Oceania Cruises has adopted an adults-only policy, with all new reservations made from today limited to guests aged 18 and over. Existing bookings that include minors will be honoured under their original terms. The move positions the brand more clearly within the mature, low-key segment of the luxury cruise market.
The travel brand’s principal customer base consists largely of travellers aged over 55, and the shipboard programming has historically not been structured around families or multigenerational travel.
According to the company’s commercial leadership, formalizing an age threshold brings consistency across itineraries and provides greater clarity for travel advisors when matching clients to suitable cruise products.
Feedback from repeat guests had indicated that such a policy would align with expectations and be well-received.
Although children and teens are generally less prevalent on luxury and upper-premium ships than on mass-market cruise lines, only a small number of brands operate with a formal age restriction. With this change, Oceania joins Viking and Virgin Voyages in maintaining an adults-only offering.
The policy forms part of a broader repositioning undertaken by the line over the past year. Recent changes have included a shift in branding from upper-premium to luxury, the introduction of inclusive fare elements such as alcohol or shore excursion credits, and the unveiling of new accommodation concepts on upcoming vessels.
From the perspective of its parent company, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings/NCLH, the emphasis remains on preserving the calm onboard atmosphere that has become a defining characteristic of the brand. The transition to adults-only sailings is intended to reinforce that environment rather than alter the fundamental nature of the experience.
Within the wider group, the sister-brand Regent Seven Seas Cruises/RSSC will continue to welcome younger passengers on selected voyages. Unlike Oceania, RSSC offers structured youth programming on certain sailings, whereas Oceania has historically operated without dedicated facilities or activities for children or teenagers.