What are the best adult cruises—ones that are not only child-free, but cater to adult tastes and interests?
You might ask because you just spent time on a giant ship where the kids took over the pool and hot tub (not to mention the elevator), much to your chagrin. Or maybe you’re looking for a vacation with more lectures and less uncertainty, or maybe a cruise that’s more R-class than G-class.
Alas, the list of adults-only cruises is pretty slim. Only a handful of cruise lines have banned children and committed to cruises for adults — perhaps the most notable among them are cruise newcomers Virgin Voyages and the fast-growing Viking Cruises. Oceania Cruises is also becoming an adults-only cruise line.
In fact, the trend in cruise travel in recent years has been toward more family-focused sailings, with more and more children on board ships of all types. In fact, some of the biggest and best-known cruise brands have gone all-in on the family market, so much so that the sun-soaked top decks of their ships sometimes feel more like a scene from “Daddy’s Day Care” than a blissful vacation spot.
However, don’t despair. While many cruise lines are doubling down on the family market, a small group of cruise operators are still fully supportive of the idea of adult cruises.
Here are our picks of the best cruise lines for adults with a grown-up vibe.
Related: A Beginner’s Guide to Choosing a Cruise Line
virgin voyage
Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group’s much-publicized new route bans children under 18 from traveling on its ships. It’s part of an effort to create a sleeker, more sophisticated, adult-focused atmosphere that company leaders believe is sorely lacking in the cruise world.
“We did a lot of research and really tried to create a sophisticated experience,” former Virgin Voyages CEO Tom McAlpin said days before the line’s 2021 debut. “I did some personal research. What we found was that when you put kids in the pool, they’re going to scream, and we don’t want that.”
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Related: I’ve been on over 150 cruise ships. This is my take on the Scarlet Lady
Virgin Voyages’ first four adults-only ships, the 2,770-passenger Scarlet Lady and sister ships Valiant Lady, Resilient Lady and Brilliant Lady, offer services such as interactive dance parties for adults looking for adult fun. Each ship also features a karaoke lounge with pink and purple karaoke rooms and a tattoo parlor (find out how one of our employees was one of the first people to get a tattoo on board).
What you won’t find on these four ships are waterslides, splash zones, teen lounges, and all the other family-friendly amenities that are becoming more and more common on larger ships.
vikings
To create an adults-only cruise experience, Virgin Voyages took a page from the rapidly growing Virgin Cruises playbook. Viking Cruises’ 12-ship ocean cruise division has banned children under 18 since its debut in 2015. In addition, its river cruise division, which has 88 ships, has had a minimum age limit for more than two decades. (Originally, the age limit was 12; as of 2019, the age also jumped to 18.)
Vikings and Vikings are not alike. Virgin aims to appeal to Millennials and older travelers who want to party like Millennials. By contrast, Vikings is the anti-millennial line.
Viking’s target market happens to be people over 55 years old. It targets this demographic with an upscale, destination-focused experience that is heavily focused on what the industry calls “enrichment” — onboard lectures and other learning opportunities. It also emphasizes history- and culture-focused tours (there’s at least one free tour at each port) and entertainment offerings that favor string quartets over dancers in string bikinis.
“What we try to do is try not to be all things to all people,” Richard Marnell, Viking’s executive vice president of marketing, told TPG. “We don’t have children’s programming. What we do have is… [an] The immersive experience is best for the intellectually curious. “
Oceania Cruises
Upscale brand Oceania Cruises, which operates eight relatively small ships, is in the process of transitioning to adult cruises. The brand announced on January 7 that it would no longer accept bookings from travelers under the age of 18 – in line with the age restrictions used by Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Atlantic.
Nonetheless, Oceania said it would honor all bookings made before January 7, including for younger travellers. This means you may still see children on some Oceania cruises over the next two years, as the brand has started accepting bookings for some sailings as far away as April 2028.
In making the announcement, Oceania said the policy change follows extensive research, including feedback from past customers, new brand travelers and travel agents.
“Our guests unanimously agree that the tranquil surroundings on our ships are one of the main reasons they return time and time again,” Jason Montague, chief luxury officer for Oceania Cruises, said in a statement. “By transitioning to an adults-only experience, we are enhancing the essence of an Oceania cruise – sophistication, serenity and discovery.”
Like Viking, Oceania specializes in destination-heavy itineraries that typically appeal to an older age group, including retirees, with sailings around the world.
Railway Cruise Line
The famous British cruise line clearly sees demand for adults-only cruises, but it’s not giving up on the family market either. This line separates the difference between the two segments. Five of its seven ships (Arvia, Iona, Britannia, Ventura and Azura) are promoted as “family friendly” and open to passengers of all ages. The other two (Arcadia and Aurora) are reserved exclusively for adults on most cruises.
Given that more than 95% of the Southampton, England-based cruise line’s passengers are British, you’ll probably want to be British, or a major Anglophile, to consider booking on one of the latter two ships. Sailing with P&O Cruises is a very British experience, which becomes clear the moment you see one of their ships (even before boarding). Their hulls were painted with huge British flags.
Additionally, you’ll find quintessentially British fare on P&O Cruises, such as exquisite afternoon teas, rings on the top deck and restaurant menus designed by British chefs such as Marco Pierre White.
That said, if you’re a Princess Cruises fan, you’ll probably feel right at home on P&O Cruises. The two brands are part of the same company and are long-time sister brands, swapping ships back and forth (although Holland America fans may be interested to know that the Acadia shares ship designs with the series’ Vista Class).
For booking purposes, P&O Cruises considers anyone 18 years of age or older when sailing as an adult.
RELATED: The Best Cruise Lines for Seniors Who Love Sea Travel
Saga Cruise
Like P&O Cruises, Saga Cruises is a British cruise line focused on sailing for adults, but it goes well beyond P&O Cruises or any other cruise line when it comes to avoiding younger travelers. The minimum age on Saga Cruises is not 18, or even 21, but 50.
That’s right, you won’t find a single Millennial on board Saga Cruises, and you won’t even find that many Gen Xers (even the oldest member of Gen X, at 59, is only nine years younger). Instead, you’ll find a lot of baby boomers, many of whom have retired.
Saga Cruises operates two ocean-going vessels that sail only outside the UK, as well as several river vessels. Like P&O Cruises, it’s probably the best product for British travelers or large Anglophiles.
Other adult-focused cruises
In addition to lines that completely ban passengers under 18, many cruise operators allow younger children, but in relatively small numbers.
Examples include upscale cruise lines such as Regent Seven Seas, Silversea and Seabourn, which primarily cater to the older age group. Small cruise ship specialist Windstar Cruises allows teenagers on seven of its ships, but not any children under 8 years old.
Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours sells ocean and river cruises and has traditionally discouraged customers from bringing passengers under the age of 12 on board, except during Christmas holiday sailings.
Also, the longer the cruise, the fewer children you will find. During the school year, book a two-week-plus cruise to more exotic locations like Asia or South America with a line like Holland America or Princess, and you’ll be sharing the ship primarily with adults.
Additionally, the affordable Carnival line last year began offering a handful of invitation-only adults-only sailings aimed at gamblers that include expanded casino games, themed parties and other adult-oriented offerings. Passengers on these flights must be 21 years or older.
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