Where is an 18 year old not allowed on a ship?

[Rogueperson]

In 1990, I was on an NCL cruise. I was 18 at the time. This was way before their freestyle, but I remember I could buy beer, but not hard alcohol.

 

I was also allowed in the teen club as well. I think back then, they had it up to 18. So, I actually had the best of both worlds at the time.

[kajunkroozer]

I saw kids in the EA sports bar on the Sunshine back in November.

[SadieN]

Everyone is allowed in the Piano Bar. It usually gets more 'adult' the later in the evening.

[Disconnections]

Hi everyone, thanks for all the answers to my post but I called Carnival today and when I asked them they said all 18 year olds are not allowed in the bar areas of yhe ship.

 

I am trying to find out if the 18 year old can go in the eb sports bar or any other bar with me as long as he does not drink.

 

Any idea?:confused:

 

Many of Carnival's customer service representatives have never even been on a cruise previously, which does lead to inconsistencies and incorrect information being given from their phone support. Any guest is allowed in a bar on a cruise ship, regardless of their age. After all, if they have the unlimited soda package, where else would they be able to utilize a service they paid for?

 

Although Carnival Conquest does not currently have a Serenity area, for future reference, your child (aged 18-21) will likely not have an issue, as long as they aren't being loud, obnoxious, etc. I'm still under 21 (and haven't been on Carnival in a few years) and I have never had an issue being in the Serenity area on any Carnival cruise, including the Carnival Magic Transatlantic where the onboard demographic was considerably older. Keep in mind, your mileage may vary and he may be asked to leave. Most crew members will avoid saying anything unless another guest complains. Even then, they may not want to get involved and have a guest situation and ignore it.

Edited May 9, 2014 by Disconnections

[DKF97]

At 18 he probably wouldn't be questioned, but we did see the bartender asking kids in the EA sports bar playing video games to leave because they didn't have a parent with them. My son was with me and we were at a table and they never said anything. But at the Havana Bar, my son (13) came and sat on a stool next to me to tell me about what he'd been doing at Circle C and the bartender said he wasn't really allowed to be there. He told me to finish my drink, but asked that next time we sit at a table. I asked about it at the Blue Iguana later and they said kids aren't allowed to sit on the stools at any of the bars, but the tables were fine. This was the first time we had been told that, but then again they don't generally hang out at the bar with us, just pop into to tell us what they just did and what they can't wait to do next, LOL.

[fishtaco]

I would have hated to have been between 18 and 21 in USA:( They were very memorable times and I was legally drunk a lot:D:D:D

 

Dont worry the 18 year olds can drink as much as they want in ports outside USA and lets face it why do we all drink in the first place if not to feel good/great (for the Holier Than Thou,s):)

 

On our last USA trip and carnival cruise we met two separate mother/daughter groups where the daughters were 18 and they had an absolute ball together in Cabo and PV;)

 

One Mother was doing the drink switch in the Disco on the way home, they had a great time!

Edited May 9, 2014 by fishtaco

[mousey]

Underage kids can sit at stools at the bar if they have a soda card and are buying and consuming soda. My DS always sat at the bar with his friends. They had drink cards and would order their drinks from the Atrium Bar. They became friends with one of the bartenders because the kids would go get food for him from the outside grill and the bartender in turn gave them free smoothies (which they couldn't get with their soda cards).

 

One thing parents of under age kids should know...kids can get booze anytime they want...not legally of course...but from other people. On our last cruise my then 17 yr-old DS and his then 18 yr-old friend were always being offered booze by 21 yr. olds and older girls and guys. Not to brag...but the DS and his friend are very cute guys and girls were all over them! Even girls from 20 to 25. We would find notes from girls taped to the boy's cabin door all the time asking them to meet them at a certain time and place to "party." Girls even gave out their room numbers and asked the boys to come "party' with them and that they would give them booze and pot. Yes, I did say "pot." I would pull off the post-its when I found them but the girls were so bold they then would shove notes under the boy's cabin door. Little did they know that I had a key card to the boy's room. LOL!

 

We even met a kid on one of our cruises, he was 17 at the time (he, his older brother, and parents sat at our table the first night of the cruise and then never sat with us again), whose parents allotted him so much booze and cigarettes a day. One day I bumped into our son and this kid was trying to hide from me because he was smoking...I called his name and said, "I can see you!" He freaked out. I don't know why, he wasn't my kid so I wouldn't have said anything to him. My DS said he was embarrassed that I caught him smoking because his parents didn't want us to know that they allowed him to smoke and drink a little and that's why they never came back to our table to eat with us. His parents gave him a little booze and cigarettes every day and the older brother gave him pot.

 

You need to set rules for your teens and be ready to back up whatever consequences you set for infractions thereof. The boys broke curfew one night and paid the consequences for it...they were never late again! I don't ease up on broken rules...even on a cruise!

 

This isn't Carnival's or any other cruise line's fault. They have no control over people getting drinks for younger passengers unless they are being overtly obvious about it. How would Carnival know that this one kid's own parents were giving him booze and cigarettes? You have to monitor your own kids!

Edited May 10, 2014 by mousey

[ofthesea]

The only thing that's off limits is the Serenity area and that's for 21+ year olds. And you cannot drink alcohol on the ship. But if you're taking a cruise to Mexico where the drinking age is 18, but in reality it's not even enforced. A lot of people on my Mexico cruise were under 21 and came back to the ship drunk.

 

I'm 19 and just came off a Carnival cruise and was absolutely shocked the gambling age was 18. I would put a spending limit to your child's card so they don't gamble your money away. Unless, they're like me who pays for the whole cruise on their own.

As for bars, I went and sat at many bars but I'd only order a mocktail or a glass of water(I'm a cool 19 year old aren't I? LOL). It's a nice place to have a conversation.

Comedy shows, they don't really enforce age unless you look really young or if you're a kid or if you get easily offended. The adult comedy show is the best though!

 

The reason why they have the gambling age at 18 and the drinking age at 21 is because they'd rather take your money then babysit a kid drunk! Teens nowadays tend to push their limits and become rebellious, so if the drinking age was anything under 21, it would be chaos!

 

Cheers