Guest Conduct Policy

It's your holiday and you should have the freedom to choose how you spend it. That's Freestyle Cruising® on Norwegian Cruise Line. Dress up or down. Sleep in or catch a sunrise from your own private balcony. Take in some never-before-seen entertainment at sea. Even eat somewhere different every day, on your own schedule. Whether you're on board or on shore, you can do as much or as little as you please. It's all up to you.

Although Freestyle Cruising offers you plenty of freedom and flexibility, it is important that all our guests have a common understanding of the expected behavioral standards while on board our ships. This Guest Conduct Policy is intended to ensure that all guests enjoy their cruise experience while following our code of conduct throughout their holiday. Whether you are transferring to and from ships, are inside the terminal, exploring on a shore excursion, enjoying our private island or on board one of our ships, we ask that you abide by this policy. It is not intended to be all-inclusive and it is possible that not all issues are specifically addressed. Guests are always expected to follow the direction of the ship’s Captain, who will take the necessary action to ensure the safety, security and well being of our guests. Guests are also expected to comply with applicable laws of the various countries that their cruise visits. Updates to the Guest Conduct Policy may be made between publications of this directory and will be available for review on the Norwegian Cruise Line website www.ncl.com.

 

SAFETY AND SECURITY

Safety and security are everyone's responsibility. Should anyone become aware of unsafe or possibly illegal behavior during their cruise, they should immediately report this to the ship's Security Staff or other ship management. This may be done through ship's telephone system by dialing 911 or by seeking the assistance of a crew member.

 

GUEST CONDUCT

GUEST AND CREW INTERACTION
Our crew members are friendly, outgoing and helpful, and they will do their very best to make your holiday as enjoyable as possible. Please do not misinterpret their friendliness. Crew members are prohibited from engaging in physical relationships with guests. Crew members are not permitted to socialize with guests beyond their professional duties, and are not permitted to be in guest staterooms, except for the performance of their shipboard duties. Guests are expected to respect these policies and are similarly prohibited from engaging in physical relationships with crew members. Guests are not permitted in any restricted or crew area of the ship, including crew staterooms and corridors.

VERBALLY ABUSIVE OR OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE
Verbally abusive or offensive language directed toward anyone, to include guests, crew members, governmental officials, or others is not permitted.

INAPPROPRIATE OR ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR
Inappropriate or abusive behavior including uninvited physical contact, solicitation, harassment, vandalism, theft, violence, use of fake/false identification, underage drinking (see alcohol section below), providing alcohol to those under the allowed age (see alcohol section below), possession of illegal substances/items or any other illegal or offensive conduct is not permitted.

UNSAFE BEHAVIOR
Sitting, standing, laying or climbing on, over or across any exterior or interior railings or other protective barriers, or tampering with ship's equipment, facilities or systems designed for guest safety is not permitted. Guests may not enter or access any area that is restricted and/or for the use of crew members. Any other unsafe behavior, including failure to follow security instructions, is not permitted.

DISCOURTEOUS OR DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR
Pool, deck and theatre chairs may not be reserved. Topless sunbathing is not permitted. Boom boxes or loud radios are not permitted. Roller blades, roller skates, skateboards, scooters, surfboards, bicycles, and similar items may not be utilised on-board; except for mobility aids related to special needs, as approved by the ship's management.

SMOKING
As the health and well-being of our guests and crew is of the utmost importance, Norwegian Cruise Line will institute changes to its smoking policy for all sailings on or after November 1, 2014. The specific changes prohibit smoking on stateroom balconies and limit smoking in the casino to players. On Norwegian Breakaway, smoking on The Waterfront will be permitted on the starboard side, except by the outdoor dining areas. (Smoking on The Waterfront is no longer permitted on Norwegian Getaway.) Public areas throughout all our ships are smoke-free. If you smoke regular or electronic cigarettes, you can do so in designated areas only. For more information on our smoking policy please click here.

CURFEWS
Ship's management reserves the right to enact and enforce curfews on an individual, group, or ship-wide basis, if in the sole judgment of the ship's Captain, such steps become necessary to ensure guest or crew safety. Children under the age of 17 are not allowed unaccompanied by an adult after 1:00 am.

DISEMBARKING FROM A SHIP
Parents or guardians must not permit any guest in their care under age 18 from leaving a ship in any port without responsible adult supervision.

PARENTAL AND GUARDIAN RESPONSIBILITY For purposes of this Guest Conduct Policy, a minor is defined as anyone under the age of 18. A young adult is defined as anyone ages 18, 19 or 20. Parents and guardians are responsible for the behavior and appropriate supervision of their accompanying minor(s) and young adult(s) throughout their holiday. This obligation applies during transfers to and from ships, inside terminals, while onboard, at our ports of call, during shore excursions and at our private destinations. This responsibility applies at all times, regardless of whether the parents and guardians are physically in the company of their minor(s) and young adult(s).

ALCOHOL
Norwegian Cruise Line guests are expected to be responsible for their actions at all times, including during transfers to and from ships, inside terminals, while onboard, at our ports of call, during shore excursions and at our private destinations. Consuming alcohol to excess impairs one's judgment and reduces one's ability to recognize and avoid potentially dangerous situations. Guests who choose to consume alcohol must do so responsibly. The ship's staff may refuse to serve alcoholic beverages to any guest who does not consume alcohol responsibly. Ship's personnel may request verification of a guest's age to verify they are of age to consume alcohol pursuant to this policy. Any guest that violates this alcohol policy, will be considered for disciplinary action pursuant to the "Consequences Section" of this Guest Conduct Policy, and may lose their privileges to use the disco or other areas or facilities of the ship or maybe required to disembark the vessel.

Guests are not permitted to bring alcoholic (except wine & a corkage fee will be charged) beverages onboard and Security reserves the right to inspect containers (water bottles, soft drink bottles, mouthwash, luggage, etc.) at any time. Alcoholic beverages that are purchased from onboard shops or in ports-of-call (which must be presented to security upon re-boarding), will be held until the last night of the cruise. The Freestyle Daily will list the location and time for pick up. Guests who are under the permitted drinking age will not have alcohol returned to them.

The minimum drinking age for all alcoholic beverages on Norwegian Cruise Line ships is 21. Guests who are 18 - 20 years of age can purchase and consume beer or wine when the ship is in international waters (3 miles out of US territorial waters). The age modification does not apply for Alaska and Hawaii sailings. The parent or legal guardian must be onboard the sailing with the young adult and present themselves at the Front Desk so they can sign the form allowing the consumption of beer and wine only. A notarised Parent Consent Form or any other document allowing for temporary guardianship for the purposes of the sailing only will not be accepted.

For purposes of complying with the minimum drinking age requirements, a guest's age is established upon embarkation (beginning of the cruise). If a guest celebrates their birthday during the cruise, and thereby becomes of age to consume alcohol, the guest may thereafter ask the Guest Services Manager to modify ship's records to permit their consumption of alcohol during the remainder of the cruise. The guest will be required to appear at Guest Services to present a government issued form of identification to permit verification of their age.

On cruises embarking in a country where the legal drinking age is lower than 21 and where a young adult (age 18, 19 or 20) is not travelling with a parent or legal guardian, they will generally not be permitted to consume alcohol. There may be exceptions made to this restriction in areas of the world where local laws require and Norwegian Cruise Line concurs. Details on such exceptions can be obtained from the Guest Services Desk. No guest under age 18 may possess or consume alcohol at any time, while onboard or at our private destinations. No guest under age 21 may possess or consume alcohol at our private destinations. Any guest who goes ashore and consumes alcohol (whether under the supervision of a parent/guardian or not, is responsible for ensuring they consume responsibly and retain their ability to recognize and avoid potentially dangerous situations when they return to the ship. Parents/guardians are reminded they are responsible for the actions of their child/young adult at all times while on a Norwegian Cruise Line cruise.

Guests who violate any alcohol policy, including but not limited to underage drinking; providing alcohol to minors or young adults; possessing, concealing or attempting to conceal alcoholic items in their luggage, when boarding, or while on board; engaging in alcohol drinking games; or failing to consume alcohol responsibly, will be considered for discipline under the provisions of this policy.

 

PROHIBITED ITEMS

ITEMS WITH HEATING ELEMENTS OR OPEN FLAMES
Certain items that generate heat or produce an open flame are not permitted onboard. This includes clothing irons, hotplates, candles, incense and any other item that may create a fire hazard. Curling irons and hair dryers are allowed and may require a converter.

DRUGS OR OTHER ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES
No illegal drugs or other illegal substances including but not limited to medical marijuana are allowed onboard or may be utilised during a Norwegian Cruise Line holiday, including during transfers to and from ships, inside terminals, during shore excursions or at our private island. Illegal drugs or substances will be confiscated and appropriate action taken,which may include removal from the ship and involvement of appropriate authorities. In addition, foreign governments at Norwegian Cruise Line ports of call have strict laws that address drug possession. Guests found in violation of such laws are subject to arrest and prosecution by the foreign jurisdiction (and perhaps United States or other authorities as well) and may be prevented from re-boarding the ship.

WEAPONS, EXPLOSIVES OR OTHER DANGEROUS ITEMS
No weapon, explosive, or other item that presents a risk of harm to persons or property, are permitted onboard. They will be taken by ship's Security and appropriate action taken. Guests are not allowed to bring their own scuba gears onboard such as oxygen tanks, diving knives, spears, etc.

NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
Non-alcoholic drinks such as water, soft drink and juices - are prohibited to be brought onboard either as carry-on or checked luggage on both embarkation and port days. The only exception to this policy is purified or distilled water in factory-sealed containers for use in conjunction with medical devices or for the reconstitution of infant formula.

 

HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

HAND WASHING
Guests are strongly encouraged to wash their hands with soap and hot water after using the restroom and before eating or handling food. Medical experts say this is one of the best ways to prevent illnesses from starting or spreading.

ILLNESSES AND ISOLATION OF GUESTS
Norwegian Cruise Line follows practices and maintains policies that seek to prevent illnesses from affecting our guests. One of the best ways to prevent the spread of contagious illnesses like gastrointestinal viruses, colds and flu is to wash your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds with soap and hot water after using the restroom and again before eating anything. In the event you experience symptoms that indicate a gastrointestinal illness, such as diarrhea or vomiting, or know of someone experiencing these symptoms, you must advise the medical staff immediately. In addition, some gastrointestinal illnesses remain contagious up to 72 hours or more after symptoms subside; therefore, if you or someone you know experienced such an illness just prior to your cruise, you must immediately notify the ship's medical staff. This will permit the crew to take steps to reduce the chance that your illness will spread to others on the ship. Failure to immediately report a contagious illness to the ship's medical staff, or to accurately describe its onset, greatly increases the likelihood the illness will spread to others and is a violation of this Guest Conduct Policy. In the event of a contagious illness, the ship's crew will take steps to curtail its spread to other guests, including if necessary, steps set forth in the Consequences Section on next page.

 

AGE POLICIES

FACILITY AGE REQUIREMENT
Splash Academy Ages 3-17, with age specific sections. Very limited exceptions for age bumping 3 -12 year olds. Freestyle Free Play time slots allows friends and siblings to play together.
Pools ** Guests must be fully toilet trained to enter the pools or hot tubs. Therefore, guests in nappies, pull-ups or swimmers may not use the pools or hot tubs, even if accompanied by a parent or adult guardian.
Hot Tubs ** Under age 16 must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian. Guests must be fully toilet trained to enter the pools or hot tubs. Therefore, guests in nappies, pull-ups or swimmers may not use the pools or hot tubs, even if accompanied by a parent or adult guardian.
Drinking Age 18-20 for beer and wine (with parent consent) 21 for all alcoholic beverages.
Fitness Centre (Gym) Children under the age of 16 are not allowed in the Fitness Centres.
Day Spa Age 18 and over.
Adult Night Club/Disco Age 18 and over (See alcohol policy).
Casino **** Age 18 and over

** United States Public health ( U.S.P.H. ) regulations prohibit nappies of any kind, including those marked as "swimmers," in the swimming pools or hot tubs.

*** If you’re 18 through 20 years of age and you have written consent of your parents or guardian ( parent or guardian must be on board ), you can purchase beer or wine for yourself only when the ship is sailing in international waters ( except Alaska and Hawai’i cruises where you must be 21 years of age to consume or purchase alcohol of any kind )

**** If you want to gamble in our casinos, you must have a valid ID showing you are 18 years or older.

 

CONSEQUENCES

FAILURE TO ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS POLICY MAY RESULT IN:

  • Intervention by Security, other management personnel or law enforcement
  • Removal of certain onboard privileges, which may include being detained, quarantined or confinement
  • Confiscation of illegal/contraband/prohibited items (may be turned over to law enforcement authorities) and used for prosecution
  • Denial of boarding on the current or any future Norwegian Cruise Line cruise holiday
  • Reporting of incidents to government and law enforcement authorities for follow-on legal action
  • Removal from ship at the next port-of-call. Guests removed from a Norwegian Cruise Line ship pursuant to this policy, are responsible. Documentation requirements for re-entry into the guest's home country are also the responsibility of the guest.
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