Is it legal for a person under 21 to drink on a cruise ship originating from the U.S. sailing on the ocean?

Question

In this scenario:

*The ship is sailing in internatioal waters

*The people are at least 18

*...and just to be clear, The drinks are alcoholic

Answer 1

when we went on our norwegian cruise in 2000, the age was 18.  i remember a girl trying to get a drink at the pool bar, swearing she was 18.

when you sail out of a u.s. port into the ocean, it should be considered "international waters" - where just about anything is legal.  just make a few phone calls or check rules and regs on each cruise line's website.

Answer 2

It's normally not a legal issue but rather a policy issue with the cruise line.  Typically they set ONE age for drinking no matter where the ship is.  

For departures from the US, most if not every line limits alcohol sales to 21 and older.

For departures outside the US it may be different.  But in the end you need to check with your cruise line.

However, if you're thinking that since you are underage you can just hop on a cruise ship out of a US port and get blitzed, then you are going to be disappointed.  Not only that, but there's no cheap booze on a cruise ship...

Answer 3

Depends on the cruiseline.  Carnival is very strict and they maintain the 21 legal drinking age.  Though I wonder if you are not a US citizen if they mandate a drinking age for you.

I believe I have heard that RC is just as strict based on the departure port.  If you departed out of America, you follow American laws but if you boarded/depart out of Barbados, you'd follow those laws.

Several lines base on the port they are out of.  NCL does and I think I've heard Holland does as well but I've never done Holland as I'm nowhere near 60.  St Martins for example has a drinking age of 16.  So therefore if you are in port there, you have their drinking age.  And in international waters, the drinking age is 18.

So just as a conclusion--depends on the cruiseline.  Some are so international, they just don't care.  If the majority aren't America, and they aren't in American waters, hard to really enforce that on everyone.  Sorry can't be more helpful. =(  However if you buy alcohol in port, you always get alcohol back the last night so you could drink up that night.

Answer 4

Ask the cruise ship.  Each ship has its own guildlines.  I know when my brother-in-law took a princess cruise, he was allowed

Answer 5

In order to drink alcoholic drinks on a ship - and this includes beer and wine - you must be at least 21.  That is if the ship has left from a US port or has a US office.

Naturally, when in another country - on land - you can drink at whatever their legal age is.  However, get back on the ship and you must be at least 21.

Answer 6

In Germany, you are allowed to drink at age 16! ;-)

Greetings from Germany