How Much Spending Money For Teens

Hi, we're going on a 10 day Hawaiian cruise on the NCL Wind in April. I was wondering if anyone has sugestions as to how much spending money my DD(14) will need per day. Thanks.

First tip would be to buy a soda pass of some sort. Here is the list from NCL

343

20 non-alcoholic drinks, including non-alcoholic smoothie in a 12-14 oz. glass

The teen and a guest are entitled to an afternoon dance party with the D.J., pizza and unlimited non-alcoholic drinks

The Teen will also receive an invitation to a "Farewell Frat Party" on the last evening of the cruise. Passports are not replaceable if lost.

$34.50

 

 

Unlimited Fountain Soda

Includes: Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Ginger Ale, Tonic Water, Soda Water

The entire cruise must be purchased. Non-Refundable.

Prepaid @ $5.75 per day per person x Cruise days

Smoothies are pricey, if I remember correctly they are $4+, if your teen is not a smoothie drinker then the soda card might. Keeps them from seeking you and your key card out!

The rest is really up to you. There are arcades, shops on the ship and in port. What I did with my two teens on the Disney Cruise was set them up with the soda pass and played it by ear from there. They want arcade money, I'd give them $10 each. I kept the shopping to a minimum because a teen will buy as much as they have money and all that stuff has to fit in a suitcase:D

With free food plus a soda pass, most teens are all set. Between shows, pool, new friends etc... she won't need too much money.

But that is just my opinion. Enjoy your cruise!

Obviously, you should work within your own family's budget of what you can afford to give your teen for spending money. That aside, however, I have done a few trips with my 2 kids over the years (now age 9 and 13) and usually set spending money as follows:

$10 per day for the amount of days for the trip, but it accrues daily. So on the first day, they have $10 each, and they can spend it or save it. On the 2nd day, they get another $10, and now they may have $20 accrued, if they did not spend any money the first day. And so on, for the rest of the vacation days.

A slightly simpler version we sometimes use is the following example:

For a week's vacation, they get $70 ($10 each day), but they can spend up to $35 anytime before the middle of the vacation week, and then they can spend the second $35 (plus any money they have left over from the first 1/2 of the vacation week) anytime from the middle of the vacation week until the end.

The amount of spending money they need will depend on what you want to cover. If you are going to pay for a soda card or a frozen drink a day, $5 should cover them for video games and other activities.

If they are responsible for all of there expenses $10-$20 was always enough for the children in our family.

I was planning to get her the smoothie/frozen drink card. I think it is for twenty drinks and we are on a 10 day cruise so that should work out just fine. She mostly drinks water or iced tea so I won't do the soda card. I was thinking to give her $10 a day to cover odds and ends and the arcade. Sounds right in line with what has been suggested here, so I feel reassured that will be a reasonable amount.

Thanks everyone for posting!:D

My teen is not good with money we are going on a 7 day cruise I pre purchased the soda card but still want to put money on his sail card for purchase he might want to make can I add money to his card and once it gone it's gone. Or will they start charge my card for him?

Since your teen isn't good with money, this is a GREAT learning experience! I would give him a set amount...when it's gone...it's gone! Lesson learned!

Aside from booze (which he can't buy), I've never found much else worth spending on!