Oceania Cruises is now an adults-only cruise line. All new reservations, effective today, will only accommodate guests 18 and over, a change intended to solidify the brand as one for a mature and relaxed experience.
The line will honor existing reservations that include guests under 18.
Oceania's core demographic is travelers over 55, and the ships and onboard experience are not designed for children or multigenerational travel, said chief commercial officer Nathan Hickman.
Becoming an adults-only line helps standardize the onboard experience across all itineraries and allows advisors to better steer customers toward the cruise experience that suits their needs, he said.
Guest feedback informed Oceania that such a change would be popular, Hickman said.
"We recognize this is a pretty big change, and I think it's a good change," he said. "It's exactly what our guests have indicated that they want."
While luxury and upper-premium cruise lines tend to see fewer children and teens onboard than contemporary lines, only a few do not allow them. Oceania joins Viking and Virgin Voyages in being an adults-only brand.
It is one of a series of updates and rebrands Oceania has made in the last year. Others include rebranding the line from upper premium to luxury and the introduction of an alcohol or shore excursion credit included with the fare.
"Our guests have consistently shared that the tranquil environment aboard our ships is one of the primary reasons they return time and time again," said Jason Montague, chief luxury officer at parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. "By transitioning to an adults-only experience, we are enhancing the very essence of the Oceania Cruises journey -- one defined by sophistication, serenity and discovery."
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings' other luxury line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, will continue to welcome kids, Hickman said.
While Oceania will no longer allow them, it never offered specialized experiences for children or teens in the first place, he said. Regent, meanwhile, offers a youth program, Club Mariner, on select voyages.