Drinking age for cruises from Vancouver

[the cruiser of the seas]

Our DD will be 20 when we sail from Vancouver to Alaska. In Ireland she is legally allowed to drink at 18. In Canada you can drink at 18 or 19 in some states. Will she be allowed drink on this cruise if we sign a form?

[PH8]

Won't be allowed to drink since she is not 21..........RCCL no longer has a waiver(except for European and SoAmerican cruises)..

[uksimonusa]

Won't be allowed to drink since she is not 21..........RCCL no longer has a waiver(except for European and SoAmerican cruises)..

 

There is no waiver for European cruises anymore, the drinking age has been reduced to 18, not sure about SA though

[Langley Cruisers]

OP, actually before you board the ship in Vancouver, you will go through US Immigration, thus putting you in American waters when you set foot on the ship.

 

The others are correct; she legally cannot drink onboard the ship or in any American port en route.

[PH8]

There is no waiver for European cruises anymore, the drinking age has been reduced to 18, not sure about SA though

Since I dont cruise out of Europe or SA,I just went by what the RCCL website says.

 

However, on cruises departing from European and South American countries, where the legal drinking age is typically lower than 21, a parent who is sailing with his or her son(s) and/or daughter(s) who is between the ages of 18 to 20, may sign a waiver allowing the 18 to 20 year old to consume alcoholic beverages. Please note: Waivers will be provided to parents upon check-in.

[philnpen]

OP, actually before you board the ship in Vancouver, you will go through US Immigration, thus putting you in American waters when you set foot on the ship.

 

How can you be in USA waters when you are boarding in Vancouver? Yes, you are in North American waters, but the USA doesn't control the entire continent.The boarding issue doesn't matter. What counts are the ports of call (USA) I believe. If wrong, please correct me.

[scottbee]

OP, actually before you board the ship in Vancouver, you will go through US Immigration, thus putting you in American waters when you set foot on the ship.

 

The others are correct; she legally cannot drink onboard the ship or in any American port en route.

 

The drinking age in BC is 19 (in Canada it's province by province); however the drinking age on the ships is generally 21 (in order to line up with US standards).

 

Also, while you will have passed through US Immigration and Customs, it's merely pre-clearance; you're still firmly in Canadian waters, and under Canadian laws; although the ships still choose to not serve people under 21. The US DHS still has the option of another full clearance of the ship for Immigration/Customs if they want to at the 1st US port.

 

The same applies for pre-clearance at YVR, they still must land at a USA airport with customs/immigration facilities, it's just the US can choose to accept the pre-clearance (done by their staff). AS/Alaska learned that the hard way 10 years ago when they scheduled (and flew) one YVR-SNA before SNA had immigration&customs and had all sorts of troubles. Plane had to divert to LAX -- it was big mess.

[Putterdude]

Our DD will be 20 when we sail from Vancouver to Alaska. In Ireland she is legally allowed to drink at 18. In Canada you can drink at 18 or 19 in some states. Will she be allowed drink on this cruise if we sign a form?

 

She would be permitted to drink in BC and indeed the Yukon but with embarkations in Canada and US the ships tend to comply with the US law of 21....parental approval or not....silly because that is not the case on many of the same ships when operating out of Europe but that is the way they choose conduct their business in North America.

[Muslickz]

She would be permitted to drink in BC and indeed the Yukon but with embarkations in Canada and US the ships tend to comply with the US law of 21....parental approval or not....silly because that is not the case on many of the same ships when operating out of Europe but that is the way they choose conduct their business in North America.

 

We ran into this issue with our son who was 20, and yes.. they did not let him drink. A Shame for those who wish to follow the laws of their own region on a ship leaving from their own region.

 

-M

[the cruiser of the seas]

Many thanks for all the replies.

 

Looks like she won't be drinking onboard this cruise, she'll have to wait till next year:D:D