Do I need a parent consent for my daugher's 18 y.o. friend who travels with us?

[Aldeya]

We are taking our daughter on a cruise as her graduation gift and she will be travelling with her girlfriend who is also 18.

 

Last year when she also travelled with us we had her parents signed consent because she was a minor.

 

Now she is 18 but will be travelling again without her parents. Do we still need to have some kind of the document from her parents (in case, G-d forbid, some medical emergency)?

 

TIA

[caviargal]

You need to ask this question directly to the cruise line you are sailing.

 

Policies differ from line to line and they are subject to change. It will be an easy question to have answered.

[Aldeya]

Thanks for the reply. We are travelling by RCI Voyager of the Seas.

 

 

Believe or not I called RCI and asked the same question. I spoke with TWO customer service representatives. One said "Yes, you will need some form of parents consent (didn't know where can I get one) and the other said "NO, she is 18 and is responsible for herself".

 

 

As you can see,RCI has a 'great" CS: two answers to the same question. (It's not my first experience with RCT CS so I wasn't surprised by outcome).

 

Anyway I thought some of CCs would know better.

 

:)

[MiniMom57]

We took my daughter's 18 yo friend with us several years ago, and we had a note from her mother allowing us to make health care decisions, just to be safe. At 18, she was legally responsible for her own health care decisions in the US, but I didn't want to take any chances out of the country.

 

Be aware that you will be asked to sign for your daughter's friend to allow her to drink alcohol (beer and wine at that age). You will be signing stating that you will be held responsible. Check with her parents before you go so you don't go against their wishes.

 

Also be aware that even if you don't sign for her (or your own daughter), they will have plenty of access to alcohol.

[Cruising89143]

Thanks for the reply. We are travelling by RCI Voyager of the Seas.

 

 

Believe or not I called RCI and asked the same question. I spoke with TWO customer service representatives. One said "Yes, you will need some form of parents consent (didn't know where can I get one) and the other said "NO, she is 18 and is responsible for herself".

 

 

As you can see,RCI has a 'great" CS: two answers to the same question. (It's not my first experience with RCT CS so I wasn't surprised by outcome).

 

Anyway I thought some of CCs would know better.

 

:)

 

Welcome to the world of cruise line customer service. You can call five times, speak to five different reps and get five different answers to your question.

 

Regardless of the cruise lines stand on this I would suggest that you have it. Better to be prepared just in case something does happen.

[Rosieo]

Be aware that you will be asked to sign for your daughter's friend to allow her to drink alcohol (beer and wine at that age). You will be signing stating that you will be held responsible. Check with her parents before you go so you don't go against their wishes.

 

I thought the legal drinking age on the cruise is 21.

[Aldeya]

Thanks a lot MiniMom57. That what I thought: to get some kind of a note in case of medical emergency. Just to be on a safe side.

 

Can you tell me if it was just a simple note form the parents or some kind of a special form? If it's a special form where can I get one?

 

If it's just a note from the parents, I assume, it has to have a "legal' signature of some sort?

 

TIA

[tribefan]

Be aware that you will be asked to sign for your daughter's friend to allow her to drink alcohol (beer and wine at that age). You will be signing stating that you will be held responsible. Check with her parents before you go so you don't go against their wishes.

 

I thought the legal drinking age on the cruise is 21.

 

Rosieo, at age 18 they can drink beer and wine, 21 for all else.

[Rosieo]

Thanks tribefan. My son will be just a few weeks shy of turning 18 next April so he won't be able to have anything!! However his friends will be. Good thing I'll be on the cruise with him.

[debgirl]

When my son went on a cruise for his senior trip, we each gave the champerone a notarized letter saying it was okay to treat him if he got ill. They went on NCL and they could not drink beer or wine at the age of 18 while on the ship, that's why they went to Cozamel. When they went into town and went to Carlos and Charlie's they had a champerone with them, to make sure how much they drank and that they could get back to the boat.

[just4kixx]

On the RCCL site, you will find this statement:

Family Legal Documents:

Adults who are not the parent or Legal Guardian of any minor child traveling with them are required to present the child's valid passport and visa (if required) or the child's birth certificate (original, a notarized copy or a certified copy) and an original notarized letter signed by at least one of the child's parents. The notarized letter from the child's parent must authorize the traveling adult to take the child on the specific cruise and must authorize the traveling adult to supervise the child and permit any medical treatment that must be administered to the child. If a non-parent adult is a Legal Guardian, the adult must present a certified certificate of Guardianship with respect to the child.

 

Now... the key here is what is considered "A Minor". I'm leaning towards 21, as 18yos do not have full drinking allowances, and still need their parents/guardians permission for wine & beer.

 

As for the consent form you spoke of... I went to my local AAA office, and they gave me a form that is titiled "Letter of Agreement" and looks like this:

 

"I______________________________ understand that my child _______________________________ will be travelling to _______________________________ on ______________________________

aboard Airline/Flight # _____________________________________________

with ______________________________.

Their expected date of return is __________________________________.

Signed__________________________

Address: ___________________________________

Telephone/Contact:__________________________

Witness:___________________________________

Witness Print Name:__________________________________

Notary Public Signature/Seal:

 

"

It was just a copy... not terribly formal looking, but I'm confident that it is adequate. In my case, I am taking my kids on the cruise without my DH (their father). In your case, I guess you could add the part about allowing the guardian to make medical decisions and your responsibility for their actions.

 

Good Luck!

A~:)

[Aldeya]

Thanks so much everybody for your responses.

 

And just4kixx thanks a lot for the form! One less thing to worry about.

 

I knew I could count on my fellow CCs!

 

Thanks again.:)

[hermang]

Talk to your local High School Office - They may have a standard form for class trips

we had one years ago for my boy scouts that we had the kids fill out each hike.

[herecomesthesun]

Be aware that you will be asked to sign for your daughter's friend to allow her to drink alcohol (beer and wine at that age). You will be signing stating that you will be held responsible. Check with her parents before you go so you don't go against their wishes.

 

Also be aware that even if you don't sign for her (or your own daughter), they will have plenty of access to alcohol.

 

When during the cruise are parents asked to sign permission to drink beer and wine? Or is it something parents must request?

 

I know that if parents do not give permission, 18-21 year olds get holes punched in their Seapass cards like the kiddies so the bartenders know not to serve them, so how would anyone underage and without permission have access to alcohol, besides friends buying it for them? I would think the bartenders would be afraid of losing their jobs. :cool:

[MiniMom57]

You grant or deny permission when you check in, before boarding the ship.

 

As for HOW the under-age kids have access to the booze......just like at home! Friends or acquaintances buy it for them, or they get served despite the rules! My 18 yr old daughter and her 18 yr old friend, who did have permission to drink, had ample opportunity to drink more than beer and wine. Some of the bartenders served them whatever they ordered, others wouldn't serve them at all without picture ID. Even the cruise director bought them drinks......I have photos of the girls with the CD and Assistant CD, all with drinks in their hands! :mad:

[Nliedel]

Oh please. When I was 18 I got a lot of access to booze if I wanted it. I was young and cute. It was never a problem. I am now old enough to know how stupid I was back then and how lucky to be alive. I did respect my family on family trips but I did not always travel with my family.

[Sheffie]

I don't see how an 18 year old would need parental permission to go on the ship; they are old enough to go to federal prison, they are old enough to go and fight for our country, they are old enough to vote, old enough to get married w/o parental permission in EVERY state. Yes, I know they are not old enough to legally drink in our country, but they are considered adults in every other way. (Yes, I know the ship doesn't want them in a room of their own yet, though!)

 

Just my thoughts.

[herecomesthesun]

I am 17, and will be 18 when I cruise, so trust me, I know that it isn't hard to get alcohol. While I understand older friends buying drinks for their younger friends, I expected that the bartenders would play by the rules. I guess I'm niave! ;)

 

If an 18 year old has permission to drink just beer and wine, how do the bartenders and servers know to not serve them liquor? Though from this board I'm getting the idea its a moot point. :rolleyes:

[just4kixx]

If your sea pass card has only one hole punched in it, you can buy and comsume beer and wine. If you have 2 holes punched in it, you cannot buy any alcohol. holes are punched I beleive when the cards are issued and parental consent has been given. This being said, I imagine the bartenders are charging for beer or wine if indead they are providing hard alcohol to 18 yos. They'd have to charge something!

 

FWIW

A~:)

[Fritz265]

We are taking our daughter on a cruise as her graduation gift and she will be travelling with her girlfriend who is also 18.

 

Last year when she also travelled with us we had her parents signed consent because she was a minor.

 

Now she is 18 but will be travelling again without her parents. Do we still need to have some kind of the document from her parents (in case, G-d forbid, some medical emergency)?

 

TIA

 

She's a legal adult and can vouch for herself, even in international waters....

[Fritz265]

On the RCCL site, you will find this statement:

Family Legal Documents:

Adults who are not the parent or Legal Guardian of any minor child traveling with them are required to present the child's valid passport and visa (if required) or the child's birth certificate (original, a notarized copy or a certified copy) and an original notarized letter signed by at least one of the child's parents. The notarized letter from the child's parent must authorize the traveling adult to take the child on the specific cruise and must authorize the traveling adult to supervise the child and permit any medical treatment that must be administered to the child. If a non-parent adult is a Legal Guardian, the adult must present a certified certificate of Guardianship with respect to the child.

 

Now... the key here is what is considered "A Minor". I'm leaning towards 21, as 18yos do not have full drinking allowances, and still need their parents/guardians permission for wine & beer.

 

As for the consent form you spoke of... I went to my local AAA office, and they gave me a form that is titiled "Letter of Agreement" and looks like this:

 

"I______________________________ understand that my child _______________________________ will be travelling to _______________________________ on ______________________________

aboard Airline/Flight # _____________________________________________

with ______________________________.

Their expected date of return is __________________________________.

Signed__________________________

Address: ___________________________________

Telephone/Contact:__________________________

Witness:___________________________________

Witness Print Name:__________________________________

Notary Public Signature/Seal:

 

"

It was just a copy... not terribly formal looking, but I'm confident that it is adequate. In my case, I am taking my kids on the cruise without my DH (their father). In your case, I guess you could add the part about allowing the guardian to make medical decisions and your responsibility for their actions.

 

Good Luck!

A~:)

 

An 18 year old is a legal adult just about everywhere and still is on a ship. No, they can't drink but they are old enough to be held accountable for their actions if they do. They do NOT require a parent's permission to do anything.

[just4kixx]

Actually, on RCCL ships, 18yos require parental permission to dring beer or wine, and are NOT allowed to drink any other liquor. RCCL ships... RCCL rules... whether they are "legally" adults or not. As for resposible for their own actions, perhaps they ahould be, but as I read the Rules&Regs of RCCL ships, it is the 18yos parent or legal guardian who is responsible for them... like it or not.

 

A~

[PhoenixCruiser]

Actually, on RCCL ships, 18yos require parental permission to dring beer or wine, and are NOT allowed to drink any other liquor. RCCL ships... RCCL rules... whether they are "legally" adults or not. As for resposible for their own actions, perhaps they ahould be, but as I read the Rules&Regs of RCCL ships, it is the 18yos parent or legal guardian who is responsible for them... like it or not.

 

A~

 

Correct, and if the 18 yo messes up and gets kicked off the ship, their guardians go too ;)

 

###

[bigreid07]

I sailed at age 20 with some friends, and no form was needed. In fact, my friend who I was rooming with who was 23-ish was allowed to sign to give me permission to drink.

 

Oh...and RCCL must have coded my SeaPass card wrong, because instead of only being able to buy beer and wine, I was able to order ANYTHING I wanted...hehehe.

[Grandma Dazzles]

One thing that isn't always thought of. Having a signed permission slip is a good idea if the over 18-year-old is still on their parent's health insurance.

Example: Our kids were in college and our health insurance covered them through age 24 as long as they were full-time students. Yes, they could go to the doctor's, sign for themselves, be treated as an adult at age 18; however, to get the bills paid they needed a signed release from their parents. This may differ from company to company, however, even the college health office required a parental permission slip IF you were using parent's health insurance. Just a thought ...... never hurts to have a signed permission slip, especially in the case of an accident needing health coverage.