Adults-Only Cruises: How to Have a Kid-Free Cruise

For anyone who cruises regularly, the idea of a kid-free cruise might sound like a fantasy. Cruise lines cater to every demographic, but families traveling with children make up a huge chunk of the passengers on board, particularly during holidays and summer months. Thankfully, there are several strategies for cruisers looking for an adults-only vacation who don’t want to deal with roving packs of loud kids and teenagers disrupting their precious time at sea.

The easiest way to avoid kids is to sail on a ship that doesn’t have that many kids in the first place. Luxury cruise lines are the best cruise lines for adults seeking a sophisticated, relaxing experience at sea. They don’t cater to families to nearly the same extent as other lines, and while only some of them are officially adults-only, you’ll rarely find more than a small handful of kids on board. Of course, these high-end experiences come with an upfront price tag that could be two, three, or even four times higher than standard sailing.

Tip: While the upfront price of a luxury cruise is much higher than a traditional sailing, much of the fare includes drinks, specialty restaurants, and other amenities that mass-market lines charge extra for. For a more accurate comparison, see this pricing guide to luxury cruises.

Thankfully, you won’t be totally out of luck if the price of a luxury cruise is beyond your budget. While you’ll find kids on every single ship from mass-market lines like Carnival, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean, some sailings don’t attract nearly as many families as others. Be smart about when and where you cruise, and you can keep the number of kids onboard to a bare minimum. Plus, all of these ships are equipped with adults-only areas, so even if you do sail during a popular vacation time, you’ll have kid-free venues to escape to.

1. Choose the Right Itinerary

Booking the right sailing is the best way to avoid kids on your cruise without spending more money on a luxury line or confining yourself to the adult-only areas of the ship. Certain itineraries will definitely impact the number of kids who will be sailing on the ship, even with traditionally family-friendly cruise lines.

Don’t Sail During School Vacations: Parents are (understandably) very hesitant to take their kids out of school to go on vacation. They usually wait to schedule their cruise during school breaks such as spring break or summer vacation and holidays. Book your cruise during the school term, and you’ll most likely see a drop in young passengers.

Longer Itineraries = Fewer Kids: Families tend to book 4- to 8-night cruises. Sailing on a longer cruise itinerary can almost ensure that the number of kids will be limited. A 9- to 11-night cruise will have noticeably fewer kids on board, while a 12+ night cruise will have almost none.

Choose a More Exotic Destination: If you’re cruising to the Caribbean, we can virtually guarantee that you’ll have children on your ship (unless it’s with one of the few adult-only cruise lines). It’s far more accessible for most American families, and kids tend to prefer the beach days or active excursions found on Caribbean sailings. Destinations known for nature and history, like Europe and Asia, are much more adult-oriented, and you won’t find as many kids on board, even with a cruise line that attracts plenty of families in the Caribbean.

Tip: Alaska cruises are packed with kids during the summer months, so if America’s last frontier is on your bucket list, book a sailing before or after summer vacation.

2. Take Advantage of Kid-Free Areas

Even if you can’t afford the price of a luxury cruise and can only sail during popular vacation time, you’re not totally out of luck. Plenty of cruise lines have adults-only areas where passengers can have some peace and quiet during the day while they rest up for a night of bar-hopping, playing in the casino, or taking in Broadway-style entertainment. 

Serenity

Photos by Carnival Cruise Lines

Line: Carnival Cruise Line

Age: 21+

Cost: Free

Ships: All Carnival ships

Overview: On a line known for its boisterous atmosphere, Carnival's Serenity can be a lifesaver when you need to recharge. Though the location varies ship to ship, it’s always in a secluded area where guests can treat themselves to shade, ocean views, whirlpools, hammocks, and a full bar.

"The Serenity adults-only area is a huge plus. My children are grown and it is nice to be able to get away in an area that is exclusive for adults." - jrenffit12

"The Serenity area had cushioned chaise lounges on the Promenade deck. Wonderful area for relaxing and reading, and it's adults only." - CharleneS3

Search Carnival Deals

Posh, Vibe, and Spice H20

Photos by Norwegian Cruise Line

Cruise Line: Norwegian Cruise Line

Age: 18+

Cost: Free for Spice H2O, but Posh and Vibe require passes that start at $59 (Posh) and $99 (Vibe) per day or $209 per week.

Ships: Posh and Spice H2O can be found on Norwegian Epic, while Vibe and Spice H2O are on the Norwegian Breakaway, Getaway, Escape, Bliss, Joy, and Encore ships.

Overview: The Mediterranean-inspired Posh Beach Club comes with daybeds, fruit skewers, and a full bar, while The Vibe Beach Club has a huge hot tub, waterfall, and chaise-style loungers. H2O is similar to Posh and Vibe during the day, but by night, it becomes an Ibiza-inspired dance club as passengers celebrate with themed parties like disco night, a ravey glow party, and of course, an 80’s dance party.

"Spice H20 on deck 16 was the perfect alternative to the party atmosphere when we needed a quieter water/lounging area to just chill, visit or read." - MamaJama

"The parties in Spice H20 were amazing, and the cruise director was awesome." - smith711 

Find Norwegian Deals

Quiet Cove Pool, Bar & Lounge Area, Palo, Remy, and Serenity Bay

Photos by Disney Cruise Line

Cruise Line: Disney Cruise Line

Age: 18+

Cost: Free except for Palo and Remy, which are specialty restaurants.

Ships: All Disney ships, except Remy which is only available on the Disney Dream and Fantasy ships.

Overview: To make sure their adult passengers leave just as happy as their kids, Disney created adult-only areas for every time of day: The Quiet Cove has a pool, hot tubs, and bar for daytime lounging; Remy is the perfect spot for a fancy adults-only dinner; The District offers cocktail bars, nightclubs, and pubs for a grown-ups night out; and Serenity Bay on Castaway Cay lets you get some sun without worrying about getting sand kicked in your face.

"Would recommend that the adults have one evening in either the Palo or Remy Restaurants. Great food and service!" - Trine

"As we were four adults, we went over to Serenity Bay for the day. One of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen. The food was good and is included in the price of the cruise." - santaloveroh

Search Disney Deals

The Solarium

Photos by Royal Caribbean

Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean

Age: 16+

Cost: Free

Ships: All Royal Caribbean ships except Majesty of the Seas

Overview: The Solarium continues to grow in size with every new ship launched by Royal Caribbean, a strong testament to its popularity. Though older ships might not have the cascading lagoons or other bells and whistles like the Solariums on Quantum, Symphony, and Harmony, all of them come with cushioned lounge chairs, hot tubs, a seating area, and a full bar. The best part? The area is covered by a large glass canopy to keep the warmth in, giving it a real tropical feel.

"I really like the Solarium areas of the bigger RCCL ships. No kids...just Ahhhhh. relaxing. You'll find us there on most port days! We have it all to ourselves!" - MrCruzeaddict

"The solarium lets you have pool and outside time no matter what the weather is like." - CherylK2  

Find Royal Caribbean Deals

The Sanctuary

Photos by Princess Cruises

Cruise Line: Princess Cruises

Age: 18+

Cost: $20 / half day, $40 / full day

Ships: All Princess ships 

Overview: Every Sanctuary comes fully equipped with canopies, cushy loungers, and private cabanas for rent. There are even specialized Sanctuary Stewards serving flavored water, cold towels, and noise-reducing wireless headphones. On select ships, you can get access to the Lotus Spa Services at the Sanctuary with a Swedish or Deep Tissue Massage.

"The Sanctuary was bigger with 2 bathrooms… and a canopy, so if it rained, you had a place to run to during brief showers.  Also, it was a good place to have a cup of tea." - livolsi01

"The sanctuary was really nice and I would highly recommend spending your days at sea there." - RonD2 

Princess Deals Here

3. Spend the Extra Money to Cruise on a Luxury Line

An effective strategy for avoiding kids on a cruise is to book a line where families aren’t catered to. In fact, some luxury lines don’t even allow kids on board. The biggest barrier to this is price, a 7-night luxury cruise will often cost upwards of $2,000 per person. But if you can afford the hefty price tag, these lines are your best option for truly adults-only cruises:

Azamara Club Cruises 

Photo by Azamara Club Cruises

With a comfortable, clubby atmosphere, Azamara's three ships (with another launching in 2022)  explore the world. The itineraries are made for adults with extra time: Most sailings are longer than a week and include overnights in some ports. Gratuities are included in the rate and, since drinks are too, the vibe feels relaxed and social.

Ships: All Azamara Club Cruises

Azamara Deals

 

Oceania Cruises

Photo by Oceania Cruises

Oceania is so adult-oriented that you'll find nude sketches by Picasso in the impressively curated art collection. The 684-passenger Insignia, Nautica, and Regatta and 1,250-passenger Marina and Riviera feature Aquamar Spa + Vitality Center spas, a choice of sophisticated specialty restaurants, an impressive cooking school, and one of the best coffee bars at sea.

Best Ship: The line’s newest ship, Riviera, explores Greece and Turkey on a Gems of Antiquity tour. 

Oceania Cruises Deals

 

Windstar Cruises

Photo by Windstar Cruises

Windstar's ships carry only 148 to 310 passengers, attracting singles and couples with their yacht club-like atmosphere. You spend the day exploring in port, borrowing water toys — including sailboats — from the retractable marina, dining outside, or blissfully zoning out on the cushioned teak lounge chairs lining the sun deck.

Best Ship: With its billowing sails, the 148-passenger Wind Spirit wows with itineraries that include Tahiti and Costa Rica/Panama. 

Windstar Cruises Deals

 

SeaDream Yacht Club

Photo by SeaDream Yacht Club

 

SeaDream provides the ultimate couples cruising experience on its two 112-passenger luxury yachts. Food is expertly prepared, cabins are designed for two, the crew is amazing, and — despite the ship’s size — you can get excellent massages at the spa. Plus, you'll find complimentary mountain bikes and a variety of water toys to play with, and you can even spend a night sleeping under the stars on a large sunbed for two.

Best Ship: Twin ships SeaDream I and SeaDream II are both in the Caribbean from November to April. Drinks and gratuities are included in the cruise fare. 

SeaDream Cruise Deals

 

 

4. Cruise on a Kid-Free Ship

Viking River Cruises and Viking Ocean Cruises

Photo by Viking River Cruises

Viking’s ocean ships debuted as kid-free ships, and the line recently changed their river cruise ships to reflect the same — you won’t find anyone under 18 when sailing with Viking.

Best Ship: In Europe, go with one of the line's modern, 180-passenger longships, which have balcony cabins and outdoor dining options. The Viking Longship Forseti takes passengers to the vineyards and chateaux of Bordeaux, France, from March through December.

Explore All Viking Ocean and Viking River Cruises

 

Virgin Voyages

Photo by Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages launched as an adults-only cruise line (18+) in October 2021 with its first ship, Scarlet Lady. This ship was designed to reflect a yacht’s sleek luxury, offering the intimate, elevated experience of a boutique hotel at sea with well-being, relaxation, and rejuvenation at the forefront. Its contemporary interiors are decorated by some of the top names in the design industry. The ship features alluring entertainment and includes unlimited 20+ world-class intimate eateries, group fitness classes, free WiFi, and tips covered in the voyage fare. 

Ship: The Scarlet Lady has itineraries to the Caribbean, and its second ship, Valiant Lady, launching in Spring 2022, will sail in Europe and the Mediterranean.

 

Virgin Voyages Deals

 

Related Articles:

The Best Adult-Only Areas on Cruise Ships

Why Luxury Cruises Aren't Nearly as Expensive as You Think

How to Save Hundreds on Your Next Cruise