First time cruise coming up for our family. Kids are 17, 14, 11. What can we expect to spend
on our on board account, excluding spa and excursions, per day?

You will need to set budgets for your children. If they each have their own card, they can have a field day without thinking about it. You can check your account during the cruise to see what the spending activity is and take corrective measures if they go over the budget.

When my son was younger, he loved virgin pina coladas and could drink them all day long. It can get out of hand fast if you don't monitor it.

Kids will spend money on drinks (consider soda cards) in the stores, in the video arcades and when on shore. All of their food, entertainment, activities on board ship and kid's programs are covered in the cost of the cruise passage.

I am willing to bet that whatever budget you set for them, they can find a way to spend it! VBG. They will have the time of their life.

Tom

Boy can I relate to a teenager overspending on a cruise. My daughter loved her virgin strawberry dacquiris when younger and ordered them non-stop the first few days of a cruise (unbeknownst to me). When I checked my bill on the TV a few days into the cruise - I was in shock. We then limited her consumption to 2 a day (and did so on every subsequent cruise). As Tom mentioned, the soda card is an excellent idea for children. Sit down with your kids, before the cruise, and discuss what you consider a reasonable amount to spend each day and then budget them accordingly.
Nancy
Nancy

I think it would be smart to explain to the kids that everything they need their card for is a charge. As a kid they may not realise most things on the ship have a charge. It would be easy to accumulate a large bill and not realise it, adults do it all of the time with their credit cards.