Charged a drink before getting onboard

[OceanZena]

1 hour ago, ShakyBeef said:

 

It may be slightly OT, but I kinda love how you're multitasking this thread into a mini live review!😁  I'm glad to see you're having such a good cruise even though it started off with a bit of a sucky situation.😊  Thanks for sharing! 

Thank you. I'm enjoying posting all the fun stuff. This is my first vacation since before 2020 and it feels wonderful. I'd forgotten how much fun traveling is it's been so long! I'm just sad I chose a short 3 day because I don't want it to end and am already planning my next cruise for later this year lol. 

[OceanZena]

Here's the Disney Wish sailing into the sunset. Now that they're gone I have a clear view of downtown Nassau from my balcony. 😄

Norwegian Encore is here too and it towers over Liberty. I think I want to try that ship sometime. It looks really nice.

[OceanZena]

I bought this beautiful frame at a souvenir shop in port. It was the last one of it's kind but the paint was all chipped but I loved the pelicans on it and really wanted it and the girl was so nice and took 2 bucks off it for the damage and gave it to me for 8 dollars. I'm going to put the Baha Mar photo in it that I posted above. 

[ShakyBeef]

40 minutes ago, OceanZena said:

I bought this beautiful frame at a souvenir shop in port. It was the last one of it's kind but the paint was all chipped but I loved the pelicans on it and really wanted it and the girl was so nice and took 2 bucks off it for the damage and gave it to me for 8 dollars. I'm going to put the Baha Mar photo in it that I posted above. 

 

I think those are seagulls, not pelicans.😉  Cute frame, and good deal!🙂

[OceanZena]

16 minutes ago, ShakyBeef said:

 

I think those are seagulls, not pelicans.😉  Cute frame, and good deal!🙂

Yes seagulls lol....or maybe...baby pelicans haha. 

[Petersonfcu]

On 2/24/2023 at 12:41 PM, staceyglow said:

My guess is that a server wrote a folio number down wrong when taking someone else's order. Don't stress about it. 

Or something like  that.   We have cruised many different cruise lines, and phantom drink charges are not infrequent on any of them.  BUT we have never had a problem going to guest services and having them removed.

[sparks1093]

On 2/24/2023 at 3:41 PM, staceyglow said:

My guess is that a server wrote a folio number down wrong when taking someone else's order. Don't stress about it. 

This the first thing that crossed my mind when I read the subject. 

[ngrund]

On 2/25/2023 at 3:41 PM, OceanZena said:

 

 

Today was Nassau and to change things up I went to Baha Mar instead of my usual Atlantis and I really liked it. It has a nice big casino and a nice alternative to Atlantis.

 

I

Quick question about Baha Mar if you know-are the table games open all day?

[Top_of_the_Cube]

Last cruise, I had two different charges from a bar I never visited, and then a credit for those same drinks (fortunately, they were not later re-posted to my account). 

 

While a few miss-applied charges would never make me think to get a new card, if passengers visited Guest Services and requested a new Sail and Sign card each time a mysterious purchase appears, maybe there would be more emphasis and training with crew to get it right the first time.  I love cruising, but some things they let slide until it becomes a real burden on them.

[OceanZena]

2 hours ago, ngrund said:

Quick question about Baha Mar if you know-are the table games open all day?

I was there for about 3 hours midday and noticed a few open tables while wandering around. I don't play tables so there could've been more I just didn't notice. I'm unsure about their hours throughout the day though, but between 12 and 3pm on Saturday there were some tables open. Not a whole lot mind you, it seems the middle of the day is a low point at the casino where everyone is out at the beach. It was pretty empty so I had my pick of slot machines. I'm sure that place is hopping in the evenings. I actually liked it more than Atlantis and will go back there again in Dec.

 

Off topic, but having to do with slots....Yesterday on the ship, I dared to try a $5.00 slot machine (I usually don't go that high)....On the third spin I got a single Bar/Triple Diamond/single Bar and saw the credits only said 30 won. 

I thought that can't be right! Only 30 bucks for THAT?! I was so upset thinking the machine screwed me over that I cashed out only to see the 30 display then changed to show $150.00 cash paid....It took me a few seconds to realize that I had to multiply the credits shown by 5 and it wasn't 30 dollars won. I felt like such a moron---but a rich moron though haha! 

[ngrund]

Thanks! Last time we were in Nassau ship left early afternoon so we just went to Maragativille with a day pass-I wanted to go to Baha Mar to pick up a chip for the collection, didn't want to cab or bus over there just to find no tables open

[Gamecock_Cruiser]

It happens. Most of the roaming bartenders write the folio number down and don't swipe the actual card. They miss keyed or wrote it wrong. It happens sometimes and guest services always fixes the issue.

 

[OceanZena]

8 minutes ago, Gamecock_Cruiser said:

It happens. Most of the roaming bartenders write the folio number down and don't swipe the actual card. They miss keyed or wrote it wrong. It happens sometimes and guest services always fixes the issue.

 

Yeah, but what about the people who never notice it on their S&S accounts hidden among all their own charges? I didn't realize just how much it happens until this seeing other people's experiences shared in this thread. 

[dlphn501]

You have to watch your folio like a hawk!  One time I maxed out on my Cheers, but didn't realize until I tried to get a drink at midnight and the bartender let me know I already had 15.  So I asked for a diet coke instead.  The next day I was denied drink #15 bc I was told that I was already at #15 bc they had counted the diet coke from midnight-ish.  First, Cheers resets at 6am, so even if it was rung up as alcohol, I only had 14 drinks after 6am.  And second, it was soda, and not sure how they could have messed that up and rung it up as alcohol when they clearly said I couldn't have it.  This was before I realized I could track my drinks in the app.  

So fast forward to my next cruise, and I was on the lookout!  We go to brunch in the MDR, and I order a beer.  They brought me a mimosa, which I don't like, so I sent it back and asked for my beer.  They bring me a beer. Cool.  I check my folio and I was charged for 2 alcoholic drinks!  I ordered another beer, and i told them they charged me for 2 drinks for one beer.  They said they would fix it.  I checked my folio again and I was up to 4 drinks!  For 2 beers.  So I waited until after Brunch and went to customer service to fix it.  The line was long af, so I waited until later.  FTTF would have been nice in this case.  I finally get around to getting to customer/guest services to explain what happened, and that I was just trying to make sure there were no mix-ups like my last cruise.  They took off the 2 extra drinks, thank goodness. 

Moral of the story is you always have to check your folio.  We shouldn't have to check it so often, but unfortunately it's necessary.  

[Denversail]

3 minutes ago, dlphn501 said:

You have to watch your folio like a hawk!  One time I maxed out on my Cheers, but didn't realize until I tried to get a drink at midnight and the bartender let me know I already had 15.  So I asked for a diet coke instead.  The next day I was denied drink #15 bc I was told that I was already at #15 bc they had counted the diet coke from midnight-ish.  First, Cheers resets at 6am, so even if it was rung up as alcohol, I only had 14 drinks after 6am.  And second, it was soda, and not sure how they could have messed that up and rung it up as alcohol when they clearly said I couldn't have it.  This was before I realized I could track my drinks in the app.  

So fast forward to my next cruise, and I was on the lookout!  We go to brunch in the MDR, and I order a beer.  They brought me a mimosa, which I don't like, so I sent it back and asked for my beer.  They bring me a beer. Cool.  I check my folio and I was charged for 2 alcoholic drinks!  I ordered another beer, and i told them they charged me for 2 drinks for one beer.  They said they would fix it.  I checked my folio again and I was up to 4 drinks!  For 2 beers.  So I waited until after Brunch and went to customer service to fix it.  The line was long af, so I waited until later.  FTTF would have been nice in this case.  I finally get around to getting to customer/guest services to explain what happened, and that I was just trying to make sure there were no mix-ups like my last cruise.  They took off the 2 extra drinks, thank goodness. 

Moral of the story is you always have to check your folio.  We shouldn't have to check it so often, but unfortunately it's necessary.  

I will not go on Carnival again because of the stupid drink limit. Hard pass

[OceanZena]

1 hour ago, dlphn501 said:

You have to watch your folio like a hawk!  One time I maxed out on my Cheers, but didn't realize until I tried to get a drink at midnight and the bartender let me know I already had 15.  So I asked for a diet coke instead.  The next day I was denied drink #15 bc I was told that I was already at #15 bc they had counted the diet coke from midnight-ish.  First, Cheers resets at 6am, so even if it was rung up as alcohol, I only had 14 drinks after 6am.  And second, it was soda, and not sure how they could have messed that up and rung it up as alcohol when they clearly said I couldn't have it.  This was before I realized I could track my drinks in the app.  

So fast forward to my next cruise, and I was on the lookout!  We go to brunch in the MDR, and I order a beer.  They brought me a mimosa, which I don't like, so I sent it back and asked for my beer.  They bring me a beer. Cool.  I check my folio and I was charged for 2 alcoholic drinks!  I ordered another beer, and i told them they charged me for 2 drinks for one beer.  They said they would fix it.  I checked my folio again and I was up to 4 drinks!  For 2 beers.  So I waited until after Brunch and went to customer service to fix it.  The line was long af, so I waited until later.  FTTF would have been nice in this case.  I finally get around to getting to customer/guest services to explain what happened, and that I was just trying to make sure there were no mix-ups like my last cruise.  They took off the 2 extra drinks, thank goodness. 

Moral of the story is you always have to check your folio.  We shouldn't have to check it so often, but unfortunately it's necessary.  

The good thing about these experiences is that it does make you more watchful of your account so in that aspect, i'm glad it happened because now I know to be on high alert regarding my charges. And it's very handy to with the app to keep an eye on things. Not saying I don't trust Carnival, but it just seems there's a lot of room for human error the way the current S&S method is. Hopefully they can come up with a better way to charge us with less chance for errors or overcharges. 

[OceanZena]

1 hour ago, Denversail said:

I will not go on Carnival again because of the stupid drink limit. Hard pass

15 drinks a day isn't enough for you? 😳

[Denversail]

Just now, OceanZena said:

15 drinks a day isn't enough for you? 😳

Maybe it is and maybe it isn’t. I certainly don’t want to find out during my vacation. I’m an adult that is perfectly capable of behaving myself. I’m on vacation and have zero interest in tracking my beverage intake.

[OceanZena]

Just now, Denversail said:

Maybe it is and maybe it isn’t. I certainly don’t want to find out during my vacation. I’m an adult that is perfectly capable of behaving myself. I’m on vacation and have zero interest in tracking my beverage intake.

Understood. I drink myself, but I personally agree with the 15 limit especially after the recent publicized incidents of extreme rowdy behavior that was most likely alcohol induced. Sometimes even adults need to have limitations imo. 

[Gamecock_Cruiser]

On 2/27/2023 at 5:15 PM, OceanZena said:

Yeah, but what about the people who never notice it on their S&S accounts hidden among all their own charges? I didn't realize just how much it happens until this seeing other people's experiences shared in this thread. 

Out of 3000 people, if it happens 10 times, it is less than 2%. I stop by a kiosk or my room TB and check my charges daily. Same thing that I do with my banking account and credit card. Things happen. 

 

Out of 9 cruises, I have never had it happen to me.
 

Edited March 1, 2023 by Gamecock_Cruiser

[OceanZena]

45 minutes ago, Gamecock_Cruiser said:

Out of 3000 people, if it happens 10 times, it is less than 2%. I stop by a kiosk or my room TB and check my charges daily. Same thing that I do with my banking account and credit card. Things happen. 

 

Out of 9 cruises, I have never had it happen to me.
 

This was my 8th sailing and it's the first time it's happened to me and I suspect it has a lot to do with adding that 5th digit to the passenger's Folio number.

But what I was saying was in regard to all the people who never even noticed the possible extra charges buried among all their actual charges. How many of them would say "Things happen?" Whether it happens to 2% or 20% of the passengers or whatever percentage, it is not good imo and the goal by Carnival should be 0%, and I sincerely hope they get active and do something about it. Until then, I will watch that S&S account like a hawk. 

[clskinsfan]

22 hours ago, OceanZena said:

15 drinks a day isn't enough for you? 😳

No its not for me. I can literally drink 15 beers in a 6 hour night no problem. And I will barely have a buzz. Not like I am bragging or anything. And it wont stop me from cruising. But it needs to be based on your condition whether you continue to get served. 

[KarmaCruisers]

1 hour ago, clskinsfan said:

No its not for me. I can literally drink 15 beers in a 6 hour night no problem. And I will barely have a buzz. Not like I am bragging or anything. And it wont stop me from cruising. But it needs to be based on your condition whether you continue to get served. 

Lol start drinking harder hitting beers, like IPA or DIPA..if you can knock back 15 7% ABV 12oz cans in 6 hours..you’re a pro!

[TomCruise48]

I have been charged multiple times for drinks that I didn't purchase, once when we were in port, and I was not onboard. I am sure these were because the server copied the folio number incorrectly.

 

Several years ago Carnival experimented with the bar servers using tablets to scan your card so they would not need to write things down. I haven't seen this recently.

[resetjet]

Now that they don't give the cards in the terminal and its at your room, and the rooms aren't ready until 1pm or whatever, you just tell the bartender your room.  You could pick any room for that matter.  I am sure someone made a mistake and gave the wrong room, or the bartender misheard, but there are thieves everywhere