NCL overcharging

[Retired not Expired]

Ok details.

As every other NCL guest I started my trip owing no money. When we left the cruise we were given an account summary that we aranged to have payed by a major Bank credit card.

We checked online the next business day and it show that the same exact amount as on the summary was payed to NCL. So put it out of our mind.

 

Now we have received more then one message to my answering machine from NCL and the last one threatned to take the matter to a collection agency.

 

I have one of those phones that you just have to push a button to recall the last missed call. I did this and was put on hold for 45 min, at the time I hung up, the office should have already been closed for 30 min, which is a problem since I understand the office is open east coast business hours, which is when I am at work.

 

But my TA is to take care of it Tuesday. I am sure thinking of going on a different line for my next cuise. One who has a better accounting department.

 

Thanks for explaining. It sure sounds like an accounting problem either with the CC sending the wrong account number with the payment or NCL accounting entering it to the wrong account. I hope you get it straightened out quickly.

 

I had a problem with the audit department of a CC company kept changing a credit to a debit. That's the department that's suppose to find mistakes not make one. Took a while to get it fixed as everytime I did, the audit department would change it again. I'm no longer with that company so understand how you feel. Had they fixed it the first time, I would have been fine.

 

Good Luck.

[Planer's Edge]

I have one of those phones that you just have to push a button to recall the last missed call. I did this and was put on hold for 45 min, at the time I hung up, the office should have already been closed for 30 min, which is a problem since I understand the office is open east coast business hours, which is when I am at work.

 

Did they not leave a direct call back number?

 

PE

[cruisequeen10]

This happened to me a long time ago (on Princess) and they couldn't reverse anything before I left and had to be dealt with when I got home and it was a mess, that is why I pay cash on board.

[KeystoneCruiser]

Thanks for coming back and explaining it! I'm with Planers Edge in his question, did they not leave a number for you to call them back?? Instead of pushing the recall button, perhaps you should have copied the number down and called it direct. At our school when we push "9" to make an outside call, the router immediately puts you on the last available line in the phone number sequence so as not to tie up the main number. If I called you from my school phone, the number would probably show up as one way down on our number list and if you pushed the button to call back to that number, most likely no one would answer because it is an outgoing line only.

 

Now we have received more then one message to my answering machine from NCL and the last one threatned to take the matter to a collection agency..

 

I still find this very strange. Two or three weeks later, they are already threatening a collection agency?? That raises flags all over the place for me. A scammer would attempt to get you to pay as quickly as possible before you have time to investigate and threatening a collection agency, sometimes causes people to panic and pay. A real company normally would make more attempts to collect themselves instead of having to pay a collection agency.

 

Regardless of who made it, I see this as simply an idle threat at this point in time. (and if someone at NCL stooped to this level so quickly, I would be extremely disappointed, but not surprised.)

 

But my TA is to take care of it Tuesday. I am sure thinking of going on a different line for my next cuise. One who has a better accounting department.

 

I'm now going to defend NCL (yes, grab onto your hats....). Please don't discredit NCL just yet. First, you don't know if the fault is NCL's or your Credit Card company (putting the wrong numbers down, etc.) or if it is a scam. You shouldn't rush to a decision until all the facts are in.

 

Second, one accounting mistake should not discredit the entire NCL cruise line. Everyone and every company makes accounting mistakes. (have you never messed up your check book?) I can't stand NCL corporate, I think they have the worst customer service in the business and NCL corporate makes all kinds of mistakes. But NCL is still my cruise line of choice...why? Because a cruise is about the ships, itineraries, ports and crews. Did you enjoy the actual cruise part?? If so, then to go to a different cruise line because of a simple, common accounting error doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

[newmexicoNita]

sorry, unless the cc number wasn't correct for some reason NCL would not be calling you. They would simply bill your CC direct. I think, if it happened as you say, you are being scammed. You also would not just dial a number and be put on hold. I have called a few cruise lines, NCL being one and eventually been dis-connected. This normally happens when there are problems like hurricanes, ship cancellations or whatever. I am curios as to why they called you, how they got your phone number and why they didn't contact your TA? This just makes absolutley no sense. I wouldn't be so quick to blame NCl. NMnita

[BigGVa]

This thread of emails has been interesting but caused me to wonder aboout our situation. Our extended family of 12 is taking the Pearl this summer and we have five cabins booked. My parents offered to pay a certain amount and then the kids (and their kids) are their own for the remainder of the costs. My parents put all five rooms on their credit card for the purposes of the initial downpayment but I surely wouldn't want to see them get stuck for any charges someone else decides to charge to their room. I am assuming once we get on board we can each give someone in management a particular credit card per each room and make sure that any additional charges from booze to bowling to a massage get charged to that card, right? Who is that serves that function? Is there a manager? (Dumb question I guess but we are rookies to cruising).

[Retired not Expired]

This thread of emails has been interesting but caused me to wonder aboout our situation. Our extended family of 12 is taking the Pearl this summer and we have five cabins booked. My parents offered to pay a certain amount and then the kids (and their kids) are their own for the remainder of the costs. My parents put all five rooms on their credit card for the purposes of the initial downpayment but I surely wouldn't want to see them get stuck for any charges someone else decides to charge to their room. I am assuming once we get on board we can each give someone in management a particular credit card per each room and make sure that any additional charges from booze to bowling to a massage get charged to that card, right? Who is that serves that function? Is there a manager? (Dumb question I guess but we are rookies to cruising).

 

Paying for the cruise and payment of an on-board account are two separate items. At check-in, either a credit card or a cash payment towards the on-board account will have to be placed for each cabin. So your parents won't be stuck unless they give their card to pay for the accounts of all the cabins.

[Retired not Expired]

This thread of emails has been interesting but caused me to wonder aboout our situation. Our extended family of 12 is taking the Pearl this summer and we have five cabins booked. My parents offered to pay a certain amount and then the kids (and their kids) are their own for the remainder of the costs. My parents put all five rooms on their credit card for the purposes of the initial downpayment but I surely wouldn't want to see them get stuck for any charges someone else decides to charge to their room. I am assuming once we get on board we can each give someone in management a particular credit card per each room and make sure that any additional charges from booze to bowling to a massage get charged to that card, right? Who is that serves that function? Is there a manager? (Dumb question I guess but we are rookies to cruising).

 

Paying for the cruise and payment of an on-board account are two separate items. At check-in, either a credit card or a cash payment towards the on-board account will have to be placed for each cabin. So your parents won't be stuck unless they give their card to pay for the accounts of all the cabins.

[newmexicoNita]

I don't think you have anything to be concerned about. This particular situation is a little strange to put it mildly. I have seen times when cruisers get double billed after they return (no not for the cruise) for on board purchases but even that is rare. Normally it boils down to the person simply just forgot some of the things thay charged the last day or night. Maybe not all bills were turned into accounting prior to the final statement. We have over 20 cruises under our belt, out last one was the only time this happened and as I said it had to do with a coffee purchase we didn't make. Well we made one but not 2.

 

What has happened to the OP is still very unclear. There would be absolutely no reason for NCL to be calling them direct. They would simply bill the CC company for any incidentals. Of course if the CC was maxed out that would be a reason for phone calls. Even then I am not quite understanding this whole thing: I doubt anyone does.

 

Don't be concerned and yes, you are correct like retired not expired said: you will all give a cc when you board the ship. this will be your form of payment for everything your entire cruise. NMnita