For many travelers, the notion of a cruise conjures images of massive water slides and children shrieking and splashing. But whether you have kids in your life or not, sometimes the idea of a quieter, calmer sailing is more appealing.
While only a few cruise lines outright ban children, several luxury and smaller ships keep their amenities, prices, and activities adult-focused, greatly reducing the chances of youngsters interrupting your plans for a relaxing getaway.
In the late 1990s, when Torstein Hagen created Viking River Cruises, now by far Europe’s largest river cruise operator, it was purposely designed for the over-55 crowd, although children were allowed. When the company launched ocean cruises in 2015, it implemented the industry’s first official adults-only policy, which it extended to its river cruises in 2018.
British billionaire Richard Branson introduced a new and saucier version of 18-and-over cruising five years ago with the launch of Virgin Voyages, which targets young (or young at heart) travelers.
And this year, Oceania Cruises, known for its more adult-oriented culinary focus, has adopted an adults-only policy on new reservations.
No other major cruise lines outright ban the underage set, but there are ways travelers can lessen the chances of cruising with children.
If you really want to avoid kids, don’t cruise during a school break period (such as spring break, summer, or winter holidays), pick an itinerary for more than two weeks (length being a deterrent to the family crowd—world cruise, anyone?), or look toward an ultra-luxurious cruise or one that involves an expensive airfare—not everyone wants to splurge on an upscale experience for their progeny.
Keep in mind that the smaller the ship, the greater the chance youngsters won’t be aboard, as those ships tend to have fewer (or no) kid-focused programs and amenities. Here are our picks for the best cruises for adults.
Oceania Cruises
Citing research that showed that guests choose Oceania Cruises for its “serene atmosphere, sophisticated service, and unhurried pace, traits that are highly sought after and valued by mature, affluent travelers,” the high-end cruise company switched to an adults-only policy in January. It won’t be a big change for the luxury line, which sails ships with capacities ranging from 700 to 1,200 guests.
Known for its outstanding restaurants and food-focused activities—including cooking lessons in ships’ onboard culinary centers—Oceania never attracted many children. The company that bills itself as having the “finest cuisine at sea” said it will honor all existing reservations made prior to January 7, 2026, that include travelers under the age of 18. But by transitioning to an adults-only policy, “we are enhancing the very essence of the Oceania Cruises journey—one defined by sophistication, serenity and discovery,” said Jason Montague, the company’s chief luxury officer.
To book: Oceania’s seven-day round-trip sailing from Seattle to Alaska, aboard the 1,200-passenger Oceania Riviera, from $2,549 per person
Scenic offers adult-centric expedition yacht cruises that are as luxurious as they are adventurous.
Courtesy of Scenic Group
Scenic
Scenic, of the new generation of small luxury expedition lines, has two yachts. By virtue of their size and programming, those vessels tend to attract mostly adults. It’s not uncommon for sailings to be entirely child-free, as was a two-week circumnavigation of Iceland aboard the 228-passenger Scenic Eclipse over summer break in 2025.
Forgoing attractions such as a kids club, this line maximizes its space for all-balcony suites and large-ship amenities, including expansive spas with indoor and outdoor spaces, not to mention five dining venues that offer a variety of dining options that is unmatched among other ships of the same size as Scenic’s. Scenic draws a mature, active clientele. It offers opportunities for guests to take a ride (for a hefty price) on one of its onboard submersibles or helicopters.
To book: Scenic’s 12-day “Whiskey, Fire & Ice” itinerary sails from Scotland to Iceland, starting at $14,207 per person
Experience fine dining with exquisite views on Silversea’s luxury expedition vessel Silver Endeavour.
Courtesy of Matteo Imbriani/Silversea Cruises
Silversea Cruises
With its sleek ships, a focus on cuisine and drink as a cultural experience, butlers that pamper all guests, and an overall ultra-luxury ambiance, Silversea is a favorite of well-heeled adult travelers. Grandparents may bring a multigenerational group aboard for a holiday or summertime sailing (the 596-passenger Silver Muse is the only Silversea ship with a children’s playroom), but with air-inclusive fares that start at around $800 a day, and no discounts for kids, you’re unlikely to have your pool time interrupted by shouts of “Marco Polo.” Rather, you’re more likely to hear someone call an attendant over for more champagne and a side of caviar, both complimentary and available 24/7.
To book: A 14-day round-trip sailing from Athens through the Greek Islands and along the Turkish coast on the 728-passenger Silver Nova, priced from $10,800 per person
Find serenity in one of Viking’s notoriously tricked out Nordic-style spas on its ocean and expedition vessels.
Eric Laignel/Viking
Viking
Whether you cruise with Viking on one of the company’s many 190-passenger river cruise vessels in Europe, on the line’s 930-passenger ocean cruise ships that sail around the world, or on one of its two 378-passenger expedition ships, you’ll be treated to a fine-tuned cruising experience geared strictly to adults. You need to be age 18 and up to get aboard to enjoy the many perks covered in the all-inclusive fares. Those perks consist of shore excursions in every port, free wine and beer, all meals (including numerous restaurant experiences and nightly seafood buffets), engaging lectures hosted by historians and other experts, and Nordic spas complete with hot sauna, steam room, and a chilly snow grotto.
To book: Viking’s 15-day Grand European Tour from Amsterdam to Budapest on the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers, starting at $4,999 per person
Head to Virgin Voyages’ Razzle Dazzle restaurant where the adults-only clientele can pick from menu items that are either “naughty” or “nice.”
Courtesy of Virgin Voyages
Virgin Voyages
Adult-only cruises offered by Virgin Voyages take place on four 2,770-passenger ships that sail the Caribbean, Europe, and the South Pacific. The atmosphere aboard is edgy, cheeky, full of subtle—and not so subtle—sexual innuendo, and fun done in an inclusive, adult way unlike anything the cruise industry has ever seen before. Expect lots of day drinking, lively nighttime parties and entertainment, a tattoo parlor, and indulgent food, including an over-the-top molecular dining experience and the “Lick Me Till . . . Ice Cream” shop (for no extra charge)—in between trips to the wellness retreat with a mud room and ’80s-style aerobics classes for the full detox and retox Virgin experience.
To book: Virgin’s four-night Fire & Sunset Soirées sailing, embarking from Miami for Key West and then Virgin’s private Beach Club at Bimini in the Bahamas, starting at $1,512 for two
Sail away with Windstar—and without small kids.
Courtesy of Windstar Cruises
Windstar
Windstar guarantees there won’t be young kids aboard—you must be age eight or up to sail. That said, it’s rare to see any kids at all. The upscale line’s 148- to 342-passenger ships deliver an intimate, adult atmosphere whether you are on a four- or five-masted ship with billowing sails or an all-suite motorized yacht. Cabins and suites are mostly designed for two and attract couples looking for romance at sea, in addition to excellent dining, enhanced by the line’s status as the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation. Borrow a kayak from your ship’s own marina by day and cap an evening of food and drink with quiet time out on deck, watching the moon reflect on the sea.
To book: The seven-day Dreams of Tahiti itinerary on the 312-passenger sailing ship Star Breeze, with all-inclusive pricing starting from $2,999 per person
This story was originally published in 2023 and was most recently updated on January 30, 2026, to include current information.
