Looked around, but couldn't find the answer to this one

[Jeafl]

We have three cabins booked on the Liberty in March. In one of the cabins it will be my sister and my niece. However, my sister coming with us is not the one who is the mother of my niece. So my question is, how is the billing handled for a minor whose parents will not be on board? I am wondering specifically about room charges and tips. She is only 16 so she does not have a credit card of her own, and I don't think my sister that's in her cabin wants to get stuck paying for everything for my niece.

 

Can we use my other sister's credit card (my niece's mother's) even though she will not be on board and the card is not in my niece's name?

 

Also, since she is a minor, do we need some kind of letter sayng that we are responsible for her in case of an emergency?

 

Thanks in advance!

[jimbo5544]

We have three cabins booked on the Liberty in March. In one of the cabins it will be my sister and my niece. However, my sister coming with us is not the one who is the mother of my niece. So my question is, how is the billing handled for a minor whose parents will not be on board? I am wondering specifically about room charges and tips. She is only 16 so she does not have a credit card of her own, and I don't think my sister that's in her cabin wants to get stuck paying for everything for my niece.

 

Can we use my other sister's credit card (my niece's mother's) even though she will not be on board and the card is not in my niece's name?

 

Also, since she is a minor, do we need some kind of letter sayng that we are responsible for her in case of an emergency?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

You can tie individual people to different payment types within the same room. So the answer is yes. In regards to her being a minor, there is a consent form you will need. You can get it it when you do your sign and sail or from the Carnival website.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app from my IPhone

[nybumpkin]

We took our then-17 YO nephew with us two years ago. We had to book him in a cabin with DH and one of our sons, with other son and me booked in the other cabin. It was easy to switch DH and son so the three boys were in their own cabin. However, I don't see how you can use a credit card of someone who is not on board; in our case, we paid nephew's on-board expenses (really not much - a soda card and some arcade expenses) and had his parents reimburse us.

 

As for a letter - you do need a notarized letter from your niece's parents giving permission for her to travel with you. You can add a section to have them authorize you to make emergency medical decisions as well. There are several threads here with links to sample letters. In our case, we were asked for the letter both when boarding the ship and when we disembarked at customs and immigration. Lots of folks here will say they were never asked for the letter, but in my experience better safe than sorry.

[riffatsea]

Do all the sisters speak to each other?

Why couldn't the sister with the niece put the niece on her credit card and then let the sister that's the mother of the niece pay her back?

As for letters, I think it is always a good idea to have a letter for both permission to take the minor on the trip and permission to seek medical help if necessary.

[RuthlessBoss]

Who paid for the niece?

[UPGrandma]

Take at least a copy of the nieces medical insurance card, front and back, plus the nieces birth certificate. Believe you said she is 16, so will need photo ID also I think. Check the cruise line website for required documents.

[Jeafl]

Who paid for the niece?

 

VERY long story, but the short answer is we used credit from a previously cancelled cruise that my sister and ner husband had cancelled. It covered her entire cruise with $17 to spare. This was after the huge hassle of getting the credit transferred into my niece's name.

[Jeafl]

Do all the sisters speak to each other?

Why couldn't the sister with the niece put the niece on her credit card and then let the sister that's the mother of the niece pay her back?

As for letters, I think it is always a good idea to have a letter for both permission to take the minor on the trip and permission to seek medical help if necessary.

 

The sisters do speak, but my niece's mother is notoriously bad at paying people back, which is why we are all hesitant about footing the bill.

[DreaminFP]

As another poster stated you can use the cc of someone not on the cruise, when you print your cruise documents there is an authorization for there. They will also need a copy of the front and back of the id of the person who the cc belongs to. It tells you what you need to do on that form. :)

[UPGrandma]

Cash ahead of time that you can put on nieces account? I've read on here that some (maybe all) lines you can limit amount charged to her card daily, but some one else will have to give you the "true" answer as we've never sailed with children.

[hunnibee72]

Perhaps you can make you nieces on board account a cash account. Have her mother give you a certain amount upfront and put that on her sign and sail account. This way she can only spend what her mother gives her.

[jwlnroe]

I would put cash down on her side of the account like others stated.. you can put a daily spending limit on her card as well I believe at guest relations desk when you get onboard and then depending on how much money her mom gives her you can limit how much she spends each day so she doesn't run out of $$ while you are on the trip.

[Ehpride]

I would just set up a cash account. Mom can give her daughter cash for ports/onboard and it will be hassle free.

[RuthlessBoss]

VERY long story, but the short answer is we used credit from a previously cancelled cruise that my sister and ner husband had cancelled. It covered her entire cruise with $17 to spare. This was after the huge hassle of getting the credit transferred into my niece's name.

 

Then her parents are aware of auto tipping. They should give at least that in advance to set up her cash account. Hopefully she can get more for spending to add to that. Does the niece have any monies of her own?

[Colorado Kat]

The niece will also need some monies for port-day meals/excursions/whatever.

[mousefansmom]

Have her mother purchase a pre-loaded debit card for her with, say $500 on it. This will cover the hold that CCL has and also work for purchases on and off the ship. She could use an ATM with it as well There will be an international conversion fee off ship, but you would have that with any cc.

 

I am bringing a credit card, but I am only using a pre-loaded debit for everything. The cc is truly only for an emergency....I am just a freak about identity theft-especially in other countries.

 

Have a great trip!

[Colorado Kat]

sorry - double post

Edited January 1, 2014 by Colorado Kat

[bearette]

I have family who is,like that, but unfortunately for her she will probably end up with almost no spending money unless she has money of her own. I would work on the sister now for the tip and spending money to set up a cash account. I would plan on having to foot the bill for the niece since those type of people usually find a way to get out of paying...

[MichelleChell]

Have her Mother give you cash and put it on her account.

[RuthlessBoss]

I have family who is,like that, but unfortunately for her she will probably end up with almost no spending money unless she has money of her own. I would work on the sister now for the tip and spending money to set up a cash account. I would plan on having to foot the bill for the niece since those type of people usually find a way to get out of paying...

 

I see the OP address thingy is Illinois. Flying or driving? If flying, that's another expense.

I think it's very nice to be taking the niece with them, especially with these barriers that seem to have cropped up. I hope things turn out easier than they sound.

[tmtip]

Why don't you just pay for your niece's expenses and consider it her birthday/Christmas gift?

[CoconutJD]

Carnival gift cards might be an option here. Have the mom buy enough to cover on-board expenses.

[Jeafl]

I see the OP address thingy is Illinois. Flying or driving? If flying, that's another expense.

I think it's very nice to be taking the niece with them, especially with these barriers that seem to have cropped up. I hope things turn out easier than they sound.

 

We are driving down. We are staying overnight in the Atlanta area on the way down and she is staying in a room with my sister again. The interesting thing is that my other sister (niece's mother) has not mentioned one thing about paying for meals or hotels on the way down and back. Gas money I wouldn't charge her because we are driving there anyway. I think we are going to have to have a serious talk with my niece's parents and get some money up front.

 

To those of you that mentioned setting up a cash account, how do you do this? Do you do it ahead of time, or once you get there? We've always used a credit card in the past so I have no idea.

Edited January 2, 2014 by Jeafl

[Jeafl]

Why don't you just pay for your niece's expenses and consider it her birthday/Christmas gift?

 

I guess I could. I honestly don't mind paying for meals in port, or other small stuff. My concern is bigger things like excursions and tips which can really add up. We've got a few fairly expensive excursions planned, and since this is kind of a budget trip for us, her expenses were something extra we hadn't planned on.

[Havingfun2010]

Simple enough. Don't give here charge priveledges on her card. If she wants something, she has to go through one of you. You could hold a retainer (cash up front).

 

I did this with a minor guest, no problem.