While cruises are often marketed as family vacations, sometimes adults want to do that. Many cruisers don't mind there being some kids onboard and they're not looking to sail on cruise lines that intentionally market to older folks because they're still looking for an active nightlife.
The question of which cruise line to book, however, depends upon your tolerance for kids being on the ship at all. You can minimize that by avoiding summers and school vacations, but that's not super easy to do because schools all around the country maintain different schedules.
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Still, if you don't like rowdy young people, avoid college spring break (usually multiple weeks in March), and Christmas week and Thanksgiving week will mean more kids even on cruise lines like Celebrity, which usually have relatively few.
If you just want fewer kids, cruises longer than 7 days, cruises on older ships with fewer features, and cruises that only sail on weekdays tend to have fewer children. On the Royal Caribbean ships which are sailing 3-4 day itineraries the Friday through Monday cruises will have many more kids than the Monday through Friday ones.
On Royal Caribbean and Celebrity ships, you can find ways to keep your exposure to kids down beyond which ship and itinerary you pick. On Virgin Voyages, however, you don't even have to think about it.
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Virgin Voyages cruises are 18+
Virgin Voyages makes a good choice for people who have no tolerance for children. Its ships were engineered for adults and it literally does not allow anyone under the age of 18 onboard.
Realistically, since much of its ships' offerings are built around its many bars, the ship really only appeals to people over the age of 21. In addition, Virgin Voyages is often more expensive than Royal Caribbean, or Celebrity cruises on a per-night basis.
Virgin Voyages offers smaller ships than many Royal Caribbean and. Celebrity ships, but it does not have to devote any space to activities for kids and teens. That allows every decision the cruise line makes to not have to consider making anything kid-safe.
There are no family-friendly comedy shows because there don't have to be and some of the entertainment would not be considered family-friendly. That logic also applies to its dining choices as Virgin Voyages can focus on adult palettes and does not have also serve basic macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, and other kid-friendly staples.
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You can have an adult experience on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity
Royal Caribbean cruises will have more kids than its sister cruise line Celebrity Cruises because its ships offer waterslides, laser tag, surf simulators, and other kid-friendly activities (although some of those are fun for adults). Celebrity does offer kids and teens clubs, but its ships are generally more aimed at adults.
Booking Celebrity Cruises, aside from the big holiday weeks, generally will offer a more adult experience. On both cruise lines, however, you can be on a ship with kids and have a more adult, mostly kid-free experience.
Both cruise lines, for example, offer an adults-only (18+) solarium with a pool. Royal Caribbean's solariums offer a bar while Celebrity's have bar service from roving waiters. There are also spaces on both cruise lines where kids are less likely to be present.
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Bars that don't have music like Celebrity's Martini Bar and various bars on Royal Caribbean's ships rarely have kids present. They're not banned, but there's little reason for them to be in those places.
In addition, if you want to avoid kids on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises, it makes sense to eat your meals in specialty restaurants while avoiding the buffet and main dining room. Kids are allowed in those restaurants, but they're generally on their best behavior and under parental supervision.
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