13 y.o. s&s cards

[erRN2be]

I know that this is an "each is to their own" type of question, but I would appreciate some ideas.

 

We are sailing on the Miracle on April 3, 2005. We will be sailing with two 13 y.o.s and an 8 y.o. I am not activating the 8 y.o. s&s account as he will be with me if he wants to buy anything. However, the two 13 y.o.s will have a little more freedom. One of the 13 y.o.'s is a friend traveling with us and so his parents need to know amounts.

 

My question is, how much should the teens have on their accounts? I mean the arcade is cash base, we're buying soda cards for them both. What else is their for them to buy? What would they need money for when I am not with them?

 

We are trying to get an idea of how much, as the friend will want to spend most of his money in ports buying souveniers for his family.

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Chelle

[kjunea]

I bought her the soda card and put a spending limit of $15 a day on her card (this was with RCL, so carnival might be different.) That allowed her to buy snacks in the gift shop (she's a chocolate fiend) and a mocktail or two a day. If she wanted anything else, she had to convince me it was worth it -- ie tshirts, jewelry, etc.

 

June

[PelicanBill]

Hmmm, I don't think you can specify any limits per person on Carnival's S&S card. It's one account with a cash deposit or credit card attached. You can disable charging privileges or enable them.

 

I would suggest getting the soda card for them, that's separate and unlimited. There's nothing on the ship they would need to buy other than that. All the food is free.

[kdickers]

I would suggest getting the soda card for them, that's separate and unlimited. There's nothing on the ship they would need to buy other than that. All the food is free.

 

I had a similar question a week or so ago (mocktails). What I was able to find out way . . . if they are attending any of the teen activities they would need access to S&S accounts to pay for their mocktails.

 

Kim

[erRN2be]

I would like them to be able to buy a few things. If I can't put a limit on the card I may just put a minimum amount on the card..say $50 and that is what they have for the week. If they spend it all in the first couple days then it's gone for the week. May be a lesson in budgeting on this cruise too. :)

 

That way they have a total of $50 for them to spend completely as they see fit and I'll have control of their cash for the arcade if they want to proposition me that arcade time is needed..hee hee

 

Chelle

[Ehpride]

Isn't there a limit on what can be spent at the arcade in a day too?

[Flip2cruise]

I would like them to be able to buy a few things. If I can't put a limit on the card I may just put a minimum amount on the card..say $50 and that is what they have for the week. If they spend it all in the first couple days then it's gone for the week. May be a lesson in budgeting on this cruise too. :)

 

That way they have a total of $50 for them to spend completely as they see fit and I'll have control of their cash for the arcade if they want to proposition me that arcade time is needed..hee hee

 

Chelle

 

You do realize they can use their S&S cards in the arcade.

[cali-croozer]

I had a similar question a week or so ago (mocktails). What I was able to find out way . . . if they are attending any of the teen activities they would need access to S&S accounts to pay for their mocktails.

 

Kim

 

 

If the kids are going to the Camp Carnival "mocktail party", they do not need their sail and sign. In this case only, the "mocktails" are included. Same with the Camp Carnival arcade competition (once during the week there will be a "tournament" in the arcade, lasting about an hour----games, if attending with Camp Carnival are free).

 

I don't activate my teens cards, and they've never complained or needed any money. I buy them a soda card, on my sail and sign account. I also buy them a t-shirt from the gift shop. If they want to use the arcade, they bring their own money. But, there's just so much to do on the ship for free and so much free food/drinks, they really don't need anything else.

 

OP---as far as your child's friend, let them know about the tip amount, soda card price and price of any excursions you are going to take. Other than that, it's up to them to figure out how much extra spending money to give him. You can always just keep it with you and keep a log of what's spent.

[minneapolismom]

My teenage sons are 13, 16 and 17. They all have part-time jobs so they will be depositing a small amount of their own money in their card if they wish. I will be paying for the soda pop cards. I will be paying for all excursions in the ports, and the boys will bring their own money for souvenirs. I will be paying for their tips at the end of the cruise. We can't wait (sailing 040305)!!!

[jerseygirl3]

I just gave my kids a limit on what they could spend each day, and they were not to go over that limit without getting my permission first. It worked out well that way. Actually, one of the kids spent only $3.99 because he said he ran out of toothpaste! I got them each soda cards, so there wasn't much they had to use their card for.

[lahoban]

O.K. I have some question's. If I buy my 3 teen's pop cards and have the excusions already paid for can they use money in the game room? It sounds like they can. I'm trying to decide if I need to acivate their s/s cards? Not sure what else they would use money for. We have never cruised before.

 

Also do I need to put the 200.00(for a 7 day cruise) for each child on the s/s card regardless if we activate them or not? Or can you just put the 75.00 for the tips and not activate them?

 

Also what age is the "mocktail" party for. I have teens. Thanks

[serene56]

LAH: How old are your teens?? Lots of kids over the age of 12-13 dont feel that its cool to go to the group activities. this age tends to just hang out and create their own havoc-- I mean their own fun. There will be a teen meeting the first night--even if your teens do not want to particiapate in the group activities it very important that you make that meeting mandatory. This is when the kids from that sailing will get together and break off into clicks.. I mean groups... They may feel its lame or uncool but silently they will thank you later in the week for making them go,

 

 

Please be aware that even though limits are set on kids cards the amount can go over that amount. After that first cruise I turned off the kids cards. There is nothing they could buy on the ship that couldnt be had somehwere for free.. chips and pretzels--room service.

 

Check out the price of a cadbury bar in the gift store. 6 bucks--I got them home for 75 cents.

 

I also carried on our own soda--each kid carried their own 12 pack onboard with them as we checked in. Soda IS free for kids under the age of 12 in the dining room. Free iced tea/lemonade and fruit punch can be had in the buffet. Even can get choc milk with room service. I can tell you that the kids barely touched the soda... we always gave the remainder to the cabin steward when we left.

[odis]

They can use the S&S cards to get tokens/quarters in the arcade, but I think they can only get $20 at a time. On some ships you can check on the TV what the account balance it. You can always check with the purser to keep up. Nonetheless, I still say NO to it as long as mine has her drink card. Other than souveniers and game tokens, there is nothing for them to get and what they want to buy can wait until I am with them - they aren't running out of t-shirts and cheap jewelry.

[cali-croozer]

O.K. I have some question's. If I buy my 3 teen's pop cards and have the excusions already paid for can they use money in the game room? It sounds like they can. I'm trying to decide if I need to acivate their s/s cards? Not sure what else they would use money for. We have never cruised before.

 

Also do I need to put the 200.00(for a 7 day cruise) for each child on the s/s card regardless if we activate them or not? Or can you just put the 75.00 for the tips and not activate them?

 

Also what age is the "mocktail" party for. I have teens. Thanks

 

 

I didn't activate my kids sail and sign and their tips were put on my sail and sign, so don't worry about that. Looking at the Camp Carnival activities for 12-15 year olds, no mocktail party is listed, so it must be for younger kids.....sorry. My son spent about $5 in the arcade, so there must be some way to get tokens or use money without the sail and sign or a large bill.

[lahoban]

serene56, they will be 14,and 17. I will have them go to the meet and greet. So if I put the 75.00 on their s/s cards for tips will that work? Plus I will buy the pop cards on mine. Or do I pay for all the tips on mine and my husbands cards? Thanks

[cali-croozer]

tips can go on your sail and sign....no need to activate their cards just for that

[jerseygirl3]

Don't forget that you can also pay their tips in cash; you don't have to put them on the Sail and Sign card.

 

I've never had a problem with my kids overspending on their cards. We started cruising when they were in the mid-teens, and I just told them what their limit was, and not one of them ever went over it. We gave the one a hard time who put $3.99 on his card for toothpaste, though, just to make him squirm because he didn't get it approved first!!!LOL And that was all he put on his card the entire week!!!

[ppeckham]

My kids were 11 and 13 when we last cruised. We purchased the soda cards for them but they were each told they could charge up to $10 per day. I monitored the amount spent. They both managed the account well. Both spent less than I had allotted.

[Ehpride]

We gave the one a hard time who put $3.99 on his card for toothpaste, though, just to make him squirm because he didn't get it approved first!!!LOL And that was all he put on his card the entire week!!!

 

LOL...Poor kid!!

[TxStacey]

I think it depends on your kids spending habits. I put a limit of 10.00 per day on my daughter's S&S card because she loves the mocktails. She was 12 at the time. I just "led her to believe" that anything over 10.00 would be denied. She was mortified at the idea so she never went over the limit. She is 13 and a little wiser this year but I am going to try it again and see what happens!!LOL!