by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 1:15 PM ET, Fri January 9, 2026
News about Carnival Cruise Line warning guests who break underage curfew rules onboard with a $500 fine is making the rounds on Facebook this week, prompting Carnival to double down on its rules.
The initial post from cruise guest Phyllis Teacher included a letter from the captain of the Carnival Elation, dated on December 10, 2025. It has since been shared among family cruise blogs and across social media, with over 500 people commenting on the post.
In the letter, the captain claimed the underage guest, who was fourteen, of breaking the cruise line’s 1:00 a.m. curfew and warning that should the child break curfew again, it could see the family being fined $500. A third curfew break would get the family kicked off the ship and “placed on our no-sail list.”
“We know these consequences are rigid,” said Staff Captain Alberto Pettiti in the letter, “but we take this matter very seriously.”
Carnival Cruise Line didn’t comment on the specific incident, but sent over a statement to TravelPulse: “Our policy requires guests 17 and under to be out of public areas by 1:00 a.m. unless they are accompanied by an adult in their traveling party who is 21 or older. This guideline is in place to help maintain a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone on board.”
Carnival Cruise Line has been known to have a “party boat” vibe for years. A curfew for younger guests is seen as a way to curb bad behavior that might arise without proper adult supervision.
An article on CruiseFever also reported cruise guest Phyllis Teacher’s original post, who posted the warning letter saying “Might be a while til we take these kids on a cruise.. baby we almost got a $500 fine…,”
Comments on the original Facebook post ranged from being angry at the cruise line to praising the line’s enforcement of its policy.
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