Beverage Waiver for 18-20 gone? It just printed out!

[aearly]

I will be on the 8/6 sailing of the Mariner, and did the online check-in. There are two 19 year olds in our group.

 

As I understand, as of July, 28th, RCCL no longer allows guests under 21 to drink onboard its ships. Does this mean that the beverage waiver that came out with our SetSail pass is useless or an error?

 

Also, will 18-20 year olds be able to use the casino?

[wrp96]

The beverage waiver is no longer valid for the Mariner.

 

They can still gamble, as the gambling age is still 18.

[dougp26364]

RCI has a tough time keeping all their departments up to speed. Even though you could print out the waiver, the new rule clearly states no one under 21 will be drinking unless it's in Europe.

[Stocruise]

We are leaving the 4th from Baltimore and doing the Western Carribean and we have a 19 year old. We called RCL yesterday and they said yes, he can drink with the waiver.

[cage keeper]

aearly, we are on your cruise with a 19 yo. I guess we will just have to wait and see. I haven't heard from anyone yet that couldn't get served. Our son has not had his first drink yet and I thought it would be neat to be there when he did.

 

See you on the ship,

Joni

[angelpug]

We are leaving the 4th from Baltimore and doing the Western Carribean and we have a 19 year old. We called RCL yesterday and they said yes, he can drink with the waiver.

 

Call RCL 20 more times, and you'll get 20 different answers!

 

The drinking waivers you print out online are not even valid BEFORE July 28th. I was handed my daughter's waiver back at the port, and had to fill out a different one that both she and I had to sign. This was on the July 7th sailing.

 

Unfortunatley for you, the Pier Supervisor for Baltimore herself is the one that actually posted the original date here on Cruise Critic, that alcohol will not longer be allowed to be served to 18-20 year olds, and could not be carried onboard.

 

SHE'S the final authority in Baltimore!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=7249623#post7249623

 

 

Take Care,

Jaime

[wrp96]

We are leaving the 4th from Baltimore and doing the Western Carribean and we have a 19 year old. We called RCL yesterday and they said yes, he can drink with the waiver.

 

Once again proving that we here on Cruise Critic know more than RCCL's Customer Service. The onboard experience on RCCL is great, but their on land customer service leaves much to be desired.

 

Unfortunately, you were quoted the old policy, which changed effective last Friday. The new policy, found here http://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/pdf/Alcohol_Waiver_July_2006.pdf, is that for ships sailing from North American ports the drinking age is 21, with no exceptions. The beverage waiver only exists for cruises from Europe and South America.

[dougp26364]

We are leaving the 4th from Baltimore and doing the Western Carribean and we have a 19 year old. We called RCL yesterday and they said yes, he can drink with the waiver.

 

CS never knows what's really going on. If you go to RCI's web page and do a search for Alcohol, you'll find a link to the beverage waiver. In the first few lines/paragraphs you read that the drinking age as of July 28th is now 21 *with the exception of European cruises* where the drinking age in normally lower. In those cases the waiver can be signed by the parents.

 

So, the waiver still exists BUT, you must read the entire thing.

[kpgclark]

I don't understand. If it is illegal here for teens to drink, why would you allow it via the waver on the ship? Aren't you worried they will be out of control expecially if they've never had alcohol before? Just curious.

[PH8]

I don't understand. If it is illegal here for teens to drink, why would you allow it via the waver on the ship? Aren't you worried they will be out of control expecially if they've never had alcohol before? Just curious.

 

I agree............I dont understand why some parents get upset that their kids cant drink on the ship anymore..

[seamama1]

We are leaving the 4th from Baltimore and doing the Western Carribean and we have a 19 year old. We called RCL yesterday and they said yes, he can drink with the waiver.

 

You have been misinformed....go to the website....or check around this thread, you will see the format to access the information that went in to effect July 28. - The only exception is for European cruises where the waiver will still be in effect.

[FlorenceItaly]

who is a good kid, never given us a bit of trouble YET I am SURE alcohol has passed his lips.

 

Marie

[Cruise Junky]

I agree............I dont understand why some parents get upset that their kids cant drink on the ship anymore..

 

Because as much as I'm sure this is a surprise to some people, the US does not yet rule the world and the legal drinking age of a lot of countries including the UK and Canada is 18 and 19 years old which was why the waiver was in place in the first place. I think RCI is going to see a drastic decrease in people between the ages of 18 - 20 on their ships unless they are US citizens.

 

Here's a link to the Drinking Ages around the world. The US is archayic.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_drinking_age

[HurricaneSally]

Because as much as I'm sure this is a surprise to some people, the US does not yet rule the world and the legal drinking age of a lot of countries including the UK and Canada is 18 and 19 years old which was why the waiver was in place in the first place. I think RCI is going to see a drastic decrease in people between the ages of 18 - 20 on their ships unless they are US citizens.

 

Here's a link to the Drinking Ages around the world. The US is archayic.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_drinking_age

 

Yes, maybe the US is archaic, however, if you check the studies that have been done, alcoholism among the general population is lower in the US than in countries that allow children to drink.

[kpgclark]

I know the laws are different in Europe. Who cares? Who wants a bunch of drunk teenagers running around? What is the big deal if people don't have alcohol for a week? I don't get it.

[Cruise Junky]

I find it's drunk adults that piff me off the most, I've never seen a drunk 20 year old on a cruise. It's the loud obnoxious people at the bar.

[BevMoney]

I know the laws are different in Europe. Who cares? Who wants a bunch of drunk teenagers running around? What is the big deal if people don't have alcohol for a week? I don't get it.

 

Try eliminating alcohol for everyone - you'd fine out real quick. :)

[taylormadecruz]

As a Brit I find it bizarre that you refer to 20 year olds as "children". In the UK you are an adult at 18 years old at which time you are able to vote and to drink alcohol.

 

I am a mother of four girls aged 24, 23, 19 and 16. They enjoy wine with a meal or a few cocktails when out with friends (with the exception of the 16 year old). They do not come home "drunk", and are not alcoholics. We took all four on a cruise last year and signed the waiver for my then 18 year old. Generally she drank coke, but at dinner enjoyed wine and had a couple of beers with her sisters during the evening. This year I have to tell her that she will be treated like a child and will only be allowed soft drinks.

 

Restricting alchol to under 21s sends it underground and the "kids" are far more likely to drink to excess when doing so suriptitiously.

[pcur]

Cruise Junky - I think RCI is going to see a drastic decrease in people between the ages of 18 - 20 on their ships unless they are US citizens.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

CJ: I think that's their intention.

[Cruise Junky]

Cruise Junky - I think RCI is going to see a drastic decrease in people between the ages of 18 - 20 on their ships unless they are US citizens.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

CJ: I think that's their intention.

 

Yes, well it also elimates their parents. Why do you people think that because an 18 year old has a beer they're out of control? Unbelievable. The drunk adults are 10x worse.

[pcur]

Yes, well it also elimates their parents. Why do you people think that because an 18 year old has a beer they're out of control? Unbelievable. The drunk adults are 10x worse.

 

Yeah, but the drunk adults are LEGAL drunk adults, and RCCL won't be fined for them drinking.

 

I don't know of anybody who thinks an 18 yo having A beer is out of control. It's the thousands of them that have caused problems on ships over the last few years, and the laws, that created this problem to begin with, IMO.

[HurricaneSally]

All the other cruiselines have the same rule and certainly didn't see a decline of cruisers in that age bracket. I'm glad RCCL finally joined the rest of the lines.

[Cruise Junky]

All the other cruiselines have the same rule and certainly didn't see a decline of cruisers in that age bracket. I'm glad RCCL finally joined the rest of the lines.

 

Most actually have the parental waiver.

[Cruise Junky]

Yeah, but the drunk adults are LEGAL drunk adults, and RCCL won't be fined for them drinking.

 

.

 

The US is the only country in the world that 21 is the legal drinking age where it's enforced. What I disagree with is why RCI and X have decided that the rest of the world be damned, they're following the US laws. We're not all from the US.

 

As for the adults being "legally" drunk... the Ship is sailing in International Waters.... are you telling me they are different International Waters when their ships are in Europe and they allow the Waiver?

[eastsdthndrhwk]

I don't want to open a can of worms here but my son who is 19 is in the military...I find it interesting he's old enough to risk his life but not enjoy some of the simple pleasures of being an adult.:confused: