Just perused the Carnival board; sure a long thread on the benefits and drawbacks of teenage drinking onboard ships. I personally have no problem with teenage drinking (first drunk when I was 2); just would prefer they be quiet well behaved drunks.
Anybody want to chime in on penalties to be handed out to both the teens and their parents for inappropriate behaviour? I'll start with a dose of keelhauling.
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Marc
"The test of a first rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function."
F Scott Fitzgerald
Silversea Silver Explorer (23nts) - Kangerlussuaq, Greenland - Nome, Alaska - Aug 14
Seven Seas Voyager (30nts) - Dubai - Cape Town - Nov 14
I as a parent do not approve of underage drinking period. I as a once teenage agreed with it whole heartedly. We were just on the Sov. of the Sea with drunk teenagers. I do not know where their parents were,may have been drunk themselves, while their teenagers were running up and down the halls screaming at 1:00 in the morning. I did not know about this until the next day because my daughters were 2 rows of cabins away from me. Finally my daughter got sick of the screaming got up, went into the hallway, tripped one of the drunks and told them if she heard them again she was going to put their head into the wall. This from a 16 year old, 5'2" little girl. I told her they must have been really drunk, I would have put your head into the wall. I complained to the purser the next day and it did not happen again. At least if you are going to be drunk don't be stupid loud in the middle of the night drunk.
You should have seen the drunk teenagers cavorting down the halls after a binge at Carlos and Charlie's on the Imagination Saturday.
Anyway...
I am not a parent yet (and I'm sure my mind will change when I am) and it was only a few years ago that I was that age, so I am not too concerned about the age of people who are drinking. But I agree with Marc and ask that no matter what age you are, have consideration for others who may be sleeping, etc. One can drink and have fun without being obnoxious. It just takes some self-control and maturity, which one can have (or lack) at any age.
Cheers,
Michelle B.
Land Cruise, Britain and Belgium
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Now posting as MichelleP.
I think my first question is "where are the parents?". Personally, I can't stand a loud, obnoxious drunk of any age. For anyone to run the halls after normal bedtime hours shouting, etc. isn't acceptable behaviour. I don't suppose they still have "brigs" on ships or any form of law enforcement...might be worth reinstating?? Maybe I've been a parent too long (my oldest is 31) but some of the horror stories about "kids on the loose" I've read here really make me wonder how kids are being brought up. Kids are rude and wild because they're "on vacation". I didn't know that there was a vacation from manners. Suggestion: Fine the parents for kid's behaviour. Hold them accountable for their minor's actions like they do on land. Or post the kids' photos on a "wall of shame".
I just can't handle the underage drinker! There is no reason any parent allows there child to drink alcohol until they are of age to do it lawfully. This in my eyes is Child abuse. I have 4 children ages 36 down to 26. Never had a problem with them drinking underage. You are the parents act like it... Not there best friends... underage drinking leads to drunk drivers and un wanted children. Wake up parents..... You can be ruining many lives here... Not to even mention all the trouble they can get into on a cruise ship. Sorry about rambling. This is a touchy subject with me. Just not right....... Char
When my children were growing up I was the parent. They knew when mom said it, it was that way. Now my children are all grown and with children of there own. I am good friends of all of them. My daughters and I do a lot together and My sons always call home to keep me filled in on how things are going with them. I don't claim to know it all or never claim to be the perfect parent. But the underage drinking thing is just not right. I know of parents of 16 yr olds that have house parties for thema nd there friends. Serve liquor and even condoms. Well i am so upset when I hear these things. That is so wrong. Let these kids be kids. Teach them they can do what they want when they are old enough. Live as a teen now. They can have jsut as much fun with there friends without the drinking and whatever else .....
LisaK the answer to your question is they do card the people buying the drinks. The problem is the idiots turn around and give their friends the drinks. I asked the same question and was told by my 16 year old that their older friends were buying the drinks.
I have cruised many times with my children ages 16 and 17. They have to check in with us a certain times of the night and after a certain time they are not allowed back out of the room.
We were on a cruise over spring break and there were several high school students on board with their "chaperone". On the formal night, I was walking around the upper deck and found the "chaperone" in a tuxedo, passed out on a deck chair. The students found him and woke him up so he could go into the bar and get them some beers. We asked the bartender about it and he said that if the card allowed him to purchase alcohol, they had to sell it - regardless of what his intentions were. One of the high schoolers apparently thought that using the "F" word loudly was cool, and he was loudly "F"ing everything...even while waiting on the elevators while children (including my 10 year old and her cousins) were walking by. I reminded the young man that he was in public and that I and the other 1,000 shipmates would appreciate it if he would watch his language while he was in the public areas of the ship.
good for you PJ. Nothing like some good old fashioned embarassment in public. Don't even get me started on kids and the "f" word. I guess they never got their mouth washed out with soap when they were younger. My favorite response is "Excuse me, i don't think the children and your mother heard what you said, would you mind repeating it?" gets most of them everytime.
Never have agreed with underage drinking, but it brings to mind my Enchantment of the
Seas cruise, spring break, did not realize, but the kids were so well behaved and the ship was full of them. Even got in the buffet line with several of them that asked me to party with them!!! Just the usual partying, toga party, etc. My kids are 21 and 24 and I guess are just responsible unless i am not with them, I don't know. But you can go on a cruise with kids whatever age they are and still enjoy. I really enjoyed watching these kids (young adults) without a care in the world and no one was obnoxious drunk, throwing up, etc. They were having a great time and made me wish that I was still that age!!
debmkay - Oh, not all of the teens on our ship were obnoxious. Just the ones who had someone other than a parent as a "chaperone". Even the college aged kids were behaving in an appropriate manner... still having a good time, but also aware that there were other passengers who were on board the ship to have a more relaxing time. I can't say that I saw any obnoxius college aged kids...just the teenage (underage) high schoolers.
The party I was describing were from a high school (sadly from my town) and their "chaperone" looked to be barely over 21 - but he was old enough to have the "alcohol okay" card. That's why we questioned the bartender about selling the guy 7 beers at a pop - the bartender said that their hands were tied....as long as the card said that they could purchase alcohol, they were required to provide it to them. They had no control over what the passenger did after he left the bar.
Have been on 13 cruises, but have only seen drunken adults, not teenagers. When I sailed on Costa, two drunken men were calling the gay blackjack dealer "bendover" and the pit bosses just stood there and laughed. I found this bahavior very disgusting, and in my opinion these drunks should have been cut off. They were drinking expensive long island ice teas, and from what I have seen on ships, no one is CUT OFF!!!
What's interesting about this thread is the comments about "underage" drinking as though a magical age determines maturity levels. On RCI the 18, 19, and 20 year olds are of age to drink but on other lines they are not. Who determines what this magical age is? Why are 19 year olds on one ship mature enough, in the eyes of the directors, to drink but the fuddy duddies across the pier on the other lines think otherwise. Is this fair treatment to the individuals?
I say forget about saying anything about "underage" drinkers. It's implying those who are overage are not a problem. And that's untrue. Let's admit that immature drinkers are the problem.
I am a 15 year old guy and i've been on 2 carnival cruises, and i'm going on another one next month. I wouldnt stoop as low as to purchase an alchoholic drink if i'm under 21. It is all in the way I was brought up. I was brought up to follow the law and to drink at a responsible age. So all of you people, dont automatically think your teenagers are going to drink just because they can, bc honestly i've never tried and I wont next month. Like I said, its all in the way a person is brought up.
The European perspective might be a little different. It's not uncommon for teens to drink wine with their parents, and in some countries the legal drinking age is quite a bit lower. I purchased beer legally in the Netherlands when I was 14 - no one made a big deal about it, and it was understood that a certain standard of behavior was to be maintained.
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Teenage Drinking
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