End of Cruise Bill

[1025cruise]

I've been told that that even calling the credit card company to advise that you would be out of country won't keep the fraud department from kicking you off if they feel the need.

 

And yes, I agree, why advise them if they don't bother to look at the notes......

[Loonbeam]

As regards why they waited 4 days, there are a couple of possibilities. One, they ran an approval for x amount and you exceeded that amount on day 4 so a new authorization was run. Also, if you bought an FCD or tour, that might have triggered a charge.

 

The banks/cc companies use a formula that tracks spending patterns. Activity such as foreign transaction, or transactions in two different locations at the same time (happens if you have auto-bill for example) raise the 'score', at a certain point an auto review is triggered. Having your account tagged as on vacation or away should show up in the review, but its not always noticed (hence the hold).

 

Another good tip is to have your CC company set up an email alert or SMS message in case of a hold, that sometimes allows you to get a jump on the issue.

 

I've been told that that even calling the credit card company to advise that you would be out of country won't keep the fraud department from kicking you off if they feel the need.

 

And yes, I agree, why advise them if they don't bother to look at the notes......

[Pam in CA]

Just got back from a HAL cruise. They put a hold in the amount of $60 pp per day on our CC. We are pretty used to this, as we travel for business a lot.

Thanks. I think there's a maximum hold because I don't remember having a hold of $1680 for my 28-day cruise.

[Colo Cruiser]

Even if someone doees not use a CC then they would still be required to put cash down anyway for onbvoard purchases so it would be really hard if not impossible to get something for free. :)

[lovevacadays]

If you can't pay your bills, then Stay at Home.

 

Anybody who can afford to cruise should handle their on-board folio.

 

Maybe you should stay at home, sit on the sofa, and watch CNN.

 

 

:confused:;):D;);)

 

 

Brother, she didnt say she couldnt pay her bill - just was asking a question to see answers. You must have had a bad day!

[Times Prince]

Thanks....

We never have and don't plan on it either.

We didn't notify our credit card folks once and had the card locked mid cruise (I think it was after buying something in Grand Cayman). This is part of the WFB fraud protection when they see a sudden charge that is suspicious. Unfortunately they also require a call from your home phone to clear the issue.

 

When your onboard expenditures exceed the limitations of your payment method (such as when a card is locked), Princess will have you sign a promissory note, which says you agree to pay the full amount of the onboard account within a certain number of days (I think it was 10). This gives you time to return home, arrange a funds transfer and execute it.

 

They are very nice about it. No threats, no walking the plank. They understand that things happen, and give you time to clear your account.

 

We have never left home again without calling the number on the back of our card and letting them know what countries we will be visiting and when. ... and by the way, that's how I found a B of A card had been cancelled "for lack of activity" after having it, and a great credit record, for over 35 years.

[cactusrose]

It was actually CapitalOne. What's interesting is that we had never notified a credit card company before of our travel. My wife watched some "travel tip" segment on a TV show which suggested it so she did. And as I said - we had used the card in the islands for days before they decided it was "suspicious".

 

It was a minor inconvenience though. As I said in my post - the Princess staff immediately recognized the situation and helped us resolve it quickly. A few minutes of frustration and we were all back to normal. :)

 

The last time I called my credit card companies to report that I was going on vacation a couple of them told me that they didn't take that information any more. That was AmEx and BofA for my ATM. When I asked why, they said that it was never guaranteed that they wouldn't put a stop on the account because they have programs that detect patterns and there may still be suspicious activity. They also told me that a lot of the actual fraudulent activity occurs when people are traveling in other countries so even if you report that you will be out of country that doesn't guarantee that the activity isn't fraudulent. That made sense to me because I did have someone use my card while I was traveling oncer. Figured it was probably some waiter or store clerk who kept my credit card info when I gave them the card for my purchases. So I like the idea that they will put a stop on it when they see a pattern that doesn't make sense. Now I just make sure I carry more than one companies card so I have a back up. Ships and hotels are very good about allowing you to use there phones to call the credit card company to straighten it out.

[1025cruise]

 

Another good tip is to have your CC company set up an email alert or SMS message in case of a hold, that sometimes allows you to get a jump on the issue.

 

This wouldn't do me any good on a cruise as my cell phone will be sitting in the safe, shut off, and I'm not about to spend 75 cents a minute to check my email while on vacation.

[Rhitson88]

Thanks. I think there's a maximum hold because I don't remember having a hold of $1680 for my 28-day cruise.

 

 

 

Haha, it probably is $600 for the max hold then.

[smeyer418]

what happens is pretty simple. They first ask for another form of payment. a credit card or a direct withdrawal from your checking account. They then ask for a promissory note and check your credit. on rare incidents(especially from people who refuse to sign such a promissory note), they have you arrested for "theft of service". I have seen(in news reports) this happen a couple of times where there is a high balance. Its a crime in most states. What happens then is you are arraigned and either work out to pay or go to trial and sometimes go to jail but as part of the sentence is always restitution as part of the sentence.

It doesn't happen often but it does happen. Most of the time these have as part of them massive losses in the casino or large jewelry purchases.

If its a credit card issue as above they work with you to work it out....that happens a couple of times a month on any ship.

[Colo Cruiser]

what happens is pretty simple. They first ask for another form of payment. a credit card or a direct withdrawal from your checking account. They then ask for a promissory note and check your credit. on rare incidents(especially from people who refuse to sign such a promissory note), they have you arrested for "theft of service". I have seen(in news reports) this happen a couple of times where there is a high balance. Its a crime in most states. What happens then is you are arraigned and either work out to pay or go to trial and sometimes go to jail but as part of the sentence is always restitution as part of the sentence.

It doesn't happen often but it does happen. Most of the time these have as part of them massive losses in the casino or large jewelry purchases.

If its a credit card issue as above they work with you to work it out....that happens a couple of times a month on any ship.

 

What happens if your credit is not to their liking?

 

 

This would be a civil matter, they would be hard pressed to get any police department to arrest anyone.

[Canadiana]

I recently had the problem with HAL although I had cleared things with my credit card company first. When I got back home I was told by the credit card company that their computer had refused payment because HAL had made a one digit mistake in my card number when contacting the credit card company.

 

On another earlier Princess cruise, we kept being harassed by Princess who claimed my card was refused by Amex. I twice had AMEX talk to the Purser's Office (at $8 per minute Princess that charged for a "free" 800 call ) to say my credit was good and there was no problem. It seems that Princess uses an automated inquiry program which is run at night which no one could (or would) correct. If a card is once rejected, it will continue to be rejected. As it was the only card I had with me at the time (big mistake), I finally had a real person from the pursers office do it the old way with a paper form and a phone call call to a real person at Amex who immediately gave an authorization number.Fortunately Princess eventually repaid my shipboard phone charges after several weeks.

 

Canadiana

[smeyer418]

What happens if your credit is not to their liking?

 

 

This would be a civil matter, they would be hard pressed to get any police department to arrest anyone.

no its technically not mostly a civil matter. Failure to pay for services rendered is a criminal matter, although the loses at the Casino would be a civil matter. Giving a check that bounces in most states is also a crime.

[Rhitson88]

no its technically not mostly a civil matter. Failure to pay for services rendered is a criminal matter, although the loses at the Casino would be a civil matter. Giving a check that bounces in most states is also a crime.

 

 

 

You would think this would be an issue for both parties. The person who lost the money in the casino and the cruise line for allowing it to happen in the first place. If it were me running the cruise I would definitely have a tighter plan to just keep from any mishaps. This all boils down to Princess trying to get you to get their credit card that I have seen promoted around and on the ship lol. Anyone else ever think the same thing?

[Colo Cruiser]

no its technically not mostly a civil matter. Failure to pay for services rendered is a criminal matter, although the loses at the Casino would be a civil matter. Giving a check that bounces in most states is also a crime.

 

How do you prove intent?

Believe me law enforcement has better things to do.

 

Who said anything about a bad check onboard? :eek:

[smeyer418]

You would think this would be an issue for both parties. The person who lost the money in the casino and the cruise line for allowing it to happen in the first place. If it were me running the cruise I would definitely have a tighter plan to just keep from any mishaps. This all boils down to Princess trying to get you to get their credit card that I have seen promoted around and on the ship lol. Anyone else ever think the same thing?

some states will not allow a lawsuit to enforce loses at a casino. But all states have theft of service laws. and the police when called arrest for this. Its the DA who decides whether to prosecute or not....and most will(the cruise line is a bigger employer). so they arrest the person take him/her down to the police station and process them. generally they have to post a bond and by then most find a way to pay...and the cruise line drops the charges.

Most of the time when the police come and explain that the passenger will be detained they find a way to pay as well.

[Rhitson88]

some states will not allow a lawsuit to enforce loses at a casino. But all states have theft of service laws. and the police when called arrest for this. Its the DA who decides whether to prosecute or not....and most will(the cruise line is a bigger employer). so they arrest the person take him/her down to the police station and process them. generally they have to post a bond and by then most find a way to pay...and the cruise line drops the charges.

 

 

 

Oh man. I don't know whats worse, being embarrassed and arrested in front of all those passengers or being arrested and taken to a jail in Ft Lauderdale? Haha!

[smeyer418]

How do you prove intent?

Believe me law enforcement has better things to do.

 

Who said anything about a bad check onboard? :eek:

 

 

 

yeah in Vancouver they tazered a group of fare beaters. Its a crime, when reported- the police take action.

mens rea(criminal intent) is not required for all crimes and anyway most times intent is proved by showing what happened...

 

i.e. did you pay? no I couldn't why did you take the cruise?...do you think most people who drive drunk intent to drive drunk...although they did intend to drink...did you intend to charge that? and was it overdrawn/not coverable is enough.

 

My point of the check thing is that it is NOT merely a civil matter...

 

most people who have this happen to are so embarrassed that they find a way to pay for it.

The one case where it made the news was a story about a woman who bought large amounts of jewelry on board and tried to get off without paying. They could afford it(from the story) but were smart behinds and were trying to get away with something. the police were called. They showed up. They threatened arrest. the stuff was paid for. I live in NYcity. I can tell you for theft of service to cab drivers, the police show up and arrest the passenger attempting not to pay even when the passenger has a compliant(they tell the passenger to file a complaint with the regulatory agency) but if they refuse to pay...they arrest them. And frankly the police do this because they find the people who refuse/can't pay have other issues with them. and in NY the police have tons of time on their hands and an good arrest is still an arrest that goes on their records and they love it when they can make it a felony arrest even if it gets knocked down later on....

[smeyer418]

but don't try not paying for a sandwich on Ryan Air

 

http://www.popfi.com/2010/07/26/plane-passenger-arrested-after-complaining-about-the-food/

 

VANCOUVER — The country’s only armed transit police have been tasering passengers who try to avoid paying fares.

 

According to documents provided in response to a Freedom of Information request, police patrolling public transit in the Metro Vancouver area have used tasers 10 times in the past 18 months, including five occasions when victims had been accosted for riding free.

 

In one incident, a non-paying passenger was tasered after he held onto a railing on the SkyTrain platform and refused to let go.

 

“After several warnings to the subject to stop resisting arrest and the subject failing to comply with the officers’ commands, the taser was deployed and the subject was taken into control,” said the report provided by TransLink, the region’s transit authority.

 

 

PS this is Canada almost all US Transit police are armed.

[Loonbeam]

Doesn't have to be your own cell :) - Depending on how critical you think it is could have it go to a trusted person who has some other way of contacting you.

 

All depends on how much of an issue it is for you. I carry 2 cards at all times so not a real biggie.

 

This wouldn't do me any good on a cruise as my cell phone will be sitting in the safe, shut off, and I'm not about to spend 75 cents a minute to check my email while on vacation.

[luvs2travl]

How do you prove intent?

Believe me law enforcement has better things to do.

 

Who said anything about a bad check onboard? :eek:

 

I don't even bring our checkbook with us on a cruise! For what? Who's going to cash a personal check in another country?? :p

[smeyer418]

I don't even bring our checkbook with us on a cruise! For what? Who's going to cash a personal check in another country?? :p

american express office(although many have closed) if you have an american express card...

some cruise ships will cash a small check(up to a couple of hundred dollars)

[Treven]

Just being curious about that issue, toward the end of my last cruise, last May, I asked the purser's desk what would happen if I couldn't pay my bill, no cash and at my credit card limit. She informed me that they wouldn't let me off the ship; period.

After I got back home I e-mailed my TA with the same question and her reply was: I had a group on a cruise a couple of years ago and one of the guys had gambled too much and had put up a cash deposit that didn't cover his expenses. When he tried to get off the ship, when his card was scanned, there was a loud beep and he was pulled out of line. He was taken to the purser's office and some of the people from the group who were still on board saw them take him behind closed doors. He didn't have a credit card or any money, so they threatened to send him to jail:eek:. Now admitedly I don't know how legal this threat is. His grandmother felt sorry for him and used her credit card to pay his bill and they turned him loose.

[smeyer418]

Just being curious about that issue, toward the end of my last cruise, last May, I asked the purser's desk what would happen if I couldn't pay my bill, no cash and at my credit card limit. She informed me that they wouldn't let me off the ship; period.

 

After I got back home I e-mailed my TA with the same question and her reply was: I had a group on a cruise a couple of years ago and one of the guys had gambled too much and had put up a cash deposit that didn't cover his expenses. When he tried to get off the ship, when his card was scanned, there was a loud beep and he was pulled out of line. He was taken to the purser's office and some of the people from the group who were still on board saw them take him behind closed doors. He didn't have a credit card or any money, so they threatened to send him to jail:eek:. His grandmother felt sorry for him and used her credit card to pay his bill and they turned him loose.

 

this is what I reported before. thanks.

[Pam in CA]

You would think this would be an issue for both parties. The person who lost the money in the casino and the cruise line for allowing it to happen in the first place. If it were me running the cruise I would definitely have a tighter plan to just keep from any mishaps. This all boils down to Princess trying to get you to get their credit card that I have seen promoted around and on the ship lol. Anyone else ever think the same thing?

No, I don't think the way you do nor have I ever seen the cruiseline promoting their credit card other than a flyer in the in-box. Besides, what difference does it make which credit card you have if you're over your limit?

 

How is the cruiseline to know how much a person can afford? Some people can gamble a lot of money and never feel the pinch; others can't afford squat. Should every gambler submit a financial report before being allowed to gamble? This isn't like drinking which the cruiseline can control. They can't control stupidity or an addiction.