If you’re a parent interested in taking a long vacation, chances are you want a vacation from everything –work, family, kids, and the pressures of everyday life. A relaxing kid-free cruise vacation at sea sounds appealing, but you’re not too sure if there are any adult cruise lines out there. While you won’t find many cruise lines that market themselves as “adult cruise lines,â€? you will find plenty of cruise lines that imply it.
Don’t look to cruise lines like Disney Cruise Lines and Carnival Cruise Lines for a relaxing adults only vacation, but rather cruise lines that are considered upscale, luxury, or adult entertainment oriented, meaning, they highlight a hefty amount of casinos, lounges, bars, and singles events. Adult cruise lines can be found just about anywhere in the world. Some market heavily to singles, while others offer “dance hosts� and events targeted towards couples and singles. These types of activities tend to keep families with children from booking.
Some of the top adult cruise lines in the business today include: Orient Lines (specifically Orient’s Marco Polo cruise ship), Cunard Line (Queen Mary 2), Crystal Cruises, Regent Seven Seas, Silversea, Classic International, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, Fred Olsen, Hebridean Island Cruises, African Safari Club, Crystal Cruises, Discover Egypt, Ocean Village, and P&O Cruises as well as some Holland America Line and Norwegian Cruise Line vessels.
When searching for adult cruise lines (luxury or otherwise) there are also several telltale signs that the line is probably kid-free. Look for cruise lines that sail to exotic locations, cruise lines that offer under 50% supplement, cruise lines that offer single cabins, cruise lines that offer shared cabins, and cruise lines that offer “hosts.â€? Adult cruise lines offering hosts are not in the business of “sex for sale,â€? so please erase all impure thoughts from your mind! Hosts are simply “gentlemen” selected on the basis of their dancing ability. Dance hosts can be found on Cunard Lines Queen Elizabeth, Orient’s Marco Polo, Crystal Cruises, Regent Seven Seas, and Silversea ships as well as some Holland America Line and Norwegian Cruise Lines vessels.
Out of all adult cruise lines, Orient Lines is probably the best for adult travelers and singles. Voted one of the Top 10 Large-Ship Cruise Lines by Travel+Leisure (2007), Orient Lines offers 0% supplements on selected grades (25% for other grades and 75% for A grades and suites); a social staff including congenial gentleman on hand to serve as social hosts, and 8 single cabins (Marco Polo) consisting of: B Grade – 816, D Grade – 643, 648, 656, 661, and K Grade – 267, 101, 102.
Orient Lines cruises to Europe, Africa, Egypt, South America, Antarctica, and (spring) Transatlantic. Orient Lines cruises may range from 11 days up to 52 days or more. At the time this article was written, Orient Lines (owned by Norwegian Cruise Lines) was in the process of acquiring a new owner. Details will be posted to Orient Lines website as they become available.
For links to all cruise lines’ websites, including the cruise lines mentioned in this article visit: Ships and Cruises.
