Your Guide to Major Cruise Line Age Policies

Table Of Content

• Royal Caribbean Age Policy
• Can a college-aged kid who is not yet 21 hang out at cruise ship bars and night clubs?
• What Happens if Caught Sneaking Alcohol on a Cruise?
• Adult-Only Areas
• Carnival Cruise Activities For 18-Year-Olds
• Can You Drink on a Cruise at 18? Cruise Line Age Policies
• Best cruise line for young adults traveling solo: Norwegian Cruise Line
• Age Restrictions On Board

If you’re 18 and want to cruise by yourself, look at Europe for more options. But in Europe, you can choose from well-known cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, and Celebrity Cruises. Virgin Voyages might cost a bit more than some other cruise lines in the U.S., but the price includes a lot. They serve all kinds of food, from Mexican and Korean BBQ to Italian, Udon noodles, pizza, and hot dogs. For example, Norwegian Cruise Line lets married couples under 21 share a cabin if they have a marriage certificate. With years of navigating the ins and outs of solo travel, I’ve mastered the art of the solo cruise adventure.

Royal Caribbean Age Policy

So if you’re considered a minor then you’re not usually able to cruise on your own, and in the US, and on certain American-based cruise lines, anyone aged 20 or younger is a minor. Young adults may struggle to take time off from work or school to do a weeklong cruise. With Royal Caribbean, travelers in their late teens and 20s can take part in two- to five-night sailings from the U.S. or Europe that have affordable rates. Even better, some of the line's largest and attraction-laden ships sail these shorter itineraries, so you won't have a chance to be bored. On most sailings from the U.S., guests must be at least 21 years old to drink alcohol on the ship. One exception to this rule is Margaritaville at Sea, which allows guests who are 18 to drink once the ship is in international waters or on Grand Bahama Island.

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Can a college-aged kid who is not yet 21 hang out at cruise ship bars and night clubs?

However, younger cruisers are often during the holidays and summer. This means that passengers, or sailors as Virgin calls them, must be over 18 or older to sail with the cruise line. That said, many people wonder if it’s even possible to cruise as an 18-year-old without parents. We have found five cruise lines that allow 18-year-olds to travel alone or with friends under 21. Royal Caribbean ships have great water features on their cruises, but one that stands out, in particular, is the Perfect Storm, a megaplex of slides like no other, which is on about five of their ships.

What Happens if Caught Sneaking Alcohol on a Cruise?

If you embark from a US port, you would have to adhere to the minimum drinking age of 21 while on a cruise ship in Mexican waters. Older teens have their own personal interests, which parents should take into consideration when looking at onboard entertainment and programming available on the ship they're considering. For example, Holland America offers select activities for 18- to 20-year-olds traveling with their families, which include America’s Test Kitchen workshops and cooking demos and trivia games. Princess Cruises partners with Discovery Communications to offer stargazing at sea, presentations on the culture or natural world of the cruise region and MythBusters activities that could interest some teens.

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Exceptions are also made for legally married couples, who must show proof of marriage, and active-duty members of the U.S. or Canadian military, who must show proof of their active-duty status. However, cruise lines have different policies when it comes to treating year olds as adults. In addition, some cruise ships offer more activities for younger cruisers than others. Royal Caribbean also offers deals based on departure ports and destinations, so if you’re a flexible traveler looking for great savings, you can plan your next vacation around which itineraries are on sale. Just check your email or visit RoyalCaribbean.com/cruise-deals to stay up to date on promotions, sales and special offers. You can even browse sailings and deals by homeport, destination and season, so you can rest assured you’re getting the best possible deal no matter when or where in the world you choose to set sai.

While MSC has great cruises for families, there are a large number of young adults who cruise with MSC. During sea days, you can relax in the hot tubs, participate in poolside activities, or play on the basketball court. In the evenings, there are awesome shows, live music, and night parties in the club.

Can You Drink on a Cruise at 18? Cruise Line Age Policies

Each of the three (soon to be four) ships have many restaurants, such as Pink Agave for Mexican and Gunbae for Korean barbecue, all of which are fee-free. If you're sailing from a country that allows legal drinking at 18, as many European countries do, check the drinking policy for those who are younger than 21 for that particular sailing or cruise line before booking. For example, Disney Cruise Line allows 18- to 20-year-olds to consume alcohol on closed-loop sailings departing from any European country.

Best cruise line for young adults traveling solo: Norwegian Cruise Line

Disney is known for having fun, family-friendly, Disney-themed cruises. The cool thing about cruising with Norwegian is that plenty of young people will be onboard. This means you will have no trouble making friends and finding other young adults to hang out with.

Most cruise lines require travelers under age 21 to share a room or an adjoining room with someone 21 years or older. On some lines, like Holland America, that "chaperone" age is as high as 25. So, while a group of college kids can certainly take a cruise, they'll have to bring along an older friend, sibling or even a parent.

Royal Caribbean's Guest Conduct Policy may be enforced, up to and including disembarkation, if a guest violates any alcohol policy. Certain other restrictions and conditions will apply; such as compliance with the age twenty-one (21) alcohol policy, and proof of marriage for underage couples or proof of active duty military status required. No Guest younger than the age twenty-one (21) will be assigned to a stateroom unless accompanied in the same stateroom by an adult twenty-one (21) years old or older.

Disney cruises attract many families with kids, so they’re not the top spot for party lovers. For young adults who enjoy stand-up, the Punchliner Comedy Club, fleetwide on Carnival Cruise Line, offers both family shows and late-night shows for audiences 18-plus. A few Royal Caribbean and Norwegian ships have dedicated comedy clubs; Norwegian also brings Second City improv comedians on several ships. I cruised with my 18-year-old daughter before she left home for college, and not only was she great company for me, but she had a blast. On the first night of our Pride of America Hawaii cruise, she attended an “ice-breaker” event for all the 18- to 20-year-old men and women aboard (mostly college students aboard with parents).

MSC Cruises are pretty cheap too so they’re a good option for students or anyone who doesn’t have a ton of cash to splash. The Company retains the right, on rare occasions, to raise the minimum age of alcohol consumption on any sailing when local laws require or permit such a modification. Cruises are a great way to meet people -- at dinner, in the hot tub, on shore excursions or at the bars. This can be a plus if your kid doesn't want to spend all his or her time with you, or simply enjoys meeting new people. What you do in the privacy of your own cruise room will likely not be monitored, unless your young adult child then goes out onto the ship and behaves inappropriately. That said, it's not uncommon for teens to find ways to drink onboard (just as they do at home).

Royal Caribbean ships are some of the largest in the world, but even the smaller (but still large) ones are full of activities ideal for 18 to 20-year-olds. You just then need to focus on the ideal ship with the activities you know most appeal to the age groups. Anyone caught buying alcohol for minors could get into trouble if caught and, depending on the circumstances, possibly be kicked off the ship.

Unwind in our spacious, elegantly designed Celebrity Cruise Line suites as you sail toward your next breathtaking destination. Immerse yourself in curated experiences that blend cultural enrichment with cutting-edge technology, all while forging friendships that will last a lifetime. You can pick from smaller ships that visit many places or huge ships with lots of fun stuff. The big ships have cool things like zip lines, rock climbing walls, surfing simulators, and ice skating rinks.