How to dispute the charge with NCL

[Fine and Jim Dandy]

It is actually quite simple...

 

1) Lets say you just leave all of the items in the minibar. After the cruise, the Steward can report that a number of the items were missing since the beginning of the week. You will be charged for these items.

 

2) Lets say you have the Steward remove the items from the minibar and he/she simply places them inside one of the drawers in your room. After the cruise, the Steward can report that a number of the items were missing since the biginning of the week. You will be charged for these items.

 

 

As you see, it makes no difference if the items are inside the minibar or not. If they are in the room, YOU are responsible for them.

 

3) Now lets say you have the Steward remove the items from the minibar AND from the room. Now it no longer matters if all of the items are there or not. Once they are out of your room, they are out of your control. If an item is missing you have nothing to do with it because the items weren't even in your room. Your defense against the charge is the fact that you directed and ensured that the Steward remove all of the items from the room.

 

This post doesn't make sense. Assuming the passenger truly did not consume any items from the mini-bar then the steward must be dishonest in the first two situations. There is nothing stopping a dishonest steward from fibbing in the third situation.

[Fine and Jim Dandy]

And to add to SeaShark's post, when you have the items removed from the room completely, you are asked to sign a log that verifies the removal of those items. . .that they are out of your room and out of your control. Have done this on all 10 of my cruises with RCI, Celebrity, Carnival and NCL.

 

Does the steward have you sign the log if they just move them from the mini fridge to a shelf or drawer?

 

Have had the items removed from the room many times and have NEVER been asked to sign a log.

 

P.S. Unless the steward is the Easter bunny, I don't think he was able to hide the items anywhere in the room.

[rvsullivan]

One of the OP's questions was about the date of the transaction. It is not unusual for the processing time from the ship to billing to be a week or so. We have received adjustments both positive and negative a few days after the cruise.

Like others, I think the whole mini bar "problem" is very minor and does not happen with any regularity. If an individual steward made of habit of helping his/her self to the contents, I think the cruise line would see a pattern and fix it. I think it is basically an accounting problem.

[SeaShark]

This post doesn't make sense. Assuming the passenger truly did not consume any items from the mini-bar then the steward must be dishonest in the first two situations. There is nothing stopping a dishonest steward from fibbing in the third situation.

 

Yes...however the "fib" doesn't matter....they can say anything they want to about things outside your room. You are still not responsible for them.

 

Just like today...they can "claim" that I drank something all they want. However, the fact that I'm not onboard is my automatic defense.

[che5904]

And to add to SeaShark's post, when you have the items removed from the room completely, you are asked to sign a log that verifies the removal of those items. . .that they are out of your room and out of your control. Have done this on all 10 of my cruises with RCI, Celebrity, Carnival and NCL.

 

Have had the items removed from the room many times and have NEVER been asked to sign a log..

 

Agreed. Both of our cruises we left a post it note requesting the room steward remove the items from the mini-bar and cabin completely. When we returned these items were gone from the mini-bar and not stored in the cabin. Neither time were we asked to sign anything.

 

@NYGirl1002 "This mini bar thing seems to be very common with NCL and it makes me nervous. There's a good percentage of cc posters that it happens to so imagine what the real percentage is (counting people that don't post on here).

What can we do to avoid this? It seems like the OP did everything right and STILL got charged."

 

Like horseman I don't recall seeing many posts on CC recently that would lead me to believe this is "very common with NCL". But it probably does happen just as it does at every vacation spot or hotel that has a mini-bar.

 

Since the room steward really would have nothing to gain by having you charged for items you did not use. My suggestion is prior to asking for these items to be removed check the list and make sure everything that is suppose to be there is. If not, make your room steward aware that something is missing. If it's all there, take a photo if you feel better doing that.

[johnmpcny]

So the best way as we do not want to buy any of it, is put a sticky note on the frig asking them to remove it all? Gives me more room for my soda and water I bring on.

 

Is there a way to add a note to our res to do this before we get on?

 

 

I also like our beds single as I am staying with my son and it would simpler I think if they did that instead or making them up and me having to tell them to separate them.

 

 

Then again you get into to how many special requests can they do before it clogs the whole system.

[Lou33]

Sorry to have to say this, but that was your mistake. When you have the minibar emptied, you have to INSIST that the items be removed completely from the room. Don't allow the steward to place items on a shelf, in a drawer, under the bed, etc...

 

YOU are responsible for all items in the minibar as long as they are in the room...

 

I have never had a problem with mini bar charges. But, on every previous cruise, we asked to have the minibar emptied so we can store our own drinks. They always placed the items in a drawer or shelf. That seems reasonable to me. Where else would they put them? The steward is probably resposible if anything goes missing, so if he stores the items out of the room, there is a much greater chance that something can happen. He is doing us a favor by emptying the minibar, so I'm willing to work with him/her to make it a little easier.

 

No, I am "not" resposible for "any" charges that I did not incur.

[SeaShark]

I have never had a problem with mini bar charges. But, on every previous cruise, we asked to have the minibar emptied so we can store our own drinks. They always placed the items in a drawer or shelf. That seems reasonable to me. Where else would they put them? The steward is probably resposible if anything goes missing, so if he stores the items out of the room, there is a much greater chance that something can happen. He is doing us a favor by emptying the minibar, so I'm willing to work with him/her to make it a little easier.

 

No, I am "not" resposible for "any" charges that I did not incur.

 

Yeah...its "reasonable" right up until YOU are the one on here complaining about minibar charges....

 

Firstly, who cares where they "put them"? You are asking that they are removed from the room...to where isn't important, right? Why couldn't they just be stored with all of the minibar items that the Steward would use to replace stuff that guests consume?

 

Secondly, if the Steward is responsible and things "go missing" who do you want to be responsible, YOU or the Steward?

 

and lastly...You are responsible for charges that you DO incur. So, if there are 12 items in the minibar and the Steward places the 12 items in a drawer, and at the end of the cruise there are only 10 items in the drawer, who do you think gets charged? Both you and the Steward could claim that neither of you touched anything, but they had to go somewhere, right?

 

As long as they are out of the room, it is not your issue to worry about. And simply, we are offering the OP a tried and true method (just show me one person who was charged for a minibar that wasn't in the room) to ensure that this doesn't happen to them again. Unless you plan of possibly consuming the items there is NO good reason to have these inside your room...and a ton of reasons (mostly $$$$) to have them removed.

[umpy10]

It is actually quite simple...

 

1) Lets say you just leave all of the items in the minibar. After the cruise, the Steward can report that a number of the items were missing since the beginning of the week. You will be charged for these items.

 

2) Lets say you have the Steward remove the items from the minibar and he/she simply places them inside one of the drawers in your room. After the cruise, the Steward can report that a number of the items were missing since the biginning of the week. You will be charged for these items.

 

 

As you see, it makes no difference if the items are inside the minibar or not. If they are in the room, YOU are responsible for them.

 

3) Now lets say you have the Steward remove the items from the minibar AND from the room. Now it no longer matters if all of the items are there or not. Once they are out of your room, they are out of your control. If an item is missing you have nothing to do with it because the items weren't even in your room. Your defense against the charge is the fact that you directed and ensured that the Steward remove all of the items from the room.

 

And to add to SeaShark's post, when you have the items removed from the room completely, you are asked to sign a log that verifies the removal of those items. . .that they are out of your room and out of your control. Have done this on all 10 of my cruises with RCI, Celebrity, Carnival and NCL.

 

Does the steward have you sign the log if they just move them from the mini fridge to a shelf or drawer?

 

Ok I can see where you both are going. I guess the way I think is that if I have the items in MY Cabin then I Have Total Control of them. Once I hand them over to someone else, ( without some sort of signature of acceptance) then I lose all control of what happens to the items.

Understand my point of view now ? Thanks.

 

cheers...the Ump...:D

[SeaShark]

Ok I can see where you both are going. I guess the way I think is that if I have the items in MY Cabin then I Have Total Control of them. Once I hand them over to someone else, ( without some sort of signature of acceptance) then I lose all control of what happens to the items.

Understand my point of view now ? Thanks.

 

cheers...the Ump...:D

 

While I do understand the words you are using, I don't understand your pov on this.

 

Here is why:

You are correct in that you have control of items in your cabin. However, you lose that control if you are not in the room and someone else can access your room...like the room steward for example. IOW, you are off the ship on a shore excursion, and the Steward is alone in the room with your minibar items. Hard to say that YOU are in control of the items at that point.

 

You are also correct in that once you had the items over to someone else that you lose control of the items. However, THAT is the key point! As long as the items are OUT of your room and NOT under your control, then you cannot be held liable for the items...which is the whole point here!

 

As I stated earlier, nobody has EVER been charged for a minibar item when they didn't have the minibar in the room. However, this thread is yet another example of a poster who has been charged for an item that they claim to have not consumed.

 

Items in the room = potential charge.

 

Items out of the room = no potential charge.

 

Can't be simpler than that, right?

 

 

 

EDIT: FWIW...you don't need to have the items signed for in order to have them removed as you never signed to get them in the first place. There is no chain of custody paperwork, only possession...hence the need to decline possession right from the get-go.

[dread_pirate]

While I do understand the words you are using, I don't understand your pov on this.

 

Here is why:

You are correct in that you have control of items in your cabin. However, you lose that control if you are not in the room and someone else can access your room...like the room steward for example. IOW, you are off the ship on a shore excursion, and the Steward is alone in the room with your minibar items. Hard to say that YOU are in control of the items at that point.

 

You are also correct in that once you had the items over to someone else that you lose control of the items. However, THAT is the key point! As long as the items are OUT of your room and NOT under your control, then you cannot be held liable for the items...which is the whole point here!

 

As I stated earlier, nobody has EVER been charged for a minibar item when they didn't have the minibar in the room. However, this thread is yet another example of a poster who has been charged for an item that they claim to have not consumed.

 

Items in the room = potential charge.

 

Items out of the room = no potential charge.

 

Can't be simpler than that, right?

 

 

 

EDIT: FWIW...you don't need to have the items signed for in order to have them removed as you never signed to get them in the first place. There is no chain of custody paperwork, only possession...hence the need to decline possession right from the get-go.

 

But if there is no "chain of custody" paperwork, then there is no proof that the steward actually removed the items from your room. You can clearly be charged for items that are not in your room, just as you can be charged for items you did not consume, unless there is proof that they were removed. Which there generally isn't.

[SeaShark]

But if there is no "chain of custody" paperwork, then there is no proof that the steward actually removed the items from your room. You can clearly be charged for items that are not in your room, just as you can be charged for items you did not consume, unless there is proof that they were removed. Which there generally isn't.

 

Of course, you don't need proof as this isn't a court of law...no matter how much you like to argue.

 

If someone is going to dishonestly place a charge against a guest's account, they are more likely to attempt this with a guest with the minibar items in their room...even moreso if they have the impression that the guest isn't paying close attention to the items. However, they are very very unlikely to attempt this with a guest who is paying attention to the point of insisting that ALL of the items are removed upon embarkation. Ask any thief...much easier to go thru the open door than to try to pick a lock.

 

And that doesn't require "proof"...just common sense.

[nidnoi]

Thanks everyone for your input. I've learned a lot from everyone. The matters was solved by my credit card company NOT NCL. Credit card company will absorb the cost. They explained that it wasn't worth their time and their manpower to pursue the matter. Thanks for all your help. I really want to pursue this matter with NCL but my credit card rep advise me not to.

[unboringuy]

I think this may be much ado about nothing. My brother is a hotel manager at a land-based hotel. It is not that uncommon for things to be missing from minibars and for the guest to claim they did not consume the item. I personally have had that happen to me while staying in a hotel. I'm told that if a guest denies having consumed the item, then a refund always is issued. This is one reason why the price of minibar items is so high; to make up for those items that mysteriously disappear.

[kylenyc]

50 sailing days with NCL (ocean views and balconies). I've never used the mini-bar and never been charged for anything out of it. I've only had one incorrect charge on NCL and it was from a bartender who immediately apologized and voided the transaction. I save all receipts and ask for a preliminary invoice at least once during the cruise.

[nidnoi]

I think this may be much ado about nothing. My brother is a hotel manager at a land-based hotel. It is not that uncommon for things to be missing from minibars and for the guest to claim they did not consume the item. I personally have had that happen to me while staying in a hotel. I'm told that if a guest denies having consumed the item, then a refund always is issued. This is one reason why the price of minibar items is so high; to make up for those items that mysteriously disappear.

 

I don't think that I would've gone through this much trouble to advertise that I lied about 23 dollars charge and started this blog

[billie5]

Just tell your credit card company that they are not your charges and you wont be paying for them. Should end there.

I have never had a problem where my cc company did not take care of the issue. ;)

 

And so grow urban legends!

 

Not that I doubt what mpk218 has written is true for him/her. However, there is a widely held belief that (in the U.S.) if you insist a charge is wrong, the credit card company must take it off your bill. Actually, under the Fair Credit Billing Act, the credit card company can investigate the disputed amount, come to its own conclusion as to how much is in fact owed, and re-bill you for that amount. This happens all the time.

 

Even worse, you can be billed for finance charges, underpaid minimum payment amounts, etc., while the dispute was investigated, although this is often waived.

 

Bottom line: using a credit card is great protection against unfair billing, but it is not absolute!

[willysgrandma]

I do this all the time and have never been asked to sign anything by anyone on any cruise line that I am verifying removal of the items. Wish they did do this.

 

And to add to SeaShark's post, when you have the items removed from the room completely, you are asked to sign a log that verifies the removal of those items. . .that they are out of your room and out of your control. Have done this on all 10 of my cruises with RCI, Celebrity, Carnival and NCL.

 

Does the steward have you sign the log if they just move them from the mini fridge to a shelf or drawer?

[willysgrandma]

So the best way as we do not want to buy any of it, is put a sticky note on the frig asking them to remove it all? Gives me more room for my soda and water I bring on.

The best way is to directly ask your room steward and then not taking no for an answer if he puts it on top of the shelf instead of taking it out of the cabin.

Is there a way to add a note to our res to do this before we get on?

No

 

I also like our beds single as I am staying with my son and it would simpler I think if they did that instead or making them up and me having to tell them to separate them.

They can make that notation on your booking now. Your travel agent should have asked how you want the beds, as they can indicate right on the res. you want the beds separated. But that means nothing anyway - I've seen the beds still left together even when the res says to separate them.

[FEckeT]

On our first two Jewel cruises were in an aft balcony, as per the suggestions given on this board, we asked the steward to remove the contents from the mini bar so we could store the water and soda we brought with us.

 

Both times (two different stewards) came back to room with a tote bag and emptied the mini bar's contents into this tote bag and removed them from our room. No charges appeared on our bill.

 

Our last cruise was on the Star in a forward penthouse suite. When we asked the steward to remove the contents of the mini bar, he asked me if it was okay if he put them in the cabinet around the mini bar and Lavazzo machine. I was a little annoyed, because the contents were all over, but we are not argumentative people, so we put up with the stuff. My husband may have, not sure, even replaced everything after we packed our stuff.

 

No charges appeared on our bill.

 

After reading this thread, I will be a bit more cautious on our next cruise.

 

As always, thanks to everybody here for all the good input of information, sure has enhanced our cruises.

 

:)

[mpk218]

And so grow urban legends!

 

Not that I doubt what mpk218 has written is true for him/her. However, there is a widely held belief that (in the U.S.) if you insist a charge is wrong, the credit card company must take it off your bill. Actually, under the Fair Credit Billing Act, the credit card company can investigate the disputed amount, come to its own conclusion as to how much is in fact owed, and re-bill you for that amount. This happens all the time.

 

Even worse, you can be billed for finance charges, underpaid minimum payment amounts, etc., while the dispute was investigated, although this is often waived.

 

Bottom line: using a credit card is great protection against unfair billing, but it is not absolute!

 

Its absolute if you dont Lie . 35 years never missed .. Same AMEX card.

 

But I understand your approach . ;)

[billie5]

Its absolute if you dont Lie.

 

If only were so. I've run into two situations. One was when the retailer lies. Now the credit card company has an issue to decide, which can go either way. In this case, the coin dealer in NYC won (ie, I lost), but about three years later I read that he was in prison! I had to settle for a casualty loss on my income tax (not full compensation of course, but this deduction used to be more generous than currently). Figure my net loss was fair pay for the excessive joy of reading about his incarceration!

 

The other situation was I believe a genuine miscommunication as to what had been agreed. I won this one, but believe the gentleman who disagreed as to what had been purchased was being 100% honest. I know some people see everything in black and white: if you are truthful, the other guy is not. I am more likely to believe in honest mistakes. Evidently, I am more of a risk-taker as well.:)

[agabbymama]

Don't know what credit cards you use, but I had a Visa that I purchased lavender roses from Costa Rica (on-line). They arrived half dead. I took photos, and immediately called my cc company. They initiated an investigation. The vendor said they were in good shape when they left Costa Rica and should have been fine. They weren't even willing to split the cost. So instead Visa found in my favor and I didn't pay the $100. It did take about 4 weeks.

 

Another instance with my Discover card, I got the bill with a charge for $345 that looked out of the ordinary (it was from Florida, I live in California). I called Discover and they were surprised asking didn't I order air conditioning parts, I told them NO, I didn't. I called the number on the bill beside the charge and the vendor contacted Discover. I didn't have to pay that and it was gone in just a couple of days.

 

I was just out of town on a short weekend trip about 250 miles up the coast. My cell phone died, so I had to use the hotel phone with a system that you use a credit card. When I returned home, there was phone message that there was curious activity on my card, did I authorize ATT to charge me $1.00.

 

And finally, when Burlington Coat Factory employee lost his laptop with lots of personal cc info on lots of people, I got a call from my Visa card that they were closing my account and issuing a new card. I would have it overnight mail and it was delivered the next day.

 

So most credit cards are willing to believe and work with their customers, JMHO.

[billie5]

It is not a question of JMHO.

 

Of course, most credit cards will work with you. In fact, I would guess that the overwhelming majority of credit card users have never had a problem disputing a charge, nor are they likely to in the future.

 

The urban legend part is the assumption that you are protected. To a large extent you are, and common sense dictates that a flower purchase is not going to open up a big dispute adjudication. As far as fraudulent activity goes, credit cards have become far more vigilant, which is almost always a good thing.

 

The point is that the protection is not absolute, either by law or by practice. When the stakes are significant and the financial transaction more complex, you can lose your appeal. It happens, despite the 100,000,000 or more Americans who can write in and say, gee, it never happened to me! (Please, 100,000,000, skip this thread)

[cmh]

We took Norwegian Sun for Baltic cruise on May23,2012 and ended on May 31,2012. On the final night we paid the shipboard bill(final statement) in cash and we received the reciept mark paid in full. A month later we received a charge from NCL on our credit card. We disputed the charge with our CC company. NCL sent the credit card company transaction information saying the charge was for minibar use. At the beginning of the cruise we asked the room attendant to remove everything from minibar so I can put my medicine in, which she did. The transaction date on the transaction information was dated June 9,2012 which we already back in Bangkok on that date.

We've got charged back the amount of $23.58 plus international fee for the investigation! If anyone knows e mail address of who should I contact at NCL to clear this problem up...I know this is not a lot of money, it's just the principle of the matter. Thanks Nidnoi

 

This has happened to me once before. I never use anything in the mini bar. I paid my final bill and I guess the room steward does a check of the mini bar after you debark. I called NCL when I saw the difference in my bill. I explained that I never used the mini bar, and they said they would credit my card. The following month the charge was still there, so I called a second time and it was finally removed. I would just the NCL 800 phone number and speak with someone. I think this happens all the time.