Teen Sign & Sail Cards

[Cindyrella]

We will be cruising with our daughter and her friend for spring break. They will have their own room (friend is 18) and are saving their own money. Since they are in a seperate room will they each have their own sign and sail cards? Can they pay for the card with cash so they'll be able to buy stuff on the ship? We are buying them soda cards so that will be taken care of. I don't think they'll be hanging in the video arcade much, they will probably want some coffee drinks, ice cream, smoothies and maybe a few souveniers from the shops. Anything else they would need to spend money on? Anyone have a recommended amount for a 7 day cruise?

 

Thanks for the help,

Cindy

[familycruzer]

There is a thread here about using cash for the sea pass card. I will try a link..

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=140884&highlight=cash+sea+pass

If it does not work, just do a searh for " sea pass cash" and it will take you to it.

 

As for the cards ... when you check in just tell the RCL reps that you want 2 different sets of cards.

 

As for extra expenses ... tips for room service, JR if there is one on your ship, the casino (I am not sure of the age limit), photos, frozen drinks.

 

I would suggest to them that they set a budget up before they get on the ship and be sure to check the spending every day to adjust.

[FinelyCruising]

Good advice. Those photo's though, which the kids love to take since they have head shot sessions, get expensive when they see a few they really like. May have to view them with them and help them select just one or two.

[jodymc]

I just returned from Enchantment with my husband, my 3 sons (ages 12,16,18) and my son's friend (aga17). I only allowed my husband and I to use the credit. I told them I wanted to put cash down on my sons's & friends accounts and they told me I had to do it on the ship. When I got on the ship I went to the pursers desk and put cash on their accounts and then told them this is your money for the week and you will need to budget it. To my surprise none of them came close to using it all so the day before I left I closed out each acct. and they gave me the remaining cash back.

 

At age 18 they are allowed in the casino, although I do not believe they check ID if you look old enough.

 

For an 18 year old, you need to sign off if you want them to be allowed to purchase beer & wine. They are not allowed to purchase mixed drinks.

[Shanafan]

We will be cruising with our daughter and her friend for spring break. They will have their own room (friend is 18) and are saving their own money. Since they are in a seperate room will they each have their own sign and sail cards? Can they pay for the card with cash so they'll be able to buy stuff on the ship? We are buying them soda cards so that will be taken care of. I don't think they'll be hanging in the video arcade much, they will probably want some coffee drinks, ice cream, smoothies and maybe a few souveniers from the shops. Anything else they would need to spend money on? Anyone have a recommended amount for a 7 day cruise?

 

Thanks for the help,

Cindy

Everyone gets their own sail and sign card. It is used as your ID and room key. There is no cash exchanged other than in the casino. Everything you buy goes on your card. Depending on which ship you are on, you can check the balance of your seapass as often as you like. When our kids were in a different room, they still were under our credit card, so their portfolio number showed on our interactive tv.

[Cindyrella]

Jody,

 

If you don't mind me asking, how much did you allow each kid? I'm thinking $100, too much too little?

[baseballmom]

Cindyrella, thanks for starting this thread, and Jody, thanks for the info re putting cash on the account.

 

I asked this same question on another thread, and was told that RCCL cannot put a specific credit limit on a card. So, even though I could tell my son not to spend above $50, if he went above that it would be charged! One good suggestion was to check the balance at least once a day. I like the idea of putting cash down instead of risking a runaway credit card. He's 15, and this will be a good exercise in learning to budget (I hope!).

 

I'm also thinking that $100 should be more than enough for the week, and I hope there will be cash left over. Cindy, unlike your teens, mine is still a video game nut, so I have a feeling he'll be feeding those machines all week. That is, when he's not downing milk shakes at the Seaview Cafe.

 

Laurie

[jodymc]

I put $100 on each of my younger sons accts (ages 12 & 16) and $140 on my older sons and his friends accounts. To my surprise the younger ones each only spent about $25 each and the older 2 spent about $35-$40 each.

In the end I cashed out their balances and used it to pay cash for the tips.

There really is not a whole lot to spend $$ on as they went to the game room one night and there are only maybe 4-6 games so not alot to do in there. The older ones were out with girls and there were groups of kids hanging out together. The older 2 also went to the casino, lost about $50 which includes spending what they won too. The only thing I think the younger ones really spent some money on were smoothies. Also, if I was with them I would put their purchase on my card, however my husband and I only had a bill of a little over $200, so I would say we did very well.

[ineedacruise]

As a family of four we usually spend about $150 on board which I think is rather good.

 

My 14 year old DD wants to have control of her spending and sea pass card on our next cruise so I am going to give her $25 to spend and then she will have to pay what ever she does over and above that amount. We will be checking the balance each day to see how she is doing. Its a great learning experience.

[alleauna]

Very informative discussion! I was needing the answers to all these questions as well, thank you!

 

I am surprised to learn that tips for room service and usage of the video arcade are both paid for with the Sea Pass and not with cash. Can someone explain how both these work using the card? Do they automatically take a tip for room service off your Sea Pass? How much is the tip? Do you use your card to get tokens at the arcade?

 

Thanks!

:) Shauna

[Cindyrella]

BaseballMom, That's the difference between boys and girls--boys in the arcade, girls basking by the pool ;) Both of the girls have jobs and are currently learning how to budget so I think it will be fine. My daughter just got her own checking account, which is a little scary but so far so good (of course it's only been a few weeks):D . Thanks for all the great information, I'm really looking forward to our first cruise!

[Happy ks]

Cindyrella, I don't think you can put room service tips on your onboard account, as there is no bill to sign when they deliver. We always keep plenty of $1 bills handy, tipping between $2-5, depending on what they deliver. If anyone else has ever put room service tips on the sail and sign card, please let everyone know how you did it.

 

I've always put my kids on a "budget" when we cruise, I make them save their own money for souvenir shopping. It has cured the "I want that" syndrome, especially since they have both made foolish purchases. The following trips, they really think about it. BTW, I have allowed them to make the foolish purchases, sometimes we learn more by our mistakes.

[ineedacruise]

I've always put my kids on a "budget" when we cruise, I make them save their own money for souvenir shopping. It has cured the "I want that" syndrome, especially since they have both made foolish purchases. The following trips, they really think about it. BTW, I have allowed them to make the foolish purchases, sometimes we learn more by our mistakes.

 

I so agree with that statement. When its their money, they are less likely to waste it and over spend.

[baseballmom]

Kathy, I love the budget plan! My son's birthday is next week and I will tell him that any money he receives should be socked away for the cruise. I also agree re letting them make foolish (although hopefully not too expensive) purchases. When he needs to spend HIS money, as opposed to MY money, he almost always re-thinks the purchase.

 

Based on the comments here, I think I'll put $50 - 75 on his seapass card, and encourage him to play basketball, pool or mini-golf instead of those video games. Thanks to all for the comments.

 

Cindyrella, I hope you and your family have a wonderful time on your first cruise!

 

Laurie

[ineedacruise]

I read on one of the Compasses that there the arcade is half price the first night of the cruise.