Question about onboard credit earmarked for children

[OrangeCatRamblers]

I'm just off the Prima which was absolutely fantastic bar one disappointment with my own planning/expectations and looking for feedback here. 

 

I have one teenager. On every cruise, I remove his charging privileges. He's generally responsible but why risk it, especially when in large groups of new kids. Peace of mind. 

 

Before boarding the Prima, I used to app to purchase two $25 onboard credits, there was a box to tick, choosing which passenger to receive the credits. I chose my son. I later had a text exchange through the chat confirming the credit would be loaded on my son's card. When we got into our room, there was also a paper card saying he had received the gift of the credit. 

 

After boarding, we bought an unlimited pass to the Prima go karts. This was $199. That evening, our son was out with new friends and wanted to buy himself a drink using his credit. It was declined. 

 

At guest services, we learned that even though I gifted our son $50 credit by ticking a box with his name and receiving a card receipt in his name, because he's a minor and shares the same onboard account, the credit can only go to the ROOM. Despite BUYING the credit only for our son, it could not be used only during the week by our son. It was immediately depleted when we purchased the go kart pass. 

 

Apparently there exists NO mechanism by which a child can have their own spending money outside of the main account. If there is an avenue to do this of which I am unaware, please do post here and let everyone know. I can't be the only parent who wants their child to have a fixed and finite amount of spending money. 

 

In my head, I pictured the earmarked onboard credit to work like Disney Dollars or a separate visa check card. So there is truly no way that Grandma can gift a child $25 for arcade games, but have it be untouched by the general room balance?

 

Doesn't this seem like a missed opportunity? 

[mjkacmom]

I have 5 kids, we have given them charging privileges since they were little on vacations. We tell them the limit (we are not generous), they are adults and never spent their limit (including when we gave our 19 and 20 year old beer and wine waivers). The bill can be viewed 24/7. I honestly believe they spend less out of fear.

[Homosassa]

There is a disconnect in your reasoning.

 

According to the NCL ticket contract, the parent or guardian of a minor is responsible for all  actions of the minor on board ship. This includes purchases on board (alcohol is specifically mentioned).

 

To that end, part of your decision for control of your son's behavior  was to remove his charging privileges from his sea pass.

 

When you bought the fifty dollar on board credits, the credits would go to the room credit (OBC is never split among the occupants of the room on any cruise line. It is up to the occupants of the room to decide how OBC will be split).

 

If you wanted your son to have fifty dollars to  use on board, Guest services would have to restore his charging privileges to the cabin's account. Some cruise lines will apply a limit to a minor's charging privileges (in this case, $50). I don't know if NCL will do that.

 

If that procedure is not available on NCL, then it is up to the parents (guardian) to set the limit and enforce it.

 

IMO, I am glad that my daughter's grandmother would not have any way to circumvent any limits I had set for her on board ship. Grandma was a huge problem on shore, never mind on ship.

 

 

 

 

[OrangeCatRamblers]

23 hours ago, Homosassa said:

There is a disconnect in your reasoning.

 

According to the NCL ticket contract, the parent or guardian of a minor is responsible for all  actions of the minor on board ship. This includes purchases on board (alcohol is specifically mentioned).

 

To that end, part of your decision for control of your son's behavior  was to remove his charging privileges from his sea pass.

 

When you bought the fifty dollar on board credits, the credits would go to the room credit (OBC is never split among the occupants of the room on any cruise line. It is up to the occupants of the room to decide how OBC will be split).

 

If you wanted your son to have fifty dollars to  use on board, Guest services would have to restore his charging privileges to the cabin's account. Some cruise lines will apply a limit to a minor's charging privileges (in this case, $50). I don't know if NCL will do that.

 

If that procedure is not available on NCL, then it is up to the parents (guardian) to set the limit and enforce it.

 

IMO, I am glad that my daughter's grandmother would not have any way to circumvent any limits I had set for her on board ship. Grandma was a huge problem on shore, never mind on ship.

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for the details. I wonder why it's even possible to gift onboard credit to one particular guest, a minor, through the app. The availability to do that was the start of my incorrect expectation. 

[Homosassa]

55 minutes ago, OrangeCatRamblers said:

 

Thank you for the details. I wonder why it's even possible to gift onboard credit to one particular guest, a minor, through the app. The availability to do that was the start of my incorrect expectation. 

It is for those who wish to gift a passenger with on board credit .  If the cabin passengers are covered by the same on board account, the money will be credited to that account.

 

For a shared cabin where each passenger is covering their expenses  with a separate accounts, the credit would go to their account.

 

A credit minor would be credited to the responsible adult.