minimum age alcohol policy

[ICF]

Using that reasoning, all we adults should stay in bed too! ;) :D

 

perhaps, but then we just end up with more kids!! ;)

[Kurbanfan]

True enough, but it always helps to prepare the kids for the real world, thereby stacking the deck in your and their favor. Many times an individual's action have a great deal to do with how fortunate the are.

 

Absolutely! I would say more then not.....

[Ashleezmom]

This is NCL's policy for the fleet also the same policy applies to RCCL....Lots of Europeans to accomodate I guess

 

Yes you are correct on RCCL beverage waivers for 18 - 20 year olds (w.parent) are only allowed on cruises leaving from Europe or S. America.

[Fun~N~Sun]

 

My kids will be exposed to alcohol long before they reach the age of 21. It will happen anyway so I will attempt to do it and therefore control it. That would have to happen in a controlled environment and I wouldn't consider a cruise ship (or a Mexican port) to be a controlled environment for the first few drinking experiences. I'm not sure the OP ever stated if they already allow the kids to drink and wanted to know about the ship or this would be a new thing.

 

I agree! My kids were exposed to it well before 21. I knew all the kids in high school were experimenting with it just like I did. The difference is, I let them do it when they were with me instead of hiding it, riding around in cars drinking, or being in an enviroment where too much could happen. In the beginning I set a limit and gradually let them drink a little more. Once they both had the hangover experience they knew their limits and they knew when to stop. My daughter is now 23 and my son turns 21 this Saturday. He is excited about buying his first beer on his own and actually ordering something at the bar but other than that is no big deal. They both know how to respect themselves and to respect alcohol.

[SummerXU]

Am I the only person that never drank until I was 21?! I didn't grow up around alcohol. (I'm almost 25 and have still never seen my mother take a sip of an alcoholic beverage. It's just not something she does.) I consciously chose not to drink, not only for being underage, but for other reasons as well. Not growing up around alcohol, and not being allowed to consume alcohol didn't make me want to rush right out and try it. I definitely don't subscribe to the belief that "Well, they're gonna do it anyway, might as well have them do it around me than in an uncontrolled environment." I am just amazed at all the parents that teach their children it is ok to have a drink. *shaking head*...but that's just my .02

 

I agree with the others that say if you're going to allow your child to drink, at least wait until you are somewhere that you aren't breaking either the rules or the law by doing so.

[mikesteg]

I definitely don't subscribe to the belief that "Well, they're gonna do it anyway, might as well have them do it around me than in an uncontrolled environment." I am just amazed at all the parents that teach their children it is ok to have a drink. *shaking head*...but that's just my .02

 

Well, the "belief" is only as strong as the belief that age 21 is something more than an arbitrary number. We all know responsible kids, and it's clear to anyone that been on a cruise (or been outside their own front door for that matter) that many people in their 30s/40s/50s/60s aren't mature enough to be drinking.

 

And there is always that pesky "real world" to deal with. You state that you chose not to drink. More power to you, but that makes it clear that you were exposed to alcohol before age 21. As your first questions indicates, VERY few teens who have the opportunity choose not to drink.

[oklahomagirl]

I'm not sure at what point in time that drinking an alcohol beverage became a way to celebrate a special occasion. I plan on taking my son on a graduation cruise next spring. He will be 19. I will not buy him a drink and I expect him not to drink. I cannot control everything he does when I am not around, but if I let him drink as a "reward" for graduating from high school, is that going to be the way he celebrates all of life's accomplishments? I do not want that to happen. He is an athlete in sports year-round so he hasn't started drinking (yet). I don't want to encourage him to drink alcohol or do anything that impairs him in anyway. That is my opinion. What you do with your own children is none of my business and I don't judge others.

[starketcher]

I am tiaking 2 underagers with me. I've told them no drinking on board as it is a rule. In Mexico, they are legal, but they will be with me at all time in Mexico

[songanddance]

Nah, no sparks, I know what I'm getting into... they are beautiful honor students and I don't mind a little "indulgence"... I do agree with the other poster about waiting until we reach port... I don't think they will mind. Thank for the input.

 

Great idea to wait until Mexico and then after they have had a good taste of the "adult beverages they can come home and wait another three years? I think not, Of course the correct parenting act would be to encourage NO drinking until the real legal age of 21 but then we wouldn't want to quash anyones self esteem would we.

 

Sorry for the rant but I read too many newspaper stories of "beautiful" honor students who have to be unpeeled from a tree somewhere because they were blitzed and drove into that tree at a high speed

But you do what ever is good for your and your daughters. God Bless.

[starketcher]

I am not condoning underage drinking, but if anyone out there thinks for one minute that underage drinking is not rampant in high schools, then they need to pull their head out of the sand! It happened 30 years ago (I am dating myself now) and is still happening today. I am sure some of the kids do not drink,some want to drink, and some do drink. But, it is a well known fact that teenagers drink! Changing the drinking age to 21 has not stopped or slowed this down. It's just made the kids more creative.It does not matter one iota if your kid is a beautiful honor roll students or a high school drop out, the kids in high school are drinking.

[Fun~N~Sun]

Nothing magical happens the day you turn 21 and all of a sudden makes you a mature repsonsible adult that at the strike of midnight on your 21st birthday it's okay now you can have a drink. It is moderation and leading up to that point that makes it okay. We started out with a sip here or there. Then a small glass here or there. A beer or a "foo-foo" here or there, etc. Like I said previously in another post; my "kids" (now 21 and 23) respect themselves and respect alcohol and to them it is no big deal. Because they started younger with parent supervision when they were old enough to drink in public they knew what to expect and how to handle it. They both drink in moderation socially.

 

It's the same thing for people who won't allow their children to date until a certain age. All of a sudden on their predetermined age for dating okay now they are ready. I never set a dating age with my kids either. We started out slow, afternoon dates, early evening, double dating, etc. It was always where you are going, who you are going with and most importantly how much I can trust you.

 

There is no magical age. It is all about individuals, their maturity, and their level of responsibility.

[Glama]

There is no magical age. It is all about individuals, their maturity, and their level of responsibility.

 

I absolutely agree with you on this. There are many adults that are completely irresponsible drinkers. It has nothing to do with age, and everything to do with responsibility. I think an 18-20 year old has the capability of making mature decisions. However, I don't think that a 14 or 15 year old has the same ability (and some 40 year olds that I know!) :p

[mikesteg]

I absolutely agree with you on this. There are many adults that are completely irresponsible drinkers. It has nothing to do with age, and everything to do with responsibility. I think an 18-20 year old has the capability of making mature decisions. However, I don't think that a 14 or 15 year old has the same ability (and some 40 year olds that I know!) :p

 

 

And that's sort of the fundamental point from those of us in the proactive group: responsibilty and maturity comes from experience and guidance. That's what I'd call "parenting". To raise children to believe that 'maturity' means following the rules will almost invariably end in behavior that is within the rules (or within accepted norms) but clearly not mature or responsible by any definition. In reality, of course, most kids realize by about age 10 that many rules and laws are routinely disregarded (momma speeding while driving, etc.) so why would the drinking age be special?

[mikesteg]

It's the same thing for people who won't allow their children to date until a certain age. All of a sudden on their predetermined age for dating okay now they are ready. I never set a dating age with my kids either. We started out slow, afternoon dates, early evening, double dating, etc. It was always where you are going, who you are going with and most importantly how much I can trust you.

 

This one is easy: no dating!!! :D

[mikesteg]

Of course the correct parenting act would be to encourage NO drinking until the real legal age of 21 but then we wouldn't want to quash anyones self esteem would we.

 

That is your decision to make for yourself and your kids. Good luck convincing teenagers that arbitrary rules are meaningful.

 

Sorry for the rant but I read too many newspaper stories of "beautiful" honor students who have to be unpeeled from a tree somewhere because they were blitzed and drove into that tree at a high speed

But you do what ever is good for your and your daughters. God Bless.

 

Agreed, but my side of the debate would argue that kids who have some experience are less likely to kill themselves. A couple of good face plants while drinking go a long way towards convincing someone that they are debilitated while drinking. Then when the circumstances arise... perhaps driving a car isn't such a great idea. Of course, allowing them to drink also opens the door to them calling for a ride home so they have an option.

 

This isn't about letting kids do what they want, it's about arming the kids with knowledge and experience.

 

God Bless

[MaryZ]

That is your decision to make for yourself and your kids. Good luck convincing teenagers that arbitrary rules are meaningful.

 

 

 

Agreed, but my side of the debate would argue that kids who have some experience are less likely to kill themselves. A couple of good face plants while drinking go a long way towards convincing someone that they are debilitated while drinking. Then when the circumstances arise... perhaps driving a car isn't such a great idea. Of course, allowing them to drink also opens the door to them calling for a ride home so they have an option.

 

This isn't about letting kids do what they want, it's about arming the kids with knowledge and experience.

 

God Bless

 

 

I totally agree. We have always told our kids, that they can call us at any time and we will come pick them up. With absolutely not one lecture. If they have their car or are with someone else. My oldest who is now 23, has called us a few times. More when he was younger and didn't take his own car but was with friends. He knew better than to get into a vehicle with rip roaring drunk 17/18 yr olds.

If you think your kids won't ever be put in that position you aren't being a proactive parent. Kid do stupid things. But arm your child with knowledge and that they know no matter what you will come get them with no reprecussions and it gives them an out to not be the one being brought to the morgue.

[hockeyluver]

This one is easy: no dating!!! :D

 

ha ha good luck with that, :p it is the same as drinking, they will do it behind your back. We allowed our daughters to "Date" didnt specify an age, but did specifiy that we were to meet the young man, untill they were about 15 they never really went on dates it was usually a group of them going to the mall or movies together.

[fireflytx]

I too am taking my daughter on a Graduation cruise. I asked a very similar question on this board however I got very little reply not near as much as you. I do agree that this is a rule of Carnivals and not a Law and that we should obey the rules and the laws. However my daughter is not only graduating this year but is also in the Army National Guard she attended basic training last summer and will be attending AIT after we return from the cruise. What I intend to do is purchase one bottle of wine either to take on board with me or have delivered to the room from Carnival I haven't decided yet and we are going to have a glass each in our cabins to celebrate these mile stones. I did inform any other drinking on the cruise would be prohibited and she could have one drink on the beach in Cozumel.

Enjoy your cruise I know I will.

 

Thanks for the input from all of you! Yes, one person said I know my girls better than anyone... so I think we'll just play it day to day... server to server.... they are in no means "wanting to party till they throw up"... but a pina colada or margarita... I don't have a problem with.. as for "teaching them to drink at my house"... thanks to whoever posted that, but I think I'll pass... this was just a simple question. I have no intention of breaking any maritime laws... so if it is a big deal with the servers, I'll just wait until we're ashore. HAPPY SAILINGS TO ALL!!!

[cansailor]

You know your children best, and in my opinion, if they want to drink responsibly while they are on the ship and it is okay with you, they should be able to do so.

 

My children were allowed to drink from the age of 16. Neither drinks to excess and they have learned to drink responsibly at home. We are going on a cruise in 2009 and the younger one will be 20. I will buy him drinks if he wants them, but I suspect that outside of a cocktail at sail away, that he will likely not want to drink much, because he doesn't now.

[tishie58]

My daughter has piercings and tattoos and is a beautiful, smart, law student. Judging anyones' child by those standards is ridiculous and btw she doesn't drink:)):)

[Brenda Bell]

Can You Said REHAB!

[VentureMan_2000]

You just have to love all the people who blantantly can give a crap about rules... :rolleyes: