Disney Magic has not lowered drinking age in MED

[flagger]

How dissappointing for our friends and their older children. They are about to take their first Med cruise on the Magic and just found out unlike other lines that the drinking age is still 21. I know you can get beer and wine if you are 18 on other lines sailing in the Med. What a bummer for them to be able to drink in all the ports but not onboard the ship.

[waltd]

Good for Disney. Enough Said.

[flagger]

Bad for Disney. Very Bad. Enough Said!

[MississippiMom]

How dissappointing for our friends and their older children. They are about to take their first Med cruise on the Magic and just found out unlike other lines that the drinking age is still 21. I know you can get beer and wine if you are 18 on other lines sailing in the Med. What a bummer for them to be able to drink in all the ports but not onboard the ship.

 

I've never been on DCL, but I would certainly consider it the most family-friendly line. If people under 21 are that desperate to have a drink, I would suggest that they cruise on a different line.

 

An alcoholic drink on board isn't necessary to have fun. I cruised in my mid-30s when I was pregnant and had a blast, without a single drop of alchohol. They serve sodas and "virgin" drinks, too.

[cruiserbryce]

If any cruise line was going to do this it would be Disney...not really a surpirse...obviously everyone will have their own opinion but I agree with what Disney has done...no need for 18 year old to be drinking it up on a ship

[flagger]

If they are old enough to vote and old enough to go to war, I say let them buy a drink. It is just an issue especially for the Europeans who are used to being able to drink suddenly being unable when they board the ship.

 

My friend's parents are going to buy them the drinks and serve them to their children to get around this awful policy. They will probably also bring their own aboard.

[cusyl]

Coming from a non-drinking home, and marrying a drinker who became sober years ago, I don't see the big deal about young adults wanting to drink. Alcohol use can cause so much pain in a life and so much heartache, but to each his own.

 

Filling in a lot of medical questionnaires lately for DH the main questions are do you smoke, when did you quit, and how much alcohol do you drink.

But I have read that a glass of wine a day is good for your heart. :D

 

I am glad that neither of my children drink alcohol.

[flagger]

But this thread is not about the ravages of alcohol, but about a policy that changes or even adds a drinking age for people who have never had to experience one before. Bad move on DCL's part, IMHO.

[cusyl]

But this thread is not about the ravages of alcohol, but about a policy that changes or even adds a drinking age for people who have never had to experience one before. Bad move on DCL's part, IMHO.

 

Yes, they will probably lose a lot of money, it adds a lot to their revenue. Wonder if that is another reason why they charge more than other mass market lines?

[UMTerp]

These cruises were not highly marketed in Europe. It will be majority non-Europeans on these cruises on DCL. I'm thinking the majority of passengers will not be bothered by this "restriction". I for one, am happy with it.

[lawhit88]

I'm not real big on drinking either but I am a little surprised that they did not lower the age. Oh well - people will find a way to do what they want so it will work out for all - and I'm sure much fun will be had by all.

 

On a side note - Disney may be family-friendly - but boy do they push their drink sales just as much as the Carnival cruises I have been on. They are definitely not anti-drinking - I'm sure they make good money from drinks!!

[JCDeck]

Good for Disney.

[gowensricks]

Okay, maybe I've missed something..why would someone UNDER 21 be allowed to drink anyway???

[Ephraim]

Grow up! Most of the world has a much lower drinking age. The US is probably one of the strictest at 21. In Canada it's either 18 or 19. You can drink alcohol with parental purchase at a young age in most of Europe. And the normal drinking age is 18, often with meals it's as low as 16.

 

The reason that so many people have so much trouble with drinking is that their parents shelter them and make it taboo. Instead of teaching the right time and place for alcohol, they are told it is a forbidden fruit and then when they overreact to finally being legally allowed to have some, they go over the deep end.

 

The incidence of alcohol abuse are higher in the US despite the fact that they generally get to drink 2 to 3 years after Canadians can legally drink. I wonder if there is a connection between preventing them to drink and alcohol abuse? Hmm.... Wonder which country has the highest incidence of abuse among students in the western world? You guessed it, the US.

 

And if you want to talk about the original reason for raising the drinking age to 21 was to avoid drinking and driving... well, the country with the lowest decline in drinking and driving in the Western world was.... you guessed it, the United States.

 

(I'm sorry, I get a little upset when people don't use any real FACTS to back up their comments. Prove to me that limiting alcohol to those over 21 actually works and I'm with you, but all the data suggests that not only does it not work, it's actually detrimental. Not to mention that anyone who isn't American on the ship is subject to a silly rule that doesn't make sense for them. A 19 year old Canadian can purchase alcohol legally at home and legally at a port of call, but not on the ship? Get real!)

[PrettyLA]

I've never been on DCL, but I would certainly consider it the most family-friendly line. If people under 21 are that desperate to have a drink, I would suggest that they cruise on a different line.

 

An alcoholic drink on board isn't necessary to have fun. I cruised in my mid-30s when I was pregnant and had a blast, without a single drop of alchohol. They serve sodas and "virgin" drinks, too.

 

I agree. Although Royal Caribbean has raised their drinking age from 18 with parental consent to 21 regardless of consent. Maybe Carnival allows 18 year olds to drink?

 

I don't drink anyway so it doesn't affect me.

[PrettyLA]

Okay, maybe I've missed something..why would someone UNDER 21 be allowed to drink anyway???

 

Some cruise lines allow people under the age of 21 to drink with consent from a parent, or at least they used to. Also other countries, I would say most other countries in the world, allow drinking under the age of 21. The U.S. is alone pretty much on our drinking policies.

[flagger]

I agree. Although Royal Caribbean has raised their drinking age from 18 with parental consent to 21 regardless of consent.

RCL allows 18-20 year old to drink with parental consent on those ships departing Europe or South American ports.

[flagger]

Okay, maybe I've missed something..why would someone UNDER 21 be allowed to drink anyway???

My friends and their children live in Europe and are pretty upset at this drinking policy. It is odd to go from an area where you can legally drink to some place where you are told you cannot.

[Ephraim]

It's pretty odd for Canadians as well. All those Alaska cruises out of Vancouver and someone from BC who can drink at 19 is all of a sudden a minor again. Cruises on HAL from Montreal also leave some people in for a shock. Montreal is more like Europe when it comes to drinking, legally it's 18 but it's more of a suggestion than a reality. Bars don't usually card and while you can't buy in the shops, parents will likely serve wine to their children at home in moderation.

 

Certainly my parents never hid the alcohol in the house. And it's never been a big deal for me.

[98Charlie]

While the American Culture is different from the most of the rest of world with regard to drinking age, it doesn't surprise me that Disney makes no concessions when they cruise Europe.

 

Not having a lower drinking age also sets Disney apart from other lines in that market. For some passengers that could be a reason to sail Disney.

 

JMHO,

 

Charlie

[kaseyoz]

while the sapphire princess was cruising NZ and australia, the age drinking age limit was still 21 although over here it is legal from 18, so it is not only disney lines

[waltd]

Weather you agree or disagree with the Disney decision the bottom line is The Disney name is held to a lot higher standard then most companies . Since they are a family oriented cruise line I believe that they would rather be safe then sorry. I can't even imagine what the press would be like for Disney if someone came up missing. IMHO.

[flagger]

I can't even imagine what the press would be like for Disney if someone came up missing. IMHO.

And it is Disney that had an assault of a passenger by another and also had a castmember that exposed themselves to three other passengers. So I am not sure to which higher standard you are referring or what you meant by the above statement.

[Gator Dad]

The bottom line is that nobody wants a bunch of drunk 18-20 year olds runnig around the ship. If being able to drink is a major factor for a kid, he/she should just take another ship. Besides, since the American kids can't drink (legally) at home, I'd be worried that they would go hog wild when given the chance on the boat. I don't want my 3 year old exposed to that. Yes, I know there is nothing stopping a 30 year old for getting sloppy drunk but I'll take my chances on that.

[dforeigner]

My friends and their children live in Europe and are pretty upset at this drinking policy. It is odd to go from an area where you can legally drink to some place where you are told you cannot.

 

This information probably should have been included in your first post in order to avoid some bashing.

 

Now, back to the topic at hand. I can understand your friend's frustrations but if this is a mayor problem, then maybe they should consider sailing on another cruise line.