Would an Occasional "Adults Only" Cruise Work?

[Yvonne]

Reading some of the answers on the "How to Avoid Teenagers and Children" thread got me thinking more about an adults only cruise. I know Carnival had the Paradise as a non-smoking ship for awhile, but I guess it didn't work well enough for them and they went back to allowing smoking. But, do you think if they (and other cruise lines too) had an occasional adults only cruise that it would work for them?

 

Personally, if one was offered during the winter months I would definitely go for it. I'm not a child hater, we have two adult children and 7 grands with a great-grand on the way. But I don't enjoy kids that blatantly misbehave and I think an adults only cruise would be wonderful! If they had even just 1 or 2 a year do you think they could fill them?

[coevan]

It would definitely attract us. I think it would fill pretty fast.

[bwellen]

There are some adult only cruises out there but they are mostly chartered. I have good friends who went on a cruise called "Love Like You Mean It". It was for married couples only and no kids were allowed. It was a Carnival ship but I don't remember which one.

 

It sounded to me that the cruise sold out several months in advance.

 

 

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[HawkIVette]

They do have some Adult only cruises. Just not on Carnival. They are more aimed at Family Friendly. But I found this article online.

 

"Your safest bet if you're looking for adult cruises is to sail on a ship that doesn't allow any children onboard at all. Yes, adults only cruises do exist, but there aren't too many. P&O Cruises, a British line, keeps three ships -- Arcadia, Adonia and Oriana -- as adults only. You must be 50-plus to sail with Grand Circle Small Ship Cruises or U.K.-based Saga Holidays (though travel companions can be as young as 40). Voyages to Antiquity cruises are deemed "unsuitable for children under the age of 12," and children younger than 16 are dissuaded from cruising. You might also find lifestyle-based full-ship charters that are kid free (such as cruises for nudists or gay couples)."

 

Taken from this article. http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1460

[ExpatBride]

These already exist. I think with more people taking the childfree path in life that demand will only increase.

[deborahjo]

I believe it would book so quickly that Carnival would be shocked.

 

 

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[SadieN]

We've been on several almost kid free cruises-

Princess CA Coastal in beginning of March. Maybe 5 kids, 4 of them under 4.

Carnival Hi cruise just before Halloween. 20 kids total, about 10 12-17yo

 

 

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[Badfinger]

Reading some of the answers on the "How to Avoid Teenagers and Children" thread got me thinking more about an adults only cruise. I know Carnival had the Paradise as a non-smoking ship for awhile, but I guess it didn't work well enough for them and they went back to allowing smoking. But, do you think if they (and other cruise lines too) had an occasional adults only cruise that it would work for them?

 

Personally, if one was offered during the winter months I would definitely go for it. I'm not a child hater, we have two adult children and 7 grands with a great-grand on the way. But I don't enjoy kids that blatantly misbehave and I think an adults only cruise would be wonderful! If they had even just 1 or 2 a year do you think they could fill them?

 

Pure speculation on my part, but if Carnival went adult only for certain cruises, they would have to increase the fares because there would not be as many of the 3/4/5 persons cabins filled to capacity. Face it, how many adult couples would share a cabin with another adult couple...yeah zero would be my guess (but somebody will post the contrary within minutes of my post). Total passengers would be down (yeah I know they could cut out the kids activities, but since everybody here claims they only pay the workers like 18 cents per day, that would not cover the decrease in total paid fares). And given the, shall we say, thrifty nature of Carnival Cruisers, the complaints of the increased fares would be overwhelming.

[bwellen]

We've been on several almost kid free cruises-

Princess CA Coastal in beginning of March. Maybe 5 kids, 4 of them under 4.

Carnival Hi cruise just before Halloween. 20 kids total, about 10 12-17yo

 

 

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I had forgotten but back in 2012 we went on a Deep Southern Carribean cruise on the Carribean Princess out of San Juan. We had our 8 & 6 year old daughters with us and we checked out the kids club the first day and were surprised when they told us they were going to combine all of the different age groups into one room. They then told us the reason was that there were only 18 total kids ages 17 and under on our cruise!! It was a pretty easy week for the kid staff.

 

 

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[bury me at sea]

I think checking into chartered cruises would be worthwhile. One possible downside I've read about is that if the group is large enough some venues might be reserved for their exclusive use.

 

I hope someone who has been on a chartered cruise will join in with some pros and cons.

[bUU]

I suspect that there are aspects of their standard contract and promises they've made to frequent passengers that would be cramped by an adults only Cruise offered directly by the cruise line. It's probably cleaner to just allow external organizations to charter the whole ship for adult only cruises.

 

This message may have been entered using voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

[winchesterdog]

One can dream.

[dmdiver]

I would love an adults only cruise, but I suspect the fares would be higher for the same reason others have stated with regards to 3rd & 4th berths. I've noticed in the AI resort world, adults only resorts are typically higher priced than family AIs.

[Neotericisis]

Carnival's answer to this is already owning Princess and HAL. It kinda sucks since I'm an adult who loves conga lines, deck parties, and other "fun ship" amenities. Wobble baby, wobble baby, wobble baby, wobble! :D

[nursepixie]

I know many adults who are worse than children, but if we can weed those out you can count me in!!

 

 

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[PoppyandNana]

I would love an adults only cruise, but I suspect the fares would be higher for the same reason others have stated with regards to 3rd & 4th berths. I've noticed in the AI resort world, adults only resorts are typically higher priced than family AIs.

 

Take a 14 day cruise on HAL in late September I can assure you there will be very few, if any children.

[coevan]

I would love an adults only cruise, but I suspect the fares would be higher for the same reason others have stated with regards to 3rd & 4th berths. I've noticed in the AI resort world, adults only resorts are typically higher priced than family AIs.

 

 

and with good reason:D

 

We love cruising, but we love A.I.'s as well. you never have to find a lounge chair, all top shelf liquor, tipping is not allowed, all beach activities are included.

[dmdiver]

I'm sure you're correct, Poppyandnana, but I probably won't be taking any 14 day cruises until the hubby & I are both retired. Still on the fence about HAL, but would consider RCCL - but they're pretty family oriented as well. So for now, I just cruise in the off season & deal with whatever kids are on the ship. It was easier when the Conquest class aft pools were adult. ~sigh~

[Port of Tampa]

Count me in.

[dmdiver]

Coevan, we're doing an AI this year with some friends. It is really nice to not have to worry about paying for anything other than excursions if we decide we want to leave the resort. It allows children, but hopefully most kids will be in school. Anyway, we thought it would be nice to do something different. We'll cruise later with the family - looking forward to that as well. Heck, I'm looking forward to any vacation from work, cooking & cleaning.

[cccer]

I wonder what the staff of Camp Carnival would do during this cruise. It's not like they could take a week off and come back for the next cruise.

Anyway, I wouldn't mind an adult only cruise. I think it would be a nice option to have but I'm sure Carnival will do what is the most profitable for them (and us shareholders).

[Lerin]

I wonder what the staff of Camp Carnival would do during this cruise. It's not like they could take a week off and come back for the next cruise.

.

 

Yes they could and they do. We once sailed the week prior to an adults only chartered cruise and the day we left the counselors were talking about how they were getting time off.

 

Carnival doesn't need to have adult cruises, sail the second week of September or January, 1st week of December, or last week of February and there are only about 80 kids (out of 3000) on board. They combine the camps those weeks a lot. Personally kids don't bother me, drunk 18-23 year olds bother me(as do smokers, slow walkers, and passengers who push and shove of any age)

 

If you want no kids at all, go on a luxury cruise or one that doesn't allow kids. We once sailed Windstar which asks for no one under 12 to be on board. The youngest person we saw was around 18.

[douglinc@msn.com]

Works for me!!

[vcmds]

Take a 14 day cruise on HAL in late September I can assure you there will be very few, if any children.

 

We were on a 14-day HAL cruise through the Panama Canal one time in January. There was one young person, a boy about 13 or 14 years old who was home schooled.

[SadieN]

I'm sure you're correct, Poppyandnana, but I probably won't be taking any 14 day cruises until the hubby & I are both retired. Still on the fence about HAL, but would consider RCCL - but they're pretty family oriented as well. So for now, I just cruise in the off season & deal with whatever kids are on the ship. It was easier when the Conquest class aft pools were adult. ~sigh~

 

 

Don't sail a Conquest Class ship. Sail a Spirit Class ship.

 

 

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