Emerald Princess European drinking age

[littlesteelo]

Hi all, apologies if this has been asked before, but I couldn't find the answer by searching. I am booked on a cruise on Emerald Princess sailing out of Southampton this summer, and am wondering whether my 20 year old will be able to purchase alcoholic drinks on the ship? I know Royal Caribbean have a lower age limit of 18 for European cruises, and was wondering whether this is the same on Princess.

[MKEcruiser]

The drinking age is 21 on all Princess ships.

They do check, even at dinner with parents.

My daughter carries her drivers license with her on the boat as they question her often (she looks young).

[Brismarg]

The drinking age is 21 on all Princess ships.

They do check, even at dinner with parents.

My daughter carries her drivers license with her on the boat as they question her often (she looks young).

 

Not true as Princess and P & O ships out of Australia have 18 as the legal drinking age which is the law here.

[Pam in CA]

Cruises out of Southampton, the drinking age is 18.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

At the bar by IC on the Ruby there was a sign attached to the ship stating the legal age of 21. In Europe last summer my daughter was 19 and when she ordered they confirmed she could only get a virgin drink which was what she wanted either way and she was with me when ordering.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - Oy, excuse the auto correct ;)

[caribill]

A sign in the Galley for the staff (this was not a European cruise)

 

 

 

Cruise cards indicate if a person is an adult, is 18-20 or is under 18.

Edited March 16, 2014 by caribill

[SwissDave]

If a ship is based at Southampton then the age is 18.

[skf]

The sign above is from Alaska.

I had heard that drinking ages in UK differ for spirits, beer, or wine. Is this true?

[chrysalis]

The sign above is from Alaska.

I had heard that drinking ages in UK differ for spirits, beer, or wine. Is this true?

 

Read the other posts above....

[davecttr]

The sign above is from Alaska.

I had heard that drinking ages in UK differ for spirits, beer, or wine. Is this true?

No, once you are 18 you can buy any type of alchoholic drink.

 

I would check with Princess what their age policy is for ships based in the UK.

 

I would think that having a 21 limit would be bad marketing as far as potential UK customers was concerned.

[skf]

Our neighbours in Canada can drink at 18. They must sometimes be surprised by Princess' policy of 21 in North America.

[Colo Cruiser]

I don't think its any big secret.

[MKEcruiser]

A sign in the Galley for the staff (this was not a European cruise)

 

 

 

Cruise cards indicate if a person is an adult, is 18-20 or is under 18.

 

They used to punch holes in minors' cards. Perhaps hole punching for lanyards has made this useless.

My now adult daughter looks young and is carded every time she orders. Maitre de sent her back to cabin for proof of age on first night of last cruise. She carried her drivers license with her after that. Must not be a way to tell age on cruise card?

 

After traveling all over with older teens, I can tell you drinking age on a Princess ship is 21, regardless of whose waters they are in.

Not sure of P&O or "all cruises out of Southhampton"-just Princess cruises.

 

Off the boat you are subject to local land laws.

DH and DS have fond Senior Frog Caribbean memories before oldest son turned 21. But no drinking on boat for DS in Mexican waters. He also went to college with eclectic European beer bottle collection! Again, no drinking on-board Baltic cruise boat.

As far as I can see on Princess website, they state legal age for alcohol consumption on all Princess ships is 21.

[Colo Cruiser]

After traveling all over with older teens, I can tell you drinking age on a Princess ship is 21, regardless of whose waters they are in.

Not sure of P&O or "all cruises out of Southhampton"-just Princess cruises.

 

This is not correct, Princess has an 18 age limit on select cruises from Southampton.

[MKEcruiser]

Have been on 2 sailings out of Southhampton.

Both trips older teens were denied service.

Can only speak on my experiences.

 

Have heard on some cruises if local age is 18, parents can sign a waiver to allow beer and wine service to kids 18-21.

Never investigated that because I really didn't want to know the answer!;)

[SeaCBear]

Actually the drinking age here in Canada is 19 and has been for many years.

 

But yes, after he turned 19, and before he turned 21, my son was very irritated that he couldn't get a drink on board a cruise ship when in Europe or the Caribbean, where the drinking age is lower than 19! It does seem very strange to us that in the U.S. you can get married, vote, go to war, probably buy or own a gun, etc. before you're 21, but you can't have a beer! :rolleyes:

 

Our neighbours in Canada can drink at 18. They must sometimes be surprised by Princess' policy of 21 in North America.

Edited March 16, 2014 by SeaCBear

[Colo Cruiser]

Have been on 2 sailings out of Southhampton.

Both trips older teens were denied service.

Can only speak on my experiences.

 

Have heard on some cruises if local age is 18, parents can sign a waiver to allow beer and wine service to kids 18-21.

Never investigated that because I really didn't want to know the answer!;)

 

 

No waivers on Princess, I believe thats on another line.

[SeaCBear]

Royal Caribbean will do this, but only if your cruise starts in Europe (and perhaps Australia?).

 

So when we did a Transatlantic from Florida to Rome in 2012, my 20 year old son did not have the option of waiver. But, he was with his parents, and we usually just paid for the drinks with one card, and he was never asked for ID when he ordered an alcoholic drink. During the 'free' cocktail hours at night (we were lucky enough to be staying in a Family Suite) he was also served alcoholic drinks with no questions asked.

 

No waivers on Princess, I believe thats on another line.

[MKEcruiser]

Found this in passager contract:

For all vessels sailing from Japanese ports the min age for gambling and drinking is 20. For all cruises originating from Australia or Asian ports other than Japan, as well as the Emerald Princess sailing round trip from Southampton, the min drinking and gambling age is 18.

 

OP- looks like your DD may be in luck!

[chrysalis]

Actually the drinking age here in Canada is 19 and has been for many years.

 

But yes, after he turned 19, and before he turned 21, my son was very irritated that he couldn't get a drink on board a cruise ship when in Europe or the Caribbean, where the drinking age is lower than 19! It does seem very strange to us that in the U.S. you can get married, vote, go to war, probably buy or own a gun, etc. before you're 21, but you can't have a beer! :rolleyes:

 

Actually the drinking age in Canada depends on the Province:)....it can be 18 or 19.....and as low as 16 or 17 with parental supervision.

[SeaCBear]

Yes, sorry - you're right that the drinking age is not 19 in ALL Canadian provinces, but most. Where is it 16 or 17, and would that be only at home?

 

Alberta - 18

British Columbia - 19

Manitoba - 18

New Brunswick - 19

Newfoundland and Labrador - 19

Northwest Territories - 19

Nova Scotia - 19

Nunavut - 19

Ontario - 19

Prince Edward Island - 19

Quebec - 18

Saksatchewan - 19

Yukon Territory - 19

 

Actually the drinking age in Canada depends on the Province:)....it can be 18 or 19.....and as low as 16 or 17 with parental supervision.

[SwissDave]

Found this in passager contract:

For all vessels sailing from Japanese ports the min age for gambling and drinking is 20. For all cruises originating from Australia or Asian ports other than Japan, as well as the Emerald Princess sailing round trip from Southampton, the min drinking and gambling age is 18.

 

OP- looks like your DD may be in luck!

 

As several of us said, but you didnt want to believe it.

[MKEcruiser]

If a ship is based at Southampton then the age is 18.

 

Only round trip on the Emerald out of Southampton has drinking age of 18.

Not all ships out of Southampton.

The 2 cruises we took out on Southampton were roundtrip, not on Emerald and my older teens were not allowed alcohol.

 

Not a matter of believing you.

Just relating my experiences and clarifying policy for OP.

[can786]

To clarify even further, for the last several years Princess has had one ship based in Southampton that they market heavily to Brits and Europeans. That ship will have a drinking age of 18 while all other Princess ships in Europe (that are not as heavily marketed to the Brits and Europeans) have the regular Princess drinking age of 21.

[caribill]

They used to punch holes in minors' cards. Perhaps hole punching for lanyards has made this useless.

My now adult daughter looks young and is carded every time she orders. Maitre de sent her back to cabin for proof of age on first night of last cruise. She carried her drivers license with her after that. Must not be a way to tell age on cruise card?

 

 

Proof of age required because there is no picture on the cruise card and this server cannot tell if the cruise card belongs to that person.

 

There is an indication of age on the cruise card.

o There is an A in the lower right after the number of cruise credits if the person is an adult.

o There is an * in that location if the person is 18-20 years old.

o That location is blank for someone younger than 18