MSC Caribbean (no US ports) Drinking Age - 18 or 21?

[GGG65]

My internet searches on this question give two different answers, and I couldn't find the answer on the MSC website either.

 

The MSC Seaside has sailings in December from Fort-de-France Martinique, with no US ports.  Anyone know from experience if the drinking age on board 18 or 21 if the itinerary has no US ports?  One of the Cruise Critic blogs says MSC has 21 from sailings from "North America or Caribbean", but I can't find the source of this definitively, and another post says MSC is 18 if there is no US ports.

 

[JAGR]

No direct experience, but this source quotes MSC age from US (21+) and Non-US (18+) ports:

https://cheap.cruiselines.com/cruise_info/age_requirements.cfm

 

[Brighton Line]

Drinking age in US is usually based on what it is at the Home Port, gets too confusing changing for each port of call

[Até]

The Canadian Conditions of Carriage define Minors as passengers under 18.  It goes on in Section 12 to specify alcohol restrictions to Minors, or on sailings with a US port the minimum age of 21.  So on a non-US port sailing under 18 is a minor and restricted from alcohol. 

 

18-20 year olds still have the restrictions of not being allowed booked in a cabin without someone else at least 21.  There are some exceptions.

 

Conditions of Carriage.pdf

[GGG65]

8 minutes ago, JAGR said:

No direct experience, but this source quotes MSC age from US (21+) and Non-US (18+) ports:

https://cheap.cruiselines.com/cruise_info/age_requirements.cfm

 

I saw this one too, but it doesn't seem to mention the source.

 

5 minutes ago, Até said:

The Canadian Conditions of Carriage define Minors as passengers under 18.  It goes on in Section 12 to specify alcohol restrictions to Minors, or on sailings with a US port the minimum age of 21.  So on a non-US port sailing under 18 is a minor and restricted from alcohol. 

 

18-20 year olds still have the restrictions of not being allowed booked in a cabin without someone else at least 21.  There are some exceptions.

 

Conditions of Carriage.pdf 216.34 kB · 0 downloads

This source seems *rather definitive*, but my son will be very unhappy if we arrive on the ship and he can't drink 🙂  I was hoping there may be someone that's actually sailed from one of the non-US Caribbean that can confirm how the rules are applied, since those itineraries do not sail from (or include any) US locations.

 

 

[Até]

20 minutes ago, GGG65 said:

This source seems *rather definitive*

That document is from the MSC Canadian website. 

 

ETA: It's mostly Europeans on those sailings,  I'm sure someone from Cruise Critic who's been on one of these sailings will reply soon. 

Edited November 15, 2023 by Até

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

On 11/15/2023 at 2:36 PM, GGG65 said:

I was hoping there may be someone that's actually sailed from one of the non-US Caribbean that can confirm how the rules are applied, since those itineraries do not sail from (or include any) US locations.

I sailed on MSC Preziosa back in 2019 when it sailed 7nts from Fort-de-France and back. The drinking age onboard at the time was 18. The drinking age in Europe is 18 (or lower), in Italy 18, in France 18, in Martinique 18, in Barbados 18 and so on. Heck, even Canada is 19 with a few provinces at 18. As mentioned, very few Americans on board.

[Homosassa]

The information is quickly and easily found on the MSC website in the Conditions of Carriage.

 

It is there in Section 13 Alcohol and Section 14 Minors

 

 

From Section 14:

 

" For voyages that include a port in the USA, persons under the age of 21 may not order or consume alcoholic beverages or participate in gambling. For voyages that do not include a port in the USA, persons under the age of 18 may not order or consume alcoholic beverages or participate in gambling."

 

If you have not read both the Terms and Conditions and Conditions of Carriage on the MSC website, it is a good idea to do so.