MSC Cruises has made a major change to its policy on cruising with infants, and has done so at short notice. The change has meant that many guests are being forced to cancel their cruises, although sometimes only with a partial refund.
From 15th May 2025, children must be at least two years old – 24 months – on the day of embarkation to board any MSC Cruises voyage lasting 11 nights or more.
Infants under the age of two will no longer be permitted on these longer cruises.
“For sailings of 11 nights or longer departing on or after 15th May 2025, children must be at least 2 years old (24 months) on the day of embarkation,
“Infants under 2 years of age will not be permitted to sail on these itineraries.”
MSC Cruises website
The cruise line cites safety concerns for the new policy, particularly highlighting the challenges of providing urgent medical care to very young children during extended periods at sea, far from ports of call.
“This policy is due to long cruises often having multiple days at sea, which can impede our ability to provide urgent medical care for infants.”
MSC Cruises website
Impact on Booked Families
Families who had already booked cruises departing after the policy change have voiced concerns across social media platforms. Some passengers report that refunds are being offered, though not without some complications.
“Only refunds being given to the cabins the baby is in,” shared one affected guest. “So, if like me, you’ve booked a family holiday consisting of three cabins, you will not be fully refunded.”
Officially, MSC Cruises has advised that guests affected by the new policy will be offered a “Free Cruise Move” to another sailing at new pricing. Alternatively, cancellations will follow the line’s standard cancellation policies.
One important note is that the policy does not apply to families who have booked two consecutive 7-night cruises. These are treated as two separate sailings, thus exempt from the new restrictions.
Prior to this update, MSC Cruises permitted infants as young as six months old to sail on most itineraries, with a minimum age of 12 months for longer or more remote voyages.
There was previously no general restriction for infants under two years old on cruises of 11 nights or more.
The new policy represents a shift in approach as MSC Cruises continues to emphasise safety protocols aboard its fleet.
Despite the stricter rules for longer sailings, MSC Cruises still wishes to be seen as being a family-friendly cruise line. In partnership with Chicco, ships are equipped with a range of baby items such as bottle warmers, cots, highchairs, and strollers.
Restaurants and room service can assist with warming bottles and baby food, and onboard shops carry essential items like nappies and formula.
For entertainment and care, the cruise line offers Baby Clubs for infants up to three years old, with dedicated spaces and qualified staff. Parents can opt for MSC Baby Time – where they stay and play with their little ones – or MSC Baby Care, which allows parents to leave their children with trained staff for short periods.
However, MSC Baby Care has limited capacity and is available to a maximum of 15 infants at a time.
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Hi, the UK MSC website still has the under one policy and I can’t find this change. We will be sailing in July 2026 when our twins will be 23 months, argh. We’ve had no official notice yet
Hi Helen. I would suggest calling them to confirm. Or if you have booked with a travel agent, they will be able to help. Jenni