Least amount of kids ??

[pisces68]

I'd really like some feedback on anyone's opinion of which cruise line seems to have the least amount of kids on it. I know there aren't any adult only cruises out there (or at least I think I do) but was just wondering if maybe Celebrity, Princess or even Norweigan might be 'ok'. We've done Carnival, Royal Carribean and Disney because we do have a daughter but she's now 19 and well.... I'd like just a semi quiet, laid back, relaxing kind of cruise/vacation. Please do not get the wrong idea. I love kids, I just dont want to be jumped on in the pool anymore. :o Any input?

[bus man]

I've not been on the luxury lines, but I would imagine they would have fewer kids than the mass-market lines. But you don't have to give up on these lines if you don't want to. Simply sail at times when most schools are in session, and you'll find that there are only a handful of kids aboard. (Well, I don't know about Disney; but this has been my experience with Royal Caribbean.)

[cruzeluver]

Either go with a luxury line, or sail when school is in session on a cruise longer than 7 days.

[cb at sea]

Time of year is your best bet on ANY line, unless you want to pay the "luxury" prices for a true luxury, all-inclusive ship. Don't sail during summer vacation or in the spring when most schools do "spring break". Don't sail over holidays.....all of those times will have families onboard.

That said....we've sailed over the Easter break several times, and while there were plenty of kids, I simply ignored them! We chose a ship with an "adult" pool, so we didn't have to worry about rowdy kids on sea days. Aside from the pool, you really don't get bothered by children...they're kept quite busy!

[Hunter22a]

As mentioned above, the longer the cruise and the more exotic the location the fewer children will you see. On our last Beijing Singapore cruise I counted exactly 5 children and one infant on a sold out cruise of 2800+. At the same time I could have considered myself as a teenager at 55 yrs of age as most onboard were 65+ Cruising out of school breaks also works well. Just remember if you do decide to cruise Austrailia or there abouts their year is the opposite of ours with the dead of winter, if you can call it that in July/August.

[wwcruisers]

Although we sail RC and X, both of whom encourage "junior cruisers", we try to avoid them, whenever possible:

-- sail when most schools (including colleges) are in session;

-- take longer itineraries (saw 2 kids on our Panama canal transit);

-- once on board, steer toward areas/events for the "older crowd" eg: second seating in the MDR, Solarium (rather than the main pool), etc.

On the whole, I think that RC and X do a very good job of keeping the young-un's entertained and supervised. :cool:

[CruiserBruce]

Sailing on longer cruises (10 days or better),or when school is in session, is good advice.

 

Of the mass market lines, Holland America is commonly known to have few children. Again- on the longer cruises, and when school is in session.

[GORDONCHICK]

Long cruises, cruising during non-peak times, smaller ships without kids' programs, and sailing out of foreign ports will help lessen the likelihood of lots of kids. However, avoiding most of the school breaks can prove to be difficult because schools have breaks at different times. And with many home-schooling these days, there will be no guarantees.

[paul929207]

P&O has some adults only sailings.

 

Beyond that, to minimize the number of kids on your cruise:

-Cruise when schools are in session.

-Take expensive cruises

-Take long cruises

-Cruise on small ships (the two small Princess ships usually have no kids programs since they have too few on board).

-Start and end the cruise away from the US.

[pisces68]

Thank you everyone for your advice. I do appreciate it. And like I said, please dont get me wrong, I love kids, after all I do have one :) but we didnt go on many cruises when she was real little. We just got off of Carnival this past Sunday. I 'thought' most kids would have been back in school but... I was wrong LOL And you're all correct. For the most part the cruise line does keep the kids busy but this past cruise was CRAZY! Kids EATING in the pools/hot tubs with no parents correcting them. Thats just nasty and it happened alot. Not to mention the kids we saw either running up and down the stairs, knocking into people or hitting every single floor on the elevator (while we were in there! ) :eek: Thanks for all the advice, it certainly helped :)

[GORDONCHICK]

Thank you everyone for your advice. I do appreciate it. And like I said, please dont get me wrong, I love kids, after all I do have one :) but we didnt go on many cruises when she was real little. We just got off of Carnival this past Sunday. I 'thought' most kids would have been back in school but... I was wrong LOL And you're all correct. For the most part the cruise line does keep the kids busy but this past cruise was CRAZY! Kids EATING in the pools/hot tubs with no parents correcting them. Thats just nasty and it happened alot. Not to mention the kids we saw either running up and down the stairs, knocking into people or hitting every single floor on the elevator (while we were in there! ) :eek: Thanks for all the advice, it certainly helped :)

 

Many schools don't start back up until after Labor Day.

[paul929207]

Thank you everyone for your advice. I do appreciate it. And like I said, please dont get me wrong, I love kids, after all I do have one :) but we didnt go on many cruises when she was real little. We just got off of Carnival this past Sunday. I 'thought' most kids would have been back in school but... I was wrong LOL And you're all correct. For the most part the cruise line does keep the kids busy but this past cruise was CRAZY! Kids EATING in the pools/hot tubs with no parents correcting them. Thats just nasty and it happened alot. Not to mention the kids we saw either running up and down the stairs, knocking into people or hitting every single floor on the elevator (while we were in there! ) :eek: Thanks for all the advice, it certainly helped :)

While schools in the south have mostly returned to classes, most schools in the northeast have about two weeks before they start.

[Underwatr]

I've booked a 9-day (Fri-Sun) and a 15-day Cunard cruise and there were very few children (as in 5 or fewer) on either. The ones I did see were always in excellent behavior.

[Marie51]

If you can swing it try Crystal....very few children onboard.

[paul929207]

We sail mostly on the small Princess ships (Ocean P & Pacific P - each 680 passengers). The cruises are 14 to 30+ days and there are rarely 5 kids onboard.

[Langley Cruisers]

OP, that's totally fine, no apologies - we know you love kids. :)

 

Our Princess cruise was the most relaxing we have ever been on. It was lovely...a bit longer, 10 nights, and very few kids. Perhaps look at the Princess itineraries (this, coming from a loyal Royal! LOL!).

[LHT28]

Look at Oceania or Azamara also

They are in between mainstream & luxury lines

[jocap]

By November, there will be 3 adult only ships in the P&O line- one is the ex-Royal Princess. They will be sailing on longer cruises this winter, and may well be touching the USA- in fact, the small ex- Princess, Adonia, is visiting S. America, and calling in at the US- there may be segments of that cruise which will fit.

Also, there will be various segments of World cruises next Jan- try P&O and Cunard- which will have departures from the US....few children on board those.

Jo.

[pisces68]

OP, that's totally fine, no apologies - we know you love kids. :)

 

Our Princess cruise was the most relaxing we have ever been on. It was lovely...a bit longer, 10 nights, and very few kids. Perhaps look at the Princess itineraries (this, coming from a loyal Royal! LOL!).

 

 

I've always wanted to try Princess! I will definetly look into their itineraries. I LOVE planning, even if I did just get off the Valor on Sunday :)

[pisces68]

Thank you Everyone! Everyone had something personal and great to offer, I love this board!!:)

[Hlitner]

We also like to avoid tons of kids on our cruises and are very successful by simply taking very long cruises when school is in session. Holland America is usually a good bet since they are not known as having great kids programs. We also find that smaller ships (no more then 800 passengers) generally attract fewer young families. Our most recent cruise was a 41 day cruise on Holland America's Prinsendam (this meets all of our criteria) and the youngest passenger on that entire 41 day voyage (which could have been taken in 2 shorter segments) was a 24 year old lady. And the only reason we had that 24 year old was that she was accompanying her Grandmother (who paid for the cruise). Ironically, that 41 day cruise did have a lady to run the kids and teens programs and we used to tease her about her job. She managed to keep busy by running some of the adult activites :)

 

Hank

[Jimnbigd]

Perhaps a clothing optional cruise? I'd sure hate to find kids on that. :eek: