Earlier this year, CCL-Carnival Cruise Line was recognized for revising policies regarding minors, a move that many guests regarded as long overdue. The company also suggested that further changes might follow, including the possibility of restricting younger cruisers from using hot tubs. While many areas aboard remain reserved for adults, a recent adjustment to policies at Celebration Key has shifted expectations and stirred debate among passengers.
CCL had previously enforced an 18-and-over rule for the Calypso Lagoon area, but effective September 6th, 2025, that policy has been amended. Guests aged 13 and older are now permitted access. In a communication to travelers who had already purchased amenities for the space, CCL explained that at the time of booking, the lagoon had been designated for adults only, but the updated requirement would allow younger guests to make use of the facility. The company added that those seeking a quieter, more private environment could instead visit the Pearl Cove Beach Club, which retains its 18-and-over restriction.
This change stands in contrast to the policies introduced earlier in the year, which tightened rules for minors’ accommodations. Beginning February 1st, 2025, children aged 14 and younger must stay in the same cabin or an adjoining stateroom with a guardian aged 25 or older, whereas passengers aged 15 to 17 may be housed within three staterooms of their guardian but must still be formally linked in the booking. Passengers aged 18 to 20 face no such limitations, though they too must be linked with a guardian aged 25 or older. That earlier revision was widely supported by guests, who saw it as a necessary improvement in supervision.
The decision to lower the age threshold at Calypso Lagoon has produced the opposite response. Many travelers expressed frustration, noting that the alteration was announced after they had already made their reservations. While Carnival positioned the update as an opportunity for younger passengers to enjoy more of the destination, the adjustment has sparked considerable dissatisfaction among cruisers who had expected the lagoon to remain an adults-only retreat.