There’s an entire generation of travelers that first learned about the notion of a vacation at sea by watching The Love Boat when it originally aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986. Every Saturday evening, viewers would tune in to discover what sort of hijinks were in store for the crew of the Pacific Princess, a real-life cruise ship that sailed for decades under the Princess Cruises flag.
Although viewers got a made-for-TV version of what life was actually like onboard, there was one overarching theme: cruises were fancy, sophisticated, and utterly adult. While there might have been children onboard from time to time for plot purposes, it was generally accepted that they were the guests in an otherwise mature world.
Decades later, it can feel like there are few cruises out there that aren’t designed for families traveling with their children. Most of the big-ship cruise lines have entertainments designed for all ages, and the majority of them include extensive children’s programming in their onboard programs.
So, what options are out there for cruisers who choose not to voyage alongside the younger set? Read on.
Adult-only cruises
Two cruise lines come to mind that are immediately adult—and they’re quite clear about it. Virgin Voyages is one of them. To join a Virgin voyage as a “sailor”, you must be 18 or over—no exceptions.
On a Southern Caribbean voyage onboard Virgin’s Valiant Lady last year, I quickly understood why. Not only are many of the onboard outlets named with an adult-oriented wink (like the ice cream parlor called “Lick Me Till… Ice Cream”), but the atmosphere—like the Love Boats of yore—is a freewheeling one.
Virgin emphasizes the ability to be oneself onboard—even if that self is a bit naughty—and many passengers weren’t shy about taking them up on that brand promise. During a pajama party early during the voyage, I noticed a younger man wearing only a jock strap and a bathrobe, dancing alongside a group of unfazed retirees.
Adam B, a university fundraiser from the US and fan of Virgin Voyages, explains it’s exactly that atmosphere that keeps him coming back to the brand, “There are no worries of having adult conversations or expressing affection with caution—it’s freeing to be on an adults-only vacation.”
Another cruise line that is officially for the 18+ crowd is Viking. As a river cruise line, they previously enforced a minimum age of 12, but when the company added ocean ships in 2015, they tried a new minimum of 18. Viking’s Vice President of Marketing, Richard Marnell, says passenger preferences drove that decision. “Our guests told us how much they appreciated a serene environment where they can travel without children and enjoy our fleet’s quiet, comfortable and elegant design.” It proved so popular, in fact, that in 2018 Viking raised the minimum age to 18 for river cruises.
Adult-mostly cruises
While Viking and Virgin are the two lines that only cater to adults, there are a number of other cruises that largely appeal to adults—even if children aren’t officially barred.