Can 18 year old's order beer & wine?

[lahoban]

I know they cannot order "acohol" on the ship but was wondering about beer & wine? They can on Carnival and Rccl but not sure about Pincess. Jut want to make sure before we leave. Thanks

[steve20832]

Nope. You have to be 21 to order or drink it. Your card will be identified as being under 21 so you won't be able to buy it on your card. The bartenders don't accept cash so you are out of luck.

[Nicole721]

Nope.

 

Where did you hear this Carnival stuff from? We've been on two Carnival cruises in the past year and a half, and that is not one of their policies. They won't serve beer or wine to anyone underaged, either.

 

As far as I know, that's a RCCL policy.

[tpmartin]

Royal Caribbean is the only one that I know of here is a linkhttp://www.royalcaribbean.com/search/processSearch.do;jsessionid=0000zAPMirUbmE7OEbyq3V8v2Vz:10ktdmm42?ip_server=prdiphrase-unstruct-new222.dmz.rccl.com%3A200&ip_text=Drinking+Age&x=24&y=10

[joanne1]

Am I missing something? Isn't beer and wine alchol?

[FredS]

Beer and wine contain some alcohol but not as much as an alcoholic drink, ha, ha, I see that in Canada the minimum legal drinking age is 19 in all provinces and territories - except for Alberta, Manitoba and Québec where the age is set at 18.

That may be true of other countries which may be why some cruise lines have a lower age for drinking alcohol.

[1bigballer]

It seems that just a few years ago all the major cruise lines served alcoholic drinks to any passengers over the age of 18 when they crossed into international waters. Most have since ammended their own internal policies and state the age is now 21. I would guess that the problems that all the under 21 drinking created outweighed the profits. We in the US are almost universally the only Country with a 21 policy. I personally think 18 is fine. If you can vote & go to war, you should be able to drink whatever you want.

[lahoban]

Thank's everyone for the information. I have an eighteen year old and just want to know what the rules are.

 

Nicole721, I read it on the Carnival board. I guess it goe's to show that you can't believe everything you read?

[tequilasunrise]

Princess can set its own standards when in international waters, so the alcohol policy is that, policy...not law (at least at sea). But their policy is 21, and from what I have seen it is not uniformally enforced.

 

RCCL allows beer and wine, for 18-20 year olds who are travelling with parents who sign a waiver agreeing to it, at least that's how I read it.

 

Just so ya know...

[steve20832]

Princess can set its own standards when in international waters, so the alcohol policy is that, policy...not law (at least at sea). But their policy is 21, and from what I have seen it is not uniformally enforced.

 

RCCL allows beer and wine, for 18-20 year olds who are travelling with parents who sign a waiver agreeing to it, at least that's how I read it.

 

Just so ya know...

 

Actually it is enforced by your card that is used to make purchases. Your card has security policies on it and if you are under 21, it can not be used at a bar.

[bdjam]

Actually it is enforced by your card that is used to make purchases. Your card has security policies on it and if you are under 21, it can not be used at a bar.

A minor on Dawn Princess was apparently seeing a bartender for “melon” flavoring for her soda while using her soda card. I think she was getting melon liquor – in any case, when she tried to get it at the Riviera Bar and it was realized the bartender who served her was immediately reprimanded – at least. I have heard stories of crew members being put off at the next port for serving minors.

So I think alcohol policies are more seriously in force than it appears.

[chasetf]

Royal Caribbean is the only one that I know of here is a linkhttp://www.royalcaribbean.com/search/processSearch.do;jsessionid=0000zAPMirUbmE7OEbyq3V8v2Vz:10ktdmm42?ip_server=prdiphrase-unstruct-new222.dmz.rccl.com%3A200&ip_text=Drinking+Age&x=24&y=10

But it comes with an Alaska caveat....

Champagne, specialty drinks, beer, wine and soft drinks, are offered at the current bar menu prices. Please note: Guests eighteen to twenty (18-20) years of age are welcome to enjoy beer and wine (for all Alaska sailings, guests must be 21 years of age in order to consume beer, wine and any other alcoholic beverages). Guests twenty-one (21) years of age and older are welcome to enjoy all alcoholic beverages.

[madelinerose]

http://www.princess.com/faq/onboard_experience.html

[kruisey]

Is this the most important item for your cruise ?

[A Sixth?]

Is this the most important item for your cruise ?

 

lahoban never hinted whether it was important or not, she was just asking a question.

 

My turn.

 

For all you "we must control the 18-20 year olds" you do know that any port of call visited outside of the USA will serve them alcohol. Heck, they'll serve them at 16 in many places, all they need is the local currency or a few US dollars

 

Most kids are responsible.

[kruisey]

lahoban never hinted whether it was important or not, she was just asking a question.

 

My turn.

 

For all you "we must control the 18-20 year olds" you do know that any port of call visited outside of the USA will serve them alcohol. Heck, they'll serve them at 16 in many places, all they need is the local currency or a few US dollars

 

Most kids are responsible.

Just like smoking, alcohol is addictive....Some adults cannot socialise or laugh unless they have a drink..........Kids do copy adults!!!!!!

[A Sixth?]

"Just like smoking, alcohol is addictive....Some adults cannot socialise or laugh unless they have a drink..........Kids do copy adults!!!!!!"

 

Sure, I'll buy that to some extent. But that wasn't the question.

 

Since you brought it up I'll share my point.

 

It should be the parents choice, not a cruise company's, whether or not their young adult children can order drinks when it's perfectly legal to do so in the international waters and countries they visit.

 

Refusing service strikes me as a generally baffling policy.

[chasetf]

It should be the parents choice, not a cruise company's, whether or not their young adult children can order drinks when it's perfectly legal to do so in the international waters and countries they visit. Refusing service strikes me as a generally baffling policy.

I disagree... It is the cruise line's perogative and has nothing to do with what the local laws are. I want to sail a line that has a set policy and enforces it. :)

[A Sixth?]

chasetf, You're wrong IMHO.

 

 

At 20 years of age, my parents had passed away, I was married, working full time and finishing my first University degree.

 

That was a long time ago, but I when I was taking a vacation I expected to be treated with courtesy and respect. I'd be pretty pissed of if a corporation's rules wouldn't allow my wife and I to have a glass of wine with our dinner. After all; I was paying the bill. .(FWIW the laws back then were pretty much 18 throughout the States)

 

It seems to me that if you're a parent and you don't think your young adult kids are mature enough, don't allow them the privilege of being able to sign for drinks. That was the basis of the original query wasn't it?

 

 

I think the problem is that only in Arabic countries and the USA are young adults not given the right to choose what they'd like to drink. Many people from those places are hard and fast in their beliefs that this is the norm and like it that way.

 

Ironically, I've witnessed far more bad behavior on cruises and other vacations from mature adults (I use the term Mature loosely) than young people.

 

Anyhow, what do I care.... I'm over 21 and I'm going on a cruise vacation!:D

[kruisey]

You are right about seeing mature adults making fools of themselves.

Also seeing young teenagers binge drinking.........What more can I say.

Alcohol is a big big money maker for those in the travel and entertainment industry.

[usgoobers5]

Is this the most important item for your cruise ?

 

Maybe for an eighteen year old it is! That might be why she is asking this question. To guarantee her young adult is made aware of her rules before she sails. If my eighteen year old was allowed to drink ANY alcohol on board, I would want to make sure I set some ground rules. That way I wouldn't get any suprises when my billing came at the end of the cruise. :rolleyes:

[bdjam]

Maybe for an eighteen year old it is! That might be why she is asking this question. To guarantee her young adult is made aware of her rules before she sails. If my eighteen year old was allowed to drink ANY alcohol on board, I would want to make sure I set some ground rules. That way I wouldn't get any suprises when my billing came at the end of the cruise. :rolleyes:

Is it a matter of the bill or is it a matter of whether a minor is allowed to have alcohol – including beer or wine? If it is only a matter of the bill, then are you condoning a minor drinking when they are under the minimum acceptable age? Right or wrong, the cruise line has set a policy for the minimum age of drinking. That policy is in line with the U.S., where most of the passengers come from. I’m sure given the international nature of the passenger load, the cruise lines have thought about their liability and risks when setting that age. It would be nice if the passengers on board accepted that – or went somewhere else for their vacation.

It is fact that the minimum age for drinking is taken very seriously on board Princess ships – that and that the minimum age is 21. As posted above, there are other cruise lines which allow drinking of wine and beer at age 18 - perhaps those cruise lines are more suitable?

Most kids are responsible.

I don’t agree. Kids from the U.S. who are considered in the minority until they are 21 will not be responsible if they are suddenly given alcohol at 18 on board a ship. What happens on shore is one thing and in most cases (unless on a ship sponsored tour) the cruise line will not accept any responsibility to what happens to the little ones when they are on shore. Just ask the people Dawn Princess left behind in Mazatlan. On the ship, however, the cruise line becomes liable from someone who becomes intoxicated, gets into an accident or altercation and decides to blame the cruise line for their issues. People who are severely drunk do not take responsibility for themselves.

[Decali]

I just got back from the Grand with wife and daughters. One was celebrating her 21st birthday but the other is only 18. We had wine with dinner in the dining room one night. The waiter asked how many glasses. I told him 4 which he poured however, he gave me two of them. Nothing was said but by doing so he was putting the responsibility on me rather than the cruiseline if I chose to give some to my 18 year old. Maybe mixed drinks would be handled differently.

 

I thought it was a good way to handle the situation.

[jlp20]

On our last 7 nighter on the Sapphire, we WANTED our 19 year old son to have wine at dinner. The first night, his wine glass was removed before we had a chance to order. The next five nights there was no problem. The last niht, the waiter refused to pour, but left the bottle on the table so that I could serve. She stated she could get into SERIOUS trouble if she were to pour, even at my insistence.

[bdjam]

I guess I don’t understand why someone would want a minor to have alcohol on a ship (or in a bar or restaurant) when it’s either against the law or against the cruise line’s guidelines? I don’t get it and don’t know what kind of example it sets for the minor.

I was allowed to drink alcohol (wine when I was younger, hard liquor when I was 16) but only in my parents home and it was clearly understood that it was only allowed there. My parents never asked a restaurant to go against the guidelines (or law) to make sure I got what I could get at home. By allowing a minor to drink where they are not supposed to, the parents are putting the cruise line and those on board who try to give them a great vacation at risk. What do you gain from doing this accept showing your children that guidelines don't matter. Or is that the point?