how to limit funds on kids accounts

Hi,

We have one cabin, and will have 2 kids in the room with the wife and I.

I'd like to make some funds available to them so they can play games in the arcade or other things, but want to limit that amount, and when they're out... they're out. I don't want that limit to apply to the wife and I, who are in the same cabin.

Is there a way to do this? Each time I've tried to do this (NCL, RC) it been very painful/not worked. It's been a year since our last cruise, so I figure I'd ask to see if anyone has the latest and greatest on this subject... thanks!

I just tell my kids how much they can spend. If they go over, they owe me the money PLUS are in trouble. We've been on plenty of vacations where they've had charging privileges, and have yet to spend their limits (I think they get $25 for a week long cruise).

I just tell my kids how much they can spend. If they go over, they owe me the money PLUS are in trouble. We've been on plenty of vacations where they've had charging privileges, and have yet to spend their limits (I think they get $25 for a week long cruise).

:) never underestimate the lengths a teenage boy will go to try and impress a young lady he meets on the cruise. One other aspect -- kids lose their cards. Then a different kid finds and has fun for the day in the arcade. It happens.

I tell my kids that they can spend $25.00 on games. It has never been an issue after that.

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I thought I read that you can go to guest services and put cash on each kids card and not have them linked to your credit card. That's what I was planning on doing when we sail in April. I'm hoping this can be done

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People give more to there butler than they do there own kids lol.

I have never had this problem with my teen age son.

I give him around $100 for what ever and I tell him that's all he gets only because I know he will blow it all in the arcade and maybe some at the store.

He is on vacation too I dont want him to hate cruising by being stingy on his vacation you have to let them have some freedom and fun.

People give more to there butler than they do there own kids lol.

I have never had this problem with my teen age son.

I give him around $100 for what ever and I tell him that's all he gets only because I know he will blow it all in the arcade and maybe some at the store.

He is on vacation too I dont want him to hate cruising by being stingy on his vacation you have to let them have some freedom and fun.

the fact that they are on any sort of luxury vacation at all is far from being "stingy". many families cannot afford any sort of vacation other than perhaps camping.

i think it depends on the child. if you have raised your children to be responsible with money and how to budget, etc. then setting a limit with clear consequences for going over is acceptable. But if you have children who have no clue about the value of a dollar, and how to control spending, then you need the assistance of the card having a limit.

i also think if teens have jobs that they should be bringing their own onboard spending money. no reason why they cant pay for what they want on board above and beyond the free cruise that mom and dad gifted them.

I haven't done this personally, but I have separated my account from another person in the same cabin. So not sure why this couldn't be done as long as the tips are prepaid or there's enough cash in there to pay them.

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It can be done. Do not link them to your account, make each child a separate account with cash . I've been there done that, funny thing is I tried to tell freinds to do this and was told "my kids are very responsible with money". $500 on arcade fees later they took my advice. 😂

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People give more to there butler than they do there own kids lol.

I have never had this problem with my teen age son.

I give him around $100 for what ever and I tell him that's all he gets only because I know he will blow it all in the arcade and maybe some at the store.

He is on vacation too I dont want him to hate cruising by being stingy on his vacation you have to let them have some freedom and fun.

I don't thing it's stingy - they are free to spend their own money. I have 5 kids who will be between the ages of 14 - 20 when we sail next, I'm not giving out $500 for them to blow on treats and arcade games.

We tell the $10 a day. Spend $18 on the first day? You only have $2 the 2nd day. My kids were 10 and 12 when we started this practice. We haven't had a problem.

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If you set up a separate account for the kids then I assume their DSC would be charged to it, so you either have to prepay it or take that into account when deciding how much to put in.

Don't put their cards on the credit card you use at check in. When you get on board go to Guest Services and put some cash on each card. Just like you have to do if you don't use a credit card on check in.

We sailed on RCCL last year. When I did online checkin, I did not give my kids charging privileges (they were 5 and 6 at the time). I went to Guest Services and put $50 on each of their cards and told them when it was gone, it was gone. They played a bit in the arcade and I think each of them bought a T-shirt -- they didn't spend the whole amount.

Of course, then Grandma stepped in and bought more T-shirts and some game time in the arcade, but that was on her card.

Last time we were on in June -- after reading something here on CC -- I tried to put a $$ amount or limit on my kid's card and was told I couldn't do it. Maybe I could have if I was using cash, but could not with the credit card I was using for the ship. So not sure how it actually works, but wanted you to know my experience.

Don't put their cards on the credit card you use at check in. When you get on board go to Guest Services and put some cash on each card. Just like you have to do if you don't use a credit card on check in.

Exactly. But like Keith Jenner said, be sure you put enough cash to cover the DSC, because that will be paid first with any cash you put on the account, unless it's paid prior to the cruise.

Otherwise, just tell your kid what he can spend, and have consequences if he goes over. That works for mine, and we haven't had to use the consequences. They need to learn to manage money some time anyway.

the fact that they are on any sort of luxury vacation at all is far from being "stingy". many families cannot afford any sort of vacation other than perhaps camping.

 

i think it depends on the child. if you have raised your children to be responsible with money and how to budget, etc. then setting a limit with clear consequences for going over is acceptable. But if you have children who have no clue about the value of a dollar, and how to control spending, then you need the assistance of the card having a limit.

 

i also think if teens have jobs that they should be bringing their own onboard spending money. no reason why they cant pay for what they want on board above and beyond the free cruise that mom and dad gifted them.

Oh boy here is a quarter sonny go get your self a candy. lol

Like I said I have had no problems having my son stick to his limit in fact he never even spends it all.

But to say you get 2$ a day and stuff like I hear or your lucky your even going will in fact make those kids not want to be there.

of course kids with jobs will have there own money I think the folks on here are talking about kids without jobs.

Most normal kids are not in the arcade all day anyhow they are being social or making friends. Soooooo I guess I dont get how you can spend thousands on your self on a cruise and expect the kids to not spend a dime...... Very strange to me.

Last time we were on in June -- after reading something here on CC -- I tried to put a $$ amount or limit on my kid's card and was told I couldn't do it. Maybe I could have if I was using cash, but could not with the credit card I was using for the ship. So not sure how it actually works, but wanted you to know my experience.

That's because your kids' cards were already connected to your onboard account instead of having separate accounts for them (accounts are set up in the terminal during the check-in process, by default all passengers in one cabin share the same account).

There is nothing stopping you from having a separate payment method for every passenger in your cabin, no matter their age or relation to you.

And yes, only way to limit kids' usage is to set up cash accounts for them, if the payment method is credit card, there can not be any limits.

Oh boy here is a quarter sonny go get your self a candy. lol

 

Like I said I have had no problems having my son stick to his limit in fact he never even spends it all.

But to say you get 2$ a day and stuff like I hear or your lucky your even going will in fact make those kids not want to be there.

 

of course kids with jobs will have there own money I think the folks on here are talking about kids without jobs.

Most normal kids are not in the arcade all day anyhow they are being social or making friends. Soooooo I guess I dont get how you can spend thousands on your self on a cruise and expect the kids to not spend a dime...... Very strange to me.

Very strange to me how someone would cast judgement on what other families spend money on. Maybe if I only had one child, more money would be needed to prevent loneliness and boredom. Fortunately, all of my kids are close in age and are happy to just do activities together. In four cruises, I don't know if they ever even went to the arcade!

We sailed on RCCL last year. When I did online checkin, I did not give my kids charging privileges (they were 5 and 6 at the time). I went to Guest Services and put $50 on each of their cards and told them when it was gone, it was gone. They played a bit in the arcade and I think each of them bought a T-shirt -- they didn't spend the whole amount.

 

Of course, then Grandma stepped in and bought more T-shirts and some game time in the arcade, but that was on her card.[/quote

 

Carnival allows you to turn off your kids charging abilities as well. I never have but my kids dont take advantage of it. On our cruise last year I think my 16 year old son spent $80 the entire week. And the majority of that went to Power Ade.

That's because your kids' cards were already connected to your onboard account instead of having separate accounts for them (accounts are set up in the terminal during the check-in process, by default all passengers in one cabin share the same account).

 

There is nothing stopping you from having a separate payment method for every passenger in your cabin, no matter their age or relation to you.

 

And yes, only way to limit kids' usage is to set up cash accounts for them, if the payment method is credit card, there can not be any limits.

At the time, we were actually still able to have our kids in separate cabin from ours -- so they were in a separate cabin from us -- but I guess because we paid for both cabins together, that's why they weren't separated. At check in they would not let us have separate accounts for them.

These threads always degrade into an unsolicited clinic on parenting. Why can't people just answer the question without their personal bias? Ridiculous.

The correct answer is in post #5. Pretty much everything else is noise.

Very strange to me how someone would cast judgement on what other families spend money on. Maybe if I only had one child, more money would be needed to prevent loneliness and boredom. Fortunately, all of my kids are close in age and are happy to just do activities together. In four cruises, I don't know if they ever even went to the arcade!

Well that is great for you. So what your saying is if you dont have a bunch of kids your kid is lonely? LOL wow Judge Dredd

At the time, we were actually still able to have our kids in separate cabin from ours -- so they were in a separate cabin from us -- but I guess because we paid for both cabins together, that's why they weren't separated. At check in they would not let us have separate accounts for them.

[emoji53]... don't think that's it. If two friends cruise in a cabin together they can each have their own separate account; so don't think it has anything to do with who paid for the cabin. I have a friend I've cruised with a couple times and she always pays upfront for the cabin on her Amex to get miles and I just pay her my portion. That doesn't stop us from having our accounts separated on board.

Don't know if it's an issue relating to minors or the simple fact that they wanted a minimum cash amount in the account that was more than you wanted the kids to spend.

If they don't allow you to set the account up with just the spending limit you want your kids to have. Another idea would be to put your cc down to set up the account and then purchase OBC for them in the amount they are allowed to spend. It will show as a positive balance so they can watch it go down and see how much they have left. Similar to a bank account so could be a good money management lesson with stiff penalties for overdrawing. [emoji6]

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Well that is great for you. So what your saying is if you dont have a bunch of kids your kid is lonely? LOL wow Judge Dredd

I think I was responding to your feeling that if you don't give your kids $100 each in spending money, don't bother cruising (which is nuts, a cruise for outcome family of 7 costs about $6500, see no need to spend another $500 just because...).

And yes, I assume only children are lonelier, but they learn to cope.