Your ultimate guide to adult-only cruising

It’s time to escape the kids and step on board an adult-only cruise. Here’s where to start

Fancy the idea of a cruise yet cringe at the thought of being trapped on board with other people’s kids? We feel your pain.

Or perhaps you're a parent who has managed to secure some much-needed 'us-time' by leaving your children with the grandparents for a week? The last thing you want is for other people's kids to disrupt your hard-earned child-free paradise.

Well fear not. While there are loads of cruise ships that are akin to an amusement park, teeming with water slides, go-kart tracks and kids’ clubs, there are also a host of cruise lines that are specifically for adults only.

When we say ‘a host of’ what we really mean is three. There are just three cruise lines that categorically bar passengers who are under 18. And each line is very different.

Saying that, there are also a number of cruise ships that also cater for adults only.

So, what are your options? This article steers you through the various choices and helps you navigate which is the best cruise line for you.

So, as long as the kids aren’t looking, let’s dive in.

Adult-only inventory

As we said, there are only three cruise lines for which the entire fleet is dedicated to serve adults only. These are Virgin Voyages, Saga Cruises and Viking.

In fairness, their adult-only classification is where their similarities tend to stop, since each cruise line is very different to the other and each has a very distinct target passenger. We’ll take a look at each of these lines in more depth further down.

Gliding alongside these three, are ships that cruise lines have set aside from their fleet to serve the adult market. We’ll be exploring these options further down in the article.

These are the new kids on the cruising block and, in typical Virgin style, they ripped up the rulebook when they set sail in 2020.

They’ve made no bones about it that they cater for over 18s only.

While they gained an early reputation for being “party ships” due to their marketing at launch, the truth is a Virgin cruise is really not just for party people.

If you want to party, then you’ll find every opportunity to do just that on board – and the Virgin crew will ensure you have the best party at sea.

But if you’re looking for a relaxing and rejuvenating holiday with food that is, quite frankly, outstanding; immersive entertainment and a fantastic fitness programme, then Virgin also ticks the box.

While the Virgin ships have all the facilities you’ll find on the big cruise lines, they also have the small, intimate spaces you’ll expect in a boutique hotel.

You’ve got four ships to choose from – or you will have once Brilliant Lady sets sail. 

Scarlet Lady, Resilient Lady and Valiant Lady make up the fleet and each one is pretty much identical – so there’s no need getting bogged down deciphering which one is better.  All hold 2,770 passengers.

Although the average age of a Sailor (that’s what Virgin call its passengers) is 48, you’re equally likely to see an 18-year-old on board as you are an 68-year-old.

Rather than age, it’s mentality that generalises the Sailors.

They’re young at heart. They’re down to earth; open minded and up for a laugh.

The adult-only policy has certainly opened the doors for a more risqué form of entertainment than you’ll find on traditional cruise ships. Prepare yourself for an onslaught of double entendres, hilarious innuendos and drag queen performances.

Rather than formal nights when passengers don their black tie attire, on Virgin it’s casual all the way. 

You might want to bring your PJs for the Sailaway party on the first night and throw on something red for its infamous Scarlet Night party. 

This is the night when the cruise ship is awash with pop-up performers, impromptu shows and interactive entertainment (anyone up for a dance off?). Scarlet Night always culminates around the pool when Sailors throw all caution to the wind and dive right in - fully clothed.

But the entertainment and dress code (or lack of it) are just the start when it comes to noting the Virgin difference.

For one, they’ve taken a fresh look at the traditional cruise dining scene. They’ve scraped the huge dining halls, allocated tables, buffets and fixed dining times you’re likely to see on other ships. Instead you’ll find more than 20 eateries on board with six signature restaurants.

The closest it gets to a ‘food hall’ is The Galley, where you’ll find street food stalls and little shops serving from tacos to sushi, burgers to Buddha bowls.

And its six restaurants range from the swanky Wake, serving steaks and seafood, to Gunbae, a rule-breaking Korean BBQ restaurant. The Test Kitchen is a mind-blowing dining experience where diners are just told the list of ingredients and it’s left to the chefs to conjure up the Instagrammable dishes – think lots of smoke and foam.  

And the great thing: all food, even at the six restaurants, is included in the price. 

You’ll also not be paying any extra for gratuities, wi-fi, the entertainment, essential drinks and all the fitness classes you want to attend (yes, this is one cruise you can disembark fitter than when you stepped on board).

Being the babes at sea, it’s not surprising that all four Lady ships utilise technology in a way not seen on board other ships. 

Cabins have mood lighting; your room key is a trendy surfers’ bracelet which also doubles up as your wallet; and you make all your show bookings and restaurant reservations using the Virgin app.

What’s more, step into your cabin and the floor sensors can tell you’re ‘home’ and the curtains will automatically open. The cabins are also clever in that you’ll have a customisable ‘sea beds’ – it’s a bed one minute and can be a sofa the next, meaning your cabin can be a bedroom as well as a sociable lounge.

Google “Adult-Only Cruise” and Virgin is likely to be first in line. 

And if your interested is piqued and you want to find out more about them, you’ll find this article helpful.

But, Virgin isn’t the only option. Let’s look at the alternatives.

Well, this cruise line sits at the very opposite end of the cruising scale compared with Virgin Voyages. It’s traditional through and through – just as its passengers like it.

The average age of a Saga passenger is around 70. To get Saga travel insurance, the lead booker must be at least 50 years old. You do see passengers in their 40s on board – but they are likely to be accompanying more elderly companions.

Passengers are catered for every step of the way – right from their front door. Chauffeur service is provided from their home to the port.

And from then on, everything is included, from the food and drinks (including alcoholic), wifi, gratuities and excursions – as well as a shuttle bus service in ports of call.

The line has two ocean ships: Spirit of Adventure and Spirit of Discovery. The beauty of these is that all the ‘staterooms’ have balconies – so you’re guaranteed a room with a view. Both ships hold up to 987 passengers, so they’re intimate and have the feel of boutique hotels.

Essentially they’re similar yet with distinct differences. For example, both have three speciality restaurants. 

On Spirit of Adventure, Khukuri House is the first Nepalese restaurant at sea, and Amalfi is a really smart Italian. While Discovery is home to East to West, a restaurant serving Easter flavours, plus Coast to Coast, it’s swanky seafood restaurant.

Both have speciality ‘dinner-dance’ supper clubs where passengers can dine while being entertained by live bands before taking a twirl on the dance floor.

Entertainment-wise, caberet, West End-style shows and guest appearances take place in the ships’ Playhouse Theatre or Britannia Lounge.

Both vessels depart from either Dover or Portsmouth in England and offer itineraries through Europe — including the Canary Islands and the Azores — as well as West Africa, the Caribbean, Central America, Canada and New England.

Saga also offers river cruises on sister ships Spirit of the Danube and Spirit of the Rhine.

Holding just 182 guests they feel intimate. Just by definition, river cruising is more appealing to adults only, but Saga ensures it stays like that on board with its adult-only policy.

River cruising is all about the views and watching some of Europe’s most historic buildings glide by. And the excursions offer the opportunity to explore the history and culture even more.

Saga shore excursions are fully guided, many transporting passengers via coach. When walking is required, the routes are graded according to difficulty.

Back on board, guests have a choice of two restaurants, but don’t expect it to be accompanied by the lavish entertainment you’ll find on the ocean liners. Very often guest speakers join the cruise. 

For example, Antiques Roadshow specialist Wayne Colquhoun or Oz Clarke, one of the world’s leading wine experts, have graced the guest list giving inspirational presentations.

Saga’s newest river cruise ship, Spirit of the Douro, will debut in 2024 and Spirit of Moselle is on the cards for 2025.

This is one line that ticks all the boxes: river, ocean and expedition cruising. So it’s got you covered – as long as you’re over 18.

Its no-children policy is just one point on its list of ‘nos’ including:

• No children under 18

• No casinos

• No nickel and diming

• No charge for Wi-Fi

• No charge for beer & wine with lunch & dinner

• No umbrella drinks

• No photography sales

• No art auctions

• No inside staterooms

• No smoking

• No waiting in lines

• No formal nights, butlers or white gloves

The result is a sedate, refined, luxurious experience serving “curious travellers”. To satisfy this curiosity Viking makes a big deal of its onboard and onshore enrichment programme tapping deeper into the culture of each destination.

Each journey includes a shore excursion in every port. For example, guests might accompany the ship's chef to a local market; go behind the scenes at a famous theatre company; tour a private chocolate or car factory; or view a museum's private collection.

On board ship activities might include lectures on history and art, cooking demonstrations of regional favourites and a changing menu according to the destination at the time.

So it’s a real learning experience.

At the latest count the fleet was more than 90 strong.

The vast majority of Viking ships sit in the river cruising category, with its ‘Longships’ dominating the fleet.

These are complemented by a number of ships built specifically to ply the waters of Europe’s most famous storied rivers, namely Portugal’s River Douro, the River Elbe and the historic River Seine.

The River Nile has its very own fleet of six Viking ships, billed as “the most sophisticated river ships sailing the region”.

Meanwhile, making its mark in America is Viking’s purpose-built Viking Mississippi. It’s cutting-edge design and expansive windows has seen it be described as “the first truly modern cruise ship” on the mighty Mississippi river.

And over to Asia: The Viking Saigon, named after Vietnam’s former capital city, was built in 2022 to navigate the Mekong River. She will be joined by Viking Tonle in 2025.

It’s fair to say that the design across all its river ships is pretty much the same - with the exception of the Nile, Mekong and Mississippi vessels. Yet, all share a distinctive Scandinavian flair.

If you were asked to describe a Viking river ship, you wouldn’t be wrong if you said they were ‘elegant floating boutique hotels’.  

Cleverly designed, the Viking Longships have some of the largest suites ever for river ships in Europe – including two-room suites with full-size verandas. They also have a significant number of cabins with balconies.

Onboard you’ll find a restaurant, bar and lounge, library and expansive sun deck. The ships also feature al fresco dining on their Aquavit Terrace. Innovative touches include solar panels, an onboard organic herb garden and energy-efficient hybrid engines for a smoother ride.

In addition, over the past 10 years, Viking has ventured beyond rivers to explore the great oceans.

It now has a fleet of about 12 all-veranda, ocean-going ships, each with a capacity for 930 passengers. They’re classified as “small ships” which means they can access most ports (unlike the huge mega floating resorts). All in all, each one is pretty much identical to the other and you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference.

Favoured primarily by “well-heeled passengers’, you’ll find lots of luxury touches onboard – say ‘hello’ to heated bathroom floors.

The signature Scandinavian design is rolled out across the fleet and once again you’ll find cabins that are larger than the average.

At the top of the ships, the two-deck-high, glass-walled lounges offer great views over the bow.

And onboard you’ll find several restaurants, a gym, beauty salon and spa. The centrepiece of the top deck of each of the ships is the main pool area, which features a glass dome that can be closed when the weather is dodgy. At the back of the ship you’ll find a second pool. 

While all of the ships in this series are essentially the same, you’ll find small differences on a few of them. Most notably, two of the vessels in the series — Viking Orion and Viking Jupiter — have a small planetarium built into the top level of the two-level lounge at their fronts (known as the Explorers' Lounge).

And finally, new on the block are Viking’s two expedition ships, taking travellers off-the-beaten-track to explore Antarctica and the Arctic.

Both Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris carry a knowledgeable "expedition team" that includes biologists, botanists, geologists, glaciologists and ornithologists, all of whom share their expertise through regular lectures.

Both vessels have their own landing craft on board taking you ashore in remote locations. We particularly appreciate ships’ Hangar: an enclosed marina that allows passengers to transfer to a 12-seat excursion craft while still in the protected interior of the ship. It's a first for an expedition cruise ship.

Eager explorers can also make use of the kayaks or even go deeper and explore using the ships’ submarines.

Designed to hold just 378 passengers, every cabin has floor-to-ceiling glass walls that slide partially open from the top to create a balcony-like feel - just perfect for watching the icebergs float by.

All in all, with such a large fleet, Viking is a massive operation, yet its ships are intimate, luxurious and refined, whether they’re plying the world’s rivers, oceans or the Earth’s remote polar regions.

Having such a small ‘fleet’ it would be easy to dismiss this as an option. But, the TUI brand cannot be ignored. For those fans of the mainstream operator, TUI’s River Cruises became an option when it was launched in 2021.

While there are onYour ultimate guide to adult-only cruising - Not Just Travelly three ships currently in its fleet, TUI is adding TUI Alma as part of its summer 2025 programme and TUI Al Horeya from winter 2024. Alma will glide down Portugal’s River Douro, while Al Horeya will grace the Nile. 

All the TUI river ships are for adults only. Catering to a maximum of 155 passengers, itineraries sail on the Rhine, the Main, the Moselle, the Danube, the Dutch and Belgian waterways and the Nile. 

Cruises are sold as packages that include flights, transfers, three meals with drinks per day, tips and luggage allowance as standard.

Now let’s take a quick tour of some of the cruise lines that have set aside some of their ships to cater solely to the adult market.

This line is also operated by TUI UK. Of the fleet of five, its 1,814-passenger ship Marella Explorer 2 is for adults only.

This is the newest ship in the fleet and comes with nine belt-loosening restaurants, a Broadway Show Lounge, a casino, a Champneys Spa and gym.

 Of the nine bars, Flutes is the spot for Champagne and Prosecco, while The 19th Hole is a golf-themed bar with golf simulator.

As well as plying the waters of the Med, Marella Explorer 2 takes adults-only to explore Central America and the Caribbean.

Although having made its mark as a family-friendly brand, this British cruise line operates two adults-only cruise ships: Arcadia and Aurora.

The 1,874-passenger Aurora is the line’s smallest ship and offers a more intimate feel. There are three pools and 19 bars and restaurants. Entertainment offerings include a theatre, a cinema, a library, an art gallery, a card room and a lounge where cruisers can catch cabaret performances.

The 2,388-passenger Arcadia is a bit larger. However, it has fewer pools (two compared to three) and bars and restaurants (15 compared to 19).  Nevertheless, it makes up for this with The Globe: a venue that doubles up as a cinema, auction house, cabaret lounge and live music space.

Both ships set sail from Southampton exploring the British Isles, the Caribbean, Canary Islands, Spain and Portugal and the Mediterranean.

Finally, there are those ships that while not strictly for adults only, the whole experience on board is so firmly aimed at a more mature market that you’ll find few – or more than likely, no – children on board. 

Fred Olsen Cruise Line a prime example and also specifically offers adult-only sailings.

The premium, luxury lines also tend to attract a more mature clientele without specifically barring children. Prime examples are Regent Seven Seas, Crystal and Seabourn. They tend to appeal to the well-heeled, mature market as opposed to attracting families with young children. Of course, they are welcome on board, but you won’t find all the bells and whistles to entertain younger passengers.

That’s where I can help you. Give me a call and I’ll make sure you board the ship that’s just right.

We’ll chat about your likes and dislikes and we’ll look at the itineraries and discuss where you’d really like to go. I’ll then go off and do all the leg work for you and present you with the options that will make your dream a reality.

With no children in sight, I’ll make sure that when you disembark your next adult-only cruise you’ll be jumping up and down shouting “Again, again, again”!