Credit Card Pre Authorizations for Kids Onboard

[Samanthac25]

I know HAL pre-authorizes $60/person/day on your credit card but I am wondering if that's just for the adults on board or if they charge it for kids under 18 as well? The "Know Before You Go" document was a little confusing on the topic (highlighted below, I don't see anywhere in the text with the double ** for what they are referring to that applies to guests 18 years of age and over): 

 

SHIPBOARD ACCOUNT
All onboard purchases and services are charged to your account by using your stateroom keycard. Cash is not accepted for individual transactions, e.g. bars, the shops, spa, shore excursions. Cash is accepted in our casinos. Registering a credit or debit card(s) (Visa®, Mastercard®, American Express®, and Discover®) as part of your pre-cruise check-in process activates your keycard. The day you board, Holland America Line places an initial hold on your credit or debit card for $60 per person* per cruise day. Once you’ve spent the initial hold amount, we will authorize your card for the total of your onboard purchases to date plus an additional $60 per person per day for the remainder of your cruise. Please note that there may be multiple authorizations throughout your cruise, and that some banks may keep the hold in place for up to 30 days. If you do not want to use a credit or debit card, on the day of boarding, you will need to visit Guest Services and deposit $60 cash per person per cruise day. Any excess deposit will be refunded to you at the end of the cruise. Traveler’s checks may be cashed at Guest Services. Personal checks are not accepted on board.
You may bring a pre-paid Gift/Rewards Card to pay for your onboard charges. Please bring the prepaid Gift card (with the Visa/Mastercard/American Express and Discover logo) to Guest Services for processing and do not register it online. The card can only be settled for the amount of the pre-paid Gift Card. We cannot process refunds on these cards. At the end of your cruise, you will receive a final statement, and your card will be charged only for the actual amount of your purchases. Refunds for purchases of onboard products and services will be credited to your onboard account whether purchased prior to or during your cruise. The final amount billed may take up to 24-hours following disembarkation. For questions about how long the hold remains in effect or how your available credit is affected, please contact your card issuer.
*$30.00 per person per day for cruises longer than 25 days.
**applies to all guests 18 years of age and over.

 

Thanks in advance!

Edited September 9, 2019 by Samanthac25

[TAD2005]

The double asterisk ** refers to the entire paragraph.   Any kids under 18 years old must be supervised by an adult, so all of their onboard spending will go onto the adult's cabin account.   There is no credit card hold for kids under 18, but all of their purchases will go on the adult's card.  And, if your "under 18 year old" is a big time spender, HAL will add more hold amounts to the adult's credit card to make sure there is a sufficient reserve to pay the bill at the end..  

[sevenseasnomad]

To avoid charges going onto your account from your children, go to the Front Desk the first day immediately after embarkation and let them know you wish your children to be blocked from charging anything to your onboard account.  Let them know in writing that you will NOT be responsible for any charge which comes through via your children.  Ask for a written letter from the purser restating these terms.

 

Had we not had this arrangement in place when we sailed with our then 19 year-old (he's 33 now), we would have been responsible for a $3, 890.00 charge from the art auction!  The purser had posted the charge, which the Front Desk immediately removed once I showed them their letter/my letter.  It was also an American Express card, who already had a letter from us about this arrangement.  I shutter to think what could have happened had we not taken these precautions.  We could have possibly been stuck with paying that charge.

 

As it turned out, the art people had informed the Front Desk that we had approved that charge when the Front Desk questioned them.  Of course, my husband and I hadn't spoken to any of the art people because attending those auctions was never our idea of a good time.  Instead of calling us to verify, the accounting department posted it.  They removed it quickly.  Thank heavens we were in the habit of checking our account almost daily. 

Edited September 10, 2019 by sevenseasnomad

[Jareds_mommytoo]

We get the kids the quench package, we were told we couldn't turn off their spending and still have their packages work, normally on every other cruise we do turn it off

[Jammu2]

19 is not a kid. 

[Samanthac25]

Thanks, everyone. I only have one child traveling with me but my brother and sister-in-law will have six kids with them so we were curious for them. 

Edited September 12, 2019 by Samanthac25

[caribill]

Onboard spending also includes the daily automatic gratuities (unless paid in advance or a free perk), shore excursions booked on board in the person's name, etc.

[sevenseasnomad]

On 9/11/2019 at 10:21 AM, Jammu2 said:

19 is not a kid. 

It is if the child in question happens to be on the Autism spectrum.  He was still in high school at the time and remained in school until his 22nd birthday, which the law allows for disabled students.  Today, at 33 he sometimes functions more like a 16 year-old than an adult.  Other times, he shows some maturity when making financial decisions for which I am grateful.

 

Sorry for hijacking this thread, but as a mother of a son who still struggles with being a responsible adult, I had to respond.  Now back to credit card authorization. . .