Spending limit on key card

[Jessieasanders]

First time cruiser here . I was wondering if there is a way to set a spending limit on my teenagers' key cards?

Edited March 6, 2016 by Jessieasanders

[GUT2407]

First time cruiser here ��. I was wondering if there is a way to set a spending limit on my teenagers' key cards?

 

I believe you just se the Purser's desk.

 

Never done it myself, just told them what they could spend.

[shadowmeboy]

You could set up a cash account, and limit it that way.

[Demonyte]

No way of limiting spending except opening a separate cash account for that keycard, as previous poster said.

 

Edit: What one needs to remember is that unless prepaid, DSC is always charged per person so the kid must have sufficient funds to that too and they can easily spend that sum also.

Edited March 6, 2016 by Demonyte

[casofilia]

You could set up a cash account, and limit it that way.

 

When you check-in and they ask if you want to give them a credit card then say no and say you will set up a cash account with Guest Services. I think they could suggest $300 but if you think that too much suggest a lower figure; you will have to provide the cash though.

 

When you get to the limit you have put on the card they will stop it being used and get in touch for you to add more cash to it.

[Demonyte]

I believe you just se the Purser's desk.

 

 

Nope, that is not possible. Any keycard attached to an account can spend as much as the credit on the account or the payment method backing it allows.

 

So if you are using only one account for the whole family, anyone can spend as much as they want without limits until the whole account becomes unusable.

[Keith1010]

Yes, this can be done at the reception desk.

 

Keith

[Jessieasanders]

When you check-in and they ask if you want to give them a credit card then say no and say you will set up a cash account with Guest Services. I think they could suggest $300 but if you think that too much suggest a lower figure; you will have to provide the cash though.

 

When you get to the limit you have put on the card they will stop it being used and get in touch for you to add more cash to it.

 

 

So, to get an idea for budgeting purposes ... What would a typical teenager need to spend money on while on the ship? Each of our teens will have a soda package, so no drink cost, right? What else is there that they will need money for?

[casofilia]

So, to get an idea for budgeting purposes ... What would a typical teenager need to spend money on while on the ship? Each of our teens will have a soda package, so no drink cost, right? What else is there that they will need money for?

 

Sorry can't help with this as our children are now 35+!!

 

Have you thought about getting account for each key card if you would prefer.

 

Mike

[Demonyte]

So, to get an idea for budgeting purposes ... What would a typical teenager need to spend money on while on the ship? Each of our teens will have a soda package, so no drink cost, right? What else is there that they will need money for?

 

 

Many will be using (possibly a lot of) money at the arcade. Buying snacks and candy from the onboard shops also comes in mind.

[john watson]

Most cruise lines will give you an interim printout of your onboard account to date. With more than one person in the cabin all on one credit card normally each account has a -2 or -3 to separate users. You can then go through relevant page with teenager and review not only how much has been spent but also what it was spent on. This can be done daily or every couple of days as you need. Day two you can say to son/daughter "You are going to look a right melon if I have to cancel all purchase rights on your card due to over spending" if usage starts to go out of bounds.

 

Regards John

Edited March 6, 2016 by john watson

[Demonyte]

Most cruise lines will give you an interim printout of your onboard account to date. With more than one person in the cabin all on one credit card normally each account has a -2 or -3 to separate users.

 

 

In NCL's system charges by the passengers different from the account holder are clearly marked by printing the name on each row - rows without a name are account holder's.

[Jessieasanders]

Many will be using (possibly a lot of) money at the arcade. Buying snacks and candy from the onboard shops also comes in mind.

 

Thanks! Being a newbie, I wasn't thinking about the arcade! And didn't know there would be snacks and candy for sale. I just assumed if they wanted something to eat, they would go back up to the buffet :)

[Jessieasanders]

Most cruise lines will give you an interim printout of your onboard account to date. With more than one person in the cabin all on one credit card normally each account has a -2 or -3 to separate users. You can then go through relevant page with teenager and review not only how much has been spent but also what it was spent on. This can be done daily or every couple of days as you need. Day two you can say to son/daughter "You are going to look a right melon if I have to cancel all purchase rights on your card due to over spending" if usage starts to go out of bounds.

 

Regards John

 

Thankfully our kids are really good kids, so hopefully turning them into melons won't be necessary. I was just trying to prevent an accidental catastrophe at the end of our vacation when I get the final bill :). But checking in on the charges a couple days in sounds like great advice!

[Demonyte]

Thankfully our kids are really good kids, so hopefully turning them into melons won't be necessary.

 

 

I don't want to scare you but even good kids can get carried away, stories about kids racking up hundreds of dollars worth of charges in the arcade are not unheard of. :)

 

For example this thread mentions $800 worth of arcade charges ($1-5/game) by just one pre-teen:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1979899

 

But as said, checking the onboard account regularly also helps to at least limit the damage (not prevent it completely).

[Sparkygirl]

We set up cash accounts for each person. DH and I at the $300 amount per person, SS will have a $175. He can then Purchase soda package if he wants and will have $16 a day left over. We will be on getaway so we upped budget from our dawn budget to include cookies or cake snack from carlo's, gelato, non alcoholic frozen drink, bowling or darts at osheehan's in addition to the arcade.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[john watson]

I don't want to scare you but even good kids can get carried away, stories about kids racking up hundreds of dollars worth of charges in the arcade are not unheard of. :)

 

But as said, checking the onboard account regularly also helps to at least limit the damage (not prevent it completely).

 

You could tell them if their arcade charges exceed $10 on any day you are suspending the account for example.

 

Another general cost kids can get you into is where they have a smartphone and they "keep in touch" on various social media sites or stream videos to watch. Then if they have a contract as opposed to a pay as you go account set up you can be hit well after you get back home!

 

Regards John

[Jessieasanders]

We set up cash accounts for each person. DH and I at the $300 amount per person, SS will have a $175. He can then Purchase soda package if he wants and will have $16 a day left over. We will be on getaway so we upped budget from our dawn budget to include cookies or cake snack from carlo's, gelato, non alcoholic frozen drink, bowling or darts at osheehan's in addition to the arcade.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

That is a great idea! Thanks for the info! I think we may do something along the same I lines ... So there aren't any surprises at the end of the trip

[Jessieasanders]

I don't want to scare you but even good kids can get carried away, stories about kids racking up hundreds of dollars worth of charges in the arcade are not unheard of. :)

 

For example this thread mentions $800 worth of arcade charges ($1-5/game) by just one pre-teen:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1979899

 

But as said, checking the onboard account regularly also helps to at least limit the damage (not prevent it completely).

 

I agree! And this is exactly what we are trying to avoid. After the tips here, I think we will set up cash accounts.

[Nola26]

Many will be using (possibly a lot of) money at the arcade. Buying snacks and candy from the onboard shops also comes in mind.

 

Need? Zero dollars are needed. My nephew played games in teen club and snacks are plentiful at the buffet which is nearby. Game room wasn't a necessity. He spent time playing basketball and other outdoor activities which probably kept him away from game room too.

[Jessieasanders]

You could tell them if their arcade charges exceed $10 on any day you are suspending the account for example.

 

Another general cost kids can get you into is where they have a smartphone and they "keep in touch" on various social media sites or stream videos to watch. Then if they have a contract as opposed to a pay as you go account set up you can be hit well after you get back home!

 

Regards John

 

Good point re the phones ... We are thinking about having everyone lock up their phones while on vacation ... But that is also how we take pics. So at the very least, they will be going into airplane mode.

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

Airplane mode is a really good idea, because I'm always afraid of Mystery

charges from our phone Carrier. Since we go into several different modes

of carriers when cruising.....

 

As far as your Teens...... I showed mine (when they were teens) how to

go to Customer Service desk & request a copy of THEIR Current Charges.

That way they can Check for themself.

 

Of course, I also did this on behalf of ALL of us, just in case, lol.

But they liked being responsible for themselves.

 

As mentioned above, there are Many thing they can do onboard ship that

you can easily Scan your card & pay for. Will be a learning lesson for all

of you, but try not to worry to much. Just give them an idea of what they

can spend. It will probably go fine.

Have a great time. ;)

[txagfan]

It doesn't even have to be older kids lol...I didn't even think to "shut off" my 8yo nephews account since he would be with me or in kids club until one day I grabbed the bill around Day 4 just to see where i stood and the stinker had bought Internet [emoji23]. Apparently one morning Uncle TXAGFAN was sleeping and he set up an account and started billing Internet to the account. Luckily I had unlimited internet so when I went by the desk they happily removed the nephews charges.

Edited March 6, 2016 by txagfan