Kids on Westerdam

[fb0075]

This in conjunction with other thread----
I have 3 grown children and 4 Grchildren, so we love kids--
BUT NOT THESE---the first nite in the Karaoke session,13-18 yr olds drinking and drunk---I complained to asst CD and she went over and came back and said they had their parents permission and they were buying them drinks--
My Question ----SO THIS MAKES IT OK----
The rule says 21 to drink
The rule says Adult only pool
The rule says no runing in hall
etc.,etc.
What we need is someone to ENFORCE the rules---
Now before some wrath occurs, i understand they paid for their tickets,etc BUT I bought and paid for my trip and agreed to the terms of the contract--I expect HAL<PRINCESS<ETC to abide by THEIR rule!
If I dont abide by my end, I forfeit my $$$, for them not to abide by their obligations mean nothing--Not only on this topic but on every other thing.
And BTW, the kids after the first nite--didnt appear to be any more trouble than any other cruise---I am writing this more because we cannot get anyone to enforce rules and that is a pain for me!
Should I bring up CHAIR SAVING___NAH
FRANK

[ekerr19]

I don't understand how it can be legal for parents to buy their teens drinks... the rules should be enforced, IMO.

I also don't understand why parents would do this. Is it just me? This seems like a really bad practice. Allowing your kids to get drunk? geez.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We were just discussing this since so many different threads have popped up the last few days concerning kids under the age of 21 drinking on various ships.

One of 2 things could be happening.
(1) the bar tenders just want their 15% gratuity and don't care who they sell to.
(2) the parents buy the drinks for their children and the bar tenders may not know how old the children are. The parent can buy a drink, move away from the eyes of the bartender and then give the child the drink.

We have some longer cruises where there won't be as many children on the ship so I don't think drinking will be a problem there.

But we have also booked a back-to-back on the Westerdam - will becurious to see how many children there are and what the drinking situation will be.

[fb0075]

But my point is ---Why isnt SOMEONE their to inforce the rules--when they see someone abusing the rules---underage drinking, Chair hogs,Hands in food,etc.--Senior staff should say NOOOOOOOO!
As I said asst CD would do nothing about 13 yr olds with drinks in their hands__This offends me and if parents will not make them obey---STAFF SHOULD-----JMHO
FRANK

[peaches from georgia]

I totally agree with you, fb , and have said so on here many times. Too many people think HAL can do nothing and that is not true. But, HAL WILL NOT do anything until answering the complaints from other pax is more trouble and harder to do than enforcing the rules.

HAL has security. There is plenty they can do. Haven't I read recently that RCCI is escorting families off their ships at the next port if they have been warned about their kids and do nothing. Don't forget, parents buying alcohol for minors are breaking the law and can be arrested.

[dakrewser]

Don't forget, parents buying alcohol for minors are breaking the law and can be arrested.
Which law is that? Various state laws differ on this but a ship at sea is sailing under international maritime law, which says nothing (as far as I know) about drinking age.

Still, anyone who is drunk and disorderly in public on the ship should be removed from the public area. Its not a question of age, but of behavior.

[elmorejj]

Does HAL have a limit on how many kids per cruise? I know Princess has a limit of 200. We sailed once on Princess..a Holiday cruise and I know there weren`t any more than 200 aboard..just wondering...jean :cool:

[Krazy Kruizers]

On of the reasons we gave up Princess was because of the number of children on board.

When did they start to limit the number of children on board? One of our last cruises with them ( in March 2000) we had over 400 children on board - Easter on the Grand Princess.

[Jacqueline]

On the Grand class of Princess ships the limit is around 500 kids. I never had a problem. The worst was really the last Westerdam cruise in terms of too many kids out of control running around.
I only cruise only vacation periods-

[FoxyTerrier]

One of 2 things could be happening.
(1) the bar tenders just want their 15% gratuity and don't care who they sell to.



On our recent Baltic cruise my 16 year old son (who looks a lot older) decided to buy a drink in one of the bars. He was questioned by the bartender and asked for an ID - my son said he didn't have one on him so the bartender asked for his ship board ID. The bartender then looked him up in the system and George was BUSTED! This bartender then went around to the other bartenders and waite staff and told him not to sell him a drink.

I was kinda of mad at George for trying to pull such a stunt but at least he is the kind of kid that will tell you when he's done wrong.

After the cruise though while in Germany he was allowed to have a beer with dinner as it is legal there and that's what the other teens were doing. He knows that now we are home he's back to the US laws.

[kryos]

I don't understand how it can be legal for parents to buy their teens drinks... the rules should be enforced, IMO.

I also don't understand why parents would do this. Is it just me? This seems like a really bad practice. Allowing your kids to get drunk? geez.
Plain and simple ...

The parents are idiots.

Problem as I see it is not with the kids at all. They are just kids being kids. Rather, the problem is the poor excuse for parents who are raising them.

Just my ever-so-humble opinion.

Blue skies ...

--rita