FX Excursions

FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.

Adults-Only Cruises from Disney, Norwegian, Princess and More

by Margaret Backenheimer and J.D. Brown

Mar 3, 2020

PHOTO:
© NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

March 2020

IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO FIND a cruise company more kid-friendly than Disney Cruise Line, but even at Disney, where animated characters rule the waves, adults can still take command of the helm. Each of Disney’s four ships features areas open from morning to night where adults can enjoy kid-free dining, recreation and entertainment options. The Quiet Cove offers an adults-only pool, hot tub and splash-up bar. One deck up lies an adult sundeck and sunbathing area. The Remy and Palo restaurants are adults-only, too, as is the Senses Spa & Salon with a full range of spa and beauty treatments including a thermal suite with sauna, whirlpools and heated ceramic loungers. Cruises offer mixology and tasting classes and shore excursions off-limits to kids, and in the Caribbean, Disney’s private island even includes an adults-only beach with cabanas, bar and barbecue buffet. Back on board, in The District, Disney created an animated corridor of pubs, cocktail bars and nightclubs restricted to the 18-or-older crowd.

PHOTO:
© NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

Disney is not alone in offering adults-only zones and facilities on its regular cruise ships. Norwegian Cruise Line equips its vessels with The Haven, a ship-within- a-ship containing its own concierges, around-the-clock butlers, sundeck, lounge, restaurant and staterooms, all reserved for passengers 18 and older. Celebrity Cruises maintains its own 18-plus sanctuary, The Retreat, featuring personal butlers, a private restaurant, a pool area and an exclusive lounge. Royal Caribbean’s ships offer The Solarium, where adults can enjoy private hot tubs, a pool and a full bar surrounded by a glass canopy. Princess Cruises has a similar adults- only inner sanctum known appropriately as The Sanctuary. And on Seabourn Encore and Seabourn Ovation, cruisers can rent an adult escape zone, known as The Retreat, by the half or full day. In addition to a hot tub and bar, Seabourn’s adults-only retreat provides 15 cabanas, each lavishly furnished with a couch, dining table, flat-screen TV, Bluetooth headsets, slippers, towels, souvenir tote bag, stocked minibar, fruit plate, lunch service, afternoon tea delivery and a bottle of Bollinger Champagne.

Such adults-only zones have become quite popular, but they encompass only a fraction of the whole cruise ship, where the majority of facilities and activities one might want to enjoy are not kid-free. For those seeking a full adults-only cruise, the options are more limited but well worth considering.

From the start, Viking Ocean Cruises, with its new fleet of 930-passenger ships, restricted its passengers to those age 18 and older. Recently Viking extended this policy to its vast fleet of river ships. Today there are no facilities or programs geared to infants, children or teenagers on any Viking cruises. Parents and grandparents will have to leave the kids at home.

PHOTO: © VIRGIN VOYAGES

The world’s newest luxury cruise line, Virgin Voyages, will also bar passengers under 18 when it begins operations in April. The first of Virgin’s three ships, the 2,770-passenger Scarlet Lady, begins a year-long program of four- and five-night cruises in Caribbean waters with nary a child in sight. Virgin Voyages’ founder, billionaire and airline owner Richard Branson, promises to deliver an “adult-by-design experience at sea.” The emphasis rests on combining relaxation and activity on an all-inclusive, laid-back, upscale sailing resort.

Virgin Voyages will offer passengers the choice of more than 20 eateries, intimate and open long hours as well as Champagne on demand, a range of RockStar suites, karaoke and DJ spaces, outdoor yoga, a jogging track, a boxing ring and a spa, plus the only tattoo parlor at sea, Squid Ink. Add to that an onboard record shop with listening stations and a vegan/vegetarian restaurant churning out dishes that can turn “naughty” with meat add-ons, and you have something approaching a children’s cruise for grownups — perhaps the unspoken aim of all adults-only cruising.

THE BRITISH VERSION

Three British-style cruise lines boast kid-free, adults- only ships for passengers seeking to eliminate the hassles and distractions that might be posed with families on board.

The first, P&O Cruises, now sails two adults-only ships: the 1,874-passenger Aurora and the 2,094-passenger Arcadia. The second, Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson Cruises), launched the 1,814-passenger Marella Explorer 2 last year, the brand’s first vessel exclusively for passengers 18 and older. The third choice, Saga Cruises, raised the age bar higher yet, setting the minimum passenger age on the 999-passenger Spirit of Discovery and new Spirit of Adventure at a lofty 50 years old.

All three lines prove very British indeed, seeing few travelers from outside the United Kingdom, and they seem somewhat staid by New World standards. Expect formal nights along with regular doses of ballroom dancing and shuffleboard.

Introducing

FX Excursions

FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.

Explore Excursions

#globility

Insta Feed
Daily
Apr 22, 2025

Sister Property to Versace Mansion Opens in Miami Beach This May

This May, Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant, the official sister property to Versace Mansion (now The Villa Casa Casuarina), debuts in Miami Beach. The new hotel and restaurant breathes life into a 1920s, Wallace Tutt-designed gem, with just six guestrooms for the ultimate intimate experience.

A Summer Sojourn Along Europe’s Rivers with AmaWaterways

This summer, elevate your vacation experience with award-winning AmaWaterways. Offering a seamless blend of unparalleled luxury, authentic cultural experiences and unrivaled service, AmaWaterways cruises are the perfect way to uncover the heart of Europe during the sunniest season with itineraries that glide along the continent’s most iconic rivers, including the Danube, the Rhine, the Seine and the Douro.

April 2025
Apr 21, 2025

Unwind Year-Round in Switzerland’s Charming Resort Towns

The best-known towns in the Swiss Alps are the ski resorts of Zermatt and St. Moritz, but skiing isn’t their only attraction. Winter or summer, you can expect a lively nightlife scene. Known for its posh hotels, St. Moritz was well-established as a year- round resort even before it hosted the Winter Olympics in 1928.

Daily
Apr 21, 2025

Alisal Ranch, California, Launches Culinary Bootcamps

Horses, California sunshine and great food are on the menu at luxurious Alisal Ranch in Solvang, located on 10,500 acres in the gorgeous Santa Ynez Valley. Throughout the year, guests can look forward to a great selection of programs designed in partnership with Chef’s Roll, a culinary community comprised of MICHELIN-starred chefs, mixologists, sommeliers, culinary students and hospitality industry professionals. Events at the ranch will include a BBQ Bootcamp May 4–6, and a BBQ University from Sept. 2 to 5.

Royal Air Maroc Marks Five Years with oneworld: Strengthening Connectivity Between USA and Africa and Expanding Global Reach

Royal Air Maroc proudly enters its fifth year as a member of the prestigious oneworld alliance. Since joining in April 2020, RAM has demonstrated resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, emerging as a dynamic airline that enhanced its digital services and expanded its network. The airline plans to grow its fleet to 200 aircraft by 2037, reinforcing its global presence.

Daily
Apr 21, 2025

7 Luxury Hotels for Mocktails

These seven luxury properties around the world offer sober and sober-curious travelers standout mocktail selections.

Daily
Apr 18, 2025

Azamara Cruises Announces Shore Excursions for Maiden Voyage to Greenland

Azamara Cruises has unveiled its new shore programming for its Greenland sailings, which start this July. The cruise line is known for its Destination Immersion experiences and Extended Destination Days; all the immersive shore excursions for Greenland sailings have been created in collaboration with local communities to showcase Greenland’s natural beauty. Due to Azamara’s commitment to locally driven experiences, guests will engage with the destination’s unique culture while supporting the local people.

Royal Air Maroc Introduces Groundbreaking Safety Video: A Captivating Invitation to Discover Moroccan Heritage

Royal Air Maroc continues to elevate the passenger experience with the launch of its new in-flight safety video — a cinematic journey that seamlessly blends essential safety instructions with a celebration of Moroccan cultural heritage.

Daily
Apr 17, 2025

Embark on a Whale Sharks and Dragons Expedition Aboard “Prana by Atzaro”

Hand-built of iron and teak using traditional boat building practices (and steeped in luxury), Prana by Atzaro — a traditional sailing vessel known as a phinisi — can comfortably accommodate up to 18 people in nine sumptuous stateroom suites. Experience this unique sailing experience yourself on board the stunning yacht during a new seven-night, eight-day Whale Sharks and Dragons Expedition.