Amount on SS card

[JoKen1]

I'm taking my girl scout troop on a cruise. I know as adults we have to either have a credit card or provide cash as a deposit. But what about the kids? Do they need to put anything down if they will not be charging anything?

 

Each girl will have her own money to spend how she wants so I was hoping they could go down and put money on their account as needed. Or put down the amount they are allowed to spend. Some may not want to buy anything extra on the cruise though. So do they have to tie up their spending money still?

 

Also, if paying cash do you know the amount per day that Carnival requires? What about when you provide them a credit card? What amount do they charge or put on hold? Anyone know.

 

I don't really have an issue with this but some moms are also going and I want to let everyone know what they will need to pay or send for their girls.

 

Thanks!

[SadieN]

There is a minimum recommended amount, based on the number of days of the cruise. It's found on the FAQ page of carnival.com.

 

They'll need enough money to cover the gratuities and maybe some drinks or the soda sticker.

 

They can set up their accounts as cash and place the appropriate amount at guest services upon boarding.

 

Gratuities are $11.50/day

The soda sticker is $4.50/day + 15%

Edited June 20, 2014 by SadieN

[k2excursion]

I would ignore the recommended minimum amounts. Carnival wants you spending tons of money on board, so they base their amounts on that. You can have each of them put cash onto their account when they check in at the terminal. Put down enough to cover gratuities. Anything above that would be an individual decision, based on what they think they'll spend. I rarely spend much beyond gratuities, maybe a small souvenir and 1 or 2 drinks. For those like me, they could wait until they want to buy something to go down to guest services and add more cash. However, I think it would be easier to just put it on the account earlier, as long as they are responsible enough to handle it. Whatever isn't spent, you will get back at the end of the cruise. My friends go to guest services on the final evening of the cruise to retrieve their unused cash.

 

I always use a credit card for myself. I don't know how much of a hold they put on the card, probably around a couple hundred. Nothing is charged until the end of the cruise, when they have the final amount.

[CatlinSTJ]

Beyond the gratuities, we usually give our girls $50 for a 5-6 day cruise and they have never needed or asked for more. On our last cruise, my then 13 year old bought one picture and a stuffed animal for her younger sister - that was it!

 

 

Next cruise: Carnival Breeze June 2014

[cbCRR]

I have take 2 Girl Scout groups cruising. PM me if you have any questions.

I would prepay gratuities, so those won't hit the S&S accounts.

Then I talk to girls and parents about the 2 types of spending money and ideas of what each would be spent on (onboard vs in port).

I have them turn in any onboard to me. I have all accounts linked to mine, and then set up limits for each based on what they have given me. Make a note of each person's folio number (on their S&S card), so when your statement comes at the end of the cruise you can split up each person's charges. I even have them keep track of what they spend and give me an estimate, to make sure we were not overcharged.

Remind them they will need cash for room service, arcade, incidentals on way to and from port, and souvenirs in ports.

Have fun!!

 

 

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[CheckersMidwest]

Good for you taking the girl scout troop ! What a great opportunity. I was a cub scout and a girl scout leader for years. My daughter's girl scout troop took some kind of small trip every year. I took them and a few moms to Disney World once. They had a great time. A couple of the moms on the other hand were a pain. :)

 

Yes, you can add cash as needed and ignore the minimum suggestions. Our first cruise, I used cash. Started out with a set amount and added more as needed.

[wrigley80]

Best of Luck to you taking your Girl Scout troop.....if we had trips on cruises I may have stayed in Girl Scouts a little longer when I was a kid :p ;)

[serene56]

you can have individual cards turned off with spending.

 

or have the girls who want to spend on the ship visit the guest services to place that cash.

 

Not much they can buy on the ship--- but milkshakes or the frozen fancy drinks they may want to purchase-

 

ships stores are expensive for what you can buy-- better wait til you are on the pier.

 

but with all that-- the adult is still responsible for any charges made by a minor.

 

PLEASE make sure they know that all those sign and sail cards can be used for spending the first 24 hours with no money placed on the account yet

[Sue Do-Over]

During online checkin, each parent can put in their own credit card number when setting up the onboard account. Then each girl has to own up to her own parents when she gets home for her individual spending. There is a form that the parent signs that grants permission to charge to the card of someone who's not travelling in the group.

 

Alternately, use a credit or debit card in the child's own name.

 

My kids had savings accounts with debit cards when they were pretty young (I was the adult on record, but they had cards embossed with their own names). The girls will earn a badge for financial management for establishing a bank account, too!

 

Second option is to have the parents add their girls to their own credit card. That is, request a card with the child's name. It only takes a quick phone call, and can be shut down just as easily.

 

Another advantage is that the child actually builds a credit history, helping them establish credit early -- assuming that the parents are responsible about paying their bills, of course.

[RuthlessBoss]

There is a minimum recommended amount, based on the number of days of the cruise. It's found on the FAQ page of carnival.com.

 

They'll need enough money to cover the gratuities and maybe some drinks or the soda sticker.

 

They can set up their accounts as cash and place the appropriate amount at guest services upon boarding.

 

Gratuities are $11.50/day

The soda sticker is $4.50/day + 15%

 

I would think that prepaying the gratuities would be a good idea. If a girl spots something on board, price it and put the money on her account. This leaves cash for port spending. I think the moms going should treat their girl like the other ones as far as accounts go.

[JoKen1]

The girls all worked hard selling those cookies and doing other fund raisers to pay for the cruise. We have paid for the tips already so it's only spending money they will need.

 

My girls are 13 and they all are very good with money. We have worked on several badges that helped to teach them about spending and how to compare prices to get the best deal.

 

We have gone on trips every year and they were always responsible for their own spending money and did great. So I'm not worried about them spending more then they have.

 

I just didn't know if the ship required a certain amount of money to be on deposit for each person.

 

I don't think I will have them put any money down if it's not required. Then if they see something they just must have they can always add it to their card and purchase the item later.

 

They all agreed they do not want to purchase the coke cards and they aren't really into the arcade games. At least not enough to have to spend their own money on them :)

 

I'm sure they will spend money at the ports of call and maybe if they have any money left at the end of the cruise they may find something on sale at the shops they just can't live without.

 

Thanks for letting me know there is not a required amount they have to have on the cards.

 

You guys are the best!

[RWolver672]

This is a little off topic but is very important. Make sure each girl has their birth certificate (not one issued by a hospital) with them. As their leader, I would have each of them give them to you before you ever leave home. If I'm not mistaken, you will also need a letter from their parents giving you permission to take them out of the country. If you don't have these documents, they will be denied boarding and be left behind at the pier.

[JoKen1]

This is a little off topic but is very important. Make sure each girl has their birth certificate (not one issued by a hospital) with them. As their leader, I would have each of them give them to you before you ever leave home. If I'm not mistaken, you will also need a letter from their parents giving you permission to take them out of the country. If you don't have these documents, they will be denied boarding and be left behind at the pier.

 

 

 

Yes, I already have the birth certificates from all the girls. We purchased insurance both from the ship and from girl scouts for the trip, I have permission from council to take them and have all the letters and forms I need both to cover me and the ship :) That includes the letters giving permission for me to take the girls from the parents.

 

Thanks!

 

If anyone thinks of anything else I need to do, please let me know. Thank you for your help.