drinking age on ship and is it enforced

[iggyc]

Does anyone know what the drinking age is and how is it enforced. What is the age to get into the bars?

[cruzelovr]

I believe the legal drinking age aboard is 21. I've never had to worry about it, but I'm sure it's enforced. Check your statement at the end of the cruise, you'll see what you ordered on there, if there's some extra charges.... somebody's got some 'splaining to do! Although I think anybody can go up to the bar and order a soft drink/ virgin drink, etc...

[Alexis]

Here is a copy from the RCCL website.

 

Please note: Guests eighteen to twenty (18-20) years of age are welcome to enjoy beer and wine (for all Alaska sailings, guests must be 21 years of age in order to consume beer, wine and any other alcoholic beverages). Guests twenty-one (21) years of age and older are welcome to enjoy all alcoholic beverages. Applicable age restrictions apply while the ship is in port, in accordance with local age limitations.

[MiniMom57]

As the previous poster stated, the "legal" drinking age is 18, but I know it is not enforced. I've seen plenty of obviously-wasted teens on board. I also know that my daughter, who was 18 on her last cruise, was served whatever she wanted by some of the bartenders (and the cruise director bought her a couple of drinks with hard liquor......I found out about this AFTER the cruise!)

[Lyncruiser]

I agree it's not very well enforced. And, I don't understand why 18 to 20-year-olds are allowed to drink at all (except that I'm sure it's a great source of revenue).

[Valentine's Mom]

I thought that 18 - 20 year olds had to have a parent's signiture to dring beer and wine? Also don't they do something different to the sea pass to say that you are old enought to drink?

[hilltopfamily]

What is the age to get into the bars?

 

Wondering about this as well. My 20 year old neice will be with us. Can she go into the bars/discos without someone 21 or older being with her? (though I doubt her mother will let her out of her site! ;) )

[Ericknow32]

I agree it's not very well enforced. And, I don't understand why 18 to 20-year-olds are allowed to drink at all (except that I'm sure it's a great source of revenue).

The ships go to Islands where the drinking age is 18. So, if they can drink there why can't they drink on the ship. I know that it increases the likelihood of rowdy behavior. That is why RCCL put the limit at beer and wine. It's a compromise. There are many different countries represented on a cruise. Many countries have a lower drinking age than the US. RCCL is probably trying to accommodate people with different customs than our own.

[phtktz3]

I thought that 18 - 20 year olds had to have a parent's signiture to dring beer and wine? Also don't they do something different to the sea pass to say that you are old enought to drink?

This is correct' date=' I have to sign the consent form for my 19yr old to drink beer. If I do not sign it then there is a hole punched into his card to signify that he is not allowed to drink. On Celebrity last month to Alaska he was not eligible to drink and his sea pass card was dark blue and anyone 21 and over had a white sea pass card. I do not know how well it is enforced as I have always signed for him to get beer or wine, I have complete access to the sea pass account and can determine on a daily basis how much he is consuming and it has never been more than 5 beers in a 24 hour period. I am not niave' enough to think that his first taste of beer was on a cruise ship, so I do let him have it when the rules allow.[/b']

[PTarbay]

The drinking age is 18 for beer and wine and 21 for alcohol.You have to be 18 to go to the clubs.You have to have written consent from a parent or guardian.It is more enforced than you think.Most of the underage kids drinking are having someone else but it for them.

[ccletzgo]

I have chaperoned two trips with 18 year olds. Yes, it is enforced pretty well. I had to sign for them to be able to drink beer. (funny, I get more tipsy from beer and wine, then hard stuff) :D

[starlite713]

I am 19 and just got off Mariner Of The Seas. My Grandma had to sign a paper for me to be able to drink, they say only beer and wine but it would have been easy to get anything else I wanted. If you are under the age of 18 you're sea pass card has two hole punches in it, indicating that you are a miner and are not allowed into the casino, the night club, and are unable to drink. But if you are 18 to 20, you're card is only punched once and you are able to get in the casino, night club, and are able to buy drinks. Anyone over the age of 21 has no holes punched in their card. But like I said, it would have been way easy to get any other drinks that I wanted, so, no its not really enforced.

[PTarbay]

All transactions are on your seapass card.When you hand it to the bartender it is put through a machine that shows your picture with all your information including age.I know my daughter was turned down for one of the froo froo drinks.

[cherub44]

I am 19 and just got off Mariner Of The Seas. My Grandma had to sign a paper for me to be able to drink, they say only beer and wine but it would have been easy to get anything else I wanted. If you are under the age of 18 you're sea pass card has two hole punches in it, indicating that you are a miner and are not allowed into the casino, the night club, and are unable to drink. But if you are 18 to 20, you're card is only punched once and you are able to get in the casino, night club, and are able to buy drinks. Anyone over the age of 21 has no holes punched in their card. But like I said, it would have been way easy to get any other drinks that I wanted, so, no its not really enforced.

 

If you didn't try it how do you know it would have been "way easy"? Is it because the bartenders would have served you, or because it would be easy for you to get someone else to buy it for you?

[Cammie]

I'd like to know what ships you're all on where the drinking age is not enforced. I've been 21 for several years now and I have to carry my driver's license with me on the ship because they always ask me for I.D.

[new2cruizin]

On my past 2 cruises I have never been asked for ID....granted I was 28 yrs old on my first but I was also with my 21 and 23 yr old cousins...they never asked them for ID either...we sailed the Navigator and the Explorer.....we leave for the Mariner next week...we'll see if it changes...

[MrsPete]

I agree it's not very well enforced. And, I don't understand why 18 to 20-year-olds are allowed to drink at all (except that I'm sure it's a great source of revenue).

I believe you've hit upon the real reason.

[kahneinny]

I'd like to know what ships you're all on where the drinking age is not enforced. I've been 21 for several years now and I have to carry my driver's license with me on the ship because they always ask me for I.D.

 

I want to know how you've stayed 21 for several years. I want to do that!;)

[memphismimi]

I'd like to know what ships you're all on where the drinking age is not enforced. I've been 21 for several years now and I have to carry my driver's license with me on the ship because they always ask me for I.D.

 

 

OK, stop selling houses and tell us how to be 21 fro several years...you'll get rich very quick! :D

[CMurph]

Just our personal experience....our son cruised twice between the ages of 18 & 21. We did sign consent for him to drink beer and wine, along with his friend. They were asked for additional ID several times throughout the week. People of all ages can enter the bars on a ship, but under 18 are not allowed in the casino (except to pass through) or in the disco. They were tough on that, a friend of my son was just a week shy of 18 and they wouldn't budge. However, if an adult buys any beverage and gives it to someone under 18...I've never seen anyone question them. On the islands they never asked the boys for ID at all.

[starlite713]

Cherub44, when I went to go buy a drink the bartenders would always ask me if I was sure I didn't want one of the prettier drinks, such as, Pina Calada (sp?), and all those drinks. Thats why I know it would have been easy to get the other drinks if I wanted.

[Merion_Mom]

On our most recent cruise, my daughter was 19. When we checked in and they issued her SeaPass card, they neglected to punch a hole in it. She was elated. She greatly prefers beer anyway, but she thought that is was just SO FUNNY that they were tagging her as "21 and legal" for all alcoholic beverages.

 

Well, one afternoon, we were sitting in Bolero's, and she went up to the bar to get the Drink of the Day. The bartender swiped her card and said, "no, you can't have it - you're not 21." So the card is still encoded with her age information, even if someone forgets to punch that hole in it!

[txcdn1]

It would have been easy for my daughter to drink. When we first got on the Rhapsody they automatically handed her the drink special and tried to add rum until she put her hand over the glass and said no. Only when I told the waiter to use her seapass card to charge our drinks did he hesitate and then asked for my card. My daughter looks older than her 17 years but fortunately for me she doesn't like to drink. I did buy her two strawberry daquries in mexico and she only sipped a few drinks out of these. In Mexico at the shops the vendors where always trying to give her shot of tequila so be very careful there. I even had one vendor tell me he really liked her and to please bring her back in for a shot! One other thing, on the Rhapsody they did not swipe my card for the drink specials just hand wrote it and they charge the same amount for Virgin drinks as ones with alcohol. Hope this helps, Jill:)

[Dolphin-dan]

You can't go up to the bar and order a drink if you are under 18. You people that are saying "I saw a lot of wasted teens on the ship." were probably doing what we used to do and getting someone who is over 21 go and buy a bottle of liquor and then drink it.

[cruiseescape]

Hi

 

We just came off of the Voyager and we had 2 kids with us 1 is 18 and the other is 19. Not only do they enforce this but even after we signed for both of them to have beer and wine they still didn't want to serve them we had to go back to guest relations a couple of times and finally they gave them a paper to carry around with them as well showing that they were allowed. They could barely get a beer or a glass of wine so I don't know how in the world these people say you could get something else that easily. There was no way anyone was giving them anything else.

 

Also they were very respectful with it and they did not abuse the privledge. So it all depnds on the ship and the maturity of the kids.