Wanna Drink? Go on a Cruise!

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Cruise News


Drinking Age Heads South

Alert to near-adults, and those who finance their trips: Several major cruise lines have changed age rules for drinking and gambling within the last year. Royal Caribbean, for example, lowered the age to consume wine and beer from 21 to 18 on all but its Alaska cruises. CoGo won't editorialize on how to use the following primer of cruise line rules.

• Must be 21 to drink and gamble: Norwegian, Holland America, Princess, Seabourn and Silversea. (Disney also sets 21 as the drinking age, but has no casinos.)

• 21 to drink, 18 to gamble: Carnival.


• 18 to drink wine and beer only, 21 to gamble: Crystal.


• 18 to drink wine and beer; 18 to gamble: Royal Caribbean, Celebrity.


• 18 to drink and gamble: Radisson Seven Seas, Orient.

Don't assume that cruises will be rowdier if the line allows young gamblers to drink. Many lines, including Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Carnival, require that one person per cabin be at least 25 if a cabinmate is under 21, except for married couples. The lowered drinking ages apply only outside U.S. waters.

Cruise lines that have adjusted age limits downward say it's in response to growing numbers of international customers.The United States' drinking age is shared by few countries.