoying, but something I'll be sure to look out for next time.

 

Know the funniest part? When our bank eventually converted the charges, we ended up saving 42 cents!!

 

By the way, are you from Truro, NS? I grew up there and my parents still live there.

[Budwheat]

The charges to my credit card following our Aug 2 trip on the Century were also about $60 higher than the statement of charges we got when leaving the ship.

 

Called customer service and they promised to process a refund for the extra charges...still waiting 4 weeks later.

 

I was a bit wary, too, so I checked my balance at least daily on the interactive TV channel (Ch.5 ?), and mine were just where I expected. I also chose to do my gratuities in cash, in the envelopes provided, just to keep that from becoming an issue. :)

[trurodoc]

Hi, SuzeyQ

 

Our under-the door bill was correct, but the online Mastercard site told the story of the unrequested double conversion. I am disputing it, as in 2005, but

expect a long process and having to pay the higher amount in order to avoid interest.

 

I'm not greeting you from Truro, NS right now, but I was a medical specialist there for about ten years until I moved to Bridgewater in 2001. We came from Toronto before that.

 

Good luck with your next cruise billing. Other postings on this topic suggest it seems to be necessary to check the box and continue to speak to as many people as possible before disembarking to make sure your wishes are followed.

[Literary Lynne]

Both of our last cruises with X - Summit and Century, our credit card statements were for more than the final evening print-out sheets on the ships and we certaintly didn't accrue more costs after the final print-out.

 

Each time we have lodged a dispute with American Express and they have credited us, which is fine in one way, but it is X that are doing the dirty.

 

It is sad, as it always leaves a nasty taste after a wonderful cruise.

 

Lynne:(