Double charged for service charges

[cs]

Well the phone fun begins. I've got about an hour onboard and an hour on the phone at home trying to resolve this but nothing yet. The TA doesn't have record of me prepaying nor does NCL. I have the charge to my credit card that says - $252 was paid to "NC MIAMIRESUSD MIAMI FL, REFERENCE ID: xxxxxx".

 

It looks like I may end up disputing this with my credit card company.

 

And I know that some people like to "blame the victim" but my only fault in this is not getting a confirmation email from my travel agent when I prepaid. I thought the credit card charge was enough (which it will be but it might have been easier with the email).

 

I'll keep you updated...

[Planer's Edge]

 

It looks like I may end up disputing this with my credit card company.

 

 

...and maybe finding a new TA?

 

PE

[cs]

...and maybe finding a new TA?

 

PE

 

Yep!

[sonavogel]

Reading this thread with interest...and I have info to contribute.

 

My husband and I are booked on an upcoming 7-day Bahamas cruise with the Jewel. I'm the one who handled payment, directly with NCL. After reading several posters' comments about the advisability of not "prepaying" the gratuities, I went back and reread the .pdf file I downloaded and saved following the initial payment process for this cruise.

 

I see that part of the charge for our per person fee for this cruise is categorized "prepaid service charges," in the amount of $168 (per person). This charge (which has since been paid) was levied automatically when I booked the cruise; it was factored in as part of the total price, and that price was the one quoted to us when we indicated our choice for cruise date and preferred accommodations.

 

There had not been a printout breaking down the charge until I'd agreed to the total (which included discounts through AARP) and had paid the deposit. Then I received an initial printout, at which point it did not occur to me to question prepaying the gratuities; the final printout arrived when I made final payment over a month later.

 

So it would seem that we have prepaid the gratuities. We were not asked if we wanted to prepay, although--to give NCL benefit of the doubt--I'm sure that they would have removed the prepayment if I had so requested (if I had known enough to so request, in other words).

 

I do not mind that we have prepaid; however, thanks to this thread, I have printed out two copies of the final payment .pdf and highlighted the line item indicating the prepayment of gratuities--just in case we find that we are being charged again for gratuities while on board. I would not have thought of "covering my a**" this way but for the OP.

 

Thank you!

 

--Sona

[dwjoe]

Bringing written proof of anything prepaid is a wise precaution.

 

FYI, are you sure that the $168 service charge is per person? That seems high. On the Dawn, we were charged $12/pp/day for gratuities, which works out to $84/pp for a 7-day sailing.

[texast518]

The cruiseline does not have your money if you pay @ END of cruise, then you wait until you pay your cc bill, I guess I"m just old & still dont understand why you pay any cruise expenses other than the cruise itself in ADVANCE.

[cs]

FYI, are you sure that the $168 service charge is per person? That seems high. On the Dawn, we were charged $12/pp/day for gratuities, which works out to $84/pp for a 7-day sailing.

 

It was $84 pp x 3 people = $252 that they charged me twice.

[donaldsc]

So you don't have to pay it at the end of the cruise, makes the final amount smaller by $12 per day.

 

Have you considered the lost income on the money you pay ahead of time? Even though it is a very small amount, it does cost you slightly more when you prepay.

 

DON

[dwjoe]

It was $84 pp x 3 people = $252 that they charged me twice.

cs, I was actually responding to sona's post just above mine. Sorry for any confusion.

[Shelli]

My husband and I are booked on an upcoming 7-day Bahamas cruise with the Jewel.

<snip>

I see that part of the charge for our per person fee for this cruise is categorized "prepaid service charges," in the amount of $168 (per person).

 

If that's "per person," you've been double-billed! For a 7-day cruise, at $12 pp per day, it's $84 per person-- or $168 for both of you.

[sonavogel]

If that's "per person," you've been double-billed! For a 7-day cruise, at $12 pp per day, it's $84 per person-- or $168 for both of you.

 

DWJoe and Shelli: Well, I became a bit nervous when I read your posts! But just a bit, because I know that it could easily be my misread. I will go back and examine the charge(s) carefully, and see if the $168 is the full charge for us both or if we were individually charged that amount.

 

However, you two are more familiar with NCL common charges than I am, so I'll bet that part is me.

 

Back later....

 

--S

[cs]

I just got off the phone with the TA who said shes does have a record of me prepaying (I'm not sure if I believe her though). And she said that NCL wants to know why I didn't drop the DSC while I was onboard because they don't do adjustments after the sailing is over. If I would have told the purser to take the DSC off, when there was still no record of me prepaying, I'm sure my service onboard would have suffered for doing that.

 

The TA said they should have it resolved either today or tomorrow. *crossing fingers*

 

ETA - I found an error on my onboard statement the last day and thought I could take care of it when I got home instead of waiting in the long lines. I guess, from what the TA told me, that it's too late to dispute the $22 charge to my account that wasn't mine.

[Planer's Edge]

self edit

[NMLady]

We have 33 days booked on NCL 9/20-10/23 and were required ny NCL to pay the DSC as part of our booking, probably because NCL was concerned that when we had a $792 total for daily service charges we might question it and not pay it. Nope. We always pay the DSC. We know how hard those stewards, waiters, etc work to serve the passengers. If we have a complaint we take it up with the front desk and get it worked out. That's only happened once in 4 NCL cruises, and it was minor.

 

Our invoice shows the prepaid gratuities so that is why I'm taking a copy of our paid invoice with me, in case there is a question about whether or not the DSC has already been paid.

[Mooder]

I just got off the phone with the TA who said shes does have a record of me prepaying (I'm not sure if I believe her though). And she said that NCL wants to know why I didn't drop the DSC while I was onboard because they don't do adjustments after the sailing is over. If I would have told the purser to take the DSC off, when there was still no record of me prepaying, I'm sure my service onboard would have suffered for doing that.

 

The TA said they should have it resolved either today or tomorrow. *crossing fingers*

 

ETA - I found an error on my onboard statement the last day and thought I could take care of it when I got home instead of waiting in the long lines. I guess, from what the TA told me, that it's too late to dispute the $22 charge to my account that wasn't mine.

 

You DID try to take care of it on board. It doesn't sound as though your TA is communicating very well on your behalf. I agree with those who have issues with NCL customer service, but this really sounds like a TA problem from the beginning.

[sonavogel]

[quote name='sonavogel']DWJoe and Shelli: Well, I became a bit nervous when I read your posts! But just a bit, because I know that it could easily be my misread. I will go back and examine the charge(s) carefully, and see if the $168 is the full charge for us both or if we were individually charged that amount.

However, you two are more familiar with NCL common charges than I am, so I'll bet that part is me.

Back later....

--S[/quote]

Yes, you guys were right--the $168 was for both of us, not for each of us. I was reading the list of charges as if they were all pp, but they were not.

However, I have learned from this thread that it is a good idea to bring all documentation I have (or can download) with me, so I can show it to the purser should the need arise. Very good advice! :)

--Sona

[Crusin6]

[quote name='dwjoe']Bringing written proof of anything prepaid is a wise precaution.

FYI, are you sure that the $168 service charge is per person? That seems high. On the Dawn, we were charged $12/pp/day for gratuities, which works out to $84/pp for a 7-day sailing.[/quote]
sounds like $168 is for 2 pax at $84 each.

[dwjoe]

Yes, Sona confirmed that was the case.

[cs]

[quote name='Mooder']You DID try to take care of it on board. It doesn't sound as though your TA is communicating very well on your behalf. I agree with those who have issues with NCL customer service, but this really sounds like a TA problem from the beginning.[/QUOTE]

She didn't know that when she talked to NCL. I left a message on her voicemail that I was double charged and thought she would call me back. Instead, she called NCL first before I could clue her in on the rest.

Without a doubt the TA has messed up and I'll be looking for a new TA after this. But my credit card statement says that NCL was paid directly from me. I have to wonder where they applied that money to in their accounting system. Do they have a lost and found account for money that just shows up and they don't know who it belongs to? ;)

[texast518]

I"ve never had tips billed BEFORE any cruise, they are always on my final bill. What am I missing here?

[Mooder]

[quote name='cs']She didn't know that when she talked to NCL. I left a message on her voicemail that I was double charged and thought she would call me back. Instead, she called NCL first before I could clue her in on the rest.

Without a doubt the TA has messed up and I'll be looking for a new TA after this. But my credit card statement says that NCL was paid directly from me. I have to wonder where they applied that money to in their accounting system. Do they have a lost and found account for money that just shows up and they don't know who it belongs to? ;)[/quote]

Thanks for the clarification, CS. Good luck with the resolution and with finding a new TA - a good one is priceless!!

[Mooder]

[quote name='texast518']I"ve never had tips billed BEFORE any cruise, they are always on my final bill. What am I missing here?[/quote]

The OP took the [B][I]option[/I][/B] to pay them in advance - it doesn't happen if you don't choose to do so (in the US).

[NMLady]

[quote name='Mooder']The OP took the [B][I]option[/I][/B] to pay them in advance - it doesn't happen if you don't choose to do so (in the US).[/quote]

Actually, on a long cruise, it does happen, in the US. We are booked on three back-to-back cruises, totalling 33 days, two different booking numbers. When I made the second booking, adding the 3rd cruise (14 days added to 19 days) I was told that I'd have to prepay the gratuities for both bookings. So, evidently on long cruises, especially more than 30 days, there is no option, you must prepay the DSC. NCL wants to make sure you don't balk at such a large amount of money.

[Mooder]

[quote name='NMLady']Actually, on a long cruise, it does happen, in the US. We are booked on three back-to-back cruises, totalling 33 days, two different booking numbers. When I made the second booking, adding the 3rd cruise (14 days added to 19 days) I was told that I'd have to prepay the gratuities for both bookings. So, evidently on long cruises, especially more than 30 days, there is no option, you must prepay the DSC. NCL wants to make sure you don't balk at such a large amount of money.[/QUOTE]

Thanks, NM, I did not know that. Maybe some day I'll get to go on such a long cruise that that becomes an issue. ;)

[billie5]

That was my thought also. Isn't it great to have to deal with such issues?

Bill