Credit card Caribbean Princess Fiasco

[sewer]

:( :( Just returned from CP (3/30-4/6), dinning room breakfast, (bad), food so, so..purser staff very rude. Third day at sea got a dear john letter from pursers office that our charge for $37.95 has been declines... Told my husband to forget it and use another CC, and I'll deal with it upon our retuned. Today called CC company and found out that our CC has been on a fraud allert... someone onboard ship has charged a $100 on 3/31 (first day at sea), other charges 4/1, $16.95, 4/2, $37.15, 4/4 $16.98, how can you explain charges during cruise week?....fortunately the CC company will (hopefully erases the charges), we only gave our CC upon checking at the pier. I called Princess line and was told to send a detailed info. about it. I wish I can have a better explanation for it, but I have my doubts about the security at the pier, needless to say we are very upset about it and will probably will not travel with Princess again. Please be awared of this

[dforeigner]

Please let us know when you get information on the rest of the story from Princess.

[rdsqrl]

I have to say, I didn't understand one word of this post: why wouldn't you expect Princess to be charging your card if that's the card you gave them to cover your shipboard account? I believe they run an authorization on it daily to cover incidentals, so I guess I'm confused by your complaint. And if your credit card company put on a fraud alert, that's probably because you neglected to tell them you were leaving town and going on a cruise -- something that you should always do before you leave home to avoid that very situation.

[sewer]

Sorry you did not understand my complaint, but we did not make any of those charges on board ship, somone did, . We have been on 23 cruises and never had any problem like this, like I said some one was trying or made purchases on board using our CC.

[chrysalis]

Sorry you did not understand my complaint, but we did not make any of those charges on board ship, somone did, . We have been on 23 cruises and never had any problem like this, like I said some one was trying or made purchases on board using our CC.

 

This is very confusing because I did not think you could buy anything on board with a CC.....I thought you could only use your cruise card, and everything was charged to your on board account.

[janetz]

Sorry you did not understand my complaint, but we did not make any of those charges on board ship, somone did, . We have been on 23 cruises and never had any problem like this, like I said some one was trying or made purchases on board using our CC.

 

You can only use your cruise card to make purchases onboard :confused:

[Colo Cruiser]

Did someone get a hold of the OP's cruise card? :)

[sewer]

Yes, that it was very confusing to us too, but still someone use our CC number, I hope I'm wrong but it has to be from inside the ship, I'm waiting until we sent the required info. to Princess and get to the botton of this mess, but like I said fortunately the CC company took the charges off. Will keep you posted.

[janetz]

Please do. Was the card used off the ship? The safe thing to do is always check your account during the cruise. :)

[RickSt]

On the CB Spooky Cruise 10/06 and purchased tanzanite ring, bracelet and earrings. Because it was a rather larger purchase we used a different credit card than the one we used on the ship for drinks, tips, etc.

So, Yes, you can use a different credit card in the boutiques, liquor & cigarette store and possibly with Steiner.

Mrs.RickSt

[Rob & Beckys mom]

So important to let your cc know you will be using the card out of the country. We use American Express & they even want to know how much we think we will charge. Great company. Plus you can keep track online.

 

Jan

[nho9504]

Yes, that it was very confusing to us too, but still someone use our CC number, I hope I'm wrong but it has to be from inside the ship, I'm waiting until we sent the required info. to Princess and get to the botton of this mess, but like I said fortunately the CC company took the charges off. Will keep you posted.

 

What are the details of the charges? Like paying for what?

 

The amounts are too smallish for being fraudulently used. I am not saying it is not fraudulent charges, but wouldn't you think if someone got hold of your credit card, the thief wouldn't charge little sum like that.

[Coral]

Are the people who work at the pier Princess employees? They may be in FLL since Princess is there a lot but I have been to many piers to check-in where the cruise line only embarks there a couple of times a year and they are "pier employees" that check-in many cruise line passengers, not just the cruise line I am sailing that day.

 

For this reason, not cruising Princess in the future may not solve this problem.

[itf]

What are the details of the charges? Like paying for what?

 

The amounts are too smallish for being fraudulently used. I am not saying it is not fraudulent charges, but wouldn't you think if someone got hold of your credit card, the thief wouldn't charge little sum like that.

 

That's not actually true. Quite often credit card fraud begins with a couple of small charges that will go through comparatively unnoticed in order to check that the card is valid. Subsequently, the 'big one' hits.

[Pia1913]

So important to let your cc know you will be using the card out of the country. We use American Express & they even want to know how much we think we will charge. Great company. Plus you can keep track online.

 

Jan

 

You know, I have read this over and over and over again, but have never told my credit card companies (we use either a Visa or Amex) when we leaving the country. And we do leave the country a lot. Never ever has any charge been denied, whether in the U.S., Europe, South America, Africa, etc. I wonder if this doesn't have something to do with a person's history, credit line, whatever. I'm still not inclined to tell them. Maybe I've just been lucky. Can't explain it.

 

Pia

[Colo Cruiser]

You know, I have read this over and over and over again, but have never told my credit card companies (we use either a Visa or Amex) when we leaving the country. And we do leave the country a lot. Never ever has any charge been denied, whether in the U.S., Europe, South America, Africa, etc. I wonder if this doesn't have something to do with a person's history, credit line, whatever. I'm still not inclined to tell them. Maybe I've just been lucky. Can't explain it.

 

Pia

 

 

I never tell them either. :rolleyes:

[Toto2Kansas]

You know, I have read this over and over and over again, but have never told my credit card companies (we use either a Visa or Amex) when we leaving the country. And we do leave the country a lot. Never ever has any charge been denied, whether in the U.S., Europe, South America, Africa, etc. I wonder if this doesn't have something to do with a person's history, credit line, whatever. I'm still not inclined to tell them. Maybe I've just been lucky. Can't explain it.

 

Pia

 

Pia, I am also guilty of never alerting my Credit Card company we are leaving the country, but never had a problem one. Everywhere from Austraila to the Caribbean to Europe and most points inbetween, and have never had a problem with our card not being accepted. But, I wonder if maybe some cards are different? The Visa we use has never been questioned.

[caribill]

:( :( Just returned from CP (3/30-4/6), dinning room breakfast, (bad), food so, so..purser staff very rude. Third day at sea got a dear john letter from pursers office that our charge for $37.95 has been declines...

 

 

Don't quite understand since although Princess may run a check on the card's validity at the start of the cruise, they do not make daily charges to the card, waiting until the end to make just one charge of the total..

[Boytjie]

Don't quite understand since although Princess may run a check on the card's validity at the start of the cruise, they do not make daily charges to the card, waiting until the end to make just one charge of the total..

 

That's what I would expect too. The ship puts a hold on your credit card at the start of the cruise (and may repeat that for a multi-week cruise) to cover themselves for daily charges that should cover the amounts mentioned.

 

Charges to cruise cards may end up on the wrong account, but can usually handled by the purser's desk before itg ets to a credit card. One reason to get an account printout during the cruise to keep an eye out for those kinds of errors.

[coiran]

:( :( Just returned from CP (3/30-4/6), dinning room breakfast, (bad), food so, so..purser staff very rude. Third day at sea got a dear john letter from pursers office that our charge for $37.95 has been declines... Told my husband to forget it and use another CC, and I'll deal with it upon our retuned. Today called CC company and found out that our CC has been on a fraud allert... someone onboard ship has charged a $100 on 3/31 (first day at sea), other charges 4/1, $16.95, 4/2, $37.15, 4/4 $16.98, how can you explain charges during cruise week?....fortunately the CC company will (hopefully erases the charges), we only gave our CC upon checking at the pier. I called Princess line and was told to send a detailed info. about it. I wish I can have a better explanation for it, but I have my doubts about the security at the pier, needless to say we are very upset about it and will probably will not travel with Princess again. Please be awared of this

 

If you would have asked at the pursers desk they can go mthrough the particular days receipts and see whose signature is on it.

Too late now.

[blindrid]

Pia, I am also guilty of never alerting my Credit Card company we are leaving the country, but never had a problem one. Everywhere from Austraila to the Caribbean to Europe and most points inbetween, and have never had a problem with our card not being accepted. But, I wonder if maybe some cards are different? The Visa we use has never been questioned.

 

Same here as I never call. The only thing that happend a couple of years ago was when we made a few large purchases, we had a message on our home phone from the cc fraud department when we got home - never returned call and never had any charges denied.

[bhopal21]

For several reasons, I think we are missing more parts to this story than we have. It just doesn't add up since Princess doesn't make incidental charges to one's credit card.:confused:

 

Mike:)

[Frick_&_Frack]

To the OP - Did you obtain a copy of your CC statement for those dates with the charges listed? That may help determine who made the charges (since it will show what the charges are for - and they can use that to track down where items were purchased, etc.).

[CruisingJs]

You know, I have read this over and over and over again, but have never told my credit card companies (we use either a Visa or Amex) when we leaving the country. And we do leave the country a lot. Never ever has any charge been denied, whether in the U.S., Europe, South America, Africa, etc. I wonder if this doesn't have something to do with a person's history, credit line, whatever. I'm still not inclined to tell them. Maybe I've just been lucky. Can't explain it.

 

Pia

 

This did happen to us last year in the Caribbean. After 30 years of marriage, I decided to upgrade the diamond in my wedding ring. Now that's a fun shopping trip! When we went to pay for it, the card was declined and it was the Visa debit card for our checking account, so I knew there was plenty of money. I called the bank right there from the jewelry store and they told me they put a fraud alert on the transaction. In the end, I got my diamond upgrade, but I will alway alert the bank when I am leaving the country. It was a huge pain in the neck.

[nho9504]

Same here as I never call. The only thing that happend a couple of years ago was when we made a few large purchases, we had a message on our home phone from the cc fraud department when we got home - never returned call and never had any charges denied.

 

We never call either. Been going out of country trips for over a decade - never call, never have any decline. Used cards in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Taihiti, many places in Europe, no decline. However, we did get message left on our machine on rental car and gas purchases we made at LAX before we flew to NZ. We did not use that particular card so we would never know if it would be declined had we used it. We never returned call and the card was used subsequently upon our return, no decline. My guess is, if there is no decline ever triggered, after the first auto fraud alert, the computer drops off the flag, esp if the card statement date has passed and a new billing cycle has begun.

 

Somehow, I feel there is a good part of info missing from the OP's post. The charges looked like charges made on ship, to the shipboard account(s) associated with that particular card - she claimed they did not make those charges - that could be a mix-up of CC to shipboard account, or the cruise card was compromised.

 

I have lost cruise card more than once. When I discovered the cruise card was missing, I immediately came down to purser office to report it. They would look at the shipboard account to verify all the charges with me. Then they re-issued a new cruise card and disabled the lost one. So far not a problem, knock on wood.