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.

For most major cruise lines in 2026, the minimum age to occupy a cabin without an older adult is 21 years old, particularly on sailings that depart from or visit the United States. This policy is strictly enforced because 21 is the legal drinking age in the U.S., and cruise lines use it as a threshold for "adult responsibility." However, there are exceptions: on many European-based cruises where the itinerary does not touch U.S. soil, the minimum age may drop to 18. Some lines, like MSC or Royal Caribbean, allow minors (under 18 or 21) to stay in a separate cabin only if that cabin is directly adjacent to or across the hall from their parents or legal guardians. Virgin Voyages is a notable outlier, as it is an "Adults Only" line requiring everyone on board to be at least 18. If you are under 21 and traveling with friends, ensure at least one person in each room meets the age requirement, or you may be denied boarding at the pier without a refund.