Excursion age requirements

[Cabron]

How strictly are they enforced?

 

Family is booked on a July cruise, but youngest of our party will not turn 16 until October.

 

I have run up against this before re: legal drinking age for a 19 year old in our party in Mexico (unbelievable, right?), when he was carded and not allowed to have a bracelet during one excursion. I know the description on Carnival's website says a person "must" be 16 and have an ID, but do these vendors really care or enforce it when alcohol is not involved? Will the website even allow me to book if one of the participants is under the age requirement?

 

I'd be interested in your thoughts or experiences.

 

Thanks in advance.

[StolidCruiser]

My experience is when any excursion has a restrictive requirement, they mean it (and enforce it).

[kctwinmommy]

I would imagine for legal requirements and to protect themselves, they do enforce it. All it takes is for an exception to be made, and an accident to happen, followed by a frivolous lawsuit, to end that real quick.

[cruizinisthebest]

Excursions through Carnival are automatically tied to your booking, which has each person's birth date embedded. The system won't even allow you to book it for the person if the age doesn't meet the minimum. So there's no way around a Carnival excursion. Maybe private.

[CeleBrat]

What type of excursion are you looking to book? Often you can find a private excursion that is the same, for much less $$. And, there usually aren't age restrictions, unless the excursion involves needing to be able to drive. EX: we booked a private excursion to Stingray City when my kids were toddlers, when the ship's excursion required a minimum age (5, I think.)

 

If you let us know what you're trying to book, I bet you will get a lot of recommendations via this board for alternate tours.

 

CeleBrat

[springs741]

If it is a Carnival excursions the age restriction will be strictly enforced. These vendors rely heavily on their connection with Carnival. They will not jeopardize this relationship. You only recourse will be to book a private vendor.

[Cabron]

Thanks, everyone, for chiming in.

 

FWIW, the excursions in question were for dune buggies and/or 4-wheelers. May just have to go back to the drawing board.

 

I've done independent excursions before, and decided I'd book in the future exclusively through Carnival. Had some great experiences through the less expensive alternatives, but found (surprise!) that those who booked through Carnival were the first off the ship, and all others had to wait. In one case, it resulted in our missing the excursion because we showed up late.

 

Ironically, the one time we nearly missed the boat at the end of the day was the time we booked through carnival. After a day at the beach with an open bar, we were slightly--ahem--distracted, and didn't notice the rest of our group had made their way back to the bus and left. Ooops. Glad some taxis were waiting nearby!