Adults only cruises on Carnival...?

[NavyCruiser]

Saga, P&O, & Viking Ocean, a very few very upscale (ie: very expensive) cruise lines offers adults-only cruises, wondering if Carnival or any other mainline cruise lines offers it.

Many hotel/resort chains offers both separate family & adults-only resorts, often on the same stretch of beach.

 

Wondering that with the numerous numbers of cruise ships owned by Carnival, maybe they can designate a few to just adults-only, & leave the rest as regular family cruises. Esp cruises during the school year.

 

Please, no flaming here, & don't turn this into a kids vs anti-kids thread, as we loved cruising with our kids over the past 20 years, but now wants a choice, without flying to & booking on those ultra expensive cruise lines. Just thinking that Carnival would be best situated cruise line to convert a few of their ships to those of us who would prefer an adults only cruises, or has outgrown the family ones.

[TomCruise48]

Carnival's business plan is to be a family cruise line, and it is working quite well for them. They get more on-board revenue from families since they have a higher occupancy rate. (Adults are typically only 2 per stateroom, but with families, they get 3 or 4). The closest that you can get to an adults only cruise on Carnival is to take a longer Journeys cruises during the school year.

[StolidCruiser]

A nice dream but it will never happen on mass market budget cruiseline that targets families as part of its demographic (and ship design).

[firemanbobswife]

Maybe try Holland America. It's owned by Carnival Corp. and I hear it's a much more mature crowd. I don't think it will be devoid of children, but I think there will be a lot less of them. Carnival is a family cruise line and I don't see them banning kids.

[TubT]

By carefully choosing your cruise, you can get a pretty low-child-count cruise. None? Not very often. Here are some tricks:

 

1. Choose Holland America or some such cruise line with a reputation for an older clientele.

 

2. Choose a longer cruise. Once a cruise goes past 7 days, kids get scarce. A 10-day cruise is almost sure to be almost entirely adults.

 

3. Choose your date. After about January 2, until Spring Break season starts, most cruises are pretty low on kids. On our last Princess cruise, there weren't 10 kids on the whole ship.

[Nic6318]

Hi

 

I agree you don't have to have a "adults only" cruise to avoid children/younger families.

 

It is easily done by cruising with companies like HAL, or Celebrity...as was said you will find a much more mature :) (Older) crowd. Pick longer cruises sailing during the school year and you will have fewer families. You have many choices, the cruise lines have little incentive, especially one that is marketing specifically to new cruisers and young families.

[The4Cruisers]

John Heald has pretty much said that CCL won't do an adults only cruise. That's a shame as they could see this as a "theme"-type cruise that may very well be widely accepted!

[Saint Greg]

Cruising while school is in session eliminates most of them. You still have some that are under the school age or whose parents pull them out of school but it’s not noticeable most of the time.

[Djptcp]

DH and I would love adults only cruises! We gave up cruising around the holidays because the ships were overrun with kids. They were times when we were still working and had to use so many fewer vacation days. We are retired now and try to go when school is in session, but there are still kids aboard (home schooled maybe?), just hundreds fewer.

[jimdalva]

The Carnival Victory is having an adults only cruise in early February.

[SPKEMO]

I think bud light? Does a party cruise once a year on carnival. Short weekend cruise but probably adults only.

 

 

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[beachbum53]

By carefully choosing your cruise, you can get a pretty low-child-count cruise. None? Not very often. Here are some tricks:

 

1. Choose Holland America or some such cruise line with a reputation for an older clientele.

 

2. Choose a longer cruise. Once a cruise goes past 7 days, kids get scarce. A 10-day cruise is almost sure to be almost entirely adults.

 

3. Choose your date. After about January 2, until Spring Break season starts, most cruises are pretty low on kids. On our last Princess cruise, there weren't 10 kids on the whole ship.

 

There is another option. Although NCL seems to have the majority of "theme" cruises, occasionally Carnival will have some too. Do a search on theme cruises, concentrating on those that would attract predominantly adults. And no, I don't mean nudist or swinger cruises. Do keep in mind that theme cruises generally are more expensive than a standard cruise, and sell out very quickly. Especially if it's a music-themed cruise, such as Jazz or Country & Western.

[tortuga1975]

The Carnival Victory is having an adults only cruise in early February.

 

Is this an adult cruise or an “adult” cruise with naked people everywhere? No judgement on the naked people, I just don’t think my 75 year old father’s heart could take it.

[SadieN]

Typically longer cruises when kids are in school will have little to no kids.

 

We’ve had several cruises where there have been only a few kids- Carnival to Hawaii in October, Carnival to Alaska in September, Princess California Coastal beginning of March. All from Los Angeles. Alaska and Hawaii has about 20 kids, the Princess cruise had 8, mostly preschool age.

 

 

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[NavyCruiser]

Great discussion points so far.

The reason why we posted on this Carnival board, instead of Disney or Holland, is that we love & has many wonderful cruises on Carnival & are now Platinum, we want to continue to cruise & support the "Fun" ships of Carnival. Didn't know that Carnival is designated as "Family" only. We also don't want to sail the "Mature" only cruise lines. I'm generalizing here, but u get the point.

 

Since we're from Houston & only an hour's drive from Galveston port, which Carnival & Royal Caribbean sails year round, it's pretty convenient to get to & don't to pay extra for flights to other gateway cities.

 

So comparing to other All-Inclusive beach resorts in the Caribbean, for example, we've stayed at Hyatt Cancun Ziva resort with family & kids, had a great time, for 4 nights, then drive a mile or two down the beach to stay at Hyatt Cancun Zilara, adults only AI resort, for 3 nights after family/kids flew back.

 

Many resort chains offer that choice.

Again, we're not anti kids, but just want to have a choice... & figure Carnival might want to offer that choice for maybe at least one or two of their ships...

[sparks1093]

Great discussion points so far.

The reason why we posted on this Carnival board, instead of Disney or Holland, is that we love & has many wonderful cruises on Carnival & are now Platinum, we want to continue to cruise & support the "Fun" ships of Carnival. Didn't know that Carnival is designated as "Family" only. We also don't want to sail the "Mature" only cruise lines. I'm generalizing here, but u get the point.

 

Since we're from Houston & only an hour's drive from Galveston port, which Carnival & Royal Caribbean sails year round, it's pretty convenient to get to & don't to pay extra for flights to other gateway cities.

 

So comparing to other All-Inclusive beach resorts in the Caribbean, for example, we've stayed at Hyatt Cancun Ziva resort with family & kids, had a great time, for 4 nights, then drive a mile or two down the beach to stay at Hyatt Cancun Zilara, adults only AI resort, for 3 nights after family/kids flew back.

 

Many resort chains offer that choice.

Again, we're not anti kids, but just want to have a choice... & figure Carnival might want to offer that choice for maybe at least one or two of their ships...

 

I hear what you are saying but as others have said CCL has too much invested in making their ships more family friendly. They still have some cruises where you are likely to have minimal children but that would be about it. (PS Fast Frigates rule!:))

[DebJ14]

The cruise line Richard Branson is developing has announced that it will be adults only!

[StolidCruiser]

Great discussion points so far.

<snip>

 

Since we're from Houston & only an hour's drive from Galveston port, which Carnival & Royal Caribbean sails year round, it's pretty convenient to get to & don't to pay extra for flights to other gateway cities.

<snip>

 

Again, we're not anti kids, but just want to have a choice... & figure Carnival might want to offer that choice for maybe at least one or two of their ships...

 

Would you support the choice to offer such an “adult only” option on one or two ships that sail from, say, Miami (from where they sail year-round) that have a likely higher “adult” client base?

[NavyCruiser]

Would you support the choice to offer such an “adult only” option on one or two ships that sail from, say, Miami (from where they sail year-round) that have a likely higher “adult” client base?

 

Sure, would also make sense to initially start at Miami...

[Gonzowifey]

I just took my first cruise (on Carnival) returned on Saturday. During Christmas break, full of kids. I will have to tell you, it had it's advantages. The bars were not crowded AT ALL. We pretty much owned the Alchemy Bar. Ditto for the night club, although to be honest, we weren't crazy about the DJ. We only ate at the buffet once, and that seemed to be the more popular dining option for kids. We hung out on the Serenity Deck (adults only). Although, on our sea day, there were some obnoxious adults in the hot tub who were far from serene, and should have been invited by someone to take their party to the Lido Deck. I'm like you, I've raised my kids and I'm over the "family friendly" routine (for now). I was traveling with my adult kids and we all just want to enjoy ourselves before the grand kids come...at which time, I'll be all about the family friendly again!

[K&RCurt]

Is this an adult cruise or an “adult” cruise with naked people everywhere? No judgement on the naked people, I just don’t think my 75 year old father’s heart could take it. ��

 

It is a clothing optional Charter, but sadly it is sold out, there is another scheduled for next year on The Carnival Sunshine.

 

You might be surprised, there will be plenty of folks in their 70s and no one under 21!

[sanger727]

I don't think Carnival will offer this - especially not during the school year. But it's easy enough to get a cruise that is almost kid-free. To the point you hardly ever see any.

 

1. cruise outside of school holidays

2. cruise longer than 7 days

 

We cruised a 10 nighter in Jan and never saw kids walking around the ship.

[Purvis1231]

I am a parent and educator and a relaxing kid free cruise does appeal to me. On several of our cruises 2/3 of the passengers where under 18. The reason Carnival does not have adults only cruises is pure and simple economics. On an adult only cruise most of the cabins will have two people but with families many or most of the cabins will have 3 or 4 people. Sure the 3 and 4th guest pay a little less but it is still more per cabin than just 2 people. Secondly, the more people on the cruise generate more revenue across the board. Occasionally Carnival will charter vessels to organizations that have adult only cruises but I imagine these are far from relaxing. We did take a relaxing Alaskan cruise on Holland American with very few children. Camp Hal had only 21 registered children and often closed early since there were no children attending.