Looking for a great child-free cruise!

[RuxieGirl]

Hi, everyone! I am new here and not exactly sure what I'm doing, so if there is a more appropriate place to ask this question, please feel free to redirect me.

 

Anyway, my husband and I are looking to take a cruise to celebrate my 40th birthday. We are going to leave the kids at home with the grandparents, and because of that, I would prefer not to see anyone else's kids, either. But we are still looking for a typical cruise experience, large ship, great amenities, lots to explore, etc.

 

We live in the DC Metro area and plan on flying to our departure city. I think we're looking for early summer, late-June, and probably 3-5 nights. We figured we would do the Caribbean since it's closest and least expensive for us, this is fine for us even though we've done a few of these itineraries before.

 

OK, so let's hear ALL your recommendations! :D Seriously though, any ideas you have for a super-fun, kid-free cruise with at least MOST of these specs would be awesome.

 

Thanks!!

[psbtrvlr]

There is a ship in Europe, maybe Thomson cruise lines, that is adult only. Hopefully someone will get on here that knows for sure. All the other cruise lines have children on them. Holland America usually has less than the others.

[Karysa]

Hi, everyone! I am new here and not exactly sure what I'm doing, so if there is a more appropriate place to ask this question, please feel free to redirect me.

 

Anyway, my husband and I are looking to take a cruise to celebrate my 40th birthday. We are going to leave the kids at home with the grandparents, and because of that, I would prefer not to see anyone else's kids, either. But we are still looking for a typical cruise experience, large ship, great amenities, lots to explore, etc.

 

We live in the DC Metro area and plan on flying to our departure city. I think we're looking for early summer, late-June, and probably 3-5 nights. We figured we would do the Caribbean since it's closest and least expensive for us, this is fine for us even though we've done a few of these itineraries before.

 

OK, so let's hear ALL your recommendations! :D Seriously though, any ideas you have for a super-fun, kid-free cruise with at least MOST of these specs would be awesome.

 

Thanks!!

 

3-5 days, big ship, with all the imenities, on a budget, this will be difficult if not impossible. HAL would typically have the least amount of kids of the typical lines but they tend to have longer sailings than 3-5 days. You might want to look into an adults only AI instead. Good luck.:)

[1025cruise]

There are no main US cruise lines that offer child free cruises, especially if you are cruising late June. There are only a couple of ships that are child free, I think they are based in Europe.

[RuxieGirl]

Ohhhh, OK. See, I didn't get that. I thought that some of the major US cruise lines may offer a child-free cruise option.

 

OK, then, with this knowledge now under my belt, who can recommend a cruise that may have less amenities geared toward children and more for adults?

[82cards]

I'm not sure if they offer a 3-5 day cruise, but we've cruised on Celebrity Cruises before and there were very few children on the ship.:)

[paul929207]

P&O also has some adult only crusies.

[DizzyDallasDi]

I don't think there are any cruise lines that do 3-5 nights that will be geared mainly toward adult activities. HAL would probably be the closest, but they don't do the Caribbean in the summer and they don't do 3-5 day cruises. Carnival and Royal Caribbean are the only cruise lines I can think of that go to the Caribbean in the summer and do short trips. But, there will be LOTS of kids on both of those lines.

[RuxieGirl]

OK, so what if we were able to extend our trip a little longer, would that help at all?

 

Sorry, I know I sound completely clueless, I am just wondering what's out there.

[1025cruise]

In order to get a cruise that has less kids, go on a cruise 10 days or longer, when school is in session. The issue is the time of year you wish to go, plus the duration.

[mapsmith]

Not to be flip or anything, but if I wanted a cruise with really very few kids, and it were just me and the wife, I might consider booking with one of the TA's that charters cruises for Gays only. Probably very few kids, and I would just be focusing on the wife. Plus, many of the gay couples that I have met are really very nice folks. Of course, Formal night would be a blast.

[SPacificbound]

A 3-5 day cruise in June out of the US is going to have kids on it.

[sail7seas]

OK, so what if we were able to extend our trip a little longer, would that help at all?

 

Sorry, I know I sound completely clueless, I am just wondering what's out there.

 

 

There aren't a lot of choices for a Caribbean cruise in June. Most of the cruise lines pull most of the ships out of the Caribbean and reposition to Alaska, Canada/New England and Europe for the late spring/summer/fall.

 

 

From Fort Lauderdale, you'll find Oasis and Allure which are the two largest cruise ships in the world. It is likely you'll find children aboard.

[KirkWN737]

I agree with someone else above... Try and find a gay cruise. There won't be any kids. And they're pretty fun people. Many of them sing with me on my flights :D. I'm not trying to offend anyone though. But you aren't going to find a 3-5 day cruise out of the Caribbean without kids. And all the lines except Carnival and Royal have most if not all of their ships elsewhere. I know P&O has a couple adult-only ships. You may want to check that out... But it would only be during the winter months.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk

[Treven]

Not to be flip or anything, but if I wanted a cruise with really very few kids, and it were just me and the wife, I might consider booking with one of the TA's that charters cruises for Gays only. Probably very few kids, and I would just be focusing on the wife. Plus, many of the gay couples that I have met are really very nice folks. Of course, Formal night would be a blast.

I was going to suggest they check out Atlantis or RSVP, the principle gay vacation company. They don't allow anyone under the age of 18 to book with them. Also their deck parties are a blast, lasting all night.

[RuxieGirl]

Wow, this has been very eye-opening, you all are true experts at cruising! Thank you, everyone, for your insights. Personally I would have no problem whatsoever with cruising on a primarily gay cruise line, but the logistics of the entire trip do not sound feasible right now. I think we might consider an AI instead. We are both teachers so we have to take our vacations when school is out, very unfortunate.

 

Thanks again, everyone! Will most definitely be hitting you all up for more questions in the future!

[firefly333]

In order to get a cruise that has less kids, go on a cruise 10 days or longer, when school is in session. The issue is the time of year you wish to go, plus the duration.

 

Just to be clear, the cruiselines like HAL and Celebrity with fewer kids also have a much older demographic. (some would say one foot in the grave age).

 

Everything else will be geared toward families.

 

Honestly, you might not mind having children on your cruise .. I would much rather cruise than go to a land based vacation... boring. sorry.

[jghllnd1]

Just to be clear, the cruiselines like HAL and Celebrity with fewer kids also have a much older demographic. (some would say one foot in the grave age).

 

Everything else will be geared toward families.

 

Honestly, you might not mind having children on your cruise .. I would much rather cruise than go to a land based vacation... boring. sorry.

 

 

You must really believe the hype.

I sail HAL and am in my 40's. Have yet to feel like I didn't fit in age wise. Many people my age.

Now, if I went on a longer cruise, like 30 plus days, then maybe you might be correct.

[Cruisin' Chick]

And just consider the fact that when families with school-aged kids can usually only vacation when school is out.

 

Many of the mass market lines have excellent kids' programs that keep kids busy. It's only a problem when parents aren't encouraging their kids to go to these programs. My daughter loved to go when she was younger (as a teen, she finds the activities offered to be "lame," but she's at that age when anything adults say are lame).

 

So for your criteria, you'll have a problem unless you are willing to compromise. But just because there may be kids onboard, that shouldn't lessen your vacation.

[Cruzin-K]

Wow, this has been very eye-opening, you all are true experts at cruising! Thank you, everyone, for your insights. Personally I would have no problem whatsoever with cruising on a primarily gay cruise line, but the logistics of the entire trip do not sound feasible right now. I think we might consider an AI instead. We are both teachers so we have to take our vacations when school is out, very unfortunate.

 

Thanks again, everyone! Will most definitely be hitting you all up for more questions in the future!

 

 

It sounds like someplace like Sandals would be a good option. It's couples only, no kids.

[Colorado Kat]

Go to a couples-only AI. You really cannot get away from kids on a cruise ship in the summer-time. Though I am tempted to try one of the gay cruises!!

[middlehaitch]

We sailed Celebrity over Chrismas/New Year 2010/11 (14 night), and although there were children on the ship we rarely saw them. Once there was a cute herd of them dressed as pirates going down a hallway on a treasure hunt, they were well behaved and supervised by staff, but that was about it.

Celebrity has a younger crowd than HAL generally and as it will be your 40th I don't think you will feel too young...give it a try anyway.

Cheers, h.

 

A previous poster was correct in saying if you can make your cruise longer, I would say over 7 days, there will be less children on it.

[paul929207]

P&O has one or more adults only ships

[1025cruise]

Just to be clear, the cruiselines like HAL and Celebrity with fewer kids also have a much older demographic. (some would say one foot in the grave age).

 

Everything else will be geared toward families.

 

Honestly, you might not mind having children on your cruise .. I would much rather cruise than go to a land based vacation... boring. sorry.

 

I was on the Veendam last June to Bermuda. I can assure you, there were plenty of kids and families on this ship, and not many people that were "one foot in the gave".

[Mary Ellen]

I'm going out on a limb here and suggesting something really odd - a Disney cruise. We also look to avoid cruising without a lot of children and were quite impressed with the amount of "adult only" areas and how strictly they are enforced. Even their private island, Castaway Cay has an adult only beach, well separated from the family beaches. Disney offers the shorter cruises you wish. Their ships don't have casinos if that is important to you. You are however allowed to bring your own booze onboard if you wish, in your carry on bag only. Just something to consider....