Jessieasanders

This will be our first cruise and one stop is Costa Maya. Our family has 1 12 year old girl, 1 14 year old girl, and 1 16 year old boy. I am trying to decide where we should hang out for the day. After reading through the threads, we have decided that we would be happiest at a beach that has minimal beach grass. Not sure if we are better off with an AI or just pay as we go.

Recommendations and tips are greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

First time cruiser here. Taking our family of 5 in May on the Getway to the Western Carribean. Question came up while discussing some of our plans for beach days. What should we be bringing with us off the ship? I'm assuming we will bring our ship cards, money, possibly our phones so we can use them as cameras, maybe a change of clothes. But what do we do with all this stuff once we are on the beach? Are there typically lockers we can use? I hate the idea of having to have one person sit with the stuff while the rest of the family is out in the water.

Also do we bring towels off the ship?

Thank in advance for any tips, tricks, and words of wisdom you are able to pass along to us.

Where did you all here about this at? I have one daughter who drinks soda, and one daughter who won't drink anything carbonated ... So getting her a juice package would be great. However on our my ncl I still only see a soda option.

You could tell them if their arcade charges exceed $10 on any day you are suspending the account for example.

 

Another general cost kids can get you into is where they have a smartphone and they "keep in touch" on various social media sites or stream videos to watch. Then if they have a contract as opposed to a pay as you go account set up you can be hit well after you get back home!

 

Regards John

Good point re the phones ... We are thinking about having everyone lock up their phones while on vacation ... But that is also how we take pics. So at the very least, they will be going into airplane mode.

I don't want to scare you but even good kids can get carried away, stories about kids racking up hundreds of dollars worth of charges in the arcade are not unheard of. :)

 

For example this thread mentions $800 worth of arcade charges ($1-5/game) by just one pre-teen:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1979899

 

But as said, checking the onboard account regularly also helps to at least limit the damage (not prevent it completely).

I agree! And this is exactly what we are trying to avoid. After the tips here, I think we will set up cash accounts.

We set up cash accounts for each person. DH and I at the $300 amount per person, SS will have a $175. He can then Purchase soda package if he wants and will have $16 a day left over. We will be on getaway so we upped budget from our dawn budget to include cookies or cake snack from carlo's, gelato, non alcoholic frozen drink, bowling or darts at osheehan's in addition to the arcade.

 

 

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That is a great idea! Thanks for the info! I think we may do something along the same I lines ... So there aren't any surprises at the end of the trip

Most cruise lines will give you an interim printout of your onboard account to date. With more than one person in the cabin all on one credit card normally each account has a -2 or -3 to separate users. You can then go through relevant page with teenager and review not only how much has been spent but also what it was spent on. This can be done daily or every couple of days as you need. Day two you can say to son/daughter "You are going to look a right melon if I have to cancel all purchase rights on your card due to over spending" if usage starts to go out of bounds.

 

Regards John

Thankfully our kids are really good kids, so hopefully turning them into melons won't be necessary. I was just trying to prevent an accidental catastrophe at the end of our vacation when I get the final bill :). But checking in on the charges a couple days in sounds like great advice!

Many will be using (possibly a lot of) money at the arcade. Buying snacks and candy from the onboard shops also comes in mind.

Thanks! Being a newbie, I wasn't thinking about the arcade! And didn't know there would be snacks and candy for sale. I just assumed if they wanted something to eat, they would go back up to the buffet :)

When you check-in and they ask if you want to give them a credit card then say no and say you will set up a cash account with Guest Services. I think they could suggest $300 but if you think that too much suggest a lower figure; you will have to provide the cash though.

 

When you get to the limit you have put on the card they will stop it being used and get in touch for you to add more cash to it.

So, to get an idea for budgeting purposes ... What would a typical teenager need to spend money on while on the ship? Each of our teens will have a soda package, so no drink cost, right? What else is there that they will need money for?

First time cruiser here . I was wondering if there is a way to set a spending limit on my teenagers' key cards?

Wow... Thank you so much for the info regarding Memorial Day weekend!! Maybe we won't fly in that early, and just add our beach days on to the end of our vacation ... So stay in Miami Beach Sunday June 5th. Any crazy festivals that weekend I should beware of?

We will be looking for a room Friday May 26th checking out that Sunday :). We are hoping to find something$200 /night/room or below. Crossing my fingers :)

We will be looking for a room Friday May 26th checking out that Sunday :). We are hoping to find something$200 /night/room or below. Crossing my fingers :)

I've never been to Miami, so we don't really have an area in mind. We don't need a 5 star hotel, but don't want to stay in a place that I'm scared to sleep on the sheets :). Would be great if we had access to a beach, as this will be the first time seeing the ocean for 2 of the kids :)

Looking for some recommendations for a hotel in Miami. 2 adults, 3 teenager. Flying into Miami on a Thursday, NCL leaving Sunday. We are hoping to find something convenient to things to keep the kids occupied on Friday and Saturday (beach and food), and then convenient to get to the ship. Thoughts? Advice? This is our first cruise, so any and all tips and recommendations are very much appreciated!

We are newbie cruisers. Just booked our first cruise, May 29th on the Getaway, going to the W Carribean. Our kids will be 12,14,16. What are excursions you would recommend not missing? Kids are really stoked about swimming with dolphins ... Any tips?