18 year old

[cruisin' soon]

What do you do with an 18 year old?  They are too old to go into the teen club and too young to drink.  Are they allowed to come into the nightclubs, bars, etc and hang out with the adults even though they aren't 21?

 

[ONECRUISER]

16 minutes ago, cruisin' soon said:

What do you do with an 18 year old?  They are too old to go into the teen club and too young to drink.  Are they allowed to come into the nightclubs, bars, etc and hang out with the adults even though they aren't 21?

 

Bring a Friend or Cousin... They do have young Adult get together, no guarantee they's click. Otherwise as you said limit what they can do. Though as Single Dad raised 3 kids on my own and we Cruised every yr starting in 1996. My kids never Drank Alcohol and 2 actually enjoyed time with old Dad on ship/excursions. Took them from age 2-30, even taking one with me in Spring. My Son, he went just never really did enjoy it except the Food. Did try take him Ports he was interested in

Edited May 12, 2020 by ONECRUISER

[Merion_Mom]

44 minutes ago, cruisin' soon said:

What do you do with an 18 year old?  They are too old to go into the teen club and too young to drink.  Are they allowed to come into the nightclubs, bars, etc and hang out with the adults even though they aren't 21?

 

 

They can do anything except those two things.  (go to teen club & drink).

[gerif]

They can do anything a 21 year old can do except drink alcohol. Surprise, surprise, not all adults drink alcohol and still manage to have a great cruise. 

[ARandomTraveler]

By the time you’re done touring the islands and get back on the ship, there’s not a ton of time left. You shower and go to dinner, then see a show or do trivia, go to karaoke or watch a poolside movie. Then go to bed and do it all over again. I know there are kids who don’t like spending time with their parents (or vice versa), but if you enjoy doing things together then those are all activities that can be done together and don’t have an age limit. 

Edited May 13, 2020 by ARandomTraveler

[bobmacliberty]

That can be a tough age, depending on how socially outgoing your kid is.  If he/she easily makes friends, he/she will form a new best friends group for the week.  You'll see these packs of teens around the ship.  Depending on the ship, there is a lot to do on the sports deck.  No problem with the 18 year old hanging with you in the bar areas.  It's not like a bar on land where there is a bouncer at the door checking IDs.  They just can't order alcoholic drinks.

[Joseph2017China]

Simple answer.....ask them if they want to go, and if they don't, leave them home.  They are adults, and they can do all adult things on the cruise just like you.  If they don't want to do it, than save money, and leave them home.  No need to ask a question, if you have already been on a cruise, you know exactly what adults do. It does not change for the 18 year old

[xxHadleyxx]

They're allowed anywhere the other adults are, they just can't drink (I think on some iteneraries they are not allowed in the casino either?).  Sailings which originate in Europe they can also drink.

 

So, basically, if your kid is only happy hanging out with others their own age, it might be less fun for them on the cruise---as it might be harder to find/meet those people (and on some sailings, there are not a lot of peopel in taht age bracket at all).  On the other hand, if they enjoy going to the club, pool, etc and hanging out with adults of all ages they should be fine.  My kids are now 23 and 21 and both sailed several times in the 18-21 age bracket (often on TAs with few people under 40, much less their ages) and both very much enjoyed the trips.

[Billy Baltic]

Travel in Europe. The legal age to drink is 18. If they don’t want to drink they don’t have to but no issue going to the venues. 

[Georgia_Peaches]

At that age, the best thing to do is make the trip optional for them or allow them to bring a friend.  That's how we managed that awkward age of I can do this but can't do that...  

[strathcona]

1 hour ago, Billy Baltic said:

Travel in Europe. The legal age to drink is 18. If they don’t want to drink they don’t have to but no issue going to the venues. 

Did a Baltic cruise with our 18 year old son, it was his best experience. Copenhagen to St. Pete. There is a drinking age for beer and hard liquor and if they are with parents. The ship still follows US laws, 21. 

[not-enough-cruising]

17 minutes ago, strathcona said:

Did a Baltic cruise with our 18 year old son, it was his best experience. Copenhagen to St. Pete. There is a drinking age for beer and hard liquor and if they are with parents. The ship still follows US laws, 21. 

I’ve never embarked from a European port and have the drinking age onboard be 21. 

[TheMastodon]

16 hours ago, cruisin' soon said:

What do you do with an 18 year old?  They are too old to go into the teen club and too young to drink.  Are they allowed to come into the nightclubs, bars, etc and hang out with the adults even though they aren't 21?

 

 

There will be plenty of 18 year olds of the opposite sex on board.  They will figure out where to go.  

[Ourusualbeach]

44 minutes ago, strathcona said:

Did a Baltic cruise with our 18 year old son, it was his best experience. Copenhagen to St. Pete. There is a drinking age for beer and hard liquor and if they are with parents. The ship still follows US laws, 21. 

Maybe in the past or on a different cruise line but currently It is 18, no parental consent needed

[xxHadleyxx]

3 hours ago, strathcona said:

Did a Baltic cruise with our 18 year old son, it was his best experience. Copenhagen to St. Pete. There is a drinking age for beer and hard liquor and if they are with parents. The ship still follows US laws, 21. 

RCI's policy is that ships embarking in Europe have a drinking age of 18.

Perhaps you were on a different line?

[strathcona]

I stand corrected. With all the time on my hand, my wife just show me the electronic invoice from that trip. Yes, 18 year old can order from the bar(s). Confused with the recent trip to Mexico where they would not serve him in the Diamond Lounge. Last trip, they seem to swipe seapass even in the Diamond Lounge.