How much do your kids spend on board?

[FLSteve11]

Whenever you feel comfortable doing so.

 

For my parents, they allowed me out on my own when I was 11 or 12 which is also when I started cruising. Each child is different, there's no one size fits all answer.

 

11 is pretty much when we let our DD go off on her own as well (she's 13 now) She's done plenty of cruises so knows her way around and what's appropriate. But it is definitely up to the parents and their comfort level as you say.

[A&Jfamily]

Mine have never spent more than $50 in a week, each. That's how much mom throws in - they are responsible for charges above that. They don't drink soda, so no BB.

 

Imho they don't need more than that...the last thing they need is more sugar on top of the free ice cream and desserts in the buffet and at the MDR.

 

We will buy them daiquiris if they manage to meet us in the lobby bar prior to dinner...the youngest is more likely to take that perk because he is more timely!

 

And the last thing either of min need is more clothes. Learning to travel simple has been a blessing

 

 

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[A&Jfamily]

Several threads/debates about this. Some parents are helicopter parents and others aren't. My oldest started going off on his own and spending on his own (with spending limits, as indicated previously) when he was 11 or 12.. There are always those younger running around by themselves also. There's no right or wrong answer. Use your judgement with your kids.

 

 

 

This is a great answer. Camp allows parents to grant sign in/out in the 9-11 group. My youngest had it immediately due to his personality and the fact that he has already cruised a ton an was quite comfortable. My oldest was late 10. And even then with both of them we started slow - they needed to be in camp, their room or with us. Now at 13 and 19 they have no restriction except to be dressed and ready for dinner at our preset time and location as we always have dinner as a family.

 

 

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[AmazedByCruising]

My stepson will be 18 this school year. He primarily lives with his mom. She does not allow him to work, as school is him main focus.

 

I feel sorry for him.

[A&Jfamily]

I feel sorry for him.

 

 

 

Why? My son is 19 and in college and only works in the summer so far. He may pick up an on campus job now that he is a sophomore. It's far more important for him to focus on his grades and not feel compelled to support himself fully.

 

 

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[Turqoisblu]

Several threads/debates about this. Some parents are helicopter parents and others aren't. My oldest started going off on his own and spending on his own (with spending limits, as indicated previously) when he was 11 or 12.. There are always those younger running around by themselves also. There's no right or wrong answer. Use your judgement with your kids.

 

 

 

I agree. You know your kids.

 

 

CARNIVAL LIBERTY 2017

CARNIVAL LIBERTY 2016

[terri-eddie]

Our daughter has cruised three times, at 13, 15 and 17 years of age. Her spending limit has always been $10 per day, given all at once at the beginning of the trip. First trip, she blew the whole amount [mostly in the arcade] by the end of Day 2. Second trip, she spent the whole amount, but it lasted all week. Third trip, she bought souvenirs for several friends at home, a few mocktails at the comedy shows, etc, but went home with money in pocket. We never vetoed any purchase she wanted to make, except for things too big to pack and fly home with, like a hammock and a three foot tall figurine of something.

[boltnut55]

I've only read the first few answers, so my first thought was: Shhhh, I hope my kid doesn't find this thread cuz she's gonna be mad, lol. She's been on at least 4 cruises with us (she's 20 now but started at 3), and the most she's ever spent is maybe $20 on the entire cruise, and I think that was 1 time on a stuffed animal. While we've never limited her, we've also never encouraged her either, but it may just be the way we spend money in our household.

[tatt2ed]

Why? My son is 19 and in college and only works in the summer so far. He may pick up an on campus job now that he is a sophomore. It's far more important for him to focus on his grades and not feel compelled to support himself fully.

 

 

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Exactly, what better way to keep your kids dependent on you. Besides as long as you have a basement im sure he'll always have a place to live.

 

 

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[tatt2ed]

I've only read the first few answers, so my first thought was: Shhhh, I hope my kid doesn't find this thread cuz she's gonna be mad, lol. She's been on at least 4 cruises with us (she's 20 now but started at 3), and the most she's ever spent is maybe $20 on the entire cruise, and I think that was 1 time on a stuffed animal. While we've never limited her, we've also never encouraged her either, but it may just be the way we spend money in our household.

Yeah mine too. The wife and i had an amount in mind for each kid, ours are 10yo g, 12yo b and 14yo g , but we didnt let them know. We figured anything we did as a family we would pay for but if it was just for themselves it would come out of "their" money. After the week the youngest daughter spent $7.50 on late night kids club fees. The middle boy spent somewhere around $12 at the arcade. The oldest girl spent $7.95 on room service. Dont get me wrong any other vacation they want to spend every penny we have but it was amazing how conservative they were on a cruise.

 

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[CruisingAgain]

My son gets $20 and a soda card and dollars for room service tips. I also hope he doesn't see this thread. We told him anything else he wants comes out of his own money. He's never spent more and that $20 always goes for cologne (that he doesn't need).

[Havingfun2010]

My stepson will be 18 this school year. He primarily lives with his mom. She does not allow him to work, as school is him main focus. Therefore he doesn't have his own money, we would definitely put a limit on him if he was to go with us on a cruise (or any vacation for that matter).

 

 

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Although School should always be a main focus, learning how to work, and manage money is also part of being an adult. Many kids today, are clueless of being able to manage a schedule. But on the other hand, prohibiting an adult/child from working is also part of control of his/her life.

 

Exactly. My son had turned 18 three weeks earlier and didn't work. I used it as a learning tool as I always do. When we first started cruising he'd burn through his money in 2 days. This way he has learned to manage it better. Which is teaching him budgeting. Now that he has his first job I am teaching him how to save and not spend all his money in one fell swoop.

 

 

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Of course he would burn through the money, it's not his. Better to let them use their money, which always seems to be a better learning tool, because they hate spending it.

[hrwi]

I would be surprised if they spent more than $20 each. I can't even imagine what they'd spend it on, maybe a milkshake?

[texasgirl73]

I don't give my children spending privileges on the ship. Multiple cruises and they have yet to ask for anything besides lanyards.

 

 

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[cynt]

At $200 some of your kids spend more than me on a week long cruise. Unless of course I get a massage.

 

Im not a big drinker, a margarita or two on sea days and one a day other than that. Im not interested in ship souvies. I usually purchase the welcome aboard photo. I use to enjoy the chefs table but they're all pretty much the same now.

 

Free ice cream plus milk equals shake. Plus chocolate milk equals chocolate shake. Plus lemonade equals creamy lemon goodness. I teach them how to be resourceful without spending money.

 

Arcade equals REALLY!?!?! You can stay at home and play Xbox or PlayStation. Like my parents told me go outside and play. LOL!

 

I think everyone parents different. Do what works for you.

 

 

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[Warm Breezes]

Why? My son is 19 and in college and only works in the summer so far. He may pick up an on campus job now that he is a sophomore. It's far more important for him to focus on his grades and not feel compelled to support himself fully.

 

 

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I have seen from my DD, now 20, that the busier she keeps herself the better her grades are...and unlike her DB, she has had to study hard and work for her 3.6 GPA in college. She is going into her Junior year. During the summer she works 40 hours a week at a campground as an activities director (she has worked there for the last 4 years). She set up her class schedule for next year so she is done by 2 pm everyday (15 credits) and could pick up a job at an after school program at a local elementary school (She is majoring in Integrated Sciences and Elementary Education). She is also an active member of the University Dance Troupe, doing 3-4 dances next semester as well as choreographing and teaching her own dance number. Oh and she is also a member of a local semi-pro basketball team Dance Team which also goes on during the school year.

 

She just moved out last week to her own apartment now that she has a school year job to pay for it. I never pushed her to take all this on. We were more than happy to support her as she went to a local university. I have always felt compelled to pay it forward with my kids since I went to college on Pell Grants and Scholarships (full ride). While they received some scholarships to our local University, they both went there saving on housing costs by living at home (until now with DD), we made too much for them to receive the grants giving them the full ride like I had. But like her DB, she learned from our example and has that desire to succeed and become independent on her own. I won't stand in her way, nor will I support a 2nd household, housing is now on her. But I will definitely be cheering her on from the sidelines, as I always have, and paying for her next 2 years of tuition.

 

It frustrates me at times seeing people generalize all the young people in that Millennial generation as lazy do nothings. We have seen some signs of that on this thread. I've seen more people in my own Generation X living off the government and being lazy do nothings than I have seen of my kids generation. But I can't generalize all of us that way either as I have not been nor will I ever be that way. It's an individual thing IMHO.

 

OP you know your child best. That too is an individual thing. If they need a budget set a budget that you can afford. Believe me when I say kids can have a great vacation on a cruise ship with a $0 budget, just as much as they can with a $200 budget. They just find different things to do with their time and there are a lot of options on a cruise ship. A child with a larger budget, on a mission to spend, may be found filled with sugar and sitting in the arcade;). A child with no budget or a smaller budget may be found in the kids club or out on the mini golf course. There your kids. Plan accordingly.

[A&Jfamily]

Exactly, what better way to keep your kids dependent on you. Besides as long as you have a basement im sure he'll always have a place to live.

 

 

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Wow. How wrong you are. 1) I don't have a basement. 2) he knows when he graduates college in 3 years he needs to be supporting himself in graduate school or else with a job because he will NOT be living with us. Further, he has no father to take him in - he died when my son was 11 - so he is NOT what you imagine him to be at all.

 

His college tuition was paid for thru the state plan by the time he was 8 years old. He works to earn his spending money and he bought his own car.

 

Are you bitter that perhaps you had no choice but to work your way through college - if you ever went? I can help him out now and there is zero harm in doing so. I am raising my son the same way my parents raised me - with a roof, clothes, medication expenses etc - through my 4 years of college. It didn't hurt me one bit because I was raised with values to work hard and do well. I earned a scholarship for graduate school and at 24 had my JD - with nothing but some cost of living loans for law school. And I have been fully employed ever since. And if that means my kids have a leg up with private school and college so be it - I earned it and I will help them get an easier start in life if I can - it's hard enough as it is. You might want to check your judgement - it's rude and uninformed.

 

 

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[sarmat1]

Whenever a thread like this comes up, my answer is always the same - Zero. Four cruises so far with number five coming up in a week and they haven't spent a dime. As to milkshakes, my kids (DD12 and DS9) would say that they have unlimited ice cream on Lido whenever they want it so there's no reason for milkshakes. They would find the arcade useless since they have their tablets with them in the cabin and play computer games on their computer when they're home anyway. Soda - we bring on a 12 pack for each. And so on . . . .

 

My kids simply appreciate the fact that they get to go on a cruise each summer. They're perfectly happy sticking with everything that's already included.

 

But, of course, to each his own. :)

[Strophic]

24 y/o here. I didn't have a job until college, when I worked part-time as a research assistant—I never had a job in high school. After I graduated college I started working, got a full-time job shortly after, and moved out shortly after that. I pay for 100% of my own expenses and don't take any money from my parents, and actually have more savings than both of my parents combined.

 

Sorry that doesn't fit your "basement dwelling millennial" fantasy, but I'm pretty proud of myself for managing to be completely financially independent in spite of it being much more difficult than it was for my parents' generation. The days of paying for college with a part-time summer job are long gone.

[calbred01]

Our last cruise our daughter was 17, she had about $100 to spend as she saw fit, BUT, she was myself and her Dad most of the time so when we ordered a drink at the pool we would get her a virgin drink if she wanted one. She does not really drink sodas so it was the occasional frufru coffee drink or something when she went around the ship with her friends. I think she only spent something around $40.00. We went shopping as a family to buy our token cruise t shirts, Lol! I really just wanted her to have the freedom to get something if she wanted to, she just chose not to!

[AmazedByCruising]

Why? My son is 19 and in college and only works in the summer so far. He may pick up an on campus job now that he is a sophomore. It's far more important for him to focus on his grades and not feel compelled to support himself fully.

 

Possibly a cultural difference between the US and Holland. I've never even heard of parents telling their kids that they aren't allowed to work (at all) because grades are more important.

 

I don't want to sound like "when I was a kid.. " but.. When I was 15 I worked a few weeks in a factory during holidays laying boxes on pallets. I learned a lot that school wouldn't and couldn't teach me. Bosses, times, even that I shouldn't be wandering around during breaks because the way they put bubbles in their chocolate bars was a company secret. A side job at 17 lead to another which was nicer, to yet another which was really good, much easier than sending out a letter.

 

Now I'm an employer myself, and look at resumes. For juniors, any work that shows that they've seen more than school gets them extra points. Trying to set up a webshop, being a youth camp leader, cleaning hotel rooms, whatever. Grades are usually not even listed on resumes and I won't ask for them as from experience I don't think they have any predictive value for how an employee will perform in my company.

 

So, IMHO, a parent shouldn't stop a child who wants to work besides studying from doing so.

[A&Jfamily]

Possibly a cultural difference between the US and Holland. I've never even heard of parents telling their kids that they aren't allowed to work (at all) because grades are more important.

 

 

 

I don't want to sound like "when I was a kid.. " but.. When I was 15 I worked a few weeks in a factory during holidays laying boxes on pallets. I learned a lot that school wouldn't and couldn't teach me. Bosses, times, even that I shouldn't be wandering around during breaks because the way they put bubbles in their chocolate bars was a company secret. A side job at 17 lead to another which was nicer, to yet another which was really good, much easier than sending out a letter.

 

 

 

Now I'm an employer myself, and look at resumes. For juniors, any work that shows that they've seen more than school gets them extra points. Trying to set up a webshop, being a youth camp leader, cleaning hotel rooms, whatever. Grades are usually not even listed on resumes and I won't ask for them as from experience I don't think they have any predictive value for how an employee will perform in my company.

 

 

 

So, IMHO, a parent shouldn't stop a child who wants to work besides studying from doing so.

 

 

 

I hear what you are saying. My post was in response to the person that suggested my son would end up living his life in my basement because he didn't have to go to college and work a job his freshman year.

 

I have never stopped my son from working....just made it possible for him not to need to during the school year. In the US we can invest in a prepaid education plan and I did that when he is very small, so his education costs are much reduced.

 

He is responsible for his books and spending money and worked 30-40 hrs per week this summer at a vet, took an extra college class, and babysits about 10 hours per week whenever home. Last summer it was part time work at an overnight ranch camp handling the horses and other barn animals.

 

He also spends a great deal of his time volunteering. He will give up multiple weekends a year as a "big buddy" at an overnight camp that provides therapy to children who have lost a parent or sibling. And when in high school he volunteered 10-20 hours per week at an exotic animal rescue - and has the scar from a lioness to prove it!

 

So, I think it's pretty clear that my son is generous with him time, and is working both volunteer and part time in fields that will assist him with his career plans in the field of biology. Doesn't sound like he will end up sleeping in my non-existent basement now does it? :)

 

 

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[AmazedByCruising]

I hear what you are saying. My post was in response to the person that suggested my son would end up living his life in my basement because he didn't have to go to college and work a job his freshman year.

 

...

 

He also spends a great deal of his time volunteering. He will give up multiple weekends a year as a "big buddy" at an overnight camp that provides therapy to children who have lost a parent or sibling.

 

Then again, I meant to respond to "She does not allow him to work, as school is him main focus." Apparently someone does stop her son from working.

 

 

I'm not a professional recruiter, hiring 2 or 3 people per year, but a resume like your son's is convincing enough to at least have a talk if he'd apply (if we were into biology of course :)). Much better than whatever grades he got in highschool.

[sjcruiser]

I like the idea of placing half the money in advance, and the other half mid-week. As noted, it teaches them to manage and budget their money.

 

With us it was a 13 yr old and 5 year old but grandkids. We gave the 13 year old a $200 limit but only put the first $100 on his account. He knew he was getting additional money mid week. We did this to help teach him to budget. He did well. Almost all of his money was spent in the arcade. He did purchase a week long pass to the thrill theater.

[mek]

I don't give my children spending privileges on the ship. Multiple cruises and they have yet to ask for anything besides lanyards.

 

 

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Good for you! Personally I see no reason to give kids spending money on a cruise. Do kids really need to spend extra to have fun? Not saying I wouldn't buy something for them if they wanted it, but just giving money to blow is not teaching a good lesson, IMHO. If they want to take some of their own money, then that is fine with me - I think they are more careful with their money than mine. Just my opinion.