Legal age for casino and alcohol purchase on board

[Cassicruiser]

We will be cruising in the Caribbean in December with our 22  and 20 year old children.  We're from Australia, where the legal age is 18, so my 20 year old son has been allowed to drink alcohol and gamble in casinos legally for the past 2 years.  Not that he does really, but on a cruise he may want to join us in the casino or have the odd drink.  I believe the legal age in the US is 21, so would he be kicked out of the casino or nightclub, or denied an alcoholic drink, even if he is almost 21 and with us as well.  Just seems ridiculous when he has been 'legal' for over 2 years at home.  Not that I don't respect the rules in the US, but just asking how much they would enforce these on a ship. 

 

 

[Clarea]

Casino and nightclub age is 18 on Caribbean cruises.  Must be 21 or over to drink alcoholic beverages.

[SRF]

And to be clear, if you buy the drink and give it to someone underage, that is grounds for removal from the ship.

 

Not saying it will happen, but it could.

 

21 is the minimum age to CONSUME alcohol, as per RCI policy.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/legal-drinking-age-onboard-policy

 

 

[springfire]

They don't seem to pay a lot of attention about the age for drinking.  My daughter, who is 21 but looked much younger, was never asked to show any id.   Her friend at the time would buy her a drink and they never asked to see my daughters id.  My 16 year old son was asked several times if he wanted a drink.  Yes, 21 is the minimum age but they don't seem to put a priority on checking id, at least that was our experience.   My daughter gets carded everywhere she goes here in the states and my son has never been offered a drink other than on a cruise.  The cruise lines should do a better job with this.

[Cassicruiser]

Good to know nightclub and casino is not a problem - that's what he was concerned about.  He's not that much of a drinker so not too fussed about that.  Thanks heaps for your replies! 

[DISFANS3]

If you have cash in hand no problem ...

[mishelly76]

I thought you could go to guest services an allow a child over 18 to drink by signing a waiver but only in international waters...someone please correct me if this has changed.

[Clarea]

Just now, mishelly76 said:

I thought you could go to guest services an allow a child over 18 to drink by signing a waiver but only in international waters...someone please correct me if this has changed.

 

Not possible on Royal anymore.

[cruiseguy1016]

1 hour ago, springfire said:

They don't seem to pay a lot of attention about the age for drinking.  My daughter, who is 21 but looked much younger, was never asked to show any id.   Her friend at the time would buy her a drink and they never asked to see my daughters id.  My 16 year old son was asked several times if he wanted a drink.  Yes, 21 is the minimum age but they don't seem to put a priority on checking id, at least that was our experience.   My daughter gets carded everywhere she goes here in the states and my son has never been offered a drink other than on a cruise.  The cruise lines should do a better job with this.

Your 21 year old daughter never got never asked for an ID because her Sea Pass proved that she was at least 21. Your 16 year old son may have been offered a drink but he would not have been served a drink because his Sea Pass, when he tried to pay for it, would have proved that he was under 21. This is the way it is SUPPOSED to work. Are there occasions when it does not work this way? Of course.

[springfire]

2 minutes ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

Your 21 year old daughter never got never asked for an ID because her Sea Pass proved that she was at least 21. Your 16 year old son may have been offered a drink but he would not have been served a drink because his Sea Pass, when he tried to pay for it, would have proved that he was under 21. This is the way it is SUPPOSED to work. Are there occasions when it does not work this way? Of course.

My daughters friend was the one buying the drinks, my daughter was with them when they purchased  the drinks but she was never asked to show her Sea Pass.  She is always ready to show her ID because  like I said she always gets carded here in the States.  Keep in mind she is of age, we just found it strange that they didn't ask.

[cb at sea]

If they are 18, they can drink ashore, where the legal age is 18.

[spookwife]

5 hours ago, DISFANS3 said:

If you have cash in hand no problem ...

 

 

Cashless on board for all transactions.  And the card is coded with your age

[Merion_Mom]

4 minutes ago, spookwife said:

 

 

Cashless on board for all transactions.  And the card is coded with your age

The poster is implying that a large cash tip would persuade the bartender to serve an underage passenger.

[frayedend]

9 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

The poster is implying that a large cash tip would persuade the bartender to serve an underage passenger.

Just a guess, but if they are trying to pay with their card I would assume the system won't let the drink get charged to someone underage.  

[Merion_Mom]

27 minutes ago, frayedend said:

Just a guess, but if they are trying to pay with their card I would assume the system won't let the drink get charged to someone underage.  

I honestly don't think that their "cash registers" are that sophisticated.  I think that a human has to flag it.

[cindivan]

We cruise with our kids (now 22, 20 and 17) a couple times a year on average with RC and it has been our experience they will not serve - meaning make and give an alcoholic drink -  an underage kid.     At dinner we have been told that we are not allowed to share our bottle of wine with our underage kids. Our now 22yo has been stopped by security while drinking a beer to make sure he was 21 (he was).  

 

This is not to say our kids 😇 have not drank on the ship underage. But one can’t be obvious about it and really not sure any bartenders would risk their job serving someone underage for a cash tip.  YMMV. 

 

 And the cruise card will let the bartenders know the age of the person so additional carding is not necessary. 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 24, 2018 by cindivan

[frayedend]

Just recalled my last Carnival cruise with my 17 and 15 year old sons.  I ordered a pitcher of some special drink in the comedy club (to save myself money as it was cheaper than 2 drinks).  The waiter asked how many many glasses.  My kids were clearly underage and I even sort of told him that by saying something about the kids.  He just shrugged.  I got 3 glasses no problem.  I just let the kids taste it but I was surprised.  He basically condoned giving the kids some booze.

[Cassicruiser]

17 hours ago, cb at sea said:

If they are 18, they can drink ashore, where the legal age is 18.

Is this in the Caribbean? I assume not in the US?

I'm not too worried about him being able to have a drink, more about not getting kicked out of the casino if he's not 21, but it seems as he's over 18 he'll be allowed.   

We'll see how we go with the odd drink. I am all for them sticking to the rules, just in australia he has been able to drink etc for over 2 years, so will feel silly to him 😆

 

[cruiseguy1016]

2 hours ago, Cassicruiser said:

Is this in the Caribbean? I assume not in the US?

I'm not too worried about him being able to have a drink, more about not getting kicked out of the casino if he's not 21, but it seems as he's over 18 he'll be allowed.   

We'll see how we go with the odd drink. I am all for them sticking to the rules, just in australia he has been able to drink etc for over 2 years, so will feel silly to him 😆

 

 

Not in the U.S. The drinking age there is 21. The drinking age on a lot of the Caribbean islands is 16. My daughter, when she was 16, took great pleasure in buying her father a beer in St. Maarten.

Edited October 25, 2018 by cruiseguy1016

[gatour]

16 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

I honestly don't think that their "cash registers" are that sophisticated.  I think that a human has to flag it.

 

Last week we were on Coco Cay.  I was sitting at one of the bars, and a couple came up.  He had lost his seapass card while snorkeling.  They wanted to use her card to buy him a drink.  The bartender refused.  I assume the guy was 21 or over, and she wasn't.

 

In regards to the sophistication of the registers.  At least on some of the ships have register that will bring up your photo when you buy something.

[Havingfun2010]

17 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

I honestly don't think that their "cash registers" are that sophisticated.  I think that a human has to flag it.

When they scan the card, a picture is brought up as a security measure.  Plus the card will flag that it is an underage drinker.  Just like DL in my state, are very obvious that it is an under 21 person.  So no, an underage can not get a drink and pay for it.  The system will not allow it.

 

If someone else buys the drink that is a different story.  If the bartender is suspicious, than they might say something, but than the person will just go to another bar to get it.  However, most 21 year olds do not have that kind of money to pay for the high priced drinks on the ship.  Why not wait to get off the ship, and go bar hopping on the island for a fraction of the cost.

 

For the poster, 21 is the "rule" on the ship for drinks if sailing out of the USA, and 18 for gambling and/or all other adult activities.  Once in port, and off the ship, the laws are obviously different. 

[SRF]

19 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

The poster is implying that a large cash tip would persuade the bartender to serve an underage passenger.

 

It would have to be a VERY big tip.  If the bartender got caught, they would likely lose their job, and be put off the ship at the next port.

 

VERY costly to them

[SRF]

4 hours ago, Cassicruiser said:

We'll see how we go with the odd drink. I am all for them sticking to the rules, just in australia he has been able to drink etc for over 2 years, so will feel silly to him 😆

 

 

Just realize, that if you get caught giving him a drink, and they decide to, you could find yourself off the ship at the next port.  No refund.

[Cassicruiser]

I doubt they would put anyone off the ship for giving a 20 year old a drink, I bet it happens all the time. If it was continuous or they were rowdy they might.

That said, as my son isn't much of a drinker, if he wants a social drink, he can have one on the islands. 

Thank you all very much for clarifying.

[SRF]

Up to you if you want to take the chance.

 

I would hate to be the one that found out they suddenly got really serious about this issue. 😄