Are they any cruise lines that allow 19 year olds to drink alcohol?

[jamers22]

On Carnival they won't allow anyone under 21 to BUY drinks.;)

In ports... you better watch your 9 year old to make sure they don't give them one.:p

[capecruzer]

I've never been able to get the connection between military service and drinking' date=' frankly.[/quote']

 

As the mother of an Airman, I "get the connection";) If the boy wants a beer after dismantling an IED, please tell me why he can risk his life for this country and yet be considered too immature to have a drink. Personally, I think all matters of maturity (voting, drinking, enlisting) should be 21 but they aren't so my just-turned 19 year old can vote and fight for this country but yet, he can't have a drink. That being said, he doesn't drink at all at anytime anymore. Yeah, I know, anymore, lol... but I think he may have got it out of his system during high school:D

[wraithe]

I think the concept is that if one is considered thoughtful and mature enough to operate very specialized machinery, understand war tactics, and die in service for you, that they are probably mature enough to consume alcohol.

 

 

I can tell you after 20 years of military service, that's where most people are flawed in their thinking. When you're operating specialized machinery, standing watches, even generally when you're on the battlefield, you're not alone. So the 18, 19, 20 year olds are actually under someone's thumb most of the time. I could take people to sea with me that were great technicians, excellent nuclear power plant watchstanders, and dependable people when I (or the other Chiefs or First Class Petty Officers) could oversee them. As soon as we got home, or to a port, where they were on their own or just had their equally young buddies with them, they were in trouble up to their ears. Wish I had a dollar for every time I got awakened after midnight to go to the local police department and take someone home.

[wraithe]

Two points, drinking is not necessary, but a sad life without it:D and, IMO a person is probably no more mature at 21 than 18, older yes, but as the saying goes, getting older is compulsory, growing up is not;)

 

I can argue that point with you as well, I did three tours as a nuclear power plant instructor in the Navy, the officers, due to the additional maturity they developed through college were much more prepared, focused and ready to do their job than the 18-19 year old enlisted. Many of the 19-20-21 yo enlisted had failed out of college due to immature drinking/partying, when they went back to college, they were 4.0 students at 20-21-22 because of their "new maturity" and focus. All that said, I believe that either you can be an adult at 18, or not, if they're gonna let you choose the President, you ought to be able to buy a beer and take it home to enjoy on the couch. Several states allow under age people to drink if they're with their parents in a home setting. Some states will arrest the parents and throw them in jail if they let an 18 yo have a beer, now that's frakkin stupid.

[wraithe]

As the mother of an Airman, I "get the connection";) If the boy wants a beer after dismantling an IED, please tell me why he can risk his life for this country and yet be considered too immature to have a drink. Personally, I think all matters of maturity (voting, drinking, enlisting) should be 21 but they aren't so my just-turned 19 year old can vote and fight for this country but yet, he can't have a drink. That being said, he doesn't drink at all at anytime anymore. Yeah, I know, anymore, lol... but I think he may have got it out of his system during high school:D

 

He'd be shakin his head at you if he saw that Mom! LOL. Tell him thanks for doing the hard jobs that so many Americans aren't willing to do. I really admire the people that are on the ground. Thanks isn't enough, but that and a snappy salute with a hearty hand shake is all I can offer.[/color]

 

The Chief (Ret.)

[Mrs.C05]

On Carnival they won't allow anyone under 21 to BUY drinks.;)

In ports... you better watch your 9 year old to make sure they don't give them one.:p

 

Very true! My brother in laws or dad would buy buckets of beer, we'd all sit and drink, play ping pong, go to a show, chill on deck or even in the room, and that included my brother (who was 18 at the time). Even on this last one, he went and got himself a beer (just a day or two shy of his 21 bday) and no one carded him. And in Nassau, they didn't care how old you were, they were persistant on selling that alcohol. I know I got my fill of Bahama Mama's:D.

[RatherBFishin]

I know I got my fill of Bahama Mama's:D.

 

I assume they are the same shade of electric orange coming out as they are going in? :P

[mistergq]

Since I drank my Freshman and Sophomore year of College, and I was not 21, I understand the country.

 

Today, the political conversation of lowering the drinking age back to 18 gets caught up in DUI debate. Personally, I think they should continue that its illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to have any alcohol in their system and operate a motor vehicle, but allow for those 18 and above to consume alcohol.

[Cruise Junky]

As Canadians we find the age limit of 21 to be ridiculous. You can die for your country, vote and reproduce but you can't order a beer. Something seriously wrong with that.

[Perfect Stranger]

As Canadians we find the age limit of 21 to be ridiculous. You can die for your country, vote and reproduce but you can't order a beer. Something seriously wrong with that.

 

Even 12 year olds can reproduce - it doesn't mean they should drink!!

 

18 = not a kid but a legal adult... unless they want to have a beer...

 

I said 'YOUR kid' not 'A kid'. When you're a parent, they're always your "kids", no matter how old. And if your kid is 18 or 19 and not legally allowed to drink, why would you encourage it?

[whadyanuts]

Thank you all for your replies.

 

For anyone wondering my motives for asking......

 

I was actually asked this question by a co-worker of mine whom I have know for years. This very mature, responsible young man is in school and yet holds 2 jobs. He is planning a vacation with a few friends. As he knows I cruise often, he has asked me if I know what the rules are on the cruiseships. As he is the youngest in the group at 19, he was wondering if the rules on the cruiseships are the same as here (21) or because the ships are registered in other countries do they go by the rules of that country. Of course it would be more pleasant for my young friend to be allowed to order something other than a soda pop with dinner while his friends are ordering a beer or wine, therefore as he is the one organizing this trip he was looking for a cruiseline where that would be allowed. Believe me, if it was a matter of looking for a place to get "sloshed" - a person could do that in any port.

 

Waaaaaayyy back when I was that age the drinking age here was 18. Other countries its 19 or in some 18. Not much of a differencel really in my eyes. On my last cruise, my own daughter 16 at the time, met up with a group of boys on the ship in which one of the boys was actually stealing bottles of alcohol from the store on the promanade on the ship and was continually drunk and obnoxious. (Where are the parents???) She kept away but unfortunately, she didn't tell me about this until we were off of the ship. This particular boy was the slightly older brother of the boys she met at the "teen club" who were vacationing with their family. As a matter of fact, we kept noticing this young man on the ship because he was so obnoxious (not knowing why). So when a decent, respectable young man wants to have a beer or two on a vacation he worked two jobs and saved to pay for, it doesn't bother me in the least to ask the question for him.

[MrsPete]

I think the concept is that if one is considered thoughtful and mature enough to operate very specialized machinery, understand war tactics, and die in service for you, that they are probably mature enough to consume alcohol.

Why does no one ever consider the opposite side of that argument? Perhaps 18-year olds are not ready to join the military?

 

I teach 18-year olds every day, and a good many of them are not mature enough to work in a dog kennel, much less being ready to work with our national security. Obviously, they're not making decisions at 18 -- they're following orders -- my point is that the other side of that argument is valid.

[MrsPete]

And if your kid is 18 or 19 and not legally allowed to drink, why would you encourage it?

Makes sense to me. My father grew up in a country without a drinking age. He was encouraged to drink beer from a young age. Both he and his brother grew up to be alcoholicsm; one died young, the other is still living but has serious health problems brought on by alcoholism.

 

LOTS of research backs up the idea that starting to drink young is correlated with problem drinking later in life. Why encourage it?

[Perfect Stranger]

Why does no one ever consider the opposite side of that argument? Perhaps 18-year olds are not ready to join the military?

 

I teach 18-year olds every day, and a good many of them are not mature enough to work in a dog kennel, much less being ready to work with our national security. Obviously, they're not making decisions at 18 -- they're following orders -- my point is that the other side of that argument is valid.

 

Heck yeah, it should be 21+ to join the military. Most 18 year old "men" I've seen (including my son and his friends) are more like 15 year old BOYS.

[zekekelso]

And if your kid is 18 or 19 and not legally allowed to drink, why would you encourage it?

Drinking is an activity enjoy by many (a majority of?) adults. But it's dangerous. Lots of parents believe it's their responsibility to teach their kids about alcohol. And they want to teach their kids while they still have some control over them.

It seems a better plan than letting their children's first experience with alcohol come at a fraternity party.