Is an 18 Year Old Considered a Minor

[bury me at sea]

I have always taken notarized parental consent letters from both parents when a granddaughter accompanied me on Carnival.

 

Is this required if she is 18?

 

I have tried to find the answer in the faqs. All I can find is a statement saying the form is necessary, or highly recommended, when traveling with a minor.

[Nic6318]

Hi there

 

So to your original question, "Is an 18 y.o. considered a minor?", the answer would be a definite, "it depends on where you are".

 

Just like on the ships, where an 18 y.o. isn't allowed to drink but allowed to gamble, there are different rules for different situations, in different locations. So a general rule of thumb saying that a form/document is "recommended" is likely with the thought that in an emergency you would rather have a document that you didn't need than need one that you didn't have.

 

hope this helps

[bUU]

Of course parents have to operationalize, "It depends." I would use another clue that is pretty clear. Each Cruise Line indicates how old consumers have to be in order to purchase a cruise and how old a passenger needs to be to occupy a cabin without a guardian. I'd use that age as the cutoff.

 

This message may have been entered using voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

[firemanbobswife]

Not as far as parental consent is concerned. It is 18 and up. What it is meant to do is prevent a non custodial parent or someone who isn't legally able to take the child out of the country from doing so. If they are 18 or older they are no longer considered a minor and can consent to going wherever they choose and also consent to any medical procedures.

 

While it's true they need to be 21 to book a cruise, as long as they are linked with the parties of proper age there won't be an issue. This isn't to prevent a minor from boarding, it's to make sure they have both parents' consent to go out of the country.

 

I have been there and done that. They never did ask to see the letter in all our years of cruising either when checking in or upon returning and my last name differed from the boys before they were 18.

 

OP - you do not need a letter.

[bury me at sea]

I appreciate all responses.

 

While I normally err on the side of caution, I was obviously hoping for a definitive answer. The word minor is ambiguous.

 

I won't be buying her liquor or tobacco or trying to take her to the Serenity Deck, all instances where applicable laws and/or rules are clear.

 

Thanks again to all who responded.

[firemanbobswife]

I appreciate all responses.

 

 

 

While I normally err on the side of caution, I was obviously hoping for a definitive answer. The word minor is ambiguous.

 

 

 

I won't be buying her liquor or tobacco or trying to take her to the Serenity Deck, all instances where applicable laws and/or rules are clear.

 

 

 

Thanks again to all who responded.

 

 

You 100% do not need a letter. Their parents are no longer legally responsible for them once they reach 18, therefore, you don't need their permission to take them anywhere. I PROMISE you what I am telling you is right.

 

I couldn't even get my son's medical record when he turned 18 because he was an adult.

[CheapieD]

You 100% do not need a letter. Their parents are no longer legally responsible for them once they reach 18, therefore, you don't need their permission to take them anywhere. I PROMISE you what I am telling you is .

 

 

 

Not true for all states. The age of majority in some states (mine) is 19. However, I doubt the OP needs a letter. I believe all the states Carnival cruises out of (not sure about the carolina's) the age of majority is 18. ••I was wrong Alabama also has age of majority of 19 s

 

And yes it seems very weird that my 18 year old can serve in the military and vote but is still a minor (except if he marries, than he becomes emancipated).

 

 

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Edited September 3, 2017 by CheapieD

[firemanbobswife]

Not true for all states. The age of majority in some states (mine) is 19. However, I doubt the OP needs a letter. I believe all the states Carnival cruises out of (not sure about the carolina's) the age of majority is 18.

And yes it seems very weird that my 18 year old can serve in the military and vote but is still a minor (except if he marries, than he becomes emancipated).

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Never heard of 19 as being the age of majority. What state is this?

 

Either way, they don't need a letter.

[bury me at sea]

You 100% do not need a letter. Their parents are no longer legally responsible for them once they reach 18, therefore, you don't need their permission to take them anywhere. I PROMISE you what I am telling you is right.

 

I couldn't even get my son's medical record when he turned 18 because he was an adult.

 

Thank you.

[CheapieD]

Never heard of 19 as being the age of majority. What state is this?

 

Either way, they don't need a letter.

 

 

 

Multiple states Nebraska,Colorado, Alabama, Mississippi. Also District of Columbia

 

 

I agree they won't need a letter unless there would be a court decree restricting travel (i.e. Divorce or custodial issues)

 

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[firemanbobswife]

Multiple states Nebraska,Colorado, Alabama, Mississippi. Also District of Columbia

I agree they won't need a letter unless there would be a court decree restricting travel (i.e. Divorce or custodial issues)

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Weird. Yeah, still agree on the no letter thing. They don't even look at what state you're from when returning as Passports don't have addresses on them. 18 is considered an adult in this case.

[coevan]

Multiple states Nebraska,Colorado, Alabama, Mississippi. Also District of Columbia

 

 

I agree they won't need a letter unless there would be a court decree restricting travel (i.e. Divorce or custodial issues)

 

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I don't know where you got this info but I live in Colorado and the legal age is 18. You might be referring to the fact that Colorado's age for buying cigarettes is 19.

 

 

https://www.courts.state.co.us/Courts/Education/Youth/Laws.cfm

[teknoge3k]

I don't know where you got this info but I live in Colorado and the legal age is 18. You might be referring to the fact that Colorado's age for buying cigarettes is 19.

 

 

https://www.courts.state.co.us/Courts/Education/Youth/Laws.cfm

 

Ditto, the same is for Washington D.C. The legal age in Washington D.C. is 18 and you're considered an adult there. I've not lived in the other states that the poster stated so I can't speak for them, only D.C.

[CheapieD]

http://statelaws.findlaw.com listed age of majority for Colorado as 21 but once you scroll down it shows 18. So that leaves nebraska., Alabama and Mississippi as being the sole ones with 19 aom.

 

Here is a better resource listing all the states and the applicable laws https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/table_emancipation

 

Sometimes I shouldn't google before my coffee

[teknoge3k]

http://statelaws.findlaw.com listed age of majority for Colorado as 21 but once you scroll down it shows 18. So that leaves nebraska., Alabama and Mississippi as being the sole ones with 19 aom.

 

Here is a better resource listing all the states and the applicable laws https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/table_emancipation

 

Sometimes I shouldn't google before my coffee

 

That's really interesting and I'd never heard of anything like this until it was brought up in this thread. I wonder how many people those states lose, moving to other states to start their lives?

[CheapieD]

That's really interesting and I'd never heard of anything like this until it was brought up in this thread. I wonder how many people those states lose, moving to other states to start their lives?

 

 

 

I don't think that it plays a big role since most of those children are still in high school for some or all age 18. They could also petition the court for emancipation and become emancipated if they get married or join the military.

 

For us it creates some issue with things like college but that is far off topic for this thread

 

 

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[coevan]

not Mississippi either, want me to Google Alabama

 

http://statelaws.findlaw.com/mississippi-law/mississippi-legal-ages-laws.html

 

clearly 18 there as well

[coevan]

http://statelaws.findlaw.com/mississippi-law/mississippi-legal-ages-laws.html,

 

nope not Mississippi either , clearly 18, it does appear the sole state is Alabama

[CheapieD]

not Mississippi either, want me to Google Alabama

 

http://statelaws.findlaw.com/mississippi-law/mississippi-legal-ages-laws.html

 

clearly 18 there as well

 

 

 

It clearly says the age of majority in Mississippi is 21.

 

 

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[jhope02]

well this has gone a bit sideways...back to your original question. When my son was 18 two years ago we cruised to Alaska out of Seattle, just the two of us. He did not need any paperwork, while on board he could gamble but not drink which I found odd but I guess because it was along the American coast and from and American port. I have often traveled alone with my children, the only time I have been asked for proof of being a sole parent is when re-entering Canada :)

[bury me at sea]

well this has gone a bit sideways...back to your original question. When my son was 18 two years ago we cruised to Alaska out of Seattle, just the two of us. He did not need any paperwork, while on board he could gamble but not drink which I found odd but I guess because it was along the American coast and from and American port. I have often traveled alone with my children, the only time I have been asked for proof of being a sole parent is when re-entering Canada :)

 

Thank you for posting this information. I am not trying to skirt a rule, I am trying to follow it. The LAST thing I want is a disappointed granddaughter at embarkation.

[grandmarnnurse]

Not as far as parental consent is concerned. It is 18 and up. What it is meant to do is prevent a non custodial parent or someone who isn't legally able to take the child out of the country from doing so. If they are 18 or older they are no longer considered a minor and can consent to going wherever they choose and also consent to any medical procedures.

 

While it's true they need to be 21 to book a cruise, as long as they are linked with the parties of proper age there won't be an issue. This isn't to prevent a minor from boarding, it's to make sure they have both parents' consent to go out of the country.

 

I have been there and done that. They never did ask to see the letter in all our years of cruising either when checking in or upon returning and my last name differed from the boys before they were 18.

 

OP - you do not need a letter.

 

 

 

My granddaughter has vacationed extensively--cruises and land based--this past year as an 18 year old with her boyfriend (age mid 20s), and has never been asked to show any documents from her mother. She even vacationed for a week in Cuba last May, with no issues. She is 19 now, and has several trips planned for this year.

 

 

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[Blackjack22]

I have a similar question, what is the age of consent at sea? My co-worker's daughter just turned 19 and is dating a young man who is 16 (the age of consent in our state ) They are booking a family cruise for thanksgiving and the daughter won't go unless they bring the boyfriend because she doesn't see them much since she went to college. My co-worker's husband doesn't want them to break up and the daughter get in trouble for having sexual relations with a minor or something down the road.

[Ocean Dancer]

I have a similar question, what is the age of consent at sea? My co-worker's daughter just turned 19 and is dating a young man who is 16 (the age of consent in our state ) They are booking a family cruise for thanksgiving and the daughter won't go unless they bring the boyfriend because she doesn't see them much since she went to college. My co-worker's husband doesn't want them to break up and the daughter get in trouble for having sexual relations with a minor or something down the road.

I do not think that will work.

[Havingfun2010]

I appreciate all responses.

 

While I normally err on the side of caution, I was obviously hoping for a definitive answer. The word minor is ambiguous.

 

I won't be buying her liquor or tobacco or trying to take her to the Serenity Deck, all instances where applicable laws and/or rules are clear.

 

Thanks again to all who responded.

 

In the USA, a minor is a person under the age of majority. So if you look up the age of majority, you will find that it is 18 in all states and territories, except AL, CO, MI, NE, and PR. So, you need to know what state you live in, and what the law is in that state.