Royal Caribbean President & CEO Discusses Onboard Alcohol Policies

[compman9]

Your children can drive a car at high speeds on freeways, smoke tobacco, get married and have babies of their own, and die to protect your liberty in war, but they can't have a drink until they are 21.

 

It is around this age that many kids have enough disposable income to afford vacations on giant ships, where the one thing they are not allowed to do and learn to do responsibly, is freely available in all of the destinations.

 

A drinking age of 21 is alarmingly idiotic. It's time America grew up to this. Then, maybe your kids will, at the same pace as kids in the rest of the world.

[Bobal]

This doesn't bode well for those who are trying to persuade RC to introduce the drinks packages to all the ships :(

[praline3001]

This doesn't bode well for those who are trying to persuade RC to introduce the drinks packages to all the ships :(

 

Very good point! I can't see it happening now either.

[Bakincakes]

We've observed many teens drinking on RCI..most of them get their drinks from older kids or even their parents.:rolleyes: And bartenders know who is getting some of those drinks. We've seen parents hand the drink to the kid and the kid takes a sip from it. And the bartender sees it.:(

 

Any wonder kids are so obsessed with alcohol? Many of their parents seem to be. They are mostly the ones that are hiding booze in their shoes and underwear so they can smuggle it onboard ships. And many of them start threads on this board wondering how they can sign waivers so their kids can drink while cruising.

 

Isn't it possible to have a good time without a drink in your hand?

[tweenie123]

I know it's been said hundreds of times on here but for me one of the answers is to allow people to bring their own alchohol onto the ship. I love RC and will continue to cruise with them but feel that this is the one area where they are seriously lacking in not treating the passengers as responsible adults. I've cruised with Disney and have never seen any drunken antics or passengers being abusive to the crew in an attempt to purchase more alcohol.

[RedWing50]

What ship was this filmed on?:cool:

[praline3001]

We've observed many teens drinking on RCI..most of them get their drinks from older kids or even their parents.:rolleyes: And bartenders know who is getting some of those drinks. We've seen parents hand the drink to the kid and the kid takes a sip from it. And the bartender sees it.:(

 

Any wonder kids are so obsessed with alcohol? Many of their parents seem to be. They are mostly the ones that are hiding booze in their shoes and underwear so they can smuggle it onboard ships. And many of them start threads on this board wondering how they can sign waivers so their kids can drink while cruising.

 

Isn't it possible to have a good time without a drink in your hand?

 

I do understand where your coming from with this. There are great parents and then there are horrid parents.

 

I do think some things need to be considered rather then bad vs good parenting. In the Caribbean the drinking age is 18. We will be celebrating my son's 18th birthday on our upcoming cruise. I will allow him to have a drink in st Thomas. Is that bad parenting? I don't see how having a frozen mudslide when he is legally old enough to drink on the island as bad parenting. He is also an honor student and will soon be going off to college ... we all know the drinking that goes on in college HA HA

 

I do follow the laws as best I can. I am a good role model for my 3 kids. Not one of them has been in serious trouble (knock on wood).

I do not feel guilty at all for letting him have 1 drink if he would like while on the island. At the most hubby and I drink 1 on the islands as well but 1 is our limit.

 

The reason I am explaining this is I have a sneaking suspicion this footage was taken on a port day. They do show some footage of the drunks at port. If those 18 year olds go off the ship they can drink like a fish and return to the ship. The drinking age in the Caribbean is 18 but it is very rarely enforced. This is most likely the reason for the underage drunks in the story. I do not see how RC could be to blame for them drinking in port though.

 

RC does try everything they can to keep underage drinking down. Does it still happen? sure. But the effort to curb it is huge.

However things get to be a bit gray for those bartenders when mom or pop are buying the drinks for their kids. How does the cruise line stop dad from buying the drink and taking it to the room for his son? The short of it is they can't.

 

The underage but a legal adult phase in a kid's life can be a pain ..both for the kid and for the parent.

[armywifefisher]

OK how many ppl cruise and how many times does some one get so drunk they fall over board verse how many time does someone get drunk and get behind a car and kill an innocent person? Every one makes their own choice in life good or bad. Athough we have laws in affect to try to prevent it, it still happens right in our own neighborhoods and we are going to make a beal deal of someone getting drunk and being stupid and end up taking his own life? Yes I feel sorry for the family, but thye should have no grounds to sue. Does other familys sue bars when people drinks drive no they do not unless they serve someone under the age.

 

I think the dar tenders do an awesome job try to keep ppl for being overly intoxicated.

 

This is not a cruise linners fault but a personal choice fault. He was the one who choise to climb the rail, stupid move.

[Sharon Sails]

I worked on a college campus. Kids acting stupid is nothing new. But if the bartenders were PUSHING drinks, that would be a problem. I didn't watch the show. A fruity drink can be a real treat. I usually have one. I'm not a drinker, so over-indulging is not an issue. Hubby and I were on a cruise last year where four very young men were TOTALLY bombed. They were waiting for an elevator. It was the FIRST day of the cruise!! I was surprised because I didn't expect to see this on a cruise ship. Yeah, I'm naive, and I'm not a night person, so I don't see those people who are drunk on the ship late into the evening. :o

[Poorplaya]

I see a big crack down on alcohol smugglers!!! :cool:

 

I agree with you on this one

[Wilda]

i know for a fact that if your under 21 leaving from a US port you are not allowed to drink. i was 22 when i went on my cruise and i had to carry my lisence around cause the wait staff and bartenders did not beleave me that i was 22 lol:)

 

That doesn't make sense to me. Your sea pass card identifies you as a minor or of legal age. Why would you need additional identification?

[marci65]

We leave on the Liberty from Barcelona on 6/9. Our son also just turned 18 and we are celebrating his graduation, etc. When we are in port , he will always be with us. Is 18 the legal age in Spain, France and Italy?

[Bobal]

We leave on the Liberty from Barcelona on 6/9. Our son also just turned 18 and we are celebrating his graduation, etc. When we are in port , he will always be with us. Is 18 the legal age in Spain, France and Italy?

 

Yes it is (in fact I believe it is 16 in Italy). Since you're leaving from a European port you can sign an alcohol waiver which allows him to drink onboard at 18 anyway, since 18 (or less) is the legal drinking age in European countries.

[akcruz]

That doesn't make sense to me. Your sea pass card identifies you as a minor or of legal age. Why would you need additional identification?

 

Siblings and/or friends are known to "share" their sea pass with those who are not old enough. I have actually seen parents give their cards to their kids! By asking for picture ID it reduces the chances of this going on.

[marci65]

Thanks for the reply! Where do I find the alcohol waiver; is it online on the website? Or is this something we sign at BCN pier prior to boarding?

[jennmaybe]

I see a big crack down on alcohol smugglers!!! :cool:

 

I don't really see this......they can still get plenty of alcohol on the ship and off while in ports. Not to mention, Carnival has Bon Voyage where you can buy bottles of alcohol and have it in your stateroom. This doesn't have anything to do with smuggling.

[Debde]

I don't really see this......they can still get plenty of alcohol on the ship and off while in ports. Not to mention, Carnival has Bon Voyage where you can buy bottles of alcohol and have it in your stateroom. This doesn't have anything to do with smuggling.

 

Although the TV spot showed bartenders serving drunks, the teenager passed out on the floor could very easily get that alcohol from someone that has smuggled it on.

I have read many posts with parents-traveling with the family-brag how they got alcohol on. You want to tell me kids are not creative and drink out of the parents liquor cabinet.

Just my opinion but heads up smugglers and yes, gone is any hope of an AI drink package. If a couple can get booted off a ship for legal hookah tobacco [although yes, hidden in a false bottom hairspray can] why not alcohol.

 

Funny thing is-many talk about an AI resort being a fall down drunk fest. All that I have gone to has a stocked bar in my room. Kid friendly resort and I have seen less underage or overly drunk people on a AI then I have on a cruise. I have no answer why and can not understand it. another reason to look up from the desk outside of CC and actually see, at times, with many, what cruise ships have a reputation for.

Absolutly-corporate has to damage control and just don't think it may be a trip to the naughty room now!!!:eek:

 

Guests who violate any alcohol policy, including but not limited to underage drinking;

providing alcohol to minors or young adults; possessing, concealing or attempting to

conceal alcoholic items in their luggage, when boarding or while onboard; engaging in

alcohol drinking games; or failing to consume alcohol responsibly, will be considered for discipline under the provisions of this policy.

 

According to this statement-discipline can be given out in many degrees. ask hookah guy!!!:eek:

 

 

 

 

[msw1023]

I have never understood why someone would pay all that money for a cruise and then proceed to spend even more to get so drunk that they black out and can't remember half of their vacation, and feel like crap for the rest.

Yeah, I know that most don't set out to do this, they just keep drinking, I know for some kids h

they don't have the experience with alcohol...but really, where's the fun in any of that?

[Debde]

Now I found it clearly written-

 

Guests are not allowed to bring alcoholic beverages onboard for consumption or any other use. Alcoholic beverages that are purchased in ports of call or from onboard shops will be stored by the ship and delivered to guest staterooms on the last day of the sailing. Security may inspect containers (water bottles, soda bottles, mouthwash, luggage etc.) and will dispose of containers holding alcohol. Royal Caribbean's Guest Conduct Policy may be enforced, up to and including disembarkation, if a guest violates any alcohol policy. Guests under the age of 21 will not have alcohol returned to them.

 

And-just so you know-I did not do the bold print. that's how it reads on line.

[beer1234]

A lot of people come to this board just looking for info on bringing alcohol on board and of course various members encourage them. The same subject gets hashed over and over. This board needs a bit of policing itself don't you think.

 

How about an alcohol sticky and keep all alcohol posts off.

[repo-cruiser]

Really? This is happening daily on solid ground. At 18 we send kids to foreign ground to die for their country, but God forbid we let them have a cocktail!!!

Just my opinion!!

We don't send them anywhere, it's a voluntary military. They choose(a great choice if you ask me) to serve. i've seen many die in our country from drinking and driving. Inside edition showed actual footage, not made up footage. These bartenders should immediately be fired.

[PH8]

Is there a link to the video?? All I can find is the written article..:confused:

[bajathree]

A lot of the SERIOUS drinking that goes on... especially with underage kids is in port...not on the ship. In Cozumel just last month I was with my 13yr old DD...she was offered alcohol everywhere we went...I would order a margarita and they would say "you want 2 right"...my daughter would ask for an iced tea...and they would say "you want a Long Island iced tea, right". My DD's always see kids from the teen club drinking on the islands...especially Cozumel. Not trying to give Cozumel a bad rap but that's where it's most noticeable. There were teens so drunk at Senior Frogs they were stumbling and groping each other ...a mother actually had to intervene and escort a girl (that she didn't even know) back on the ship because she was just letting guys grab her everywhere...and I mean everywhere. While yes....there are people that over do it on the ship...I believe the majority of the issue is from port stops...and not sure how they control that from the ship.

 

And I have to blame all the above on the parents....what parent allows their teen to roam around Cozumel...or any other port stop on their own:confused: They have to have a parent to get off the ship...so the parents take them off and say goodbye...crazy!

[marci22]

A lot of people come to this board just looking for info on bringing alcohol on board and of course various members encourage them. The same subject gets hashed over and over. This board needs a bit of policing itself don't you think.

 

How about an alcohol sticky and keep all alcohol posts off.

 

That's been suggested before. Alcohol smuggling posts are a waste.

[BND]

A lot of people come to this board just looking for info on bringing alcohol on board and of course various members encourage them. The same subject gets hashed over and over. This board needs a bit of policing itself don't you think.

 

How about an alcohol sticky and keep all alcohol posts off.

 

The most logical thing to do is ban all threads that are about banned items on RCI. Why allow posts on how to skirt the rules? It makes no sense. These threads are about RCI, so they should be about what is allowed, not about how to get something past security. It would be too easy to have a sticky with the list of currently banned items. That's all that's needed. If someone wants to attempt to smuggle, let them figure out how to do it themselves.