Kids's and Sign and Sail

[dawnjam1]

I know that this has been discussed before, but I can not find direct answers from people who have done it before and I need to know how to prepare for next week. (Why do I feel these days that I have to apologize for asking questions on here that MAY have been asked before? Even after being a member on here under two different logins for probably close to 18 years or more?)

 

I want to give my children a DAILY allowance on their Sign and Sail cards. I do not want them to have it all at once due to the chance they will get in the arcade and blow it each day without realizing it! LOL! Do I need to go to the kiosk each morning and put money on their cards or can it all be put on at embarkation when I put cash on mine and have a spending limit they do not let them go over a day??? Or can I put it all on mine and MOVE it easily to the other cards each day? One is 16 and can watch it but one is only 8. Just trying to not allow them to have any regrets on vacation. They get enough hard lessons at home!

 

Thanks!

Dawn

[dave_k58]

I had always done the daily allowance deal with my grandchildren, but for some reason on our last cruise they wouldn't let me. Said I could put a smaller total amount on the S&S - and then add to it. You're right about that dang ARcade - pretty easy for a teen ( or younger) to go thru $100 on that in no time

[SadieN]

Never too young to learn budgeting.

Maybe do a tour of the arcade with the kids and point out the price of the games. Once it's gone, it's gone.

 

What else can they spend their money on? Could also do a mini tour of the shops. Window shopping if need be.

 

Are they allowed soda, etc? Are they going to have a Bottomless Bubbles card?

Edited May 26, 2016 by SadieN

[pjinaz]

I have always been told I can set a limit for the whole cruise but not per day. It sounds like some people have had luck with daily limits. It might just depend on who you get at guest services. My kids did fine with the weekly limit. I explained once its gone its gone. That being said my kids aren't into video games that much and I think that if your is he may go through the money on his account much faster. Good luck and let us know what guest services does on your cruise.

[cruizinisthebest]

OP take it from someone who has asked this question many times on here and directly to others, and have tried to do it myself on the past two cruises: there is no way to add a lump sum of money and then have a daily spending limit. The only way to have a daily limit is by adding money daily. That's what I wound up doing. I even asked once I got onboard both times and was told that is the only way. I loaded gift cards to my s&s account and then transferred money over as needed. My oldest spent more since he spent more time in the arcade.

 

One other thing, if your kids like to frequent the arcade, they will not cap the spending in there either. I was told numerous times that they cut the kids off at $50 a day, but I know for myself that such does not happen. I would highly advise that you take your kids to the arcade and point out that the games have a single and a multi-play option. We didn't realize this at first and found out the hard way. Take them to the arcade and show them around. Add money daily. It's really not the pain I thought it would be.

[dawnjam1]

OH! I will certainly be updating everyone. I am almost Platinum and until this year have never needed to worry about this. But I know others have!

 

The 16 year old is a neighbor I am taking to help me out with my daughter and to pay him back for all he does for several of us going on this trip (like mowing and babysitting). He is pretty responsible, but that arcade worries me!

 

My daughter is learning to budget at home (including re-gifting) but it is SO easy for it to get out of hand on the cruise (NO MATTER YOUR AGE) and I would rather they have a lesson each day with the chance to redeem/correct themselves the next, than have them bummed the whole trip and my ending up feeling sorry for them! LOL! I use the envelope method myself and do not use credit so I think the reset is always the way to teach them.

 

They have a rather generous allowance. I have also set them up with Bottomless Bubbles, Unlimited Theater Passes and spending allowances for land. All while budgeting for Build a Bear and CC activities! Other than some over the top Birthday parties, I don't just buy "things" all the time for my DD so this is a good chance to spoil her while we make good family memories. They have both had a few really tough years with the other parent and his splitting and remarrying very quickly as well, so I feel like this is well earned!

 

SO....I guess I will just plan to go to the kiosk each day with cash in hand. Sounds like the easiest unless the person in GS can give me a better idea!!! THANKS for the replies!

 

Dawn

[dawnjam1]

OP take it from someone who has asked this question many times on here and directly to others, and have tried to do it myself on the past two cruises: there is no way to add a lump sum of money and then have a daily spending limit. The only way to have a daily limit is by adding money daily. That's what I wound up doing. I even asked once I got onboard both times and was told that is the only way. I loaded gift cards to my s&s account and then transferred money over as needed. My oldest spent more since he spent more time in the arcade.

 

One other thing, if your kids like to frequent the arcade, they will not cap the spending in there either. I was told numerous times that they cut the kids off at $50 a day, but I know for myself that such does not happen. I would highly advise that you take your kids to the arcade and point out that the games have a single and a multi-play option. We didn't realize this at first and found out the hard way. Take them to the arcade and show them around. Add money daily. It's really not the pain I thought it would be.

 

Were you able to just move it from your account to theirs at the kiosk???

[cruizinisthebest]

Were you able to just move it from your account to theirs at the kiosk???

 

Yes. It will give you the ability to transfer from your account to theirs by establishing a trip limit. So you start it @ $25, for example. Then you increase the trip limit to whatever you want however often you want by transferring funds. Very easy and I did it each time using the kiosk.

 

The one thing I do like is that it kept their spending separate from ours, so I was able to see just what they charge using their own card.

 

Let me just add that I totally agree with you about teaching them the budget thing and how you handle it. I know even adults can go a little crazy spending - on drinks, in the casino, or whatever it is that tickles your fancy. My kids save up their own money. I do not cut off their charging privileges and they are responsible for being mindful of what they have to spend. But I'm not going to load a lump sum of money knowing all of us are capable of over spending and then take the chance on them blowing it so I can "too bad. so sad." For that reason, yes I do sit down every night and go over every dime spent onboard that day. I do that for all of us. And really, the only issue is that darn arcade. My son found out the hard way about that multi swipe option. He would play once and walk away! The casino manager looked at the record of his playing, so he really did not know. No way was I going to punish him for the rest of the 8-day cruise and this happened on night 1! Trust me I was heated but he was sorry. He did fine after that and both of them have been saving pretty diligently for our trip this year. So nice of you to take your neighbor. I hope you guys have a good time!

Edited May 26, 2016 by cruizinisthebest