Is a parent allowed to buy drinks for underage 19 son on any of the carnival ships?

[kokoko]

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[firemanbobswife]

No. Drinking age is 21 unless specifically stated otherwise. Doing so can be cause for removal at the next port.

[sparks1093]

Not when starting from a US port, maybe in Europe but I haven't read the FAQ in a while.

[winddawn]

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I wouldn't encourage it since it is against Carnival's policy and thus comes with certain risks; however, if you walked up to the bar and purchased 2 drinks and then walked away and gave one to someone else, I doubt the alcohol police would show up. That is unless that 19 year old becomes inebriated and starts acting up.

[pcvtmom]

No, but when you are in most ports, he's legal.

[blainesterrr]

In 2008 I took my first cruise on the Fantasy. I was only 17, and I talked my mom into buying me a pina colada. I'm sure it was against the rules but nothing happened.

 

 

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[Havingfun2010]

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Of course you can. However, the 19 year old, will be breaking the rules and can face removal from the ship. Of course if it is noted that you were buying for the underage passenger, than you can face the same fate. It depends if your son wants to rat you out or not:D

[lizzyplague]

A woman at our MDR table was buying mixed drinks for her son who was 18. She pretty openly ordered two drinks at dinner and said one was for him and they never said anything. It was always a strawberry daquiri or pina colada or something.

 

I wouldn't encourage that kind of behavior, especially since your son is underage. You could get in serious trouble if something were to happen. It's a law for a reason.

Edited January 3, 2017 by lizzyplague

[Liljo22]

A woman at our MDR table was buying mixed drinks for her son who was 18. She pretty openly ordered two drinks at dinner and said one was for him and they never said anything. It was always a strawberry daquiri or pina colada or something.

 

I wouldn't encourage that kind of behavior, especially since your son is underage. You could get in serious trouble if something were to happen. It's a law for a reason.

 

Its not the law in international waters. Some other lines allow US underage individuals to drink on the ship. I know on NCL, individuals 18 and over can purchase beer or wine on board if the parent signs a release.

[LucyR.]

I always say to buy the underage kids VIRGIN DRINKS. Pina Colada, Margaritas, Bahama mamas, etc. Adults also buy those drinks too.

 

Some drinks are made to taste like chocolate skakes and you can order them as Virgin drinks.

 

Don't risk having the whole family being kicked off the ship.

 

One time a teen girl was given coke with vodca and she acted crazy.

I heard she only had one drink and it caused to react really strange.

 

My advise please don't take that risk. Cruise ships have their own rules too.

Cruise ships are always happy to kick off the ship a whole family.

Reminder also: Don't smoke grass on the ships even though it may be legal in certain States. Ships are registered in certain countries where it is not legal to smoke grass/marijauna sp.

[ryano]

Why not just let the underage drink while in port? Its not worth getting in trouble over and getting thrown off the ship at the next port of call for it. While its NOT a law, it IS a rule for most cruiselines sailing from the US and one rule that can come with some pretty bad repercussions if caught. As long as he can say the word drink, he is old enough in most of the islands :D

[easyboy]

No, but when you are in most ports, he's legal.

Right, when in Halifax.

[Cruisin 4 Ever]

For those of us not from the US it is odd for our adult kids not to be able to have a cocktail at 18 or 19, however I would not chance it. NCL does allow drinking at age 18 with parental consent and as others have mentioned the drinking age in most ports is 18 or 19

[Crusin Hogs]

There is no drinking age limit in all most all ports in the Caribbean , If they can reach up to the bar ,they will serve them .. even kids

[bigdavefc]

If it is that important you could always sail on Spirit or Legend out of Australia. Legal drinking age is 18, on board and in port ;)

[GUT2407]

Sure can on Australian sailings

[RWolver672]

While its NOT a law, it IS a rule for most cruiselines sailing from the US and one rule that can come with some pretty bad repercussions if caught. :D

 

The strange part of that is that most of those cruise lines are registered in foreign ports so that they don't have to abide by US rules. Yet they don't allow drinking under 21 on the ships and you can drink in those ports where the ships are registered.

[kaboobie]

So can kids order from the bar? I mean soft drinks.

 

In my state in Australia kids can't go near the bar at all. Our drinking age is 18 but until then they can't even order a Coke from a bar or sit at one. I have to order it for them.

 

 

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[sparks1093]

So can kids order from the bar? I mean soft drinks.

 

In my state in Australia kids can't go near the bar at all. Our drinking age is 18 but until then they can't even order a Coke from a bar or sit at one. I have to order it for them.

 

 

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Yes they can.

[kaboobie]

That will make life easier! I bought the soft drink package for my 4 kids for our cruise this month (first ever and we will be in the US) - so now they can go nuts without making me trudge to the bar every 5 minutes LOL*

 

*I intend to cut them off at some stage - before they bounce off the walls from all the sugar [emoji6]

 

 

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[chengkp75]

The strange part of that is that most of those cruise lines are registered in foreign ports so that they don't have to abide by US rules. Yet they don't allow drinking under 21 on the ships and you can drink in those ports where the ships are registered.

 

Well, saying that the ship does not have to abide by US laws is not entirely correct. When a foreign ship is in port or territorial waters, there is a jurisdictional overlap between flag state and port state. Since the ships cannot serve underage drinkers while in port, or out to the 12 mile limit, and it would require resetting the data in the person's onboard account to allow drinking after leaving the 12 mile limit, and then resetting again when returning to the US, the cruise lines choose to take the easy route, and keep the same drinking age throughout the voyage.

[crewsweeper]

Well, saying that the ship does not have to abide by US laws is not entirely correct. When a foreign ship is in port or territorial waters, there is a jurisdictional overlap between flag state and port state. Since the ships cannot serve underage drinkers while in port, or out to the 12 mile limit, and it would require resetting the data in the person's onboard account to allow drinking after leaving the 12 mile limit, and then resetting again when returning to the US, the cruise lines choose to take the easy route, and keep the same drinking age throughout the voyage.

 

As always, well said, Chief! :)

[BNBR]

Just cruise NCL - beer/wine is 18+. Solves that problem.

 

On Carnival, it's 21+ and probably not worth the hassle and risk.

 

For many Americans - 21+ is so ingrained in our head that we forget pretty much the entire rest of the world either has no drinking age or it's 16 - 18. In Denmark (where my wife is from) you can go to the store and buy alcohol at 16. They also have no drinking age (only a purchase age). It would be very odd to them if a 20 year old couldn't have a beer.

[winddawn]

Well, saying that the ship does not have to abide by US laws is not entirely correct. When a foreign ship is in port or territorial waters, there is a jurisdictional overlap between flag state and port state. Since the ships cannot serve underage drinkers while in port, or out to the 12 mile limit, and it would require resetting the data in the person's onboard account to allow drinking after leaving the 12 mile limit, and then resetting again when returning to the US, the cruise lines choose to take the easy route, and keep the same drinking age throughout the voyage.

Gee. NCL seems to manage that well. I'm sure Carnival could too if so inclined.

[realjd]

Well, saying that the ship does not have to abide by US laws is not entirely correct. When a foreign ship is in port or territorial waters, there is a jurisdictional overlap between flag state and port state. Since the ships cannot serve underage drinkers while in port, or out to the 12 mile limit, and it would require resetting the data in the person's onboard account to allow drinking after leaving the 12 mile limit, and then resetting again when returning to the US, the cruise lines choose to take the easy route, and keep the same drinking age throughout the voyage.

 

The US doesn't have a federal drinking age though. It's up to the states to set it, although Congress blackmailed the states into raising it to 21 by threatening to withhold federal highway funding. If there were a federal age, it would be 21 in PR and the USVI.

 

In many states parents are legally allowed to serve alcohol to their children, the children just can't purchase it themselves.

 

Carnival's POS systems are already set up to collect varying local sales taxes on drink purchases as the ship sales in and out of various territorial waters.