Royal Caribbean President & CEO Discusses Onboard Alcohol Policies

[BND]

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!

 

Agreed. Allowing kids freedom to roam around a foreign country alone is just asking for trouble. I wonder if these same parents would drop their kids in the middle of a US city and let them wander around on their own. I'm guessing the parents are off doing their own partying. I guess DH and I were really mean parents, but our boys are grown responsible adults who only drink socially.

[Bobal]

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?

 

It will be at the pier when you board. We have an 18 year old and a 20 year old who we signed waivers for last year. I think they want to have parents present and teens present with ID/passports when the waiver is signed. Also they need to carry the waiver with them as, although the seapass card shows they're 18 (by virtue of not having holes punched in it), it may be that some over 18's don't have the waiver. After a while, the bartenders get to know them and don't ask for the waiver, but it's always best for them to carry it.

[B-52]

...but it will only take one "experience" and word will travel fast...especially if the one(s) getting the boot are CC members....;)

 

But that won't happen...with all the talk about rules such as chair hogs, dress codes, it is very clear that all Cc members follow are sticklers when it come to following the rules.

 

You must be talking about non Cc members who don't know any better.....

[PCalabrese]

Next step: deny boarding for anyone that tries to smuggle booze onboard. It's against the cruise contract you have signed. They should honor their end by sending your tail packing. It's very likely some of those sneaking booze on board that end up being the problem children on the cruises.

 

 

I believe that this is an assumption and accusation and is entirely untrue. Most folks that bring drinks on board do so in order to enjoy a drink in their room while either preparing for the day, relaxing on the balcony and when getting ready for dinner. This is done because taking trips to the bar when trying to relax is sort of a hassle. I'm positive that the same thing can occur during land-based vacations as well. No matter where you go, there will always be "that guy" or "that girl". Cruises are no different.

[cruisekap]

I PVR'd the Inside Edition episode and asked my 18 year old daughter to watch. She has been on several Spring Break cruises with me and I wanted her opinion. Her first impression was that it was overexaggerated. She definitely had seen teens and adults drunk on the ship but very few. She even noted that teens and university students will alsways find a way to get around the rule, this is not unique to cruise ships. She was very confident that the underage drinkers did not get the alcohol from RCI staff. Most of the alcohol was smuggled on and in cabins. She even confessed that on our last cruise she had brought alcohol in a Scope bottle. (Oh the things that you find out after the fact). She was never served alcohol and none of the kids that she was with did either. She actually thought that the cruise experience was not the greatest for teens between 18 and 21 because of this fact. (I don't agree, just her opinion) The drinking age in Ontario, Cananda, is 19 so I can see how it can be an adjustment. RCI staff are very strict and do not allow the kids into the dance clubs.

 

My 16 year old son had the same opinion.

 

I think that both of my kids disliked the sensational story. I think that they are becomin Loyal Royal Carribean customers. :)

[CruisingMachine]

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.

 

That is actually a great idea. I don't know if any of the cruiselines have requested that these type of threads not be allowed, but I think they should be. Minors read threads here too, and CC should not used for anyone, especially minors, as a thinktank for ways to get prohibited items onboard. Can the information be found elsewhere? Absolutely, but doesn't mean that CC has to to be the conduit. There are a LOT of things available on the 'net that can't be found on CC (thankfully).

 

CC wants cooperation from the cruiselines on various things, so removing such threads can only help communication and maintain good relationships.

[beer1234]

The ban would fall under the CC policing themselves part.

[BND]

The ban would fall under the CC policing themselves part.

 

Which they already do for some things. There's rules about profanity, linking to other sites, questioning mods, so why not rules about not being able to discuss how to skirt rules?

[AFS1970]

If we ban the Rum runner threads, then I think CC might reduce the size of the forums by at least a 3rd maybe even half. Get rid of the formal wear & chair hog threads and we might as well just have one area for roll calls.

 

I did not see the inside edition, but I think the gist here is not the serving of alcohol, but the over serving of alcohol. Sure an 18 year old can go into port and drink legally, he can even get drunk legally and return to the ship. However the problem arises when that drunk 18 year old staggers up to the ship's bar and is served. Or when that drunk 18 year old is convinced that what they really need is the drink of the day, and lots of them.

 

I am not sure which is worse, serving drunks or pushing expensive drinks on those least able to refuse them but I do know that one problem is that ship's staff do whatever they can to avoid confrontation. That is the issue with chair hogs, dinner attire and just about every other rule that gets discussed on CC. It is probably magnified with the increased likelihood that a drunk person will react badly to being refused service.

 

Sure there is also a commercial factor at play here, in that the cruise lines just want money and really don['t care too much for ethics in that pursuit, but I think conflict avoidance is the main reason.

[runnerandme]

I do think one way to deter those that bring alcohol onboard against policy is to impose a STIFF fine if it is found. I know people will still find ways and coming back from ports some will slip through. But if people thought they would be stuck with a huge fine they might just not try.

 

I do think if Royal offered bar set up for in room, it would be a win win for all. People would be less likely to smuggle for in room consumption. Those that are going to drink too much will do so no matter who supplies it.

[Russ Lomas]

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.

 

I cruised with RCCL on the Liberty this past March and found there to be far LESS drunk people on board than with previous cruises on Carnival and NCL that I have taken. In fact, this was one of the things I noticed the most (I always travel the Ontario March Break week, so what I observe that week, one would expect to be similar from ship to ship). RCCL had a real family atmosphere compared to the other cruises I have been on. The NCL sailing out of NY was the one we experienced the most drunks on board.

 

As for the quote about no drunken antics on Disney cruises...

I have never been on a Disney cruise, so I cannot attest to what it is like. I have been unable to bring myself to pay triple what it costs me for the cruise on one of the other cruise lines. I assume this is a large part of why Disney "escapes" the drunks. I would suspect upper scale cruise lines like Crystal, Silversea, and Oceania, likely do not encounter this problem either. If you offer a budget price to board the cruise to go somewhere warm during Spring Break, you will tend to get the younger crowd. Please don't get me wrong and think I want the other lines to increase their prices (far from it). It just needs to be said that the cheaper vacations are more likely to attract this type of clientele.

 

I imagine if Inside Edition did a similar expose on all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean, they would find things 10 times worse in terms of over-serving alcohol to guests. The only reason that Inside Edition put forth this story is to sensationalize the lawsuit by the family of the gentleman who perished as reported in the January 2011 incident. Just another way to batter the already beaten cruise industry after the Concordia disaster.

[BND]

I do think one way to deter those that bring alcohol onboard against policy is to impose a STIFF fine if it is found. I know people will still find ways and coming back from ports some will slip through. But if people thought they would be stuck with a huge fine they might just not try.

 

I do think if Royal offered bar set up for in room, it would be a win win for all. People would be less likely to smuggle for in room consumption. Those that are going to drink too much will do so no matter who supplies it.

 

People will still smuggle as they don't want to pay the going rate for alcohol onboard. For us, whatever we spend onboard is just part of the total vacation. Some people drink almost non-stop on a cruise which is really quite ridiculous. I like to remember what I did on vacation. Our bar bill for two of us usually runs less than $40/day and that includes wine with dinner. We just plan for it.

[CHAMPDDS]

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 have no problem letting my teenage kids taste a drink of mine on occasion when we are out somewhere...To make it so taboo is only to ask for trouble...and for the most part, they usually dislike the taste....Teaching someone to be responsibile is the key...and YES, I have smuggled booze on board to have a drink in the room, and the kids are fully aware of it....They know it is not 'illegal' to take it on, just against a silly RCCL rule for RCCL to earn increased income...

 

I saw the report, and if someone takes their worldly news information from crap shows like Inside Edition, they are idiots....Sad for the young man who fell...but the ultimate responsiblity for his actions are his own....In the video, he could have easily been just a little tipsy, and then stupid enough to try and go on the railing....

 

D

:D

[PH8]

And what I don't understand is why Celebrity lets you bring on 2 bottles of wine ,per person yet RCCL doesn't.:rolleyes:

[Elizanessie]

It will be at the pier when you board. We have an 18 year old and a 20 year old who we signed waivers for last year. I think they want to have parents present and teens present with ID/passports when the waiver is signed. Also they need to carry the waiver with them as, although the seapass card shows they're 18 (by virtue of not having holes punched in it), it may be that some over 18's don't have the waiver. After a while, the bartenders get to know them and don't ask for the waiver, but it's always best for them to carry it.

 

For sailings departing from a port in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South America and Asia, starting from the Spring of 2012, the minimum age will be reduced to 18. Guests aged 18 and over will not need to be sailing with their parent or legal guardian and there will be no requirement for a waiver to be signed. All guests will be expected to comply with our Company Guest Conduct Policy, which can be found at the Guest Relations desk once you board. Guests aged 18 and over will be able to to purchase beverage packages.

 

This change does not in any way impact our standard sailing age requirements for boarding a cruise, these will remain in place and can be found within our terms and conditions.

 

This policy is already in place onboard the Independence of the Seas, commencing with it's sailing on 6th March 2012. This will apply up to and including it's transatlantic sailing back to Miami on 22nd November 2012.

 

For the rest of the Royal fleet, this new policy comes into effect on the first sailing from one of the countries where the exception is in place, that sets sail after 20th March 2012.

[temple1]

I have no problem letting my teenage kids taste a drink of mine on occasion when we are out somewhere...To make it so taboo is only to ask for trouble...and for the most part, they usually dislike the taste....Teaching someone to be responsibile is the key...and YES, I have smuggled booze on board to have a drink in the room, and the kids are fully aware of it....They know it is not 'illegal' to take it on, just against a silly RCCL rule for RCCL to earn increased income...

 

I saw the report, and if someone takes their worldly news information from crap shows like Inside Edition, they are idiots....Sad for the young man who fell...but the ultimate responsiblity for his actions are his own....In the video, he could have easily been just a little tipsy, and then stupid enough to try and go on the railing....

 

D

:D

 

I think most of our laws regarding under age drinking to be ridiculous, but it is the law of the land.

 

In most areas you are allowed to give your child a alcohol at home. Once you walk out the door of your home and order alcohol you are operating under the laws of your state. In states like Virginia if an undercover officer of the ABC board happens to be in the establishment as you are giving your child a sample the restaurant could possible lose its liquour license. Not only that, you could possibly be fined for serving alcohol to a minor. That is an fyi.

 

About RCCL's "silly rules" - I do not agree with their rules, but - their ship their rules. I have to wonder though how you determine which rules are silly and can be overlooked and which ones are important and need to be followed. Did you make a list and give it to your children?

 

Just wondering. :confused:

 

As for the original topic - I have been on many 3 nighters and have not seen anything resembling what was mentioned in other posts. We have also taken a 4 night cruise on Majesty over spring break and did not see anything awful.

[BND]

About RCCL's "silly rules" - I do not agree with their rules, but - their ship their rules. I have to wonder though how you determine which rules are silly and can be overlooked and which ones are important and need to be followed. Did you make a list and give it to your children?

 

Just wondering. :confused:

 

Exactly. Their ship, their rules. You don't have to like them but you do have to follow them. And to call them silly is teaching your children that it's okay to ignore rules you don't like. How is that good?

 

And, we raised our boys with no drinking allowed til they were 21 and they have never seen it as something so taboo that they had to go overboard with it. They knew it was the law and our rules. Just as they did not drive at all til they were 16, not even in a parking lot. You can raise children with rules and not have them go nuts when exposed to something later on. It's very possible and I know a lot of people who have done it. Funny thing is, all my boys friends who drank at home with their folks were the biggest partiers all through college.

[ChevyCruiser]

And what I don't understand is why Celebrity lets you bring on 2 bottles of wine ,per person yet RCCL doesn't.:rolleyes:

 

Me neither.

 

Princess also allows a couple of bottles of wine at embarkation, plus I usually resupply in ports along the way.

 

All I know is RCCL has a real burr under their saddle about bringing on your own booze - even after a shore excursion that includes a visit to a winery. However, regardless of what the corporate suits say, it's all about the money. More booze SOLD on board means more profits for the cruise line and more tips for the bartenders and waiters. If this were not so, they'd sell the booze at a lower markup.

[Debde]

And what I don't understand is why Celebrity lets you bring on 2 bottles of wine ,per person yet RCCL doesn't.:rolleyes:

 

Or-a drink package offer that not everyone in the cabin needs to purchase........

[Scotty G]

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.

 

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.

The proof here is in the pudding. The main reason American young people (16 - 20) are not legally permitted to drink is the high number of alcohol related drinking and driving deaths. Many teens in America own and drive their own cars from 16. I believe in a much higher per capita than the rest of the World. Having been brought up in the UK and stationed throughout the World with the USAF I have not observed the numbers of teen drivers with their own cars as I have in the US. I am not stating my position on this just giving the main reason for the policy.

FWIW when I was 18 in NY prior to joining the AF I could legally drink. The law was changed to 21 some time after that when we were losing too many teen lives on the highway.

[CruisingMachine]

I think most of our laws regarding under age drinking to be ridiculous, but it is the law of the land.

 

In most areas you are allowed to give your child a alcohol at home. Once you walk out the door of your home and order alcohol you are operating under the laws of your state. In states like Virginia if an undercover officer of the ABC board happens to be in the establishment as you are giving your child a sample the restaurant could possible lose its liquour license. Not only that, you could possibly be fined for serving alcohol to a minor. That is an fyi.

 

About RCCL's "silly rules" - I do not agree with their rules, but - their ship their rules. I have to wonder though how you determine which rules are silly and can be overlooked and which ones are important and need to be followed. Did you make a list and give it to your children?

 

Just wondering. :confused:

 

As for the original topic - I have been on many 3 nighters and have not seen anything resembling what was mentioned in other posts. We have also taken a 4 night cruise on Majesty over spring break and did not see anything awful.

 

And when a child ignores one of your rules, what's the comeback going to be when he/she says "but, dad, I'm just following your example. You told me it's 'OK' to disregard 'silly' rules." :D

[talltales311]

I love RCL. I am not a kid, I'm a woman in my late 50's. On my last RCL cruise in January I seriously overindulged on the first night. It was the first time in my entire life that I was cut off at the bar. But I didn't even know it, I was drinking rum and coke and they just started serviing me plain coke. Everyone was happy. Thanks, RCL.

[Hunwolf]

And when a child ignores one of your rules, what's the comeback going to be when he/she says "but, dad, I'm just following your example. You told me it's 'OK' to disregard 'silly' rules." :D

 

Rules are only "rules" to certain people when they are ok with it.

 

Regardless of RCI's motives, it is their ships and their rules. If you don't like them cruise elsewhere or suffer the consequences.

[Bobal]

For sailings departing from a port in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South America and Asia, starting from the Spring of 2012, the minimum age will be reduced to 18. Guests aged 18 and over will not need to be sailing with their parent or legal guardian and there will be no requirement for a waiver to be signed. All guests will be expected to comply with our Company Guest Conduct Policy, which can be found at the Guest Relations desk once you board. Guests aged 18 and over will be able to to purchase beverage packages.

 

This change does not in any way impact our standard sailing age requirements for boarding a cruise, these will remain in place and can be found within our terms and conditions.

 

This policy is already in place onboard the Independence of the Seas, commencing with it's sailing on 6th March 2012. This will apply up to and including it's transatlantic sailing back to Miami on 22nd November 2012.

 

For the rest of the Royal fleet, this new policy comes into effect on the first sailing from one of the countries where the exception is in place, that sets sail after 20th March 2012.

 

So is that a long-winded way of telling Marci (and myself of course) that the alcohol waiver is no longer needed in Europe ;) Thanks, that's useful info for our sailing in June :)

[Bakincakes]

I don't think that if RCI allowed pax to bring bottles, legally, onboard that smuggling would stop.

 

Ever been to the Carnival boards? They have just as many smuggling threads as RCI does..and they allow pax to purchase alcohol for their cabins.

 

That is why I find it amusing when everyone claims that they smuggle for convenience sake and not because they don't want to pay for alcohol onboard.:rolleyes: