CHECK CRUISE SHIP BILLS

As both my readers know, last week we cruised the Caribbean aboard  Norwegian's Pearl.


Of course, we had a great time. How can you sail on any cruise ship & not?


But it did remind me of a couple of universal truths that 7 day sailors should never forget.


The 1st & most important - always check your final bill very, very carefully.


Although some cruise ships have this bill available on your cabin TV, low tech Norwegian attaches theirs to your cabin door.


With all the hustle, bustle & confusion of packing, leaving luggage in the hall, checking every nooked cranny for runaway socks, grabbing that final breakfast & disembarking ALL BEFORE 8AM - it is very possible to miss a few $ that shouldn't have been charged.


And they do appear.


Ok, we all know that one of the most humorous parts of any cruise is standing by the 'Guest Service Desk' & eavesdropping on someone who will swear on that morning's bloody mary that he couldn't have a 4 figure bar tab - then watch his face get as red as his nose when the GS peeps present his signed bar receipts.


Hey, the almost $10 beers (after service charges) do add up. 


But there are times - like on our bill - where there's a real discrepancy. Ours was about 30% too much.


After an hour's wait at the GS Desk (it seems Norwegian had manned this with more folk every other day but the final one), I faced GSD employee Fredrick Fernandes with my bill (always get full names when dealing with GS - I had to get his off his name tag because he wouldn't tell me).


At 1st FF was very dismissive about my math, but after carefully & patiently showing him my figures (that any 2nd grader would have immediately understood), Freddy hemmed, hawed & punched #s on his computer for over 20 minutes before agreeing that I was owed $80.05.


And get this - the company wasn't going to immediately credit my account, but would send a check (someday in the future) to my home.


As Sandy observed, 'How 1980s'.


Anyway, we could have avoided this last minute monetary debate by going to the GSD daily & asking for a printout of our charges. 


Ok, this will cut a bit into your drinking time & might cause some GSD frowns, but many cruisers do this for obviously a good reason. You should too.


You'll be able to see your charges and actually possibly remember if they are true.


At the very least, you may be convinced to skip a few 'Bahama Mamas' & keep your tab under a grand.