Age Requirements

Families with Children

Expedition cruises are generally considered not to be kid-friendly vacations due to weather conditions in the remote locations visited and the lack of youth facilities on ships. However, most cruise companies will allow children of a certain age to travel as long as they meet the minimum mobility requirements.

Families booking more than one cabin may be subject to minimum age requirements for kids staying in a separate cabin.

Guests Under 25 Years of Age

All cruise lines require that at least one person in each cabin meets a minimum age requirement. The lowest minimum age requirement for any cruise line is 18. The information that follows was provided by the cruise lines at the time of this writing and is subject to change. Also, age requirements and restrictions may vary by destination and should be confirmed with your Vacations To Go cruise counselor prior to booking.

The following cruise lines require that at least one person in each cabin is 18 or older:

American Queen Voyages, Atlas Ocean Voyages, Lindblad Expeditions, Ponant and Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours

The following cruise lines require that all passengers in a cabin are 18 or older or that at least one person in the cabin is 21 or older:

Quark Expeditions, Silversea and Viking

The following cruise lines require that at least one person in each cabin is 21 or older:

Celebrity, Hurtigruten and Seabourn

An exception may be made for underage married couples, as long as they are both 18. These couples may be asked to show proof of their marriage. This exception is based on individual cruise line policy and should be confirmed prior to booking.

Your age on the date of sailing is generally considered your age for the length of the cruise.

Consumption of Alcohol

The minimum drinking age on most expedition ships is 21 years of age. The only exception is Hurtigruten, which allows passengers to consume beer and wine at 18 years of age, and 21 years of age for all other alcohol. Additionally, a parent who is sailing with a son or daughter who is between the ages of 18 to 20 may be able to sign a waiver allowing the 18- to 20-year-old to consume alcoholic beverages.

Gambling Onboard

Gambling, a popular form of entertainment on some cruise ships, is not as common on expedition vessels. On expedition ships that have casinos, passengers generally must be 21 or older to play.