Royal Caribbean Lowers Minimum Drinking Age for International Cruises

[Ocean Boy]

And she pled NG to a 3x the legal limit? OMG!!!

 

I tend to agree there are way too many teens who are not mature enough to handle the responsibility of booze.

 

What really bugs me is all the press that so called stars get when they behave badly and booze it up show off their up skirt for free photo taking etc...not mentioning names of some girls that came to mind here...

 

But those folks (stars) who live in Fantasy Land live in a fantasy world with very different laws and standards than the rest of us are held to. What really amazes me is those are the same people who then rally behind some cause and tell the rest of us exactly how we should be behaving, which political candidates we should be supporting, and where we should be sending our money. They are just a bunch of spoiled brats.

[Ocean Boy]

Exactly. Her parents are wealthy and got her a high powerd lawyer.

 

And money can buy justice.

[Havingfun2010]

Dear friends:

 

Let's put aside whether the drinking age merits being 16, 18 or 21.

 

The fact of the matter is that the cruise line markets hundreds of sailings in Europe, to Europeans, visiting only European (or in the European region and surroundings) ports.

 

With the above as the scenario, how do you now tell a 20-year-old European that he or she cannot drink on his or her European vacation because in some other country on the other side of the planet people can't drink until the age of 21? (The same analysis holds true for Australia, South America, etc.)

 

Obviously, while in the United States and while taking a cruise from the United States, the U.S. laws should and do apply. But where is the logic in applying a U.S. law to a ship registered in The Bahamas, marketed to a European, and visiting Barcelona, Naples, Civitavecchia, Livorno, Malta and Villefranche, just to use an example?

 

It will be interesting to see if this new policy will also trickle down to the policy of the age limit for purchasing a cabin, since Europe is not necessarily known for the "Spring Break phenomenon" that occurs in the United States.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

 

That's what the whole post was about, just stating a fact, and not debating whether or not the drinking age is right or wrong. I find is funny, how many in Europe, would like to see the drinking age raised, while many in the US want it lowered. Regardless of the age, young people will indulge beyone their limits.

[Racefan9]

What about cruises originating in Puerto Rico then? Same as Europe?

[galavant3]

On our first RCCL cruise (think it was 2004) the drinking age on board was 18. I wonder why they raised the age. I would think that allowing the 18-20 year olds to drink would increase revenue.

 

Maybe they will one day lower the age back to 18 as long as a parent is on board.....

[galavant3]

Dear friends:

 

Let's put aside whether the drinking age merits being 16, 18 or 21.

 

The fact of the matter is that the cruise line markets hundreds of sailings in Europe, to Europeans, visiting only European (or in the European region and surroundings) ports.

 

With the above as the scenario, how do you now tell a 20-year-old European that he or she cannot drink on his or her European vacation because in some other country on the other side of the planet people can't drink until the age of 21? (The same analysis holds true for Australia, South America, etc.)

 

Obviously, while in the United States and while taking a cruise from the United States, the U.S. laws should and do apply. But where is the logic in applying a U.S. law to a ship registered in The Bahamas, marketed to a European, and visiting Barcelona, Naples, Civitavecchia, Livorno, Malta and Villefranche, just to use an example?

 

It will be interesting to see if this new policy will also trickle down to the policy of the age limit for purchasing a cabin, since Europe is not necessarily known for the "Spring Break phenomenon" that occurs in the United States.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

 

Even though every state has a minimum drinking age of 21, it is not a US law. In fact, the law will differ from state to state. In Texas, 18 year olds are legally allowed to drink if a parent is present. I think NCL allows 18 year olds to drink as long as they have the written permission of a parent.

[Missus Makkem]

And you have to take into account the crazy Brits driving on the wrong side of the road;)

 

No we Brits drive on the correct side of the road, we would be in big trouble if we didnt and that is without a drink!

All this is so we can draw our swords if we are attacked by highwaymen or the like.....no guns here:rolleyes:

[uksimonusa]

No we Brits drive on the correct side of the road, we would be in big trouble if we didnt and that is without a drink!

All this is so we can draw our swords if we are attacked by highwaymen or the like.....no guns here:rolleyes:

 

With the majority of people being right handed

[Big_G]

no we brits drive on the correct side of the road, we would be in big trouble if we didnt and that is without a drink!

All this is so we can draw our swords if we are attacked by highwaymen or the like.....no guns here:rolleyes:

 

lmao!!!:d

[UNV-IT!!!]

On our first RCCL cruise (think it was 2004) the drinking age on board was 18. I wonder why they raised the age. I would think that allowing the 18-20 year olds to drink would increase revenue.

 

Maybe they will one day lower the age back to 18 as long as a parent is on board.....

 

Because so many 18-20yo where getting hammered and doing stupid stuff on the ship, getting into fights, breaking stuff,throwing things over board. It was causing a security nightmare. So they dropped that

[jbond]

What about cruises originating in Puerto Rico then? Same as Europe?

The age limit is 21 on the ship. It's 18 or younger in the ports.

 

With the majority of people being right handed

When I went to school in the UK, many, many years ago, we weren't allowed to be anything but right handed. We had to bat, bowl and write right handed and kick right footed.

[Peacemkr59]

Can anyone show me where European's have a lower DUI rate than Americans and link it to drinking at an earlier age? I highly doubt European teenagers are "more responsible" than American ones. Those statements seem to come up on every thread about drinking, yet no one ever really supports it with facts.

 

Here's a fact from my life, my kids friends (now 25 and 27) who were allowed to drink at home drank just as much or more than those that weren't allowed.

 

Alcoholism rates are just as high in Europe also. Drinking earlier actually makes someone MORE likely to be an alcoholic according to every study I've ever seen.

 

Quit throwing up "responsibility" please. And saying drinking makes someone responsible is such an oxymoron.

 

Also, when the drinking age was 18 (not everywhere in the US, BTW), it was for beer and wine only, not hard liquor. I'm old enough to remember when the laws changed.

 

BND, you are correct that the drinking age was not the same in every state, but it was not just for beer and wine in every state either. When I was 18, I could buy anything in NJ but then went to college in Colorado where you had to be 19 to buy 3.2% beer and 21 to buy everything else. This is a state policy, not a US policy!! They all eventually changed their laws because the federal gov't threatened to cut off highway funding!!! It had nothing to do with responsibility of 18 year olds!!

[MrsPete]

While I agree it's not the best idea I know that a lot of 18yo people are still not very responsible. And I honestly feel we would have a lot more people getting DUI's and accidents from DUI.

Evidence: I was in high school when the drinking age was raised from 18 to 21, and what a difference it made in the number of students who LIVED. All the classes older than me lost at least one student to drinking/driving. My brother's class lost five. Yes, five kids in one year. And not all in the same wreck. The classes after us rarely lost a student to this tragedy.

HAHAHA first children are allowed in the CL, now they are allowed in the bars! :p

 

yes, yes I am kidding! I know OFFICIALLY 18 year olds are adults

 

I can't wait to see how this plays out. ;)

Legally they're adults. In reality, adult privledges begin the day a person turns 18 but aren't complete 'til they're older.

 

For example, an 18 year old may legally be an adult, and he can join the army, vote, make medical decisions for himself . . . but he still can't rent a car on his own, in some places he can't get a hotel room on his own. He can't get a loan or rent an apartment without a co-signer.

 

In reality, an 18-year old is an adult, but he doesn't really have all the privledges that you and I have -- not 'til he's lived a few more years and proven himself.

You make may point perfectly. US parents typically ignore any opportunity to teach responsibility. The tragedy you pointed out is a result. In Europe, the trend is to teach kids early on responsible behavior, including the responsibility to never, ever drive drunk.

Add to that the fact that we Americans are not known for our sense of moderation . . . in anything. We might as well embroider the phrase, "Go big or Go home" on the flag.

[galavant3]

For example, an 18 year old may legally be an adult, and he can join the army, vote, make medical decisions for himself . . . but he still can't rent a car on his own, in some places he can't get a hotel room on his own. He can't get a loan or rent an apartment without a co-signer.

 

 

Not necessarily. Some agencies will rent cars to 18 year olds...most will impose an additional fee. Also, an 18 year old can certainly buy a car.

 

My college age student was able to sign her own lease to rent an apartment.

 

I don't think requiring a co-signer has as much to do with age as credit history.

[ShanShan]

I think it's really funny how you tar everyone with the same brush.

 

I will be 20 when I disembark on the Independence of the Seas with my partner who will be celebrating his 21st birthday on the ship and I'm not a heavy drinker but I do like the odd drink and possibly one every night with my meal does that make me irresponsible then?

 

Taken from a UK drink driving statistic website "Drinking and driving occurs across a wide range of age groups but particularly among young men aged 17-29 in both casualties and positive breath tests following a collision. The Government's most recent drink drive campaigns aims to target this group"

 

17-29? Maximum age being 29 there. But of course you would turn a blind eye at the wide range of ages there and probably come back with a comment such as "most drink drivers are between 18-21".

 

I think it's really unfair that the minority of you think it's OK to make us younger generation look like irresponsible fools when in particular situations we could be as responsible as the older generation.

 

I've seen alot of middle aged drunks and old men drunk at the bus stop who cannot be responsible for their own bladder let alone anything else! Your no better! Oh and not to mention the OAP I had to retrieve from my garden bushes and call the ambulance for because she was so intoxicated she couldn't speak or walk or sit up!

 

I cannot wait for them to change the drinking age to 18 and hopefully its before my cruise date because I'd seriously like a drink or 10 ;) And you know why? Because its MY hard earned money I work 35 hours a week for not my parents not anyone else's if i want a drink I'll have one its my right!:D

[jbond]

I've seen alot of middle aged drunks and old men drunk at the bus stop who cannot be responsible for their own bladder let alone anything else!

The most drunken person I've ever seen on a cruise was a 40/50 year old car salesman who had climbed on the net that was used to cover the pool overnight and was entangled. Funny, but also tragic. In 35 cruises with RCI, my impression of young people has always been very positive.