Dumb question about final bill.

[perditax]

I can't remember --- do you get an itemized, printed copy of your final bill, or an itemized email, or is it just what you can see on the app/TV?

[BirdTravels]

A printed bill is left on your door around 5 am.  There is no emailed bill like other cruise lines. 

[CruiseGal999]

I highly recommend that you go to guest services every other day and get a print out of your account.  It is MUCH easier to track your spending and any errors this way.  There will be 950 people in line screaming about their bill if you wait until the last morning ... as in disembarking morning.  Just an FYI and my 2 cents worth ... I have sailed NCL more than any other cruise line. 

 

 

[graphicguy]

7 minutes ago, CruiseGal999 said:

I highly recommend that you go to guest services every other day and get a print out of your account.  It is MUCH easier to track your spending and any errors this way.  There will be 950 people in line screaming about their bill if you wait until the last morning ... as in disembarking morning.  Just an FYI and my 2 cents worth ... I have sailed NCL more than any other cruise line. 

 

 

I agree.  Keep your eye on the bill via your cabin TV every day.  Whenever/if ever you find a discrepancy it’s easier and quicker to get it resolved during the week, than on the last day.

[Zippeedee]

I have never received a last day print out. I always call when I get home and they email it to me. I have only had one issue and it did take longer to correct, but I wasn't wasting vacation time in a line with an angry mob.

[perditax]

10 minutes ago, CruiseGal999 said:

I highly recommend that you go to guest services every other day and get a print out of your account.  It is MUCH easier to track your spending and any errors this way.  There will be 950 people in line screaming about their bill if you wait until the last morning ... as in disembarking morning.  Just an FYI and my 2 cents worth ... I have sailed NCL more than any other cruise line. 

 

 

 

I appreciate the tip. It’s less that I need to monitor it (I usually do that through the app or the TV), and more that I need an itemized invoice that I can use to get my internet charges expensed by my company.

[perditax]

Just now, Zippeedee said:

I have never received a last day print out. I always call when I get home and they email it to me. I have only had one issue and it did take longer to correct, but I wasn't wasting vacation time in a line with an angry mob.

 

Interesting. I’ve seen, anecdotally, other posts that they don’t do final printouts anymore. For the life of me I can’t remember if I ever got one, probably because I always just note the running total in the app and I’ve never needed to correct anything. If I did get them they probably ended up in “random piles of travel paperwork to be filed someday”.

[CruiseGal999]

16 minutes ago, Zippeedee said:

I have never received a last day print out. I always call when I get home and they email it to me. I have only had one issue and it did take longer to correct, but I wasn't wasting vacation time in a line with an angry mob.

 

That's my point ... you go to guest services ... just when you're walking by and you see no one in line and get a print out of your account.  OR if it's available ... monitor it on the tv.

[CruiseGal999]

17 minutes ago, perditax said:

 

I appreciate the tip. It’s less that I need to monitor it (I usually do that through the app or the TV), and more that I need an itemized invoice that I can use to get my internet charges expensed by my company.

 

Yes, I always get a print out ... like others have said ... about 5 am it's left outside the door. 

 

[dbrown84]

I was on the breakaway, and they didn't do the final printout.  I did go to guest services to get a copy of my bill, and it was not itemized.  I actually asked for an itemized bill and was told I couldn't get one.  I didn't really push the issue because I wanted one for a silly reason.  When I looked at my bill on the TV, it was pretty funny to me to see the number of bar "charges" on it, and I wanted to get a print out of that.  Maybe you can pre-pay for the internet package, then you can print out your vacation summary with the charge on it

[perditax]

4 minutes ago, dbrown84 said:

I was on the breakaway, and they didn't do the final printout.  I did go to guest services to get a copy of my bill, and it was not itemized.  I actually asked for an itemized bill and was told I couldn't get one.  I didn't really push the issue because I wanted one for a silly reason.  When I looked at my bill on the TV, it was pretty funny to me to see the number of bar "charges" on it, and I wanted to get a print out of that.  Maybe you can pre-pay for the internet package, then you can print out your vacation summary with the charge on it

 

This is an excellent suggestion, thanks.

 

Actually, I think I can just pay for it with my company card. If it works the way other pre-cruise purchases work (like the spa pass), NCL treats the “buy internet package” as a separate transaction, with its own method of payment, and emails you an invoice.

 

Thanks again, I feel silly not thinking of this. 

[daninwi]

Check and check often!  The app does pretty good job of helping you keep track of spending.  Around day 3 or 4 on a Breakaway cruise I noticed a series of charges from Maltings one night - all were in the range of the drink package.  It did take 2 days and three trips to customer service to get it removed.  Watching the line on the last night made me grateful for the app!

[Sand and Seas]

I was on the Breakaway twice in the last 10 months and both times we got the itemized bill early in the morning.  It's always been stuck in the 'mail' holder to the side of the door.    Same thing for our Bliss cruise a few months ago.  

 

Like the others have said, I always check the bill a couple of times during the cruise.   The last night I am always waiting for CAS to comp a few things off my bill.  This has occasionally caused a  credit balance problem that looks like 'Unused non-refundable OBC".     I have been in that early morning line before, but once I just called the post cruise guest services line and it was fixed for us.   

 

Last cruise I just checked the TV bill a couple of times that last night/early morning.  It was interesting to watch it go from left-over OBC to finally being correct.    My DH woke up to see me taking a photo of the TV screen, but he's used to me obsessing about that last bill now😏

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, perditax said:

Interesting. I’ve seen, anecdotally, other posts that they don’t do final printouts anymore. For the life of me I can’t remember if I ever got one, probably because I always just note the running total in the app and I’ve never needed to correct anything. If I did get them they probably ended up in “random piles of travel paperwork to be filed someday”.

We have always got a printed bill on the final morning. We cruise NCL 4-5 times a year and as recently as April, got a final bill on disembarkation day.

 

Getting a printed bill daily is totally compulsive behavior. After dozens of cruises, I think we have found 2 errors (one a bar bill incorrectly charged to our room when they use to manually bill, and once when a dinner package meal was charged for cash). In any case, your NCL app allows you to check your bills. Standing in line for printed bills daily is just crazy talk. 

[smplybcause]

I had a print out on the Bliss in May. Definitely suggest checking on the app/TV as the cruise goes on. Noticed they charged me twice for the go karts (apparently the solo host screwed up making reservations for a few people)  and it only took about 15 minutes of my time. On the last day I chuckled as I weaved through the GS lines to get to the atrium bar for a drink. 

 

Btw they printed out my invoice before I even asked when they were fixing my problem. 

[casofilia]

Check regularly especially if you have ship shore excursions with a Platinum or P+ discount and especially if you have a $50 or $100 credit.

We did 6 cruises in March-May and had 3 final fully itemized statements on the last day on each of 3 ships but not the days of B2B changeovers.

[perditax]

9 hours ago, perditax said:

 

This is an excellent suggestion, thanks.

 

Actually, I think I can just pay for it with my company card. If it works the way other pre-cruise purchases work (like the spa pass), NCL treats the “buy internet package” as a separate transaction, with its own method of payment, and emails you an invoice.

 

Thanks again, I feel silly not thinking of this. 

 

Nope, this didn't work. The internet package just gets rolled into your "gifts and more" running total and you do not receive a separate invoice. Since I have other items already purchased in that category, the final total isn't correct. On hold with them now to see if I can get a separate invoice emailed to me, but not hopeful.

[graphicguy]

Internet charges will show up on your reservation as a line item.  You can use that for work expenses (that’s what I use if I need internet on board for Corp work I might do).

 

If not expensed, you can also deduct it from your Fed taxes as an unreimbursed business expense.

[wdsted]

11 hours ago, CruiseGal999 said:

I highly recommend that you go to guest services every other day and get a print out of your account.  It is MUCH easier to track your spending and any errors this way.  There will be 950 people in line screaming about their bill if you wait until the last morning ... as in disembarking morning.  Just an FYI and my 2 cents worth ... I have sailed NCL more than any other cruise line. 

 

 

 

Why bother doing this every day?  Most (all?) ships now have this info available online, either via the TV or NCL app.  I’m on vacation and have better ways to spend my time.

[perditax]

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

Internet charges will show up on your reservation as a line item.  You can use that for work expenses (that’s what I use if I need internet on board for Corp work I might do).

 

Nah, it doesn't when it's pre-booked online. It gets rolled into "Gifts and more". Believe me, I went through every page of my reservation, summary, payment, e-docs, etc, and also got on the phone with NCL, who couldn't generate me a separate invoice, or at least the rep I spoke to claimed not to be able to.

 

(I do agree it would have been itemized had I gotten the package onboard instead.)

 

It's not a big deal, I was able to get enough documentation about how much the package costs to make the bookkeepers happy, just following up with my experience in case this becomes a thing for someone else. 

 

... hey wait. Looks around. Isn't it time for someone to say something snarky and short-sighted about people who have to be available for work while on vacation?

 

 

Edited June 19, 2019 by perditax

[don't-use-real-name]

Check your On Board Account frequently and more often !

A good idea instead of fighting the long maddening lines and crowds

in the morning - the NIGHT BEFORE disembarking drop by Guest Services

and request a copy of your account - unless you do something between

then and the morning hours it should be the same as the one that

is dropped under thru in mail box at your cabin door.

You will appreciate this because in the haste to self-disembark to or

catch that fleeting transfer/transportation one less annoyance - that

pesky bill with the problem charge snipped in time last night.

 

Note something strange if you bought that Viva-Vino wine package the

bill comes out as a MDR restaurant charge - there are other cases of

bewildering billing - billed to another department.

Had a drink or two before cruising there maybe TAXES charged to your

account until in open international waters.

Bought a bottle of hootch for cabin convenience the same could also

be the culprit taxes on local port/city/state purchases.

If not on one of the UNLIMITED internet plans BEWARE of untimely charges !

 

Find something out of the ordinary on your bill - inquire for more details.

But don't wait until the very last minute AND MISS LEAVING THE BOAT !

 

LOL and then maybe not so LOL !

 

[Sand and Seas]

12 hours ago, casofilia said:

Check regularly especially if you have ship shore excursions with a Platinum or P+ discount and especially if you have a $50 or $100 credit.

We did 6 cruises in March-May and had 3 final fully itemized statements on the last day on each of 3 ships but not the days of B2B changeovers.

Good reminder on the Shore Excursion credit for Plat and Plat Plus.   

 

With the Shore Ex promo we had called to pre-book this so it would be charged on board.  We wanted balance after Shore Ex credit to be paid by non-refund OBC.   

When  were on board and checked the bill on TV we could see we did not get our PP discount.  Easy enough, I went down and got in line at the Shore Ex desk.  A few minutes wait and then the desk guy said he would correct.   Next day, I see he only corrected for one of us🤨.      Back down to the Shore Ex desk to get the 2nd one corrected.....

[Zippeedee]

17 hours ago, CruiseGal999 said:

 

That's my point ... you go to guest services ... just when you're walking by and you see no one in line and get a print out of your account.  OR if it's available ... monitor it on the tv.

My last cruise (the shortened Getaway TA) was a miserable mess for many. I don't think I was ever awake during a time there were less than ten people in line with problems that took forever to solve. I spent enough time in that line to be happy to avoid it when I had an alternative.

[tomk3212]

@Zippeedee Couldn't agree with you more re: the abbreviated TA aboard the Getaway!!  I had an issue with our transfers at Southampton so I went down to Reception in the Atrium around 1145PM thinking there should be a shorter line. There were only 4 (counting me) in line BUT apparently Getaway has a shift change around that time because suddenly there was only ONE person at Reception taking care of pax!  I also noticed during this cruise that the quality of service by the Reception personnel was much worse than usual.  I don't know if that was due to their being overworked (and they certainly were!) or because they were just exhausted; Getaway was going into dry dock immediately following our cruise and many of the crew may have been at the end of their contracts.

 

The NCL app works pretty well at keeping track of your daily charges.  We don't drink much so there's not much to keep track of.  You DO (as several posters have pointed out) have to keep track of how much you're paying for shore excursions if you're Platinum/Platinum Plus.  Ditto Cruse Next discount(s).

 

We've ALWAYS had a paper bill print-out on our cabin door on disembarkation day.  Can't remember when we haven't had one, to be honest.

[mugtech]

22 hours ago, graphicguy said:

If not expensed, you can also deduct it from your Fed taxes as an unreimbursed business expense.

Unreimbursed business expenses are no longer deductible on Schedule A, form 1040, if you are a w-2 employee.  If you have your own business or part of a partnership then it could be deductible.