The 1 thing you should do every day of your cruise — and it's not what you think
Savvy cruisers do one thing every day that I bet you do not. It's not as sexy as securing the best sun lounger without turning into a chair hog or taking advantage of a lucrative bar or dining discount. However, if you adopted this habit, it could save you money and hassle.
The one thing smart sailors do every day? Check their onboard bill.
Oh no, I hear you saying, I do not want the buzzkill of thinking about money on vacation. I want to enjoy those umbrella drinks, impulse buys and extra-fee snacks without worrying about the cost until I'm forced to face reality the night before I leave the ship.
And yet — what if the bill is wrong? If you don't spot those screwy charges in a timely manner, recouping your money gets a lot more difficult. Read on to discover why this quick and easy step can save you time, money and hassle.
Onboard billing problems
Mistakes on your onboard account are more common than you might realize.
You could be inadvertently charged for drinks you did not buy or meals you did not eat. Maybe your shore excursion credit did not come through, or you were charged twice for the overpriced logo sweatshirt you bought at the onboard shop. We've heard tales of kids racking up bills at the arcade, and their parents not discovering the fees until the last night of the cruise. And sometimes mysterious charges show up out of nowhere, and you have no idea where they came from.
Related: 15 ways that cruising newbies waste money on ships
Case in point: On the last evening of a recent Norwegian Getaway cruise, TPG's Jamie Page Deaton discovered charges on her onboard bill for eating in The Haven Restaurant (which should have been an included dining option for her, as she was staying in the ship's The Haven suite area). She also discovered charges for drinking at The Haven Bar, despite having a premium beverage package. She was charged what looked to be a 20% gratuity on meals and drinks, based on drink and meal prices on board, including a $28 charge for a breakfast of eggs and waffles, implying the total bill should have come to $140.
She never had to sign a receipt at the restaurant or bar so was unaware she was being billed until she saw the charges on her final bill. Had she checked her bill on the first day or two of the cruise, she could have gone to The Haven's concierge during a quiet hour and sorted out what was going on. However, as it was a short cruise, she didn't bother to check until the end.
Why you shouldn't wait to contest your bill
If it's not obvious why checking your bill every day is the better way to go, let me spell it out for you.
You could ignore your onboard account and wait until a paper bill is delivered to your cabin the night before disembarkation. If there are issues, you could contest the charges at that time. But I see two problems with this strategy.
One is that many cruisers take this approach, leading to huge queues at guest services the night before and the morning of departure. You could spend your last evening on board enjoying a leisurely dinner, a toe-tapping show, a last run at the poker table or a no-holds-barred bar crawl. Or, you could spend it shoulder-to-shoulder with your shipmates, waiting in line at guest services.
Related: 16 mistakes cruise ship passengers make on disembarkation day
The second is that this strategy does not help you stop a problem before it gets out of hand. If your child is running up a bill on video games unbeknownst to you, the cruise line isn't going to wipe those charges on day seven because they're legitimate purchases. However, if you notice the issue on day two, you can have a talk with your child about onboard spending and can put a spending limit on his card at guest services, so he can't rack up further charges.
It also lets you discover if onboard credit or loyalty-member perks are not being applied correctly and have that issue taken care of as soon as possible. In Jamie's case, she could have questioned the charges, and either had them removed or — if they were legit — made dining and drinking decisions based on the knowledge that a gratuity would be applied in The Haven restaurant and bar.
If you're thinking you'll take care of any billing problems after your cruise, let me assure you that this will cause you even more headaches. Post-cruise customer service is sadly not the best at cruise lines, as Jamie has found out.
She was hoping to address the issues on board with The Haven concierge, but the desk was closed when she got the bill on the last night of the sailing. Disembarkation was a "madhouse," with the concierges busy trying to get the suite guests off the ship.
"Given the bedlam of the morning and the fact that the concierge looked beyond overwhelmed, we didn't want to bother him," she said. She assumed she could figure out if the charges were appropriate or not after the sailing.
However, getting information from Norwegian Cruise Line has been nearly impossible. Jamie spent nearly three-quarters of an hour on hold with the land-based concierge for The Haven passengers just to be told she needed to call a different customer service line. That line only led to a recording instructing her to submit an online claim. She's still waiting for a response or even an acknowledgment that her claim was received. Her next step will likely be disputing the claim with her credit card issuer, resulting in more time spent on the phone to resolve the issue.
Indeed, I have tried to get copies of my bill emailed to me after a trip, and heard nothing. Customer service doesn't always have access to your onboard bill or have any idea which charges are problematic — that is, if you can even get to an agent without spending hours on hold.
The best strategy: Check your bill daily
All you need is five minutes a day to focus on the un-sexy topic of your onboard spending charges, and then you can go back to playing in the sun and ignoring reality on your vacation. That five minutes can save you time, money and headaches on the last day of or after your cruise.
Technology makes it extremely easy to check your onboard folio. Download the cruise line's app, and you can usually see your charges there. Ships with interactive cabin TVs also offer a way to check your bill from your room. If all else fails, you can go down to guest services to request a copy — look for a time when the queue is short, and it won't eat into your day.
In most cases, a quick glance will assure you that all the charges are correct, and you can get back to vacation fun. If you do notice a problem, you can take care of it when it's convenient that day, rather than when everyone is queuing up to dispute their bill with guest services.
Because even experienced cruisers eventually run into trouble. "Even though I consider myself a fairly savvy cruiser, this is a lesson that will stick with me," says Jamie. "What I like about cruising is that I can pay for everything upfront and not have to think about money for the entire vacation. The trade-off for me not thinking about money on this cruise is now I get to think about it for the next several months as I get this straightened out."
"For our [next] cruise, I am planning on setting reminders on my phone to check the bill each evening, and to hit the concierge on our way to breakfast each morning. That 10 minutes a day will save me a lot of time once I hit land, and maybe keep the vacation feeling going longer."
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
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- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.