Teens & Sign & Sail Cards

[Litewait]

Hi,

 

We are cruising on the Spirit in a week. I have 2 teens, ( 16 & 17) one mine & one my daughters best friend. Both girls have cruised before w/me. They have not had their own sign & sail cards however and have not had access to mine. Both girls work and will have their own spending money. I was thinking about getting them their own cards. I will have to secure w/ a cc. I thought if we talked about it's use and their being responsible for their charges (checking balance daily ect.) it might be a good experience for them. They like the smoothies and coffees ect.

 

What have your experiences been with this?

 

Thanks!

Happy Cruising,

Donna

[HeidiHo]

Have them put their cash on the card and then ask that that be the limit (no charges to your credit card then). You will be able to view their accounts daily on the TV in your stateroom.

[sea_u_onboard]

You can also just tie it to your CC and set them a limit on the card with the Pursers Desk.

[Litewait]

I didn't know you could set a spending limit for them. That would be perfect.

I like the idea of being able to review it in the room.

 

Thanks so much!

Happy Cruising,

Donna

[cantw82cruise]

This could be a good experience for them. My son (now 14) has always had a card without charging privileges. I'm not sure that he would need them. I do like giving him responsibility with money though. For his 13th birthday we opened him up a checking account and got him a debit card. We allow him to buy his own clothes and such for school. We put a certain amount in there and told him he could spend it as he sees fit. All we asked is that he made sure he bought enough clothes to get him through the school year. We also told him anything left in there at the end of the school year was his to keep. Wow I thought I was cheap. I think he would have done all his shopping at Goodwill if we would have let him. Once he is able to drive then he will get gas and entertainment money to save or spend as he chooses. I make him sit and balance the check book every month. It seems to be working pretty good. I hope your experience turns out good as well.

[Litewait]

They have both recently got ATM/ Bank accounts so are learning to keep track and balance their accounts ect. I think this will make them feel not "so" dependent to find me when they want a drink or snack not free or on a drink card. We are using the radios and this has worked well in the past for checking in. A little more freedom and responsibility with age as long as it's used well. Hoping this will be a good experience, good kids should be ok,

 

Thanks Again & Happy Cruising!

Donna

[sausimayok]

Hi,

We were on the Triumph 2 years ago, both my children and niece had their own cards with no limit. They were 11, 13 and 14. They were only allowed to spend what they knew they had. At the end of each day, they would go to the purser's desk and put that amount on their card. They knew how much they had left. If they ran out on the third or fourth day, OH WELL.

They were great about this and it gave them some freedom.

As long as they know the rules, they should be ok. YOU DO KNOW WHERE THEY LIVE, haha.

Brenda

[Bethwte]

Wow, I feel a bit spoiled right now after reading this thread :( ! I've been on my mothers CC account (no limit) for my sign and sail since I was 10 I think. I got lucky and they figured that since its vacation even now as an 18 year-old that if its a "family vacation" and I'm still living with them, they'll cover a bit of vacation spending. I guess its also because they knew if I bought more than a soda or virgin strawberry daquari on it (when I was younger) I would be in serious trouble. Now they leave it up to my disgresion, but I know if I make purchases they wouldn't approve of, I'll be paying for them when I get home.

 

I would definitely let them have a card. You can make them put their own cash down at the beginning (I think there might be a minimum though so I'd check into that first) or you can do what the above posters said and put it on your credit card and set a limit. I'm sure the girls will be responsible with it. (And if you have any worries, you can do what my parents said as kind of a joke when I was younger: "whatever you spend on that card that you know we wouldnt approve of is coming out of your next vacation, and if that means you can't go with us next time, then so be it"). Good luck with figuring this out and have a GREAT cruise! :)

[candigirl41]

How did you open a checking account for someone underage? I work in retail and we would never take a check from someone without proper I.D. over 18. If they are underage and write too many checks (no money in account.) We can't prosecute as we shouldn't have accepted the check to begin with. Just curious.

 

Candi

[Bethwte]

I had a joint account with my mother (only because I couldnt have my own) that allowed us both to deposit and write checks when I was 17... The debit card was in her name (though she gve it to me) but everything else was acceptble for me to use...

[Ehpride]

How did you open a checking account for someone underage? I work in retail and we would never take a check from someone without proper I.D. over 18. If they are underage and write too many checks (no money in account.) We can't prosecute as we shouldn't have accepted the check to begin with. Just curious.

 

Candi

 

I didn't get my first checking account until I was 18 but my brother was younger when he got his. He just had to have my dad on the account as well.

[sea_u_onboard]

Bank One has accounts for 15 to 18 year olds that can be tied to a parents account.

 

I also had a checking account when I was 17 - I just had to have my mom as a secondary - in case I decided to go crazy there would be someone of age responsible for the debt.

[cantw82cruise]

How did you open a checking account for someone underage? I work in retail and we would never take a check from someone without proper I.D. over 18. If they are underage and write too many checks (no money in account.) We can't prosecute as we shouldn't have accepted the check to begin with. Just curious.

 

Candi

 

Well the bank only required that he be 13. We also got him a Michigan ID. It looks just like a drivers license it's vertical because he is under age to drink. He usually uses his debit card which is a Visa card. We have not had a problem with anyone taking it. He has probably used it 20-30 times at different retail places.

[Ehpride]

Well the bank only required that he be 13. We also got him a Michigan ID. It looks just like a drivers license it's vertical because he is under age to drink. He usually uses his debit card which is a Visa card. We have not had a problem with anyone taking it. He has probably used it 20-30 times at different retail places.

 

That's how my license is too. I'm 20 and our licenses are vertical until you renew it after you are 21 with a band that says Under 21 until... I haven't seen this in a lot of states. Maybe it's a midwest thing?

[cantw82cruise]

That's how my license is too. I'm 20 and our licenses are vertical until you renew it after you are 21 with a band that says Under 21 until... I haven't seen this in a lot of states. Maybe it's a midwest thing?

 

 

I think it's great makes it easy for the people selling alcohol to see right away if you're of age or not. Takes all the math out of it for them.

 

[Bethwte]

That also helps with fake IDs... people in NY "chalk" old permits and things... You can't do that with a vertical license :)

[Ehpride]

Only problem is that you don't automatically get a horizontal when you turn 21 so they do have actually check the date and not just see the Under 21 or else they'll be denying the sale to someone who is actually legal! I'm supposed to have my vertical until I'm 25. I'll probably switch after I turn 21.

[oceantravel]

My daughter models and had a checking account at age 6 for keeping track of expenditures. My name was also on it. No problem!