So you forget that your credit card has been replaced on an account for which there is an automatic charge. Or the tax bill that came in the mail is misplaced, forgotten and not paid. Things happen.
Eventually, you pay the bill. It usually only takes a reminder, and you're probably going to get dinged a penalty. More than anything, you're embarrassed.
Imagine how Royal Caribbean feels.
When cruise ships are in ports, they pay pilot fees. When Independence of the Seas was in a Norwegian port (that's Norwegian as in country, not cruise line) called Alesund, somehow it ran up a tab for pilot fees. This was in 2013 and the tab became 600,000 krone…about $101,000. That's part of a shortage of 7.6 million krone ($1.2 million) that a variety of ships/lines owe the Norwegian Coastal Association.
Last week, the NCA got Royal Caribbean's attention by having the local bailiff seize the ship.
Well, that's embarrassing.
Once the bailiff was on board, the ship's captain called the cruise-line headquarters. The bill was paid. In less than an hour.
Maybe the dominoes are smaller, as they say, but is there anybody around who doesn't know the feeling?
Today at Phil Reimer's portsandbows.com: 'Exotic' itineraries from Princess Cruises
Norwegian Jade
10 nights
December 3, 2014
Rome (return): Olympia, Athens, Ephesus, Istanbul, Naples
Inside: $499
Cost per day: $49
www.ncl.com