Honeymoon Cruise! Im 22, my wife will be 20.

Howdy,

I am getting married Aug. 20, 2011 (10 days!!) and we are leaving Aug. 21, 2011 on Carnival Conquest. We are taking a 7 day Eastern Caribbean cruise to the Bahamas and Florida!

Question: What suggestions do y'all have for me and my future wife, in regards to her drinking alcohol on the ship? Will it be a problem for her to drink at the dinners? Will we be able to have room service deliver alcohol? What about the bars?

You may have opened a can of worms on this.......

Legally, she isn't able to drink. Do others under 21 drink while on a ship? Sure they do. I'm not sure if they will card her or not. Since I am so far over being 21, that it's not even funny.....:D, I'm not sure if they do anything at all to verify the age of the younger folks.:)

That is a very good question though. I'll be curious to see what others say.....

I ask this, because we will be married and I will be over 21. We will definitely have our wedding certificate with us. So that is why I am asking. I don't support underage drinking , but with us being married, will it be a problem for her to drink?

Yes, she is under 21 and legally is not allowed to drink. Her sign and sail card will show she is a minor and no one will serve her alcohol. She cannot order drinks at a bar or at dinner. No bartender/waiter on the ship is going to risk their jobs for that. The fact that you are married is irrelevant.

Carnival's Minors Policy requires that "guests under the age of 21 must be accompanied by a parent, grandparent or guardian 25 years of age or older in the same stateroom..." so bring proof of your marriage to avoid a denied-boarding situation.

I wonder if you can order 2 drinks on your card...

Or maybe you can sign a release form - I know somebody who did that on another cruise line for their 18-year-old son (no, not me)

If it was me, I would call the cruise line and ask them how to resolve this issue (not IF she can drink, but HOW she can)

Yes, she is under 21 and legally is not allowed to drink. Her sign and sail card will show she is a minor and no one will serve her alcohol. She cannot order drinks at a bar or at dinner. No bartender/waiter on the ship is going to risk their jobs for that. The fact that you are married is irrelevant.

That is really good info!

Her married status has no effect on her being able to drink.

To varying degrees, all ships try to prevent underage drinking. Most will put something on her cruise card to make it clear she is a minor. Officially, they will not sell her a drink. Officially, if you get caught buying a drink for her, you could both be put off the ship at the next port.

That said, some do get away with it.

I wonder if you can order 2 drinks on your card...

 

Or maybe you can sign a release form - I know somebody who did that on another cruise line for their 18-year-old son (no, not me)

 

If it was me, I would call the cruise line and ask them how to resolve this issue (not IF she can drink, but HOW she can)

This cruise leaves from, and returns to a US port. No one can sign a release authorizing her to drink. There is no issue to resolve. She's a minor and can't legally drink. No crew will serve her. As already stated, being married does not make you older.

6rugrats, the cruise I was on was a round-trip from Miami. On a cruise critic meeting a woman said, her son turned 18, they want to celebrate, but he can't drink. Somebody from the upper management said, stay after the meeting, we'll resolve this. He will be able to drink.

You see, there are laws, but each law has an exception, you just need to know which strings to pull. ;)

Wait a moment, is there a mini-bar in your cabin? Here is your solution :D

6rugrats, the cruise I was on was a round-trip from Miami. On a cruise critic meeting a woman said, her son turned 18, they want to celebrate, but he can't drink. Somebody from the upper management said, stay after the meeting, we'll resolve this. He will be able to drink.

 

You see, there are laws, but each law has an exception, you just need to know which strings to pull. ;)

Sorry, you may have heard this, but I don't believe it happened. No cruise ship is going to risk this just so someone can illegally drink. Why does one have to drink to celebrate, anyway? With all the hundreds of alcohol related threads on CC, someone new to this site would think all cruisers were alcoholics.

Carnival's Minors Policy requires that "guests under the age of 21 must be accompanied by a parent, grandparent or guardian 25 years of age or older in the same stateroom..." so bring proof of your marriage to avoid a denied-boarding situation.

Just checked with our travel agent and everything is good to go as long as we have marriage certificate!

In the state of Texas (which this cruise is leaving from) the law is that if you are under 21 but married to someone over 21 it is perfectly legal for you to drink alcohol. I don't know what laws this cruise goes by, but apparently it's not the state of Texas?

In the state of Texas (which this cruise is leaving from) the law is that if you are under 21 but married to someone over 21 it is perfectly legal for you to drink alcohol. I don't know what laws this cruise goes by, but apparently it's not the state of Texas?

Once a cruise ship is in international waters, they are not subject to local laws.

She will be able to drink in most of the ports....where the drinking age is lower (and reasonable!).

If you were to buy a drink and give it to her, I'm doubtful anyone would know, or care.

She will be able to drink in most of the ports....where the drinking age is lower (and reasonable!).

 

If you were to buy a drink and give it to her, I'm doubtful anyone would know, or care.

Thanks, I appreciate the advice.

We sailed with DH when she was 18 and on a British registered (Cunard) ship and she was able to drink except when in US waters, but she was carded every time; it wasn't a problem for her but the bar staff were sometimes embarassed. She isn't a big drinker, but does like an occasional cocktail or glass of wine with dinner. However on another cruise there was a honeymoon couple on board who were under 21 and not allowed to drink alcohol, as it was a US (Princess) ship.

Ships that are aimed at passengers from outside the US generally allow 18yo to drink. Those aimed at the US market set the limit at 21, matching the laws in the US.

You can order a bottle of alcohol from Bon Voyage as you are over 21 and she could have a drink there...she will not be able to order a drink but I am sure if you buy her one no one will say anything, just always hand them your sign and sail card as you are over 21, and if they do, tell them you didn't know and take the drink away...;)

Make sure that all her documents for boarding have the same name...that you didn't book her under her soon to be married name, but her ID has her maiden name...Everything must match. EM

Sorry, you may have heard this, but I don't believe it happened. No cruise ship is going to risk this just so someone can illegally drink. Why does one have to drink to celebrate, anyway? With all the hundreds of alcohol related threads on CC, someone new to this site would think all cruisers were alcoholics.

Not so..

I joined because of the alcohol talk;)

Just order and pay for the drinks on your card they will not question it.

Not so..

I joined because of the alcohol talk;)

What's wrong with a drink or 2? :D

Just order and pay for the drinks on your card they will not question it.

No, DD was carded each time when, for example, DH or I ordered 3 cocktails in the bar. One problem was that one of the foreign service staff thought that DS (16 years at the time) name was a girl's one (Liam, so would have been fairly obvious to many, but not those from another country, necessarily) so they kept checking that she wasn't 'the younger girl, Liam' which indicates that when they check the cards they have some access to information about the whole party.