Beware of the Arcade on RCCL...

[Nashna]

My grandkids love to play in the Arcade.  Since their birthdays were a few weeks from our cruise, I gave each one of them a $100.00 credit in the Arcade.  We were a large family group and the onboard accounts did not show the children's purchases as they were in separate rooms and mixed families.  The boys in one room were from several different families.  The boys kept playing in the Arcade as they thought that they were working on their $100.00 credits.  $800.00 later, on the last day, their dads (who saw 0 balances on their accounts all week) checked with Guest Services and to their shock, discovered that the boys had played over $800.00 at the Arcade OVER their $100.00 credits.  They were told that there were "glitches" in the system and they should have been stopped from playing after the credits...they were not.  Every time you play anything, you are charged $2.00!  The boys had a great cruise.  The four boys are between 9 and 13 in age.  The last sea day, they spent over $400.00 winning 3 stuffed animals for their sister and two cousins.    When I tell you that all total those three stuffed animals were valued, at most,  $10.00, please believe me.  The three parents are working with RCCL to try to lower the bill.  I am so sorry that I purchased the credits as the kids thought they were playing with them all week.  The children did have limits on their credit card usage.   The issue is...unlike the Casino, the Arcade doesn't ask you to put more money in your account, they automatically charge the plays to the credit card on file.  Unfortunately, the parents, had no idea that the charges were being made, and the kids thought they were still playing with the $100.00 credits.   Sadly, all the families had purchased beverage packages to avoid large final bills and made no other charges during the week so they truly expected 0 balances instead of a big bill. 

[mugtech]

Beware of children who cannot count to 50.

[time4u2go]

30 minutes ago, Nashna said:

My grandkids love to play in the Arcade.  Since their birthdays were a few weeks from our cruise, I gave each one of them a $100.00 credit in the Arcade.  We were a large family group and the onboard accounts did not show the children's purchases as they were in separate rooms and mixed families.  The boys in one room were from several different families.  The boys kept playing in the Arcade as they thought that they were working on their $100.00 credits.  $800.00 later, on the last day, their dads (who saw 0 balances on their accounts all week) checked with Guest Services and to their shock, discovered that the boys had played over $800.00 at the Arcade OVER their $100.00 credits.  They were told that there were "glitches" in the system and they should have been stopped from playing after the credits...they were not.  Every time you play anything, you are charged $2.00!  The boys had a great cruise.  The four boys are between 9 and 13 in age.  The last sea day, they spent over $400.00 winning 3 stuffed animals for their sister and two cousins.    When I tell you that all total those three stuffed animals were valued, at most,  $10.00, please believe me.  The three parents are working with RCCL to try to lower the bill.  I am so sorry that I purchased the credits as the kids thought they were playing with them all week.  The children did have limits on their credit card usage.   The issue is...unlike the Casino, the Arcade doesn't ask you to put more money in your account, they automatically charge the plays to the credit card on file.  Unfortunately, the parents, had no idea that the charges were being made, and the kids thought they were still playing with the $100.00 credits.   Sadly, all the families had purchased beverage packages to avoid large final bills and made no other charges during the week so they truly expected 0 balances instead of a big bill. 

I'm a bit confused.  On the one hand, they were told that "they should have been stopped from playing after the credits".  Then you stated that if they go over the limit, "they automatically charge the plays to the credit card on file".  Those statements seem to contradict each other.

 

If the first statement is true, then it seems like the cruise line is on the hook for the charges.  If the second statement is true, then it seems like the kids' parents are on the hook for the charges.

Edited July 1, 2019 by time4u2go

[Judyrem]

I hate when these things happen.   I decided not give my granddaughter credit card access. I may just buy  a fifty dollar arcade card from the planner or wait and buy it on ship.  At one point about three months ago the if you bought a 25$ credit, they would make it 50$.  Decided not to do it then and I should have, oh well live and learn.😉

[biomedbob]

Just avoid the arcade.  Any reason they have to be entertained on a cruise with all of the activities available?

[BNBR]

1 hour ago, Nashna said:

They were told that there were "glitches" in the system and they should have been stopped from playing after the credits...they were not.

 

Good enough for me.  Demand a full refund due to their "glitches".  And if they won't refund it, charge it back.  Easy.  If they told you it should have stopped them from playing and it didn't, they admitted to issues, then it's their problem, not yours.

[molole]

Yikes.  I feel for you.  If the system has a glitch there should be a recourse.  

[lifes-a-beach]

OMG I would twist completely off.  I mean after I started off nice and they didn’t make those ridiculous charges go away.  Hopefully you can get them to issue the correct charges.  Otherwise it’s scorched Earth.  

[GTO-Girl]

Just asking a question because I don’t know.....did these charges not show up on the parents accounts all through the week?  

 

I know I check my account daily on the TV to be sure no bogus charges show up.

 

Just wondering if this could have been “nip in the bud” before the end of the cruise?

[Wordell1]

My son had a credit on his card for the arcade and it would not let him play after it ran out.  Something isn't right if they didn't have the ability to charge on their ship cards.

[DrivesLikeMario]

I feel so badly for the kids.  They were going by the rules in their minds.  I sure hope their parents didn't yell at them for it.

[bouhunter]

2 hours ago, Nashna said:

 The issue is...unlike the Casino, the Arcade doesn't ask you to put more money in your account, they automatically charge the plays to the credit card on file.  . 

Yep, just like the bars and shops and lots of other things on the ship...…..

 

These weren't toddlers, 9-13 year olds should be able to count to 100, and be told to do so in advance.

Edited July 2, 2019 by bouhunter

[time4u2go]

30 minutes ago, GTO-Girl said:

Just asking a question because I don’t know.....did these charges not show up on the parents accounts all through the week?  

 

I know I check my account daily on the TV to be sure no bogus charges show up.

 

Just wondering if this could have been “nip in the bud” before the end of the cruise?

Apparently not.  From the OP:

 

"their dads (who saw 0 balances on their accounts all week)"

 

[Ashland]

I would have to say "Beware" of letting your kid's spend this much time in the arcade and someone not realizing that they were and how fast $100.00 can and should have gone !!!

[matj2000]

I believed I warned you about giving arcade credits to a bunch of kids few months ago.

 

Always said it is a bad idea.

 

Maybe next time you will listen to others advice...

Edited July 2, 2019 by matj2000

[Nashna]

28 minutes ago, DrivesLikeMario said:

I feel so badly for the kids.  They were going by the rules in their minds.  I sure hope their parents didn't yell at them for it.

Kids are great.  They had no other charges.  One of my grands asked every day to get candy and was told no and did not.  This was the only charge that was on their accounts.  The parents are not upset with the children.  They had no idea that the kids were not playing with anything but the 100.00 gift credit.  The fact is that RCCL admitted that they had a “glitch” in the system that did not notify the kids when the credit was done. We are dealing with RCCL now about a resolution.  Onboard the y offered a 50 percent reduction in the price.  I am so sorry I got them the Arcade package as it caused this situation.  

[Nashna]

6 minutes ago, matj2000 said:

I believed I warned you about giving arcade credits to a bunch of kids few months ago.

 

Always said it is a bad idea.

 

Maybe next time you will listen to others advice...

Wow.  Enjoy your gloating...Fortunately, we can afford a Grand Suite and my kids are very comfortable so the money is not an issue.  I posted our families experience to warn other families to watch out for this glitch.  Have a nice day.

[broberts]

36 minutes ago, bouhunter said:

Yep, just like the bars and shops and lots of other things on the ship...…..

 

These weren't toddlers, 9-13 year olds should be able to count to 100, and be told to do so in advance.

 

Of course they should. We should not expect a multi billion $ corporation to have that skill, now should we? 

[kmeeker]

Awww...I feel badly for all involved and hope it gets remedied... Tough audience here on the boards for someone who was just trying to share their challenge!! I'm hoping the judge/jury crowd are not on my upcoming cruise....

 

Good for you for treating what sounds like a great group of kiddos! I love kids especially teens! Of course, I'm biased as I teach high school!! 

[CruiszBug]

I would definitely stand your ground. Do not accept the half off settlement. This is obviously a problem with their system and why they do not recognize it as such is unfathomable? As long as you didn't sign something that said you would be responsible for the children's charges?? I don't think they have any grounds. Everyone here has the same understanding of $100 arcade card. Kid plays until it is exhausted. Games stop. Especially since there was no forewarning before last day that something was up on your account? I'll bet you this will be resolved in your favor. Don't see it going any other way....

[BeachChik]

2 hours ago, biomedbob said:

Just avoid the arcade.  Any reason they have to be entertained on a cruise with all of the activities available?

 

It’s no different than the adults that spend hours in the casino. Everyone finds different activities fun. Who cares if the kids spent a lot of time in the arcade. 

[xpcdoojk]

1 hour ago, Ashland said:

I would have to say "Beware" of letting your kid's spend this much time in the arcade and someone not realizing that they were and how fast $100.00 can and should have gone !!!

 

My guess is the kids borrowed a parents card and refilled it...

 

jc

[neverbeenhere]

lesson learned. Don’t have children. 

[spookwife]

personally I feel as if the kids DO have a fair bit of culpability here.   if they know that each game is $2, then  they should have been keeping track of  approximately how many games they played and to dial it back when they got  close to the limit.  glitch or not, the kids should have been paying closer attention to their usage and the ages listed  they should have been ,mature enough to do so.  

 

Id graciously accept the offer of a 50% reduction and use it as a teaching moment for the kids.

[John Reid]

These are among the most ridiculous criticisms I have ever read on this board.

Starting point: the expectation is that the card will cease to work when the arranged amount expired.

 

"The kids should have been keeping track of the number of uses." What alternative universe do you live in? They're told it will expire when it runs out; why would counting be necessary?

 

"You should have checked your on-screen account more often." Why should it have been necessary? Is that one of the fun, free activities?

 

A personal favorite - "Why are they even in the arcade when there are so many activities on the ship"? Have you never paid for an activity on a ship? Casino? Tour? Internet? Cupcake class? Shore Excursion? 

 

Remarkable. The error was RCCL's. Amazing how incidents like this are turned on the OP.

 

Nashna, thanks for the info that could be very helpful for families with children from this planet.