As luxury cruisers skew younger and multigenerational travel continues to gain traction, it's important to know the age policies of the cruise lines you're considering. Cruise lines have rules about how old you must be to occupy a cabin without a parent or other adult, so pay attention if you want to kick your kids across the hall. Plus, certain onboard venues -- bars and nightclubs, the casino, spa and gym -- may stop minors who wish to come inside.
Here are age policies from the major luxury cruise lines -- including minimum age to sail, rules for traveling alone, minimum age to leave the ship and shipboard venues with age restrictions. You can find drinking age restrictions in our story on Cruise Line Alcohol Policies; we also have a separate story on mainstream cruise line age policies.
Editor's note: Children younger than 18 who are traveling out of the country accompanied by one parent (or neither parent) may be required to obtain a notarized letter of consent signed by the parents who are not traveling. Rules vary by country and are worth investigating.
Azamara | Crystal | Oceania | Paul Gauguin Cruises | Ponant | Regent | Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection | Scenic | Seabourn | SeaDream Yacht Club | Silversea | Star Clippers | Viking Ocean Cruises | Windstar
Azamara
Minimum age to sail: The minimum age to sail is 6 months old; however, on ocean crossings and select South America and Hawaii cruises, the minimum age is 1.
Rules for traveling alone: Passengers must be 21 to make a booking on their own, but exceptions may be made for younger married couples who show proof of marriage. For families traveling together, at least one passenger on the reservation must be 21; passengers older than 18 can be in a cabin by themselves, but children younger than 18 must share a room with an adult (21+) unless they're booked into adjacent rooms from a parent or guardian.
Minimum age to leave the ship on your own: Passengers must be at least 18 to leave the ship or participate in shore excursions on their own.
Shipboard venues with age restrictions: You must be at least 18 to enter the Living Room in the evening when a DJ spins tunes; children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. You must be 16 or older to use the fitness center.
Crystal
Minimum age to sail: The minimum age to sail is 6 months; however, Crystal may limit the number of kids younger than 3 on any sailing.
Rules for traveling alone: Passengers must be at least 18 to travel alone. Children younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 21. If the adult is not a parent or legal guardian, the child's parent or legal guardian must submit a signed consent form to the cruise line 30 days prior to sailing.
Children traveling with their parents or guardian can occupy a separate adjacent stateroom provided one of them is at least 16 years old.
Minimum age to leave the ship on your own: All passengers younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 21 when leaving the ship or participating in shore excursions and land tours.
Shipboard venues with age restrictions: Passengers 13 to 17 years old can use the pools and Jacuzzis on their own; children 3 to 12 years must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times. Passengers must be 18 years or older to enter the gaming areas or play any monetary-based games of chance (including bingo) onboard.
Oceania
Minimum age to sail: The minimum age to sail is 1 year.
Rules for traveling alone: Passengers must be at least 18 to travel alone, regardless of marital status. Children younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 18 in the same cabin.
Minimum age to leave the ship on your own: Passengers must be at least 18 to participate in shore excursions on their own. Passengers under 18 can join excursions provided they are accompanied by an adult.
Shipboard venues with age restrictions: Passengers must be at least 18 to enter the casino or use spa and fitness facilities. Teens ages 16 or 17 can use the spa or gym if accompanied by an adult.
Paul Gauguin Cruises
Minimum age to sail: The minimum age to sail is 1 year, but the cruise line reserves the right to limit the number of children sailing on any given itinerary. Anyone under 21 must be accompanied by a parent or other responsible adult who is over 21. If the accompanying adult is not the child's parent, a parental consent guardianship form must be signed by the parent or legal guardian and received by Paul Gauguin before the sailing.
Rules for traveling alone: Passengers must be 21 or older to book a voyage.
Minimum age to leave the ship on your own: Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult over the age of 21. If that adult is not a parent (even if the parent is on the cruise but not on the same tour), a parental consent guardianship form must be signed in this case, too.
Some shore excursions have minimum age requirements so check details before booking a tour for the whole family. (For example, participants must be at least 8 years old for the ATV tour of Huahine Nui and 18+ to drive. The age minimum for a waverunner tour is 14 years to participate and 16 to drive.)
Shipboard venues with age restrictions: You must be at least 18 years old to use the water sports equipment, gym or spa, unless accompanied by a parent.
Ponant
Minimum age to sail: Children under 3 are barred from sailing on traditional voyages while kids under 6 are not allowed on Ponant's polar expedition sailings. Ponant reserves the right to limit the number of children between the ages of 3 and 8 on any cruise.
Rules for traveling alone: You must be 18 or older to sail independently with Ponant.
Minimum age to leave the ship on your own: Minors (i.e. anyone under 18) can't leave the ship without a parent or guardian. Any child's participation in a ship-sponsored shore excursion is at the discretion of the captain and expedition leader. The determination will depend on things like the child's ability to respond to instructions, his or her height and ability to sit on the inflatable sides of a Zodiac. Note that Ponant does not carry parkas in children's sizes, and it is the responsibility of the parent to bring appropriate attire.
Shipboard venues with age restrictions: Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent to use the gym, pool and marina. Anyone wishing to have a spa treatment or use the sauna must be 18 or older.
Regent
Minimum age to sail: The minimum age to sail is 1 year.
Rules for traveling alone: Passengers must be at least 18 to travel alone, regardless of marital status. Children younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult at least 18 in the same cabin.
Minimum age to leave the ship on your own: Passengers must be at least 18 to leave the ship or participate in shore excursions on their own.
Shipboard venues with age restrictions: Passengers must be at least 18 to use the casino and spa services.
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
Minimum age to sail: The minimum age to sail is 6 months except for itineraries that include three or more consecutive sea days, which bumps the minimum age to 1 year. The cruise line reserves the right to limit the number of children under the age of 3 on any voyage.
Rules for traveling alone: Minors under the age of 18 who are not traveling with a parent or legal guardian must be accompanied by an adult 21+ in the same stateroom. A parental consent guardianship form must also be signed by the parent/legal guardian at least 30 days before sailing in order to authorized minors to sail under these circumstances. Unwed, unrelated couples must be at least 18 years old to book a cabin together.
Note: Additional minimum age requirements are currently being finalized by the cruise line.
Seabourn
Minimum age to sail: The minimum age to sail is 6 months on most sailings but 1 year on all ocean crossings. A minimum age of 6 years is required for Antarctica itineraries.
Rules for traveling alone: Passengers must be 21 or older to travel alone. Those younger must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 21, and one adult is required for every five passengers younger than 21 on the same booking. Written permission is required if an adult other than a parent or guardian accompanies minors.
For families booking multiple staterooms, each cabin should have at least one person who is 16 years of age.
Minimum age to leave the ship on your own: Passengers under 18 must be accompanied by an adult 21+ on all shore excursions.
Shipboard venues with age restrictions: You must be at least 18 to use the casino and spa/fitness facilities (including private treatments).
SeaDream Yacht Club
Minimum age to sail: The minimum age to sail is 1 year.
Rules for traveling alone: Passengers must be at least 18 to travel alone. Children younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 18. If the adult is not a parent, the child's parent or legal guardian must submit a signed consent form to the cruise line eight weeks prior to sailing.
Minimum age to leave the ship on your own: Passengers must be at least 18 to leave the ship on their own.
Shipboard venues with age restrictions: Passengers younger than 18 must be accompanied and supervised in order to use spa facilities, water sports and other activities like crew member-led walks ashore. Only passengers 18 years and older can access the casino.
Scenic
Minimum age to sail: The minimum age to sail is 12 with the exception of its voyages around Christmas. Scenic reserves the right to accept or reject the booking of kids under 12.
Rules for traveling alone: Passengers must be 18 or older in order to travel on their own. Passengers under 18 must be accompanied by an adult and share accommodations with him or her.
Minimum age to leave the ship on your own: Passengers 18 and older can leave the ship on their own. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Shipboard venues with age restrictions: Scenic requires that an adult accompanies any child under 18 in all public areas except some restaurants and lounges.
Silversea
Minimum age to sail: The minimum age to sail varies by ship. On Silver Wind, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper, Silver Spirit and Silver Muse, it’s 6 months; on Silver Explorer, Silver Cloud and Silver Discoverer, it’s 1 year; and on Silver Galapagos, it’s 6 years. Silversea might also limit the number of children under 3 on any given sailing.
Passengers traveling with children between 6 months and 1 year must notify Silversea and sign a notarized waiver.
Rules for traveling alone: Passengers must be at least 18 to travel alone. Those younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 21 in the same cabin or a connecting one.
Passengers younger than 18 who are traveling with an adult who is not their parent or legal guardian must provide a parental consent guardianship form from their parent or guardian to authorize their travel.
Minimum age to leave the ship on your own: All minors younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult at least 21 on all shore excursions and land tours. Children younger than 8 might not be allowed to participate in select shore excursions if tour vehicles do not have the appropriate seat belts or car seats for young children.
Shipboard venues with age restrictions: You must be at least 18 to use the casino.
Star Clippers
Minimum age to sail: There is no minimum age; Star Clippers will take babies of any age. Kids up to age 2 only have to pay port fees and gratuities. Just be aware that ships do not have elevators so your children should be old enough to safely navigate the decks with you.
Rules for traveling alone: Passengers must be at least 18 to travel on their own. Children younger than 18 must share a cabin with an adult 18 or older. A family of four would therefore need to split into one adult and one child in each cabin.
Minimum age to leave the ship on your own: Passengers must be at least 18 to leave the ship or participate in shore excursions on their own.
Shipboard venues with age restrictions: Passengers 12 and older can participate in Star Clippers' water sports program, including kayaking, snorkeling, paddle-boarding, water skiing and windsurfing. Children younger than 18 can use the spa if accompanied by an adult.
Viking Ocean Cruises
Minimum age to sail: Passengers must be 18 years old or older to sail on any cruise booked after August 1, 2018. (Cruises through 2019 may still have some passengers under 18 if the voyage was booked before August 1, 2018.)
Rules for traveling alone: Anyone 18 or older can book a cruise and travel on their own.
Minimum age to leave the ship on your own: All passengers 18 and older may leave the ship of their own accord and participate in ship-sponsored shore excursions.
Shipboard venues with age restrictions: Since Viking ships are 18+, there are no age restrictions in specific onboard venues.
Windstar
Minimum age to sail: The minimum age to sail is 8 years old.
Rules for traveling alone: Passengers must be at least 25 to travel on their own. Passengers under 21 must be accompanied by an adult 25 years or older in the same stateroom. An adult 25+ can accompany a maximum of five passengers under 21.
Passengers must be at least 25 to make a booking on their own, but exceptions may be made for younger married couples on a case-by-case basis. For families traveling together, at least one passenger on the reservation must be at least 21, and the cruise line will consider housing family members younger than 21 in adjoining or nearby cabins, again on a case-by-case basis.
Minimum age to leave the ship on your own: Passengers must be at least 18 to leave the ship or participate in shore excursions on their own.
Shipboard venues with age restrictions: You must be at least 21 to enter any lounges or bars. There's no age minimum for spa services; however, you must be at least 18 to book spa services, so a child would need an adult of that age to give consent to the treatment. The gym is also 18+; minors can enter with an adult present. Windstar's dive program also has a caveat for older passengers. Divers 75 years of age or older must present a medical certificate and proof of diving insurance.
