Spring Break - changes to NCL policy for parental alchohol consent

[refox3488]

Yup. :) I saw many a pissed off 18-20-year-old this past weekend whose boyfriend, girlfriend, or friend wanted to sign the consent form for them. Oh well! :p

 

(Pssst...you really only need to be 21 to buy drinks. But nobody will be carding to actually drink them.)

 

I was on the pearl a couple of weeks ago and they asked me if i was old enough to drink the free magarita from mambos. a few hours later i was asked if i was old enough to play slots at the casino. I'm 21. They never asked my 20 year old gf. just my luck

[excitedtocruise]

I love that they asked you...what would you have done if you were 20 like your girlfriend, no but thats okay, just bring it to me always, who knows they probably would have!

[AngieS]

We are travelling with our friends and have two college boys aged 19 and two high school senior girls aged 18. We have told them we will NOT be signing this form, and have been threatened with no more paid vacations with us if they disturb other passengers! They will also have curfews. I hate to sound like a party pooper but I wish more parents would do the same :)

[Dukegirl5577]

We are travelling with our friends and have two college boys aged 19 and two high school senior girls aged 18. We have told them we will NOT be signing this form, and have been threatened with no more paid vacations with us if they disturb other passengers! They will also have curfews. I hate to sound like a party pooper but I wish more parents would do the same :)

 

Sounds like you've brought them up right. They might not like it right now, but trust me. A few years down the line they'll thank you for it. :)

[Boston and beyond cruiser]

I am curious as to why NCL still allows 18-20 year olds to drink at all. Carnival (CARNIVAL!!!) never allowed this (to my knowledge), and RCCL has done away with it. A lot of 21 year olds can barely handle alcohol responsibly - why does NCL think 18 year olds can?

 

P.S. I am the mother of a 24-year-old girl in case you were thinking I am just some clueless grumpy anti-alcohol person!

[excitedtocruise]

It is kind of strage as a parent crusing with an 18-20 year old in the Caribbean, most of the Caribbean ports the drinking age is 18, I believe Barbados it was 16 (if it is older it is rarely enforced). You have to make the rules before you go and stick with it.

[Dukegirl5577]

A lot of 21 year olds can barely handle alcohol responsibly - why does NCL think 18 year olds can?

Unfortunately, the reason why most American 18-20-year-olds cannot handle alcohol responsibly is because of the silly 21-year-old drinking requirement in the US. When you make alcohol a taboo, like we have in the US, then it suddenly becomes exciting. If you can't normally get access to something, then when you do get access to it, you go overboard.

 

It's no secret that in European countries with much lower drinking ages, there isn't anywhere near the binge drinking problem amongst teens and college students as you see in the US. I strongly believe it's because of the culture. If you grow up with the idea that alcohol is no big deal, and something to be drank with dinner, but not consumed in excess, then that's the way you treat it.

 

I'm very happy that my parents allowed us to drink wine with dinner -- if we wanted to, and usually we didn't want to -- from about age 13 on. So when I was in high school and all my friends were going to wild dirnking parties when someone's parents were out of town, I didn't feel any big curiosity about drinking. Sure, I drank in college before I was 21, but never to excess, because it just wasn't a big deal.

 

It was never a taboo for me, so I never felt any huge desire to get drunk out of my mind.

[Boston and beyond cruiser]

Dukegirl5577: Totally agree with you about the reasons why young people in the US indulge in binge drinking. We have hosted many students from Barcelona where the drinking age was 16, but the driving age was 18. I wonder if the kids go crazy over there when they can finally drive?? :) Kids will be kids, after all, and whatever is forbidden is soooooo tempting!

 

Unfortunately, we are not in Europe and our drinking age (for better or worse) is 21 in most states, so I find it curious that NCL allows 18 year olds to drink. Just an observation.

[Dukegirl5577]

Unfortunately, we are not in Europe and our drinking age (for better or worse) is 21 in most states, so I find it curious that NCL allows 18 year olds to drink. Just an observation.

 

Because we're not in the US, either, when on a cruise ship. We're in international waters (well, once we're 12 nautical miles from shore), so really, the cruiseline can make whatever rules they want. And because the drinking age is 18 in most other parts of the world, this is what NCL has chosen.

[Boston and beyond cruiser]

Dukegirl5577: spoken like an attorney. :)

 

I recognize the lingo/logic because I work in a GIANT law firm here in Boston!

 

Since I work in litigation, and applying the international waters argument, why isn't anyone under the age of 21 allowed in the casinos? I know, I know, they can decide to do whatever they want..... Isn't this fun??

[excitedtocruise]

Isn't the age limit on ncl ships to gamble 18? In MN the indian gaming casino let kids in at 18, you should see the kids there on Friday and Saturday nights, high schoolers!!!

[cheshiremackat]

I think it is important to remember that drinking ages vary around the world. In Europe it is typically 18. The same here in Canada (18/19 depending).

 

Imagine being on a cruise on the GEM through the med. An 18 y.o guest can drink asshore, but not on the cruise? That would be silly. Furthermore, denying a guest a drink when the boat is docked, or sailing through territorial waters (<12mi) would be actionable for discrimination from the EU court of justice... (out to sea would be a different matter)

 

I wonder what the European lines policies are (Costa?) are their ages younger? Even for a Carribbean cruise?

[newmexicoNita]

I was on the pearl a couple of weeks ago and they asked me if i was old enough to drink the free magarita from mambos. a few hours later i was asked if i was old enough to play slots at the casino. I'm 21. They never asked my 20 year old gf. just my luck

 

sorry, I am having a little trouble about thier not asking your 20 year old friend. If you are talking abut the casino, I think you only have to be 18, you must look very young, if you are talking about the free Margarita I can understand that as well, but are you saying other places they didn't ask or just those two examples??? Let me add, be oh so happy they still ask you, I was the same way and all too soon they stop asking? I am waiting for them to tell me I am too old to buy or drink...OMG, what would I do?/

 

Nita

[excitedtocruise]

I agree, this is a tough subject, especially if you a kid that's in college now, what do you think they are doing on the weekends?

 

Even on the cruise, if there is a will there's a way.

[newmexicoNita]

Interesting subject, what should be the drinking age? We all know, if college kids are ever going to drink they will probably start as freshman. In fact I remember asking my granddaughers when they were freshman what they had learned so far? The answer was always the same: we learned the salt and pepper shakers should always be passed together and we learned to drink..I really didn't need to hear that.

 

I did read in the paper this morning, France in thinking of raising thier drinking age to at least 18 because of the teen age drinking problem..

 

Nita

[CruisnGram]

Unfortunately, the reason why most American 18-20-year-olds cannot handle alcohol responsibly is because of the silly 21-year-old drinking requirement in the US. When you make alcohol a taboo, like we have in the US, then it suddenly becomes exciting. If you can't normally get access to something, then when you do get access to it, you go overboard.

 

It's no secret that in European countries with much lower drinking ages, there isn't anywhere near the binge drinking problem amongst teens and college students as you see in the US. I strongly believe it's because of the culture. If you grow up with the idea that alcohol is no big deal, and something to be drank with dinner, but not consumed in excess, then that's the way you treat it.

 

I'm very happy that my parents allowed us to drink wine with dinner -- if we wanted to, and usually we didn't want to -- from about age 13 on. So when I was in high school and all my friends were going to wild dirnking parties when someone's parents were out of town, I didn't feel any big curiosity about drinking. Sure, I drank in college before I was 21, but never to excess, because it just wasn't a big deal.

 

It was never a taboo for me, so I never felt any huge desire to get drunk out of my mind.

 

Amen, amen, amen. I'm only going to post once here as I really don't want to get involved in a debate with anyone. Everyone has their opinion and are entitled to that opinion. So, this is a one and only post from me.

 

My thoughts are that the strict alcohol policies have CREATED this monster. My daughters also were allowed to have a glass of wine or even a mixed drink when they were older teens and in our company. Alcohol was never a big mystery to them or a big no no..something that they were denied. When they went off to college, they thought it was ridiculous how their peers behaved...basically going wild once no parental supervision was there.

 

I think that the reason that we have the problems that we do in the US is because of the strict restrictions on those under 21 being completely denied alcohol. And that's why these kids go nuts and over indulge when no one is around to stop them.

 

I'm not saying that a 16 year old should be allowed to guzzle beer, but there is a happy medium.

 

CG

[CruisnGram]

Unfortunately, we are not in Europe and our drinking age (for better or worse) is 21 in most states, so I find it curious that NCL allows 18 year olds to drink. Just an observation.

 

NCL's ships are foreign flagged (I know other cruiseships are also) and when in international waters are not under the laws of the US. And I guess that's just the way they decided to make their rules. They do have more then US citizens sailing so maybe they do it to satisfy them? Or to make more revenue? I honestly don't know. :)

 

I know some friends of ours chose NCL for that reason as they had an 18 year old son and a 20 year old daughter whom they wanted to allow to have wine with dinner. So perhaps it draws some business?

 

CG

[CruisnGram]

why isn't anyone under the age of 21 allowed in the casinos? I know, I know, they can decide to do whatever they want..... Isn't this fun??

 

Age for the casino is 18, not 21 on all NCL ships.

 

CG

[excitedtocruise]

I don't think there is a easy answer for this one...I see both sides of this (drinking age 21, and drinking age 19) I believe it should never be 18 because most are still in highschool. Many years ago (okay, many, many years ago) it was 19 in Mn, 18 in Wisconsin, where do you think we went on weekends? There is such a problem with binge drinking when a person turns 21. I think it is because the person has been around others (specifically college) where they have been legal, that it is a right of passage.

 

Like Dukegirl said "Unfortunately, the reason why most American 18-20-year-olds cannot handle alcohol responsibly is because of the silly 21-year-old drinking requirement in the US. When you make alcohol a taboo, like we have in the US, then it suddenly becomes exciting. If you can't normally get access to something, then when you do get access to it, you go overboard.

[Boston and beyond cruiser]

Great input by everyone. I love these boards - so much information!

 

My original point was that I found it curious that NCL was the only remaining major cruise line that allowed 18 year olds to drink, except for the ships sailing in Europe. I don't think Carnival EVER allowed it, which is even more interesting to me. Maybe the 18-21 year olds that sail NCL are just more civilized than those that go on other lines - how's that??

 

Like others have pointed out, they are foreign flagged, sailing in foreign waters, so they can basically do what they want.

 

My now 24-year-old daughter isn't a big drinker (never was), so this wasn't much of an issue for us when she was in that age bracket. It was more the thrill of being 19 and able to go up to a bar on RCCL (since discontinued) and order a drink, rather than actually consuming it. Ah, the innocence!

[iheartbda]

Britain is currently having problems with youth binge drinking and violence. Curiously, the drinking age is 18.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3121440.stm

[bluesea777]

They only need one kid to buy the buckets of beer anyway.

 

No, actually they can only buy ONE bottle at a time if they are 18-20 yo. Not a helmet of beer.

 

I read this in another thread.

[mypleasure]

 

It's no secret that in European countries with much lower drinking ages, there isn't anywhere near the binge drinking problem amongst teens and college students as you see in the US.

 

 

 

Sadly here in the UK there is a huge binge drinking culture among young people. Most city centres are no go areas on Friday and Saturday nights because of this. If they just went at for a few weeks each year it would not be so bad but this is an all year round problem and is costing the health system billions. Not to mention the problems these kids may have in future due to the excesses of today.

There is also a lot of violence and mixing alcohol with drugs leading quite often to tragic deaths.

 

The legal drinking age in the UK is 18.

 

Jean

[fin]

I am curious as to why NCL still allows 18-20 year olds to drink at all. Carnival (CARNIVAL!!!) never allowed this (to my knowledge), and RCCL has done away with it. A lot of 21 year olds can barely handle alcohol responsibly - why does NCL think 18 year olds can?

 

P.S. I am the mother of a 24-year-old girl in case you were thinking I am just some clueless grumpy anti-alcohol person!

 

I cannot speak for NCL, but a frequent argument is that this age group is old enough to vote and to die in the military.

 

The drinking age was 18 when I was in HS and college. The liquor industry would love to make it so again. So would bail bondsmen, auto repair shops, tort attorneys, plastic surgeons, court reporters and a host of others who make a good living out of out of control young drunks.

[bplazo]

We are travelling with our friends and have two college boys aged 19 and two high school senior girls aged 18. We have told them we will NOT be signing this form, and have been threatened with no more paid vacations with us if they disturb other passengers! They will also have curfews. I hate to sound like a party pooper but I wish more parents would do the same :)

 

Meet another party pooper! I would never sign a waiver for my 20 year old daughter to drink even though she is a junior in college. I see no reason for her to drink and would not encourage it. What she does behind my back is another story!