Karmactive Staff
Carnival Cruise Line has enacted a new policy requiring passengers under 21 to be accompanied by older travelers, matching restrictions already enforced by Royal Caribbean. The change, which took effect February 1, 2025, represents a significant departure from Carnival’s previous rules that permitted 18-year-olds to book cabins on their own.
Industry reports confirm Carnival’s updated policy now mandates all guests under 21 to travel with a guardian or relative at least 25 years old. This aligns Carnival with Royal Caribbean’s long-standing requirement for North American passengers to be 21 or older to sail unaccompanied.
“These age policy changes reflect the industry’s growing focus on passenger safety and overall cruise experience,” noted a cruise industry analyst. “By standardizing age requirements, cruise lines aim to ensure appropriate supervision while maintaining an enjoyable environment for guests across all demographics.”
Regional Variations and Exceptions
Royal Caribbean maintains more nuanced age restrictions with regional differences. While North American sailings require solo passengers to be 21 or older, the minimum age drops to 18 for cruises departing from South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.
“Royal Caribbean reserves the right, on rare occasions, to raise the minimum age to sail unaccompanied on any sailing when local laws require or permit such a modification,” according to the company’s official policy documentation.
“We anticipate seeing more multi-generational bookings as families adjust to these requirements,” explained a travel industry consultant. “Young adults who previously might have booked with peers will now need to include older family members or guardians in their travel plans.”
Both cruise lines maintain age restrictions for other onboard activities. The drinking age is set at 21 for North American sailings and 18 for other regions on Royal Caribbean cruises, reflecting local legal requirements in different parts of the world.
For families with infants, Royal Caribbean requires babies to be at least 6 months old for standard cruises and 12 months old for itineraries involving three or more consecutive days at sea. Carnival Cruise enforces similar infant age requirements to ensure safety during longer voyages.
Cruise line representatives counter that the policies create a safer environment for all passengers. Cruise line representatives emphasize that these policies are designed to create a safer environment for all passengers by ensuring proper supervision throughout the ships.
Travel agencies specializing in youth tourism report adjusting their booking strategies to accommodate the new restrictions. Travel agencies specializing in youth tourism report adjusting their booking strategies to accommodate the new restrictions, such as organizing group trips with designated chaperones who meet the age requirements, allowing young adults to still enjoy cruise vacations despite the new policies.
Industry observers are now watching to determine if Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, and other major carriers will implement similar age policies in the coming months.
What Is a Cruise Line?
A cruise line is a company that operates a fleet of ships specifically designed for leisure voyages, where the journey itself and the ship’s amenities are integral parts of the experience. Unlike traditional cargo or transportation/passenger ships, cruise ships are equipped with features tailored to vacationers, such as dining facilities, entertainment venues, recreational areas, and various accommodation types that cater to a wide range of travelers’ tastes and preferences.
Cruise lines offer voyages around oceans, seas, or rivers. They include both short trips and extended journeys, covering various destinations across the globe. Usually, voyages focus on specific regions like the Caribbean, Mediterranean, or Arctic, with stops at multiple ports of interest.
New age policies
Effective February 1, 2025. The updated rule mandates that all guests under 21 must travel with a guardian or relative who is at least 25 years old, although the guardian does not necessarily have to be a legal guardian. This shift marks a departure from the previous policy, which allowed 18-year-olds to book cabins independently.
How Does This Affect the Cruise Experience for Young Adults?
For many years, cruises have been a popular travel option for young adults, particularly those looking for a structured but entertaining vacation. The ability to book a cabin at 18 years old meant that college students and young travelers could embark on cruises independently, much like they would when renting a hotel room
Royal Caribbean has granted exceptions to its 21-and-over rule, such as:
Underage married couples who provide proof of marriage.
Active-duty military personnel from the United States and Canada.
Families booking connecting staterooms,
Children under 21 can stay in a separate but linked cabin with their parents or guardians.
What is the drinking age on these cruise lines?
Royal Caribbean sets the drinking age at 21 for North American sailings and 18 for other regions. Carnival typically follows similar regional drinking age policies aligned with local laws.
Cruise ship rules
No smoking indoors or on balconies
The rules are strict when it comes to smoking on cruise ships. Cruise lines ban cigarette use in most indoor areas, as well as on cabin balconies and public outer decks. You can smoke only in designated spaces, usually one or two spots on the top decks or exterior promenade and perhaps one side of the casino or a cigar bar.
No Underage drinking
The drinking age on cruise ships is either 18 or 21, depending on the line and sailing region. With so much cruise ship entertainment centered on drinking, it’s tempting to slip your responsible teen a fruity daiquiri or a cool beer.
No sneaking drugs or alcohol on board
Whether the person is underage or not, on the big-ship cruise lines, they are also not allowed to bring liquor, beer, or drugs on board policies on wine and Champagne vary.
Bringing illegal drugs on board will be risking fines, disembarkation, and jail time. Not allowed to bring marijuana on a cruise, even if it’s legal in the departure port or port of call.
Must attend the safety drill
Avid cruisers roll their eyes when asked to attend yet another safety drill, often called a muster drill. On the first day of every cruise, you must attend a safety briefing in person or via video before reporting to your muster station — the place where you would gather in case of an emergency.
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Reason for the stricter Regulations
Some travelers see cruise vacations as fun excursions offering them spa treatments, live entertainment, lavish dinners, and an assortment of other attractions. Others prefer to seek getaways that are better for the planet. Some authorities have even gotten cruise ships banned.
Here’s a closer look at cruise ship bans and why some people think they’re the best course of action.
Cruise Ships Threaten People and the Planet
Researchers from the University of Exeter conducted a review of more than 200 papers that examined the impact of cruise ships on human and planetary health. A primary takeaway was that the commercial cruising industry needs tighter regulation. That’s due to the associated adverse effects.
The team stopped short of advocating to have cruise ships banned. However, their findings shed light on why some people want to at least stop the vessels from coming to certain ports. For example, the research indicated that passengers on a week-long Antarctic cruise generate as many emissions as the average European in a year. The analysis also revealed that a cruise ship carrying 2,700 passengers could result in as much as 1 ton of garbage daily.
From the human health perspective, the review examined factors such as how infectious diseases can spread faster in cruise ships’ confined spaces. Plus, people working on vessels or in shipyards often face prolonged high exposure to noise, air pollution, and difficult working environments.
Professor Lora Fleming was the author of this review. Fleming stated, “We need much better monitoring to generate more robust data for the true picture of these impacts. Without new and strictly enforced national and international standardized rules, the cruise industry is likely to continue causing these serious health and environmental hazards.”
Cruise ships can also sicken marine animals with gray water dumped into their habitats. Moreover, the vessels can barrel through schools of fish or pods of dolphins, injuring or killing the creatures.
Why Have Some Areas Banned or Reduced Cruise Ship Activity?
Authorities choose to ban or restrict cruise ships for various reasons. Not all of them relate to the environment. The Scottish, Canadian, and Australian governments temporarily halted cruise ship operations to curb the COVID-19 health threat. Several cruise operators also removed Russian and Ukrainian stops from itineraries due to the dangers associated with the ongoing war.
However, environmental concerns also often factor into such decisions. Officials in Spain limited cruise ship dockings to three per day at the Palma port in Mallorca, Spain. They did so after citing concerns for the environment and the impacts of thousands of visitors arriving per day.
In August 2021, government officials in Venice, Italy, approved a ban on large ships arriving at the Giudecca Canal. That happened after locals had campaigned against the vessels for years. Their concerns were that the ship activity polluted the waterways and eroded the city’s foundation.
The French Polynesian government ruled that, from January 2022, ships with capacities of more than 3,500 could no longer dock in Tahiti. Similarly, those bound for Bora Bora could not stop there if carrying more than 1,200 people. Locals reportedly pushed for limits out of concern for the beautiful lagoons..
French Polynesia has not historically been a popular destination for large cruise ships. However, the government opted to take proactive measures, particularly with many operators expanding their destination offerings.
Impact on young adults and travelers
The restrictions primarily impact travelers aged 18-20 who previously enjoyed independent booking privileges. College students planning group trips, young professionals, and international travelers from countries where 18 is the adult legal age must now adjust their travel arrangements accordingly.
Carnival’s new policy includes specific guidelines for specialty accommodations, restricting access to premium areas like the Terrazza and Havana staterooms based on age requirements.
Impact on Travel Patterns and Booking Trends
Travel industry data indicates these policy changes will likely alter booking patterns across the cruise sector. A 2024 travel industry survey found that 18-20-year-olds accounted for approximately 8% of independent cruise bookings, representing a significant segment now affected by the new restrictions.
Industry and public response
Mixed Reactions from Travelers and Industry
The new policies have generated diverse reactions from the travel community. The new policies have generated diverse reactions from the travel community, with older travelers generally supporting the stricter age requirements while younger travelers have expressed opposition.
“These changes effectively bar a segment of young adults from experiencing cruises independently,” said a youth travel advocate. “While safety is paramount, there should be consideration for the independence that legal adults have in other travel contexts.”
Cruise line representatives counter that the policies create a safer environment for all passengers. Cruise line representatives emphasize that these policies are designed to create a safer environment for all passengers by ensuring proper supervision throughout the ships.
Future Outlook
What Might the Future of Cruise Ship Vacations Entail?
With more stipulations resulting in cruise ships getting banned or limited in certain areas, operators must respond. Some will likely do so with reactive measures, such as changing itineraries to avoid the areas in question.
However, some cruise operators take a much broader approach to sustainability in the sector. Some of their initiatives include transporting smaller numbers of passengers. Alternatively, they offer niche packages rather than those that appeal to the masses
In response to concerns about safety, liability, and onboard behavior, cruise lines are implementing stricter age policies for young adult travelers. These changes may include higher minimum age requirements for solo travelers, restrictions on certain activities, and stricter supervision policies. While these measures aim to enhance the overall experience and security of all passengers, they may also limit travel options for young adults seeking more independent cruise experiences, which is beneficial for the future perspective.
