Teens and drinking

[mjkacmom]

It's just a 5 night cruise to Bermuda

Then the 18 year old can legally purchase alcohol off of the ship, and I assume they won't be shadowed off of the ship the entire time.

[setsail]

The time to iron this stuff out is before booking the cruise

[1992cruiser]

First, nobody is falling off the ship (get them an interior cabin). If they are overly intoxicated in public areas, it will be noticed, teens aren't able to hide it as well as 'drinkers' and you guys will get to have a fun conversation with the Royal security.

Second, if teens want to drink, they will find a way. My suggestion is make them have late dinner with you and make them eat early breakfast with you. There is nothing better than watching a teen suffer through breakfast with a nasty hangover, especially when they think they are hiding it from you.

Third, it's so easy to smell it---during, but especially after (unless you also smell of booze). Teens aren't smart enough to know which drinks to order to keep the smell away.

 

Go enjoy the cruise, let the kids have fun. Let them know ahead of time there will be consequences if they drink (or if they are caught).

[WillTravelForFood]

We were on the Freedom last August and saw some teens going around and drinking from people abandoned glasses. Deck patrol caught them pretty quickly and later we walked past them waiting at Guest Services as security called their families. Not the norm but it happens.

[toxicfairy]

I'd have a long talk with him AND his friend with all parents present. Set rules and let them know what is expected. I mean are these kids that get drunk at home? If the are caught drunk you can all be put off the ship. So I would explain that it isn't like getting caught drinking at a friends party. Let them have fun but tell them the fun ends at alcohol. Plenty for them to do without drinking.

 

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[Havingfun2010]

I'm feeling nervous about my 17 yr old son and his 18 yr old friend on our upcoming cruise. When I was 16, I got ridiculously drink on a RCI cruise. Is it still easy for teens to find alcohol? How strict is it? I also have an irrational fear that they will fall off the ship. I know that's crazy but I don't know what kind of shenanigans they're going to get into when they are loose on a giant cruise ship. Can someone put my crazy, over protective mind at ease? Thanks!

 

So, are they going to college next year? Do you think they have access to drinks now? Do they take advantage of having access to drinks now? Have they gotten drunk at Senior parties?

 

The ships leaving from USA have a drinking age of 21, and you can't just walk up to a bar to get a drink at 18 or 17. My kid, and his girlfriend/now wife, have been on many cruises after 18 but younger than 21 and not once did I ever know, or see, or suspect they had a drink on the ship. However, they did drink off the ship, but they were always with me. They also drank in Europe, where it was legal. Both under 21 at different times (not necessarily together on same trips).

 

Point is, if they are the kind of kids that will partake in activities that they should not at home, then they will on the ship as well. If they are also taught to respect the dangers of drinking, than most likely that will follow.

 

Remember at that age, and soon after, they are on their own, and even with your rules, one is an adult, and the other soon will be.

[Jenjer]

No one on a cruise board can tell you as much about your child as you already know.

 

In my experience people, teens included are pretty much the same on vacation as they are at home just a little bit more exaggerated.

 

If they want to find alcohol no one can say they won't. The staff will not knowingly give it to them. My DD was accidentally served, I took the drink said "thank you please tell the sender she is 14." The server was ready to die worried he would be fired. He apologized and I could tell super embarrassed, especially when he said "really 14???". We later heard a roar at another table of college aged guys, I assume the drink senders. In the guys defense she doesn't look 14 she looks 24.

 

You should make your rules very clear. I personally would keep them with you at port but free on ship, require a curfew time that matches the ships time 1:00 am and dinner together as well as a lunch time check in. We use the texting app to keep track of everyone.

[lmnap]

Thank you for all of the answers. My son is a Junior in high school who is graduating a whole year early. His friend is a Senior also graduating. We are letting him bring a friend as a graduation gift. They are both going to community college next year so will still be at home and not in the college party scene yet. (my son plans on transferring after one year) These boys are not big party-ers but have both gotten into minor trouble. My son came home from a party once and my husband knew right away he had been drinking. I couldn't tell. We do not allow teenage drinking like many families around here do. I do suspect they will attempt to drink. My son already mentioned hanging out with my 22 yr old sister. There's only one reason he'd want to do that! We plan on having rules and a curfew. I wasn't planning on letting them loose in Bermuda. I hadn't even thought of that actually. They have an interior cabin across from ours. I just remember me on the cruise when I was 16 and I am lucky nothing bad happened. Except for the fact that I got grounded lol. The falling off the ship thing is irrational, I realize that but it still crosses my mind. I am over protective which is probably part of the problem.

[calvegas04]

We plan on having rules and a curfew. I wasn't planning on letting them loose in Bermuda. I hadn't even thought of that actually. They have an interior cabin across from ours.

Well gezz... if I was him I would just ask to stay home then. Your putting the crazy law down on him

[lmnap]

Well gezz... if I was him I would just ask to stay home then. Your putting the crazy law down on him

 

Seriously?

[dwayneb236]

I'm pretty sure you can attempt to control your 17 year old son and at least hope he behaves mostly responsible. I'm not a big drinker now and wasn't when I was 17 either, but I did have a few before I was legal. Never got into any trouble though as I am very thoughtful about stuff like that. Hopefully he is too. As for the 18 year old, not a thing you can do to him obviously as he is a card carrying adult, just hope he is respectful of your wishes for his buddy and they watch out for each other. I personally wouldn't worry and I've been in law enforcement for 25 years. .

[silentbob007]

I had a conversation with my 17-year old niece when she cruised with me. We talked about alcohol and rowdy behavior. I just asked her to remember that just about everything in a public area onboard is caught on camera and recorded, so if she found herself with a group of troublemakers, she had better start finding a way to exit that group before anything destructive happened.

[kknorr0320]

Thank you for all of the answers. My son is a Junior in high school who is graduating a whole year early. His friend is a Senior also graduating. We are letting him bring a friend as a graduation gift. They are both going to community college next year so will still be at home and not in the college party scene yet. (my son plans on transferring after one year) These boys are not big party-ers but have both gotten into minor trouble. My son came home from a party once and my husband knew right away he had been drinking. I couldn't tell. We do not allow teenage drinking like many families around here do. I do suspect they will attempt to drink. My son already mentioned hanging out with my 22 yr old sister. There's only one reason he'd want to do that! We plan on having rules and a curfew. I wasn't planning on letting them loose in Bermuda. I hadn't even thought of that actually. They have an interior cabin across from ours. I just remember me on the cruise when I was 16 and I am lucky nothing bad happened. Except for the fact that I got grounded lol. The falling off the ship thing is irrational, I realize that but it still crosses my mind. I am over protective which is probably part of the problem.

 

I get it. On the one hand you do your best to raise responsible kids. On the other hand, teenagers are idiots and by definition tend to do stupid things. I have one who's never been in trouble and is generally pretty responsible but he's done some incredibly stupid things that would have never crossed my mind. I think your plan is solid.

[cruzinlisa]

First, nobody is falling off the ship (get them an interior cabin). If they are overly intoxicated in public areas, it will be noticed, teens aren't able to hide it as well as 'drinkers' and you guys will get to have a fun conversation with the Royal security.

Second, if teens want to drink, they will find a way. My suggestion is make them have late dinner with you and make them eat early breakfast with you. There is nothing better than watching a teen suffer through breakfast with a nasty hangover, especially when they think they are hiding it from you.

Third, it's so easy to smell it---during, but especially after (unless you also smell of booze). Teens aren't smart enough to know which drinks to order to keep the smell away.

 

Go enjoy the cruise, let the kids have fun. Let them know ahead of time there will be consequences if they drink (or if they are caught).

 

This.

 

OP, its probably as easy or easier for them to get drinks at home. They should not be sold alcohol on the ship, but just like on land, there are ways of getting it- usually an older friend or acquaintance.

 

I would do what other posters suggested- lay out rules and consequences and make them check in periodically. If they get caught drinking, privileges get taken away. Probably the same stuff you would do at home.

[mjkacmom]

The 18 year old would not be drinking illegally in Bermuda. Dd20 took a college course in Greece this winter, it was legal for her to drink, she drank. Ds was 18 when he went to Scotland, he drank.

[calvegas04]

Seriously?

Yeah at 17-18 I wouldn't want to be chained down to my parents. You even said yourself that when you were younger you were able to be a teen and let loose.

[lmnap]

Yeah at 17-18 I wouldn't want to be chained down to my parents. You even said yourself that when you were younger you were able to be a teen and let loose.

Never said anything about chaining them to me but there has to be some guidelines and rules.

[mjkacmom]

Never said anything about chaining them to me but there has to be some guidelines and rules.

Of course, but expecting them to stay with you the whole time you are in Bermuda? At that age my kids were going to music festivals in NYC and going down the shore with friends. Surely they can go to the beach without you.

[blackshirt]

They are both going to community college next year so will still be at home and not in the college party scene yet. (my son plans on transferring after one year) These boys are not big party-ers but have both gotten into minor trouble.

Just speaking from personal experience, I partied a whole lot more my first two years at community college (while living at home) than my last two years at a 4 year school and I was not a partyer at all in high school.

[AWOL]

Booze is plentiful for underage kids.

 

My nephew went on a couple of cruises with us in the past.

 

He found a group of others his age that were able to come up with a lot of liquor. Not drinks, but full bottles.

 

I don't know where they got it from but they did plenty.

It didn't seem like a big deal though.....

I doubt very much it was a RCCL ship. It is just about impossible for adults to get a bottle of booze

[SilverSeas]

Your fears aren't irrational. My son is 19 and I have the same fear about falling overboard! I have probably read every article online about people who fell overboard and how! I think it isn't because they are irresponsible but some kids, especially boys, act first and think later. All I can say is this does g...r...a...d...u....a....l.....l....y improve as they get older. I reassure myself with the fact that it doesn't seem to be teens or kids who fall overboard. However I am still having the talk about if by chance you fall in, you are 90% chance dead!

[Big_G]

Never said anything about chaining them to me but there has to be some guidelines and rules.

 

Your only mistake so far has been to ask about this topic on Cruise Critic. You're not the first and won't be the last. Let your own instincts guide you and ignore the parenting advice.

[SilverSeas]

Here is another query. If the ship begins its cruise in Europe--ie you fly there and board there. Is the drinking age 18 or 21? I ask as Europe is 18 legal age to drink.

[Clarea]

Here is another query. If the ship begins its cruise in Europe--ie you fly there and board there. Is the drinking age 18 or 21? I ask as Europe is 18 legal age to drink.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=336&faqSubjectName=Food+%26+Beverage&faqId=5380

[Gwendy]

Your fears aren't irrational. My son is 19 and I have the same fear about falling overboard! I have probably read every article online about people who fell overboard and how! I think it isn't because they are irresponsible but some kids, especially boys, act first and think later. All I can say is this does g...r...a...d...u....a....l.....l....y improve as they get older. I reassure myself with the fact that it doesn't seem to be teens or kids who fall overboard. However I am still having the talk about if by chance you fall in, you are 90% chance dead!

Nobody "falls" overboard. They have to climb the railing, sit on the railing or do something to facilitate the "fall". Concentrate on teaching your kids about safe alcohol usage, you know your kids best trust your instinct.