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Become a Home Based Travel Agent
The ABC’s of Cruising with
Children
(Part 1)
By Nancy Norris
One of the biggest growth segments
in the cruise industry is family cruising. Pandering to this
demographic, there is not a new ship being built that lacks
special facilities for children of all ages. From infants to
young adults there is a ship that suits the needs of every
family. However, all families do not have the same needs, and
when it comes to family cruising, all ships are not created
equal. A ship that is a perfect fit for the family with toddlers
in tow may not be the right choice for active teens. Age
restrictions, cabin parameters, dining options and specific age
appropriate children’s facilities, activities, programs,
staffing and supervision vary amongst cruise lines (and even
between ships and itineraries within the same cruise line), but
are nonetheless crucial factors when matching a ship to a
family.
This is the first installment of a
series of articles that will address these factors, provide an
overview of each of the major cruise lines children’s programs,
specify the needs of various age groups, offer suggestions for
stress-free family cruising and identify the best ships for
toddlers, tweens, teens and multi-generational families.
When choosing an appropriate
cruise line for a family, the most basic question to ask first
is: “What are the minimum age restrictions?” Whether sailing
with infants or young adults, it is important to know the cruise
lines policies on participation in various aspects of the
cruise. So, this installment will focus on answering that
question by outlining the minimum ages to sail, to participate
in the children’s programs, to gamble and to drink alcohol on
the major cruise lines that offer some form of youth program.
Minimum Age Restrictions/Guidelines
To Sail:
|
Carnival |
6 months on
most cruises; 12 months on select longer itineraries |
|
Celebrity |
6 months on
most cruises; 12 months on select longer itineraries |
|
Costa |
6 months on
most cruises; 12 months on select longer itineraries |
|
Crystal |
6 months |
|
Cunard |
6 months on
most cruises; 12 months on select longer itineraries |
|
Disney |
12 weeks |
|
Holland
America |
6 months on
most cruises; 12 months on select longer itineraries |
|
MSC |
6 months |
|
NCL |
6 months |
|
Princess |
6 months on
most cruises; 12 months on select longer itineraries |
|
Regent Seven
Seas |
No official
minimum, but parents of babies under 6 months must
sign a waiver |
|
Royal
Caribbean |
6 months on
most cruises; 12 months on select longer itineraries |
To Participate in
Children’s Program:
|
Carnival |
2 years old;
children do not have to be potty trained and staff
will change diapers (must be provided by parents) |
|
Celebrity |
3 years old
and completely toilet-trained and diaper/pull-up
free |
|
Costa |
3 years old
and completely toilet-trained |
|
Crystal |
3 years old
and completely potty-trained |
|
Cunard |
1 year old |
|
Disney |
12 weeks |
|
Holland
America |
3 years old
and toilet-trained |
|
MSC |
3 years old;
Note: MSC caters to an international clientele and
children’s program is conducted in multiple
languages |
|
NCL |
2 years old;
children do not have to be potty-trained but if
diaper is soiled parents are paged to change it |
|
Princess |
3 years old
and completely toilet-trained |
|
Regent Seven
Seas |
5 years old;
program is only available on select sailings |
|
Royal
Caribbean |
To
participate in “Adventure Ocean Program” children
must be 3 years old and completely potty-trained;
“Babies and Tots Nursery” for children ages 6-36
months is available on the Oasis Class |
To Gamble in
Shipboard Casino:
|
Carnival |
18 years old |
|
Celebrity |
18 years old |
|
Costa |
18 years old |
|
Crystal |
21 years old |
|
Cunard |
21 years old |
|
Disney |
No Casino
Onboard |
|
Holland
America |
18 years old |
|
MSC |
21 years old |
|
NCL |
18 years old |
|
Princess |
21 years old |
|
Regent Seven
Seas |
21 years old |
|
Royal
Caribbean |
18 years old |
To Drink Alcoholic
Beverages:
|
Carnival |
21 years of
age no matter where ship is sailing |
|
Celebrity |
21 years
old; However, ships in Europe, South America and
Australia where legal drinking age is lower than 21,
parents accompanying their 18-20 yr old may sign a
waiver allowing them to consume alcoholic beverages. |
|
Costa |
21 years old
on cruises departing from US ports and 18 from
non-US ports |
|
Crystal |
21 for hard
liquor; 18 for beer and wine depending on location
(21 in US ports and within 3 mile limit) |
|
Cunard |
18 years
old, except when sailing in US waters - then the
legal drinking age of 21 is enforced |
|
Disney |
21 years old
no matter where ship is sailing |
|
Holland
America |
21 years old
on all ships, all destinations |
|
MSC |
21 years old
all ships, all destinations |
|
NCL |
21 years old
hard liquor; 18-20 yr olds can consume beer and wine
with accompanying parent’s consent when ship is
sailing in international waters (except in Alaska
and Hawaii) |
|
Princess |
21 years old
on all ships, all destinations |
|
Regent Seven
Seas |
21 years old
all ships, all destinations |
|
Royal
Caribbean |
21 years
old; However, ships in Europe, South America and
Australia where legal drinking age is lower than 21,
parents accompanying their 18-20 yr old may sign a
waiver allowing them to consume alcoholic beverages. |
|
Nancy Norris
Owner,
Portside Travel
Cruise Editor
Nancy Norris, a former editor of
CruiseReviews.com and PortReviews.com where her reviews are still
the top performers, is the feature writer for
The Heart of Lake County Magazine's travel section,
contributing author of travel guide books for consumers and
educational resources for agents. She is a home-based travel agent
specializing in cruising and maintains a strong presence on the
Internet as administrator and moderator for various travel agent
forums.
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