Can a 21 year old and a 20 year old go on a cruise?

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.



Whether a 21-year-old and a 20-year-old can share a cabin on a cruise in 2026 depends entirely on the cruise line's specific age policy. For the majority of U.S.-based lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Princess, at least one person in the stateroom must be 21 years of age or older. If the 21-year-old is traveling with a 20-year-old, many lines will allow this, but the 20-year-old will not be allowed to purchase or consume alcohol. However, some lines like MSC Cruises and Virgin Voyages have slightly different rules; Virgin Voyages is an "18+" brand, so any two people over 18 can share a cabin without issue. On many European-based sailings, the minimum age to book a cabin is often 18. A major caveat for 2026 travelers is that if the two individuals are not married or domestic partners, some lines may still require a "parent or guardian" to be booked in a nearby cabin if everyone is under 21. If the 21-year-old and 20-year-old are married, they are generally allowed to sail together on any line, provided they can show a marriage certificate. Always check the "Minor Policy" of your specific cruise line before booking, as being denied boarding at the pier is a common and expensive mistake for young travelers.

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Guests must be 21 years of age or older to be served alcohol on board. Proper I.D with birth date is required. In keeping with U.S. federal law, the age for the sale of tobacco products is 21. This policy is for U.S.-based itineraries/ships only.

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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.

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Legal Drinking Age on Cruise Ships That said, you'll notice that most cruise ships sailing from North America have a minimum drinking age of 21 years to abide by United States law. This is despite Mexico and some places in Canada having minimum drinking ages of 18 or 19.

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One person must be 18 years of age or older at time of sailing. Passengers under the age of 21 years must travel in a stateroom with a passenger 21 years or older who shall assume responsibility for their care during the cruise.

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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. A guest's age is established upon the first date of sailing.

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Times Your Child Does Not Need a Passport to Cruise Children younger than 16 need only to carry their birth certificates (original or copy); children 16 and older, as well as adults, each need to show both a birth certificate and a government-issued photo I.D.

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Cruising to/from a foreign homeport: Any time your embarkation or debarkation port is in a foreign country, all cruisers (kids and adults) need to carry valid passports.

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Infants must be at least 6 months of age at the time of embarkation in order to sail. Children must be at least 12 months of age at the time of embarkation to sail on trans-ocean crossings and remote itineraries, where there are more than 2 consecutive sea days.

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Prescribing formal attire requirements just isn't our style. What is the drinking age on board? The drinking age in international waters is 18, in the United States it's 21, and in other ports, we'll go with whatever their country's laws specify. How long can I leave my stuff unattended on sun chairs/loungers?

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In most areas of the world, the minimum drinking age is anywhere from 16 to 18, so it is possible to find a cruise that adheres to this minimum. That said, you'll notice that most cruise ships sailing from North America have a minimum drinking age of 21 years to abide by United States law.

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However, if a guest celebrates their 21st birthday during the cruise, the guest may thereafter ask the Guest Services Manager to modify ship's records to permit their consumption of alcohol during the remainder of the cruise.

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Any hard liquor, beer, other forms of alcoholic beverage, and non-alcoholic beverages, outside of the exceptions referenced above, are strictly prohibited (in both carry-on and checked luggage) and such items will be confiscated and discarded, and no compensation will be provided, states Carnival Cruise Line's ...

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If you break ship rules by drinking underage you can expect a stern verbal and written warning to you and your parents upon your first offense. If you do it again, your entire party (you, your parents and any other siblings) will be put off the ship at the next stop.

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At night, supervised teen programming may include interactive games, video game or arcade play, and late-night dance parties. The teen lounges will likely be open for general socializing, as well.

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If you take closed loop cruises (meaning your trip begins and ends at a U.S. port), you can sail to a variety of dreamy destinations as a U.S. citizen without a passport. For “closed-loop” cruises, U.S. citizens will need to provide: A boarding pass. A government photo I.D.

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Most cruise lines offer kids-free pools and/or sun decks, as well as age restrictions on casinos, spas (save those that allow teen treatments with parental supervision) and most nightclubs and bars after certain hours. Some ships even have adults-only restaurants.

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Drinking on board is 21, period. No matter where the ship is. You can drink in ports where the age is 18, but you can be denied getting back on the ship if you are falling down drunk . As an 18 year old, I was able to drink beer and wine (no liquor though) since my parents signed some form.

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