Drinking age on DCL vs. maritime "law"

[annie1995]

So my son is 18. Would he be able to buy himself a drink while we are in Nassau?

 

[NS8VN]

So my son is 18. Would he be able to buy himself a drink while we are in Nassau?

Of course. Drinking age in the Bahamas is 18. That is assuming you mean in Nassau, if you mean on the ship while docked the answer is still no.

 

[bumbershoot]

Old post, but good question...

So my son is 18. Would he be able to buy himself a drink while we are in Nassau?

If he's of legal age in another country (not while docked on a ship in another country's port) he can drink.

 

[PurplePencil]

So I guess that means a glass of wine with dinner is not permitted either.
That must have been a problem on European cruises as I know a lot of families allow their older teens have a glass with dinner.

Old post, but good question...



If he's of legal age in another country (not while docked on a ship in another country's port) he can drink.

I just realized this is an old thread, but it was reopened. I want to point out that on European cruises, Parents can fill out a form allowing 18-20 year olds to drink.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

So I am in no way saying that this didn't happen or that you are not telling the truth but I have lived in Texas for 6 years and I have never heard of this. What part of Texas was this? Obviously my kids are so young that it isn't an issue but I have never heard of Texas serving underage kids with parents permission????

I have lived in Texas for 10 years. Lived here for about 6 months prior to turning 21. So back in 1995 when I was a married 20 yro I could go out to restaurants with my husband who was 22 years old and drink. He hadn't to order. They could serve him. But my over 21 husband was legally allowed to serve me.

My sons are 19 & 21 yrs old. Yes, I am allowed to serve my children either in the public or in my home. So at a restaurant a server may legally serve me and I may serve my kid. I cannot serve anyone else's kids. Not even my nieces or nephews. Their parents have to serve them.

The caveat to all of this is that businesses can opt to not allow anyone under 21 be served at all in their establishment by anybody. Just like the state legalized open & concealed carry for guns but businesses still have the right to not allow it on their premises. The final call is the business's.

 

[FigmentSpark]

I can't speak for any of the states, but I know when some of the provinces in Canada were debating the drinking age, most raised it from 18 to 19. It's not that they don't think 18 year olds should drink, but that 16 year olds can pass for 18 year olds. And, as some 18 year olds are still in high school, there became a possibility that they would become providers of alcohol for their younger peers and juniors. I expect that there is similar reasoning behind the U.S. choosing 21 as a drinking age.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I can't speak for any of the states, but I know when some of the provinces in Canada were debating the drinking age, most raised it from 18 to 19. It's not that they don't think 18 year olds should drink, but that 16 year olds can pass for 18 year olds. And, as some 18 year olds are still in high school, there became a possibility that they would become providers of alcohol for their younger peers and juniors. I expect that there is similar reasoning behind the U.S. choosing 21 as a drinking age.

That was somewhat the reason, but the main reason was they thought raising the drinking age would lower the number of drunk drivers. My understanding is that raising the drinking age did decrease the number of 18-21 year olds drinking and driving.

 

[MUN]

Let me tell a story…While we were visiting my brother in Texas, my parents and I took my brother to dinner. In Texas kids can drink with their parents permission. So he asked for a Margarita, the waitress asked for his ID and said that even though it is a law, The Establishment can set their own rules just as long as they don't become looser than the law.

I didn't bother to read the 3 pages of posts, but I believe there is a similar law in Wisconsin.
Getting back to the OP's question, I believe DCL will allow 18-20 year olds to drink with parental permission on cruises that embark from ports that allow 18-20 year olds to drink.

 

[cruiser21]

I have lived in Texas for 10 years. Lived here for about 6 months prior to turning 21. So back in 1995 when I was a married 20 yro I could go out to restaurants with my husband who was 22 years old and drink. He hadn't to order. They could serve him. But my over 21 husband was legally allowed to serve me.

My sons are 19 & 21 yrs old. Yes, I am allowed to serve my children either in the public or in my home. So at a restaurant a server may legally serve me and I may serve my kid. I cannot serve anyone else's kids. Not even my nieces or nephews. Their parents have to serve them.

The caveat to all of this is that businesses can opt to not allow anyone under 21 be served at all in their establishment by anybody. Just like the state legalized open & concealed carry for guns but businesses still have the right to not allow it on their premises. The final call is the business's.

You can't buy alcohol in a grocery store in Texas, but you can serve your kids alcohol. I've always thought the drinking age was too high, but so many kids are idiots with alcohol. I like the way Texas does it. Now that Disney has changed it's alcohol policy I guess it doesn't really matter that I cant buy alcohol at the grocery store next to the Hilton in Galveston.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

You can't buy alcohol in a grocery store in Texas, but you can serve your kids alcohol. I've always thought the drinking age was too high, but so many kids are idiots with alcohol. I like the way Texas does it. Now that Disney has changed it's alcohol policy I guess it doesn't really matter that I cant buy alcohol at the grocery store next to the Hilton in Galveston.

Well, you can buy wine & beer which is what DCL allows now. The way Texas does their underage drinking laws allows parents the opportunity to teach responsible consumption.

 

[T & R]

Drinking ages are set by each individual state, nothing to do with maritime law. The only federal law on the matter that I know of is the federal law that withholds highway funds to states that do not make their drinking age 21 or higher. I think the last state to move to 21 was Louisiana. There is no federal drinking age law. Here in Texas, you can drink at a bar under 21 as long as you are with a parent or if you're with your spouse who is over 21.

 

[bumbershoot]

Getting back to the OP's question, I believe DCL will allow 18-20 year olds to drink with parental permission on cruises that embark from ports that allow 18-20 year olds to drink.

European cruises yes.

Not from PR though. And yes the drinking age is lower there.

And I would hope the OP's question was already answered last year.