Simple_man Posted March 20, 2016 #26 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Yes it does. If its legal its OK. In the UK its a complicated law. Drinking in bars and pubs has an 18 limit but if you are in a licenced restaurant having a meal then you can do so from 16. I'm not sure what the actual legal age for drinking at home is but I'm pretty sure that when I was a kid ( a long time ago) it was 7. If you are unfortunate enough to be born in, and living in, the US then you would have had to wait until you were 21. If you were born in the vast majority of the world then you would have been able to drink earlier, in many cases, much earlier. I believe that a lot of continental Europe the limit is 13 in bars. Edit: My apologies. According to Wikipedia the legal age for drinking in Europe has increased since I was a kid and now starts at 16 for some and 18 for most others. Yes some countries definitely have some backwards laws, allowing kids to drink just sounds like a recipe for bad behavior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demonyte Posted March 20, 2016 #27 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Yes some countries definitely have some backwards laws, allowing kids to drink just sounds like a recipe for bad behavior. Mostly that is a recipe for responsible behaviour as one can drink supervised earlier instead of sneaking and doing so in hiding (like already mentioned). As already noted in several posts, it's US that has "backwards laws". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkacmom Posted March 20, 2016 #28 Share Posted March 20, 2016 I was about to say something similar. 18 year olds who aren't used to being able to hold their own alcohol could get into some crazy trouble on the ship. Ds just had his first legal beer in Scotland with his dad. I'm pretty certain that it wasn't his first beer! I'd rather have him drink with his dad now, because when he goes off to college in the fall, I'm betting that he'll be drinking then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simple_man Posted March 20, 2016 #29 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Mostly that is a recipe for responsible behaviour as one can drink supervised earlier instead of sneaking and doing so in hiding (like already mentioned). As already noted in several posts, it's US that has "backwards laws". I would say the USA airs on the side of caution. It's better to be safe than sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luddite Posted March 20, 2016 #30 Share Posted March 20, 2016 I find it contradictory to sat that someone is an adult at 18, who can vote, get married, have children and serve their country, but are not old enough to decide if can have a beer or not! There was a time in this country when you could rink at 18, get drafted and sent overseas to die, drive a car and make babies but could not vote until age 21. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babyher Posted March 20, 2016 #31 Share Posted March 20, 2016 I also come from the days when the legal drinking age in the US was 18. I never made drinking "a forbidden evil" from my kids (now all grown) . I grew up in a family where wine on the table at dinner was the norm, not to sit and get plastered but to enjoy the meal . A beer at a family picnic was allowed in front of my parents and only one maybe two. But I was staying home and was not driving. Hard liqour wasn't even an issue (at least with me ) until I was older and going out on my own and you try different drinks . Most of which I didn't care for. Like the other poster, i never understood my friends that , snuck out and hid in the woods , and had a bottle they stole from their parents cabinet hidden some place . I was taught to drink responsibly , to be careful, and use my head. My dad worked with a few down real fall down drunks and had little use for them. He always used them as an example of what you can turn into if you lose your head with that stuff. Later when I actually bartended and worked in clubs and had alcohol and people getting drunk around me all the time, it just wasn't that dig a deal. Oh I had my drunken moments like many of us have , but they were few and far between . I raised my kids the same way and have had pretty much the same results . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simple_man Posted March 20, 2016 #32 Share Posted March 20, 2016 There was a time in this country when you could rink at 18, get drafted and sent overseas to die, drive a car and make babies but could not vote until age 21. Yeah but there's got to be a reason why the US changed the law. Maybe a few bad apples spoiled it for the bunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babyher Posted March 20, 2016 #33 Share Posted March 20, 2016 I would say the USA airs on the side of caution. It's better to be safe than sorry. The US airs on the side of federal funding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveH2508 Posted March 20, 2016 #34 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Yes some countries definitely have some backwards laws, allowing kids to drink just sounds like a recipe for bad behavior. They are not kids - at 18 they are legally adults (mentally adult is perhaps another question:rolleyes:). I was virtually weaned onto my dad's home brewed beer - it didn't do me any harm - wibble.:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinIllinois Posted March 20, 2016 #35 Share Posted March 20, 2016 "Err". ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpk218 Posted March 20, 2016 #36 Share Posted March 20, 2016 The US airs on the side of federal funding. Hhahahaa , truer words never spoken ..:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveH2508 Posted March 20, 2016 #37 Share Posted March 20, 2016 I would say the USA airs on the side of caution. It's better to be safe than sorry. All that really does is defer the perceived problem for three years - prohibiting things generally does not achieve the desired result. You lose control of the 'problem', criminal elements will fill the void and people will do it anyway (Prohibition in the 20s worked well didn't it?:rolleyes:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willise Posted March 20, 2016 #38 Share Posted March 20, 2016 (edited) I always find it odd how topics can devolve from a question of rules to a question of morals. The rule is clear - 18 year olds, with parental permission, may drink beer and wine onboard. Whether your morals allow you to sign that waiver and give permission is completely up to you and no one else. I personally have no issue with it, but if the rule on board was 21, I would not allow my 19 year old to drink, because I'm a stickler for rules, even though he is legal in our country to consume alcohol at 19. When he was 18, he toured Europe and had a Heineken at McDonalds. The rules are different depending where you are. IMO I would rather see an 18 year old having a beer than buying a firearm, but those are not the rules in the US. Edited March 20, 2016 by willise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gershep Posted March 20, 2016 #39 Share Posted March 20, 2016 When I was signing a waiver for my 18 year old, yes I did, there was a family in front of me. They had a notarized letter from the parents of their son's friend and it was not accepted for the waiver. I was born in the USA and my legal drinking age was 18. I would rather my sons drink in front of me than sneak it. ALL the drunks I seen on the ship were grown men, I mean men in their 40's. There is no age discrimination when it comes to drinking irresponsibly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPB in da RVA Posted March 20, 2016 #40 Share Posted March 20, 2016 We will be traveling with our 18 year old who is bringing a friend. I know parents can sign a waiver allowing 18 year olds to drink beer and wine, but will we as his friend's chaperones be able to sign the waiver for his friend as well? His friend's parents won't be traveling with us. The answer to your question is No. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPB in da RVA Posted March 20, 2016 #41 Share Posted March 20, 2016 I would say the USA airs on the side of caution. It's better to be safe than sorry. Are you safe or sorry that you said AIRS when you mean ERRS? :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
res2cue Posted March 20, 2016 #42 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Following the law is always a plus. What's the law? The law is in international waters 18 year olds can drink. American law ends once you get out of American waters. USA has one of the highest drinking ages in the world. There's a reason so many American kids on border towns cross into Canada once they hit 18 or 19 depending on which province they visit. Sent from my SM-G935W8 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babyher Posted March 20, 2016 #43 Share Posted March 20, 2016 I always find it odd how topics can devolve from a question of rules to a question of morals. The rule is clear - 18 year olds, with parental permission, may drink beer and wine onboard. Whether your morals allow you to sign that waiver and give permission is completely up to you and no one else. I personally have no issue with it, but if the rule on board was 21, I would not allow my 19 year old to drink, because I'm a stickler for rules, even though he is legal in our country to consume alcohol at 19. When he was 18, he toured Europe and had a Heineken at McDonalds. The rules are different depending where you are. IMO I would rather see an 18 year old having a beer than buying a firearm, but those are not the rules in the US. LIKE!!!!!! I have seen so many people post on these boards "Just because something is allowed , doesn't make it OK " on a variety of topics. UHHHHHHHHHH Yes it does :) If the rule , law, policy, whatever for the place you are in at the time permits it .....it's ok ...What the guy next to you thinks, believes, feels, how he was raised , what he would never do... is academic . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realcindylouwho Posted March 20, 2016 #44 Share Posted March 20, 2016 No. You can sign for your son but a parent or legal guardian must sign for his friend. You and your son have to present your ID's at Guest Services verifying you parent/child and both have to sign the authorization. The same must occur for your son's friend. My husband (wildcatrock) and I just did this on the SKY with our son for the 3/14/16 cruise. Son was not allowed to order a beverage on his own until we sailed from Miami per NCL policy. He was allowed to consume any alcoholic beverage we as his parents ordered, even if they contained spirits. As an under 21, NCL limited him to only one order of beer or wine per hour. I respect this NCL decision to limit consumption in this way. Only once did a bartender ask for his card, swipe it and check if he was allowed to consume with consent of his parent. Our son is 19, but he can pass for being younger depending on the age of the people around him. I am using the term "order" because on NCL Sky, the bar is OPEN and one does not purchase a drink if it is listed on the OPEN BAR MENU. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luddite Posted March 20, 2016 #45 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Yeah but there's got to be a reason why the US changed the law. Maybe a few bad apples spoiled it for the bunch. No. It was Government By Extortion. There is no federal law governing a drinking age. No one in congress had the spine to ask MADD to prove their statistics. What happened should be a lesson in every Civics class. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinIllinois Posted March 20, 2016 #46 Share Posted March 20, 2016 No.It was Government By Extortion. There is no federal law governing a drinking age. No one in congress had the spine to ask MADD to prove their statistics. What happened should be a lesson in every Civics class. Correct. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPB in da RVA Posted March 20, 2016 #47 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Mea Culpa. I was so quick to answer that post back I misspelled it too :( I can't argue with you on that . Hopefully that will change soon. Wishful thinking No problem at all. My reply was more in jest than anything else! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Computer Nerd Posted March 20, 2016 #48 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Yes it does. I could drink since I was 16 (not hard liquor) beer and wine, I didn't like beer so didn't drink it and would drink wine mixed with a soft drink (all this legally) under adult supervision, no sneaking drinks for me. I was amazed to hear from friends who's drinking all get was older, who were sneaking out of bedroom windows to go drinking in fields!! Doing all sorts of underhand things, and to my mind dangerous things to get there hands on alcohol. Making something illicit does not build a healthy relationship with it. I was 25 before I was even drunk for the first time (and last 😉).I find it contradictory to sat that someone is an adult at 18, who can vote, get married, have children and serve their country, but are not old enough to decide if can have a beer or not! you don't have to be an adult to have children......sadly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Computer Nerd Posted March 20, 2016 #49 Share Posted March 20, 2016 I would say the USA airs on the side of caution. It's better to be safe than sorry. too much caution in the us. rarely is anything worthwhile ever achieved without taking some risks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Computer Nerd Posted March 20, 2016 #50 Share Posted March 20, 2016 The US airs on the side of federal funding. wouldn't it be funny if a state had the balls to tell the federal government to kiss its butt and go back to 18 for drinking. if the government threatens to pull roadway funding the state threatens to put tolls at every entrance to the state for out of state drivers. a state might even make more money than what the feds provide to boot. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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