Drinking Age?

[bugabri]

I understand that the drinking age in the Bahamas is 18.
Will they serve an 18 year old on the ship itself as well as Castaway Cay?

 

[sftnslky]

I understand that the drinking age in the Bahamas is 18.
Will they serve an 18 year old on the ship itself as well as Castaway Cay?

No sorry the age is still 21.

 

[Im_A_Princess]

No sorry the age is still 21.

Yep... 21 is the age

 

[MagicMe]

Yes, the drinking age on board and at Castaway Cay is 21. You can drink while in Nassau.

 

[kcashner]

The drinking age on the Disney Magic/Wonder and on DCL property is 21. The ship's rules are enforced regardless of where the ship is located.

Local laws apply when off the ship in port.

 

[terramei]

Yes, the drinking age on board and at Castaway Cay is 21. You can drink while in Nassau.

If they notice anyone under 21 boarding the ship intoxicated they can confine them to their room until the cruise is over and then turn them over to authorities at PC I seem to remember them saying on our last cruise.

 

[newrygirl]

we were on the wonder in December for our first cruise, Now my ds 15 looks quite older than he is but I don't think 21, every time my dh and I got asked if we wanted something from the bar, they asked our ds 15 as well, we thought it was quite funny as he always get mistaken for being older but would never dream of having a drink, we were almost tempted to let him order something just to see if they would then ask him for ID, this was not just once with one server but many different times every day. He has had this happen at a golf tournament at home also.

 

[DisneyWalker44]

If they notice anyone under 21 boarding the ship intoxicated they can confine them to their room until the cruise is over and then turn them over to authorities at PC I seem to remember them saying on our last cruise.

Turn them over the the authorities FOR WHAT???

Sheesh (note - disgust directed toward whoever made the empty threat, not the poster for passing it along).

 

[DISFamily18]

Actually, that's an interesting point. Once the ship is in international waters (7 miles? I think.) There is no local or federal authority. When the ship returns to port the local police would have no jurisdiction.

Airlines run into this. If a passenger is disruptive during a flight it is difficult to determine jurisdiction. If the passenger is disruptive over Iowa and the plane lands in New York, who has jurisdiction? Nobody wants to deal with it. Could see the same thing happening here.

It's Disney's policy, which I actually agree with, but not law has been broken once outside the US boundary. Just a thought.

 

[miztigg]

They did nothing wrong you can drink in nassau. If you get drunk they can confine you to your room im sure but odds are unless you cant function or are a danger to yourself ot others they are not gonna send you to your room. I have seem adults plastered walking around so whats the diffrence if the person who is 18 drank in nassau came back a little tipsy. My mother in law was in key west with us she had 2 rum barrels we had to carry her back to the ship and put her to bed . When were were in grand caymen I had my 18 yr old neice I let her have 2 straw daqs @ senior frogs. guess i should have went to jail.
But anyway drink away in nassau just make sure you have someone responsible with you to make sure 1 you get back to the ship in time and 2 remember you are in a forigen country and there are crazy people everywhere just be safe and have fun

 

[wwwosie]

If they notice anyone under 21 boarding the ship intoxicated they can confine them to their room until the cruise is over and then turn them over to authorities at PC I seem to remember them saying on our last cruise.

Turn them over the the authorities FOR WHAT???

Sheesh (note - disgust directed toward whoever made the empty threat, not the poster for passing it along).

I agree with DisneyWalker, if a 19 year old has a margarita in Cayman, Cozumel, Nassau, or anywhere in Europe for that matter, they have not broken any local laws and they also haven't broken any ship rules becasue they drank off the ship.
I could see the crew confining any very drunk person to the cabin until they sober up so they don't hurt themselves or anyone.

 

[NHdisneylover]

we were on the wonder in December for our first cruise, Now my ds 15 looks quite older than he is but I don't think 21, every time my dh and I got asked if we wanted something from the bar, they asked our ds 15 as well, we thought it was quite funny as he always get mistaken for being older but would never dream of having a drink, we were almost tempted to let him order something just to see if they would then ask him for ID, this was not just once with one server but many different times every day. He has had this happen at a golf tournament at home also.

They always asked my kids too (and they are only 10 and 12 now). I think it is pretty normal to ask the kids--they can but a smoothie, virgin drink, etc. from the bar too (and DCL makes good money when they do). It is not really about offering alcohol only.

 

[Mickeyhugger]

Actually, that's an interesting point. Once the ship is in international waters (7 miles? I think.) There is no local or federal authority. When the ship returns to port the local police would have no jurisdiction.

Airlines run into this. If a passenger is disruptive during a flight it is difficult to determine jurisdiction. If the passenger is disruptive over Iowa and the plane lands in New York, who has jurisdiction? Nobody wants to deal with it. Could see the same thing happening here.

It's Disney's policy, which I actually agree with, but not law has been broken once outside the US boundary. Just a thought.

When a passenger on an airline becomes unruly that is a federal offence

 

[DMMarla07860]

I know one of my friends on my last cruise did a back-2-back cruise was 18 years old, I'm 20. But anyway he found a bartender that would let him get alcohol. He got it till about the third night some people who work on the ship found out he was 18 and he couldn't get it on the ship anymore.

 

[Olga]

They did nothing wrong you can drink in nassau. If you get drunk they can confine you to your room im sure but odds are unless you cant function or are a danger to yourself ot others they are not gonna send you to your room. I have seem adults plastered walking around so whats the diffrence if the person who is 18 drank in nassau came back a little tipsy. My mother in law was in key west with us she had 2 rum barrels we had to carry her back to the ship and put her to bed . When were were in grand caymen I had my 18 yr old neice I let her have 2 straw daqs @ senior frogs. guess i should have went to jail.
But anyway drink away in nassau just make sure you have someone responsible with you to make sure 1 you get back to the ship in time and 2 remember you are in a forigen country and there are crazy people everywhere just be safe and have fun

 

[Fawn]

If they notice anyone under 21 boarding the ship intoxicated they can confine them to their room until the cruise is over and then turn them over to authorities at PC I seem to remember them saying on our last cruise.

Coming back on the ship in January this year, my 18 and 19 year old was obviously a little silly...ok, so was Mommy...after their birthday visit to Carlos and Charlies. The crew wished them a happy birthday and one of them danced my oldest into the elevator with a polite reminder there was no drinking on ship...no problem. Of course, they weren't falling down or anything...just very silly.

During the day by the adult pool, a couple times I ordered two drinks and give them one to share...the waiters saw this and never cared. They were well behaved, never drunk and with their Mom. I'm sure if they were running around the ship, being obvious with liquor and acting like fools, it would be a different story.

 

[sftnslky]

I had my 18 yr old neice I let her have 2 straw daqs @ senior frogs. guess i should have went to jail.

During the day by the adult pool, a couple times I ordered two drinks and give them one to share...the waiters saw this and never cared.

I am NOT flaming...But please keep in mind business/resturnats/bars have all lost their liquor licenses in california for serving minors..and YES many, many folks have been arrested in under-cover sting operations..with adults purchasing under 21 year olds alcohol/beer. It really is a crime, and one that our family is not willing to commit, and not just because DH is in law enforcement Besdies what if someone who saw the waiter turn the other way..reported him..and he lost his job?? That would be awful

 

[DMMarla07860]

I am NOT flaming...But please keep in mind business/resturnats/bars have all lost their liquor licenses in california for serving minors..and YES many, many folks have been arrested in under-cover sting operations..with adults purchasing under 21 year olds alcohol/beer. It really is a crime, and one that our family is not willing to commit, and not just because DH is in law enforcement Besdies what if someone who saw the waiter turn the other way..reported him..and he lost his job?? That would be awful

you bring up a good point, like I said in a post before a friend of mine that I meet on the ship who was 18 found a waiter to server him. I know they found out what waiter it was who gave him the drinks, but don't know what happen besides he wasn't allowed to drink anymore the rest of the cruise, meaning my friend

 

[Fawn]

I am NOT flaming...But please keep in mind business/resturnats/bars have all lost their liquor licenses in california for serving minors..and YES many, many folks have been arrested in under-cover sting operations..with adults purchasing under 21 year olds alcohol/beer. It really is a crime, and one that our family is not willing to commit, and not just because DH is in law enforcement Besdies what if someone who saw the waiter turn the other way..reported him..and he lost his job?? That would be awful

These are two different issues. On the islands, the drinking age is 18, so it isn't illegal. As far as on ship, I would be the one who was in trouble, not the waiter. He served me, not my children. Again, my girls weren't waving it in anyone's face, they were very subtle.

I raised my children with a European attitude, I guess, the same as I was raised. They were always served wine at holidays, and after a certain age were allowed to drink at home and with their family. I know some people have a problem with that, but it's just our way.

 

[WDW Princess 71]

These are two different issues. On the islands, the drinking age is 18, so it isn't illegal. As far as on ship, I would be the one who was in trouble, not the waiter. He served me, not my children. Again, my girls weren't waving it in anyone's face, they were very subtle.

I raised my children with a European attitude, I guess, the same as I was raised. They were always served wine at holidays, and after a certain age were allowed to drink at home and with their family. I know some people have a problem with that, but it's just our way.

I am 22 and I was raised the same way growing up. My parents allowed me to start having wine or mixed drinks at home with them since I was 16 years old. On occasion, they would order me a drink out at a restaurant or a special event and 9 times out of 10, it was not a problem. On occasion if they were asked if they were ordering something for me and said yes and the server said they could not do that, they respectfully said no problem. Like you said, it would be the person ordering the drink who would have gotten in trouble. And if the server/bartender serves someone underage without checking ID just to make an extra buck, then that is and should be their problem if they want to risk losing their jobs.

I firmly believe that the way I was raised made me much more responsible when I eventually did drink outside of my parents presence in college and even after I turned 21. On my first DCL cruise my mom and I made our own drinks on board or occassionally she'd order me one discreetly, and now that I'm 21 and traveling with my younger siblings, 20 and 19, I have done and will continue to do the same for them.

Too bad our American culture didn't follow in European footsteps years ago, since in that case we wouldn't have to have this debate in the first place! But I'm glad to finally see some company from another person who feels the same as me on this subject.