Drinking Policy?

[quikslvr1186]

I know some cruise lines allow a minimum 18 years old to drink in international waters, what is Princess' policy? Thanks. :D

[B40 Tha Cruisa]

Unless you are sailing out of GBR- It is 21 plus, everywhere.

[paul929207]

On princess, you must be at least 21 to drink alchoholic beverages or gamble in the casino.

[Pam in CA]

As has been said, it's 21 years old and they do check and take it very seriously. If any waitstaff is caught serving alcohol to someone under 21, they could be fired and sent home. Since they value their jobs, they are usually pretty careful.

[A Sixth?]

I used to defend 18-21 year olds on this one, but after a cruise last March on the NCL Sun where 18 is okay for beer and wine with parents OK, I say raise it to 30. :D We had a wonderful balcony rendered almost unusable by a group of college partiers on the balcony above ours. They spent every waking moment tossing their cigarette and dube butts off the side, followed by crumbs, spills and even spit off their balcony. Everyone was complaining. They were the worst behaved little bastards I've ever run into on a cruise ship.

 

The ship staff just kept "warning" them. It took a day for the little bastards to realize that nothing more than a knock on the door was going to happen to them.

 

Most of the group had taken interiors, and the "balcony" was a shared party central. We'll be unlikely to sail NCL again.

[Sportwarrior14]

We were on Crown Princess in July 2006. It is definately 21. You can get into the clubs at 18 but you have to be 21 to get served.

[Jstringers]

What I do not understand is that if underage drinking is against the rules, and depending on the waters you are in, against the law. And since crew members can be fired for serving those under 21, why are't those who break the law by oredering drinks under age punished?

[bdjam]

What I do not understand is that if underage drinking is against the rules, and depending on the waters you are in, against the law. And since crew members can be fired for serving those under 21, why are't those who break the law by oredering drinks under age punished?

It's the same as a land-based bar. If you're under 21 and you try to get served, the worse that can happen is that you're kicked out of the bar. If you're the bartender or owner, you can be severely fined.

 

The responsibility of ensuring the safe and legal dispensing of alcohol belongs to the entity that is serving it.

[nomars_girl]

It's the same as a land-based bar. If you're under 21 and you try to get served, the worse that can happen is that you're kicked out of the bar. If you're the bartender or owner, you can be severely fined.

 

The responsibility of ensuring the safe and legal dispensing of alcohol belongs to the entity that is serving it.

 

Action can be taken against you if you use a fake ID in an attempt to obtain alcohol. Usually, the ID will just be confiscated, but they can call the police. Also, if the ID you are using belongs to someone else, that person can be prosecuted if he/she gave it willingly to the minor.

[Jstringers]

It's the same as a land-based bar. If you're under 21 and you try to get served, the worse that can happen is that you're kicked out of the bar. If you're the bartender or owner, you can be severely fined.

 

The responsibility of ensuring the safe and legal dispensing of alcohol belongs to the entity that is serving it.

 

I'm a 30+ year restuarant vet so I do understand the implications of underage drinking.

 

I was just lamenting.....it seems it's always someone elses fault for others actions.

[knb0628]

i was on the celebrity century in march for spring break and was 20 at the time. it was not a problem, though it was against the rules, to get alcohol. i ordered a drink at dinner and was not questioned, just put it on my moms card. additionally my boyfriend and mom both would buy me drinks and hand me them. once i bought one with both of their cards, no questions asked. on celebrity they dont have a picture, i dont know about on princess. it was probably wrong or irresponsible or something but i was no more intoxicated than the legal aged people on the ship...

[Jstringers]

i was on the celebrity century in march for spring break and was 20 at the time. it was not a problem, though it was against the rules, to get alcohol. i ordered a drink at dinner and was not questioned, just put it on my moms card. additionally my boyfriend and mom both would buy me drinks and hand me them. once i bought one with both of their cards, no questions asked. on celebrity they dont have a picture, i dont know about on princess. it was probably wrong or irresponsible or something but i was no more intoxicated than the legal aged people on the ship...

Celebrity may very well have an 18 year old drinking policy, I do not know.

As I'm sure you know there's a big difference between 17 and 20. At 20 you are legal in many countries and probally a few cruise lines.

 

On a cruise if you are not legal you are breaking the rules of that cruise line. I haven't read the fine print but I am sure that by breaking the rules you would be jepadizing the cruise for your guardian. When you sign your cruise documents you give the line the right to throw you off the ship for certain infractions. I should read the fine print myself actually.

[cruiseryyc]

I would suspect that most of the alcohol consumed by underage drinkers is brought on in their suitcases. Perhaps another reason cruiselines try to limit the amount brought onboard.

[AdmiralJohnson]

I am not sure there are any mass lines that allow under 21 drinking anymore... Royal Carib used to, but have revised their policy on drinking after the Hagel-Smith thing and the congressional hearings...

[Pia1913]

i was on the celebrity century in march for spring break and was 20 at the time. it was not a problem, though it was against the rules, to get alcohol. i ordered a drink at dinner and was not questioned, just put it on my moms card. additionally my boyfriend and mom both would buy me drinks and hand me them. once i bought one with both of their cards, no questions asked. on celebrity they dont have a picture, i dont know about on princess. it was probably wrong or irresponsible or something but i was no more intoxicated than the legal aged people on the ship...

 

There you go.........against the rules. And two accomplices yet. That's part of the problem. For some reason the underage drinkers think it's OK to drink and their families are adding insult to injury. There's a reason for age 21, but what good is it if mommy and daddy don't comply?

[RedHotCoffee]

Nothing worse than an 18 year old drunk.....

 

Why even bring up this topic. 21 to drink.

[Jstringers]

Nothing worse than an 18 year old drunk.....

 

Why even bring up this topic. 21 to drink.

 

 

Actually there is something worxe...

 

the original poster is 17:confused:

[tom_uk]

I am not sure there are any mass lines that allow under 21 drinking anymore...

 

I've just been checking a couple of my brochures. I know that for P&O & Fred Olsen, who generally cruise from the UK, the age limit is 18. My Princess 'Mediterranean 2007' brochure states that the age limit for buying & consuming alcohol is 21, except for cruises on Sea Princess departing from Southampton. And my RCI brochure says (a tad confusingly) that the age limit for consuming alcohol is 21, unless they're between 18 & 21 and their parents have signed a beverage waiver, or it's a cruise departing from Southampton.

 

So in general Brits have something of a get-out clause, as long as they're cruising either on a British line, or UK-based ship. But that can lead to inconsistencies: for example, imagine an 18 year old who cruises three times in the summer, once on Sea Princess ex Southampton, again on Grand Princess ex Southampton, and once more on Emerald Princess ex Barcelona. They can drink on Sea Princess, not on Grand Princess even though they're cruising ex Southampton, and not on Emerald Princess. Odd.

[nomars_girl]

for example, imagine an 18 year old who cruises three times in the summer, once on Sea Princess ex Southampton, again on Grand Princess ex Southampton, and once more on Emerald Princess ex Barcelona. They can drink on Sea Princess, not on Grand Princess even though they're cruising ex Southampton, and not on Emerald Princess. Odd.

 

Sounds like one lucky 18-year old. :D

[tom_uk]

Sounds like one lucky 18-year old.

 

More like 'unlucky' because of the position on Grand & Emerald. In the UK it's automatically assumed that once you're 18 you can drink. A lot of UK 18-20s get seriously upset when they go to the USA & find they can't.

[nomars_girl]

More like 'unlucky' because of the position on Grand & Emerald. In the UK it's automatically assumed that once you're 18 you can drink. A lot of UK 18-20s get seriously upset when they go to the USA & find they can't.

 

I understand what you mean, but it is hard to feel bad for anyone who gets to take 3 great cruises in one summer.

 

Americans feel that we need to protect ourselves from ourselves. That is why the drinking age is set so high. We have all sorts of laws in place to protect our safety - like requiring seat belts while driving. And it seems that things are getting more restrictive all the time. I have seen schools ban playground games like dodgeball or tag because they are afraid a child might get hurt (or have his feelings hurt). Then they wonder why kids are getting fat ... (but I digress)

 

Each state used to set their own drinking age - and technically they still can. But states who do not adopt the federal guideline (21) cannot receive any federal money to maintain their highways.