Avoiding the Last Day Checkout Tip

[Cyberkashi]

There is usually a long line to settle bills/raise issues etc. on the last day. Guest Services is a mob scene. So here's a tip...

Guest Services is open 24hrs. a day.

You can settle your account any time of the day or night. On the evening before embarkation, we spent the evening in the clubs, tucked DD into bed, and then reviewed our final bill that was waiting in the stateroom. I went down to GS to settle the bill. It was around 2am. No line. You obviously don't need to wait until the wee hours but late night is a good time to visit.

 

[prymsu]

yup, I like to get things like this taken care of without having to wait in line. I normally get up very early (even on vacation) - about 4:30 a.m., and can get up there with no wait to resolve the final bill.

 

[papa]

Yep! That is what Mike does too. Sure makes life easier.

It is a real bummer to get outside the state room and look down the hall and see all the new linen hanging on the safety rails and realize that your cruise is over and they are getting ready for some new lucky people to take your bed. Wah!!!!!!!!!!Then have to settle your bill too?????????????It is cruel!

Take care, Kathy

 

[imgoingtodisney]

When I cruised 4 nights on NCL in Dec I was at guest services about every other day paying off what had been accumulating.
It was much nicer to open the door on the last morning to a ZERO balance than to have been my MIL opening her bill to what she owed. I stepped off that ship oweing nothing.

 

[Señor Ferrari]

You can also just leave it on your credit card, so you don't have to go to Guest Services at all.

 

[taswira]

Originally posted by Señor Ferrari
You can also just leave it on your credit card, so you don't have to go to Guest Services at all.

That's what I do. Total heaven! No line, no hassle, no worries. They just slip the statement under my door early a.m., and I'm all set!

 

[Jobro2]

We also went to Guest Services every other day and paid off our account with Traveler's Checks...any charges we made the last night went on to the credit card we gave at check in and we only had $20 or so on it. It was nice leaving the ship and knowing we paid it all off...

 

[atigeg]

Even if you are using a charge card, you have to make a visit in person in order to charge your tips. What we do is go early and charge the "regular" amounts (we have never received service bad enough to warrant anything less). We make sure to bring cash and phone cards with us, and then we add that at the end for those who deserve it...that way, we avoid that wicked line.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[taswira]

Originally posted by Jobro2
It was nice leaving the ship and knowing we paid it all off...

That's why the <I>only</I> card I ever use for my "bill to" card for my KTTW is my Am-Ex that has to be paid <I>in full</I> each month. That way I know I'm not going to let the bill get out of control and charge beyond my means. In addition, I earn points (to be used for air miles or other things) for every dollar!

 

[SusanMouse]

I planned ahead for the tips. At home I saved up money and put it little by little in envelopes months before our cruise. By the time for the cruise I had the recommended amounts in each envelope, labeled. Then on the last night of the cruise I put the cash in the envelopes provided by DCL and labeled them with the cast members names. I also had extra cash to add to the tips above the recommended amounts for the cast members who were extra special! (Our server Ernestina from Croatia was outstanding!!!) So no visits needed to Guest Services and no extra charges on our credit cards!!

 

[taswira]

Originally posted by Cyberkashi
There is usually a long line to settle bills/raise issues etc. on the last day. Guest Services is a mob scene. So here's a tip...

It seems some of us (myself included) took this thread title to be about settling the stateroom bill, and others took it as tips for "tipping" the CM's. Hmmm. Well, we got tips for both!