First time bringing teens

[LSUtraveler]

Hi Dan,

Haven't spoken with you for a while. Busy with elections. Here's the deal on the drinking thing. I have a friend going on her first cruise with a bunch of kids, one is her own of 18, for their senior trip and she was asking us how we handled the drinking when our's was a teen on our cruises.

I went on CC and posted the question for her. She's new to cruising. I think she is registered now and hope is monitoring this thread. Hope she's not intimitated by some of the answers, but you know I think most posters here have given good feedback. And if you don't want opinions then don't ask the questions.

All in all I enjoyed reading the different comments and hope they keep coming, they help people make important decisions.

[halos]

On our cruise this past June, I bought my daughter a few foo-foos. She had just finished her first year in college and it isn't like I am naive enough to think she doesn't drink there...actually, she's very open about it. Her grades are great and she spends 4 hours a day swimming because she's on the swim team...her weekends are away at meets, so I know the drinking couldn't possibly be in excess. Her coach would have a fit! She was 19 on the cruise...my 16 year old was not allowed to have any...but that wasn't difficult, because she doesn't like the taste of any alcoholic drinks anyway. (when we are at home, I have allowed them 'sips' to taste. Most of the time, 'YUK' is the response) I just got her virgin ones. She was happy just to have a fancy, fruity drink with an unbrella. :D

 

It's amazing that when you go to Europe, their thoughts on alcohol are so different. You see kids around 14 or 15 sitting in bars with a few beers...none of them ever get drunk or obnoxious. People drink on the job in Europe as well....beer comes out of vending machines as Pepsi does here. No one gets drunk.

Sometimes I wonder about the drinking laws here and people's obsession over it. If we relaxed a bit and spent more money educating kids about the dangers of abuse instead of trying to tell them 'NO' all the time, maybe drinking wouldn't be so big an issue.

 

But...to be honest, if I were bringing other people's kids....there wouldn't be any drinking. I wouldn't want that responsibility...no way.

 

OH HECK...what am I saying??? I wouldn't want the responsibility of taking another teen on the cruise in the first place!! Thank Goodness my kids are great friends...they have each other!!! God bless all of you nice parents that take friends along for your kids!! You're all very brave!!

[sgriff17]

Yep i think it's all up to the parents of the kids that are going...and the chaperone will have to lay down the law if they get out of hand. I doubt they will though, MOST kids are good kids. Even if they drink MOST do not get out of hand.

[SevenVII]

Make sure they grab some weed in Jamaica as well, its cheap there and they can get some pretty good stuff. Just make sure you supervise them while they do it, then there are no ill effects.:p

[sea_u_onboard]

I find nothing wrong with giving your own child a couple of drinks if they are over 18 and you are in International waters. But do be careful. This is drirectly from Carnivals Website and is part of the contract that you agree to by purchasing a ticket and boarding the ship.

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/Static_Templates/ticket_contract.aspx

Carnival reserves the right to refuse to serve alcohol to any passenger. Guest acknowledges that the minimum age permitted for the purchase, possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages aboard Carnival's vessels is twenty-one (21). Guest agrees to supervise all persons under age twenty-one (21) under Guest's charge to insure that they do not violate this, or any other, shipboard regulation. Guests who attempt to purchase alcohol by using false identification or the Sail & Sign card of a Guest who is twenty-one or older will be deemed in violation of this policy. Any Guest twenty-one or older who attempts to or purchases alcohol for any guest under twenty-one will also be deemed in violation of this policy. Guest agrees that Carnival has the right to disembark any guest who violates this policy and as well as any adults traveling with minors who violate this policy or any other shipboard regulation.

 

I have yet to see or hear about Carnival kicking anyone off but I don't think it is something I would risk - especially with someone elses kids. Go to Carnivals Website and print the entire thing for her.

[LSUtraveler]

halos,

Good to be crossing swords with you again!:D :p

sea u onboard,

Yes, I saw the statement also and will forward that to her.

SevenVII,

Quit trying to start a new controversy!:p

I asked my daughter if she had drinks on her first cruise. Yes was the answer. I asked her how she got them. She said that the older groups they made friends with bought them for her and her friend. She nor her friend had any problems with getting drunk, but I guess that isn't the issue here.

So you just hope you set the right example and they have enough self confidence in themselves to not do anything to be accepted in any group.

The fact is if someone wants to drink they will find a way (underage or under court edict). The same with anything else they want to do. Penalties sometimes don't seem to factor into the decision. If it did we wouldn't have laws and police to inforce them.

The rules by Carnival are posted along with irons, bringing liquor on board and a multitude of other rules. All seem to be ignored at will.

Just don't sink the ship!:(

[garycarla]

Wow!

 

I agree with the old enough to fight, but drink. BUT...

 

Some asked what 'serious' meant: Underage drunks can get into the same problems as adults, but even more so due to youth. Unexpected sex, unprotected sex, falling overboard, sick, etc. They can get into lots of other trouble quickly.

 

Personally, a senior trip might make more sense to somewhere like Washington, DC or something REAL. Cruiselife is a fantasy world. Nothing like what they are about to face.

 

Parents on some type of guilt trip sending their kids on a cruise need to think long and hard about WHY they are going on a cruise at 18?!

[GoinCruisin]

LOL, I had to giggle just a bit on the falling overboard comment... of all the people that I have heard of that have "fallen" overboard (still don't think this is even possible... you just simply cannot FALL off a ship ;) ) they have been drunken ADULTS. And I personally believe that the "sex" issue is much greater off the ship and teens are likely to get in WAY more trouble at home than they are on a ship, when their parents are there... of course, they still are capable of getting in trouble... but if it's going to happen on a ship, it's likely that it's going to happen at home too...

 

I remember my senior trip fondly... LOL, and would not have enjoyed going somewhere that wasn't tropical and surrounded by my friends for one last hoorah... before the real world set in. Oh, to be back there again ;)

 

I think it's great that the teens and parents will be traveling together for the senior trip... I am sure everyone will have a wonderful time!!!