Alcohol policy

[s8222]

We are traveling with our sister on Equinox in February. She is 20. In the Netherlands the legal age for drinking is 18, but alcohol policy with Celebrity on Itineraries in the US is 21, and I hear it is strictly enforced. For good reason, I'm sure.

 

Celebrity provided us with an application form to request an exception so she will be able to get alcoholic beverages, but it was stressed it's up to the onboard staff to decide whether or not the exception will be granted.

 

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this situation? Any advice?

[az_tchr]

The policy is simnple: The minimum drinking age for all alcoholic beverages on Celebrity Cruises ships sailing from North America is 21. The minimum drinking age for all alcoholic beverages on Celebrity Cruises ships sailing from South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand is 18. In certain circumstances where local laws permit or require, Celebrity Cruises may modify this policy which may also require parent/guardian request/authorization. Guests may contact Guest Relations or refer to Celebrity Today for specific minimum drinking age information on their cruise vacation.

 

Daughter-in-law is also from Netherlands and was on a B2B. The first leg was in the Caribbean as she was not allowed alcohol. The second leg went to Italy and they gave her an exception. Would guess no approval, but you never know. Tell her not to stress. Lots of things to do on board without drinking liquor.

[s8222]

Thanks for your response. It looks like no approval then, but I'm sure she'll have fun no matter what. Just never occurred to us when booking this would be an issue. Will update the forum once we are back from our cruise on what happened in our case.

[az_tchr]

Hope it is approved but as you said you will have a great time anyway. Be sure to have a great burger at the grill near the pool and check out all the great offerings in the buffet. DW and I like the sushi and the several stations where they cook to order!

[phxbne]

I just cruised with my 18 and 19 year old nephews from Australia in the Caribbean. We were surprised when they were initially given 'adult' key cards at check in at San Juan (they were asked if they were of legal age where they were from). On the first night, one of the bar staff took them away and gave them 'kid' cards. It would have been better if they had not been given the 'adult' card in the first place......

[waterbug123]

Thanks for your response. It looks like no approval then, but I'm sure she'll have fun no matter what. Just never occurred to us when booking this would be an issue. Will update the forum once we are back from our cruise on what happened in our case.

 

Why? She would not be allowed to drink in a land-based bar in the US where the drinking age is 21, so I'm not sure why you would think it would be different on a ship where the drinking age is 21. Doesn't matter if she can drink at home or not; she has to abide by the local laws of wherever she is. There are all sorts of things that might be legal in one country but illegal in another, and "but I can do this at home" isn't generally an acceptable excuse. ;)

[A Sixth?]

Why? She would not be allowed to drink in a land-based bar in the US where the drinking age is 21, so I'm not sure why you would think it would be different on a ship where the drinking age is 21. Doesn't matter if she can drink at home or not; she has to abide by the local laws of wherever she is. There are all sorts of things that might be legal in one country but illegal in another, and "but I can do this at home" isn't generally an acceptable excuse. ;)

 

:mad:

 

Because the ship is not in the USA once she sails into international waters, Mexico and the Caribbean.

 

What a mommy state you must live in if you think parents don't know what's right for their own children/young adults. :cool:

Edited December 31, 2015 by A Sixth?

[CRUZBUDS]

Why? She would not be allowed to drink in a land-based bar in the US where the drinking age is 21, so I'm not sure why you would think it would be different on a ship where the drinking age is 21. Doesn't matter if she can drink at home or not; she has to abide by the local laws of wherever she is. There are all sorts of things that might be legal in one country but illegal in another, and "but I can do this at home" isn't generally an acceptable excuse. ;)

 

If they didn't allow exemptions, they wouldn't have a form to request an an exemption. Seems like a reasonable question to me.

 

In the U.S. drinking age is 21 by law -- once the ship is outside U.S. waters the drinking age is set by company policy not law. NCL for one, allows beer and wine sales to 18+ with parents permission, as long as they are not in U.S. waters.

 

Happy New Year! :)

[s8222]

Thanks for all the replies. Have a wonderful new year, with or without alcohol...:-D

[cybx]

If they didn't allow exemptions, they wouldn't have a form to request an an exemption. Seems like a reasonable question to me.

 

In the U.S. drinking age is 21 by law -- once the ship is outside U.S. waters the drinking age is set by company policy not law. NCL for one, allows beer and wine sales to 18+ with parents permission, as long as they are not in U.S. waters.

 

Happy New Year! :)

Technically the federal drinking age is 18 but the states are 21. Doesn't really matter though

 

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[dkjretired]

:mad:

 

Because the ship is not in the USA once she sails into international waters, Mexico and the Caribbean.

 

What a mommy state you must live in if you think parents don't know what's right for their own children/young adults. :cool:

 

Actually I always thought that was odd on the part of cruise lines,having parents giving permission to over 18s to drink. At 18 in the US in most states they are on their own, parents have no say so that sort of kills the nanny state comment. You can't even get medical records even though your paying the bill, can't get school records even though your paying the bills, sorry, that is not a nanny state.

 

Fact is, it is up to the cruise line once they are in international waters. Most don't know but up until about 5 to 10 years ago, Celebrity's drinking age for all cruises except for Alaska was 18. Thought it was odd for years that Celebrity was supposed to be the upscale line but their drinking age was 18 and Royal's was 21.

Edited January 1, 2016 by dkjretired

[spookwife]

:mad:

 

Because the ship is not in the USA once she sails into international waters, Mexico and the Caribbean.

 

What a mommy state you must live in if you think parents don't know what's right for their own children/young adults. :cool:

 

 

irrelevant.

 

in case you never noticed, all FLIGHTS originating in the US anyone under 21 is NOT allowed to drink even once they get into 'international airspace'

 

don't like US laws( and make no mistake every one of our 50 states and our territories all have different ones) then do not ever come here.

 

"when in Rome" applies in Ft Lauderdale as well as Rome

[s8222]

I'm starting to understand why people shy away from posting anything on these boards. Irrelevant responses to my original question appear to be taking over. I didn't start this topic to see the kind of evaluations people apparently think necessary.

 

As far as I'm concerned, the moderator can close this topic for new responses.

[woodley]

I live in the Us but am from the UK where you can drink at 18. I took my son on a cruise originating in the US and he was able to drink with no issue when he was 19. I was asked at check in when they saw his UK passport if I wanted him to be able to drink and his card was marked that I allowed it. I do not know if he was able to drink while in US waters as we did not order wine until dinner and that was when we were out at sea.

[waterbug123]

:mad:

 

Because the ship is not in the USA once she sails into international waters, Mexico and the Caribbean.

 

What a mommy state you must live in if you think parents don't know what's right for their own children/young adults. :cool:

 

Doesn't matter. The policy is "any cruise leaving from..." not "it will vary depending on where the ship is from day to day." And it has nothing to do with whether or not I think a parent can decide what's right for their child; if a law or a rule says your kid isn't old enough to do something you have to abide by it whether you agree or not.

[chemmo]

Between 18 and 21 our son cruised with us in Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. On the Caribbean cruises he accepted that he was on a cola package and enjoyed sensibly some alcoholic beverages on other cruises.

 

We were never offered or requested a form, we simply accepted things were as they were. I think the best attitude for your sister to have is to expect she will not be allowed to drink. If she is happy with that fine! Anything else is a bonus.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

I'm starting to understand why people shy away from posting anything on these boards. Irrelevant responses to my original question appear to be taking over. I didn't start this topic to see the kind of evaluations people apparently think necessary.

 

As far as I'm concerned, the moderator can close this topic for new responses.

 

If you want the mods to close the thread--click on the red triangle in the upper corner and it will get their attention.

[Oviedo32765]

Technically the federal drinking age is 18 but the states are 21. Doesn't really matter though

 

I would like to know where you found the Federal drinking age is 18.

 

My research found this: National Minimum Drinking Age Act

[cybx]

I would like to know where you found the Federal drinking age is 18.

 

My research found this: National Minimum Drinking Age Act

Well from reading that it looks like there is no federal drinking age. It is still a state law though and US government can withhold 8% of the states highway funding if they do not establish a drinking age of 21.

 

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

[dkjretired]

Well from reading that it looks like there is no federal drinking age. It is still a state law though and US government can withhold 8% of the states highway funding if they do not establish a drinking age of 21.

 

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

 

There isn't a federal drinking age but there really is a de facto one. In the 70s a number of states allowed the drinking age to be 18 however Congress passed a law that if the states don't change the age to 21 they will lose their highway funds. All the states complied. So there is no Fed drinking age but in effect there might as well be one.

[wallie5446]

Many years ago we simply went to guest svc after boarding, and told them we approved, and they took the exception off her sea pass.

[tunaman2011]

Greetings

 

Several cruise lines do allow 18-21 year olds to buy wine/beer if approved by their parents. The catch is a waiver must be signed by a parent and that parent must also be on the cruise.

 

The OP's sister will be allowed to drink on-shore, so maybe that is sufficient.

 

Good Sailing

Tom

[az_tchr]

Think we should move on. The states have the power to regulate the age to drink alcoholic beverages reserved to them in the Constitution. We tried 18 and things did not go very well and thus the pressure from the Federal govt to move back to 21.

 

Am absolutely positive the OP will provide a glass of wine or two to their daughter and it will be consumed responsibly. I also agree the negativity seem recently on all the forums has me questioning whether to continue posting.