Best adults-only features on a major cruise line?

[RuxieGirl]

HI, everyone! I had posted a few weeks ago about wanting to take an adults-only cruise that I naively thought existed in our price range. Silly me!

 

Anyway, my husband still really wants to do a cruise this summer (late June, specifically) and says that having kids on board won't bother him.

 

So, my questions is, which cruise ships/lines have great amenities for adults? Which have great adults-only pools, restaurants, etc?

 

Our only cruising experience so far is on the Disney Magic several years ago which did a fantastic job of having separate adult sections. I feel like a ship that has a casino will do an even better job of having separate areas, but I could be wrong.

 

Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?

 

FYI, we are ideally looking for a Western Caribbean cruise, 4-5 nights, leaving from Florida somewhere. But I am open to other ideas as well. We are coming from the DC area.

 

Thanks everyone!

[sail7seas]

Your options are limited seeing you want to sail late June. Most cruise lines take their ships out of the Caribbean itineraries for late spring/summer/fall and reposition them in Alaska, Europe and Canada/New England.

 

You could look into RCI Oasis and Allure. They are the worlds two largest cruise ships. I think you will find many young families and lots of children on those cruises.

 

Carnival sails some ships in the summer. I don't recommend that as catering to adult only.

 

If you wanted to go another time of year, you might like Azamara, Seabourn, Silversea..... these are upper end cruise lines and aren't known for catering to families/children. Those cruise lines are definitely priced high end.

 

[paul929207]

I don't think any of the major lines have an adults only restaurant.

[RuxieGirl]

I know there are going to be children around. As DH says, "Don't mind if they're there as long as we don't have to take care of them!"

 

So, like Disney has Palo Restaurant, there is nothing comparable on Carnival or Royal Caribbean or Norwegian?

 

DCL also had an adults only pool and coffee bar/lounge. Is this not a typical thing to find?

[sail7seas]

HAL has adult pool aft but it is not always firmly enforced.

They don't have adult only restaurant but in our many times in their alternative restaurant, Pinnacle, we've seen few children. They are never there unsupervised and we've never heard any sort of commotion or disturbance and we've enjoyed a great many meals in Pinnacle on all the HAL ships.

 

[jmf123]

Royal Caribbean's Radiance class ships (Radiance, Brilliance, Serenade, and Jewel of the Seas) have the Solarium which is for age 16 and up, although a few hours are made available on some sailings for children. Their Chops Grille (specialty restaurant) is also for age 16 and up. In our experiences- excellent service, meals (filet ;)), and atmosphere. Princess offers the Sanctuary which sounds very nice for an adult only area. Here is a link to info: http://www.princess.com/learn/onboard/activities/daytime_activities/day_sanctuary/index.html. Personally, I would consider Celebrity for the overall cruise experience that you are seeking, and less children than typically found on other mainstream lines. Celebrity is a great value, wonderful cuisine and service, spa, and a notch above Royal Caribbean and some others.

[DCguys]

We found very few kids on our Celebrity S-class ship Caribbean cruise. They have a nice adults-only indoor pool and we never saw kids or even teens in there. I *think* the specialty restaurants are 16+. Try asking this on the Celebrity board. I think you'll hear that Celebrity (called "X") cruises cater to a more sophisticated, quieter audience - thus fewer kids.

[Shmoo here]

I don't think any of the major lines have an adults only restaurant.

 

Is Disney a major line? They have both Palo (on all ships) and Remy (on the Dream & Fantasy). Adults only.

 

:)

[kitty9]

On Celebrity, they have alternate restaurants that have a minimum age of 12. We dine in the specialties every night, rather than in the main dining room, and we've never seen kids in them. They also have the solarium pool that's for 18 and older. The only problem is that like other lines, Celebrity moves most of their ships out of the Caribbean to Alaska and Europe.

[Hlitner]

HAL has adult pool aft but it is not always firmly enforced.

They don't have adult only restaurant but in our many times in their alternative restaurant, Pinnacle, we've seen few children. They are never there unsupervised and we've never heard any sort of commotion or disturbance and we've enjoyed a great many meals in Pinnacle on all the HAL ships.

 

 

Do not try diving into that pool on the Rotterdam (or her sister ship). It's only 5 inches deep!

 

Hank

[Cruisin' Chick]

We found very few kids on our Celebrity S-class ship Caribbean cruise. They have a nice adults-only indoor pool and we never saw kids or even teens in there. I *think* the specialty restaurants are 16+. Try asking this on the Celebrity board. I think you'll hear that Celebrity (called "X") cruises cater to a more sophisticated, quieter audience - thus fewer kids.

 

 

Considering that your cruise was in early December when few families tend to go on a cruise (at least ones with school-aged kids), it isn't surprising that you saw few cruises. The OP is talking about a June cruise as one (or both) is a teacher and can only vacation when school is out.

[Mary Ellen]

I feel like a ship that has a casino will do an even better job of having separate areas, but I could be wrong.

I remember your earlier post. No, having a casino means nothing towards a ship having adult only areas. I know of no other cruise line that has restaurants for 18 and over besides Disney. I know of no other cruise line that has the variety of adult only areas that Disney does. Disney also strictly enforces the adult only areas. That can't be said for other cruise lines. Disney also offers the shorter length cruises you want, but ships can only move so fast. Doing a 4-5 night Western Caribbean cruise from Florida isn't feasible.

[gerryl12]

The shorter the cruise the more likelyhood of lots of children from what I've seen. Cruises of ten days or more seem to have a lot less children.

[beachchick]

Royal Caribbean's Radiance class ships (Radiance, Brilliance, Serenade, and Jewel of the Seas) have the Solarium which is for age 16 and up, although a few hours are made available on some sailings for children. Their Chops Grille (specialty restaurant) is also for age 16 and up. In our experiences- excellent service, meals (filet ;)), and atmosphere. Princess offers the Sanctuary which sounds very nice for an adult only area. Here is a link to info: http://www.princess.com/learn/onboard/activities/daytime_activities/day_sanctuary/index.html. Personally, I would consider Celebrity for the overall cruise experience that you are seeking, and less children than typically found on other mainstream lines. Celebrity is a great value, wonderful cuisine and service, spa, and a notch above Royal Caribbean and some others.

 

While I agree with you about Chops food, service, and atmosphere, you are incorrect about the age restriction. The minimum age has been 13 for years and a few years back, they started making an allowance for all ages as long as families with children younger than 13 book times before 7 pm. That means that a family with children of any age could make a 6:45 booking and still be dining at 8:45.

 

I've heard that the Princess Sanctuaries are fantastic and would love to find out for myself. I think Oceania or Azamara might be good for a more overall adult atmosphere without costing as much as the luxury lines.

 

beachchick

[Bonnie J.]

<Most Carnival ships have a Serenity Deck. This is adults only and they mean that! It is also non smoking and has two hot tubs. I know conquest and fantasy class ships have this

and assume their new ships do to. Don't know about other class ships. going on the Miracle next month and hope they have one!

[jcl410]

All Royal Caribbean ships restrict their discos to adults only after a certain hour... In addition, there are other venues, such as the Vintages wine bar and/or champagne bar where there will be very few, if any children.

 

 

 

 

Also, each of their ships (except Monarch and Majesty) have "adult" pools that allow 16 yo and older.

 

 

What ever you do, avoid the area around the video arcade. :-)

 

Aloha,

 

john

[hubofhockey]

I suppose Princess' adults only Sanctuary area is what OP has in mind. I am not sure if Princess does short cruises. Go to Princess site for details.

[dancing bear]

Yes, the Miracle has a Serenity area on the Lido deck, aft. It's strictly 21 years of age and over, with a small pool and one hot tub. It opens at 8 a.m., but you want to get there earlier than that and camp out on a chaise lounge as space was always gone by 8 a.m. It's also a great place to have breakfast and enjoy the sunrise or moonset.

[1025cruise]

I suppose Princess' adults only Sanctuary area is what OP has in mind. I am not sure if Princess does short cruises. Go to Princess site for details.

 

Princess doesn't really do the short cruises, but is not an option as the OP wants to cruise the Caribbean in June. By June, Princess has transitioned their ships back to Europe.

[cello56]

We found the adult pool area on Oasis was very nice - and they enforced the adult only policy. It is called the Solarium and it had two levels of seating on nice padded lounge chairs.

[MCC retired]

I've found that Disney is the best at seperating adult areas from child and family areas (IMO).

From their Palo resturant , adult pool, and adult only entertainment areas

in the evening , I find no other mass market cruise line does it better.

[griffy116]

The shorter the cruise, the more children, tweens and teens. RCI has the solarium and the disco has specific adult only times. Very few children in the Specialty Restaurants. If you truly seek a mainline cruise with fewer children, chose the time of the year when they are most likely to be in school and choose a cruise for a longer period of time. Anything beyond a week, cuts down the number of children significantly. We went on an RCI cruise to Hawaii and there were virtually no children on board. You really had to look hard to see any of them.