When can a Kid pass as an Adult ?

Hi

Excuse my odd question - my 16 yr old 6ft 2" son will be travelling with us on Epic this summer, our 1st NCL cruise - and probably his last cruise with us for a while:(. The thing is - he does everything that we do - might sound a little sad but he doesn't do teen clubs etc, but eats with us, drinks with us (ok - not alcohol, but you know what I mean:cool:) goes to shows that we do (including adult comedy) and just generally hangs out with us.

So what restrictions will we find we can't go to because we will have a 'big' 16 yr old with us ? If it just went on looks alone he would easily pass for older, but does his sea pass which presumably be different to ours, have to be shown to access all areas ?

Any input much appreciated.

Fig

Other than drinking, I'm not aware of any restrictions at all.

There is a curfew for under 17s after 1am where they have to be out of public areas. However this doesn't apply if they are participating in a scheduled activity or with a parent to it doesn't sound like that will be a problem for you.

Casino would be the one area he is not allowed

Other than drinking, I'm not aware of any restrictions at all.

I'm aware of ONE. He can't buy a spa pass. That's adults only. Other than that, he should be good to go. My own 16 y/o is about the same, BTW.

DML

Casino would be the one area he is not allowed

Oh...yeah. I had that problem when I was 15 and looked older as well.

Oh, and some people have reported that the cards don't change at 18 but rather by whether or not the teen is old enough to and has permission to drink, which a 16 y/o can't do anyway...too young for even parental permission. I know some have said the edge of the card is clipped off if the child can't drink. I don't know if that has changed.

DML

Yes, I forgot the Spa and Casino. Don't use either so I always forget about them.

A quick point on the Casino, as you are new to NCL, you can obviously still walk through the casino as it is a through route.

My son always has his card clipped. I've always assumed it is to show he's under 18, although it is quite obvious what with him only being 8.

A quick point on the Casino, as you are new to NCL, you can obviously still walk through the casino as it is a through route.

THAT is a change from shore casinos, to be sure, and I wouldn't consider that obvious at all. :rolleyes: They dragged me (when I was 15) through the kitchens to get me around the casino and to the dining room we were using, because the law didn't allow me to cross through the casino, even with a guard, in NJ...and there was no route around the casino to get there. So, thanks for telling people this. People who don't have experience with onboard casinos (never gone there personally) would not have known this was allowable onboard ship.

DML

Yes, I forgot the Spa and Casino. Don't use either so I always forget about them.

 

A quick point on the Casino, as you are new to NCL, you can obviously still walk through the casino as it is a through route.

 

My son always has his card clipped. I've always assumed it is to show he's under 18, although it is quite obvious what with him only being 8.

But if he lost the card someone else couldn't use it to buy a drink:).

Some of the late shows (comedy, hypnotist, etc.) are billed as "adults only" but I have never seen anyone checking cards. I guess for that you would need to exercise "parental discretion."

THAT is a change from shore casinos, to be sure, and I wouldn't consider that obvious at all. :rolleyes: They dragged me (when I was 15) through the kitchens to get me around the casino and to the dining room we were using, because the law didn't allow me to cross through the casino, even with a guard, in NJ...and there was no route around the casino to get there. So, thanks for telling people this. People who don't have experience with onboard casinos (never gone there personally) would not have known this was allowable onboard ship.

 

DML

Las Vegas lets the kids walk through the casinos, also. They just have to stay on the main pathways and keep moving.

Hi

 

Excuse my odd question - my 16 yr old 6ft 2" son will be travelling with us on Epic this summer, our 1st NCL cruise - and probably his last cruise with us for a while:(. The thing is - he does everything that we do - might sound a little sad but he doesn't do teen clubs etc, but eats with us, drinks with us (ok - not alcohol, but you know what I mean:cool:) goes to shows that we do (including adult comedy) and just generally hangs out with us.

 

So what restrictions will we find we can't go to because we will have a 'big' 16 yr old with us ? If it just went on looks alone he would easily pass for older, but does his sea pass which presumably be different to ours, have to be shown to access all areas ?

 

Any input much appreciated.

 

Fig

If you have wine with dinner, they will ask how many glasses. Just FYI ;)

I'm not aware of any places - other than the dance clubs - that restrict access. I don't usually go there, but I know on Princess (many moons ago) they would check your room key upon entering.

If you have wine with dinner, they will ask how many glasses. Just FYI ;)

 

I'm not aware of any places - other than the dance clubs - that restrict access. I don't usually go there, but I know on Princess (many moons ago) they would check your room key upon entering.

Maybe Dad needs to "lose" and replace his room key so junior can get in to those places?

Actually, there is Spice H2O as well which is adults only for much of the time.

To be honest, with places like Spice and the clubs, as long as he looks old enough and is behaving well then I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem. In Spice, for example, you just walk in and I'm sure that nobody would even notice.

Posh would be another place.

Glenn

Posh would be another place.

Glenn

They do not check there. If you are obviously a "kid" they wont let you in, but 16 should not have a problem.

They do not check there. If you are obviously a "kid" they wont let you in, but 16 should not have a problem.

But you need a pass for Posh. I wouldn't have thought they'd sell you one if you aren't 18.

But you need a pass for Posh. I wouldn't have thought they'd sell you one if you aren't 18.

I'm so sorry - I was thinking of Spice. Yes, you are correct. I'm sorry!

But you need a pass for Posh. I wouldn't have thought they'd sell you one if you aren't 18.

They will not sell you one since it is 18+

As many times as I have been there, it has been an adult only area, not 16 year olds, (exception was the sail away, where they allowed under 18 year old children to stay) regardless of what anyone else claims.

Glenn

Oh...yeah. I had that problem when I was 15 and looked older as well.

 

Oh, and some people have reported that the cards don't change at 18 but rather by whether or not the teen is old enough to and has permission to drink, which a 16 y/o can't do anyway...too young for even parental permission. I know some have said the edge of the card is clipped off if the child can't drink. I don't know if that has changed.

 

DML

This doesn't really apply to the situation at hand but just as an aside, regardless of age, a parent *can* consent to have a child drink. I'm not sure of the rules for international waters but in the US, they have this ability because of religious practices. Some religions require you to drink as part of the observance.

This doesn't really apply to the situation at hand but just as an aside, regardless of age, a parent *can* consent to have a child drink. I'm not sure of the rules for international waters but in the US, they have this ability because of religious practices. Some religions require you to drink as part of the observance.

We allowed DD to have a glass of wine at dinner on our last cruise. Not religious practice - more of a cultural thing. Italians have wine with just about every meal lol We never asked (and wouldn't have) but when they brought the bottle, they asked how many glasses. Didn't matter if it was the MDR or Cagneys or wherever. I'm sure she looks much older than 16, and I doubt they would have asked if she were an obviously younger kid, but who knows. Wine isn't considered "drinking" in a lot of countries.

Las Vegas lets the kids walk through the casinos, also. They just have to stay on the main pathways and keep moving.

Yep, and it's required to get to the elevators to the hotel rooms, resturants, and show rooms in many of them. In fact, I think that's been allowed in almost every other casino I've been in as well (I know one where for many months the only route to the kids-club was through the casino).

Maybe New Jersey is "special" in this regard too and considers walking down a casino aisle almost as dangerous to minors as being allowed to pump your own gasoline is to adults... ;)

Yep, and it's required to get to the elevators to the hotel rooms, resturants, and show rooms in many of them. In fact, I think that's been allowed in almost every other casino I've been in as well (I know one where for many months the only route to the kids-club was through the casino).

 

Maybe New Jersey is "special" in this regard too and considers walking down a casino aisle almost as dangerous to minors as being allowed to pump your own gasoline is to adults... ;)

NJ is backwards in just about everything they do ;) I grew up at the Shore, so I can say that LOL

If you have wine with dinner, they will ask how many glasses. Just FYI ;)

 

.

Wine / Beer / Spirits - not a problem with our son - he's not interested in any of it - which I guess is good news for us as parents - he's not likely to be one of those secretly drinking to excess with other teens.... However saying that he's not completely 'tee-total' - he is partial to the fruit ciders that are oh so popular over here now - but I'm betting they wont be available on the ship anyhow. If anyone can tell me different I would like to know, as I'm quite keen on them too !

Fig

I don't get questions like this. There are age restrictions not height restrictions. 16 yrs old means no drinking, no adult shows, no adult areas such as spice h20, no dance club, and no casino. Period. Why can't people understand that. The age restrictions are not suggestions they are rules to be followed. Do I need to make the entitlement argument.

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I don't get questions like this. There are age restrictions not height restrictions. 16 yrs old means no drinking, no adult shows, no adult areas such as spice h20, no dance club, and no casino. Period. Why can't people understand that. The age restrictions are not suggestions they are rules to be followed. Do I need to make the entitlement argument.

 

 

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I don't think the OP was trying to be entitled to anything, just trying to figure out what they could do with their teen because they do everything together. Two of the things you list are actually allowed if the parents are with the child- adult shows (except for Quest) and dance club (up until a certain time). Our middle DS has Aspergers and was with us most of the time on our cruises and he went where we went, except to Quest.