Carnival Announces First Adults-Only Cruise

Carnival Cruise Line, one of the biggest cruise brands, recently made a surprising announcement: it will offer a cruise where no children are allowed on board.

For a company long known for waterslides, kids’ clubs, and multigenerational entertainment, the idea of an adults-only sailing has turned heads.

In this article, we’ll break down what Carnival is planning, we’ll have a look at why cruise lines (even family-focused ones) are embracing adults-only experiences, and explore the pros and cons of kid-free cruises for passengers.

Why Carnival Is Testing Adults-Only Cruises

Carnival’s decision to trial an adults-only cruise is a notable first for the line. In late 2025, Carnival will run a handful of special voyages exclusively for guests 21 and over.

This is an unusual step for a family-oriented cruise line, and Carnival has been careful to explain the reasoning.

According to Carnival’s brand ambassador John Heald, the adults-only sailings are limited, one-off events tied to a casino promotion, not a permanent change in the line’s policy.

So why the kid-free cruise at all? The opportunity arose when Carnival had to postpone a ship’s maintenance dry dock, suddenly freeing up some cruise dates.

Rather than let the ship sit idle, Carnival decided to add new trips on those dates. To fill these extra sailings, Carnival’s casino department stepped in with a plan: make them special Casino Event cruises targeted at the line’s casino-loyal guests, and restrict them to adults only.

In practice, this means only invited members of Carnival’s Players Club could book those cruises, and every guest must be at least 21 years old.

Carnival notified passengers of one such November 2025 sailing that it had been re-designated as a 21+ voyage due to this operational change.

In short, the ship is being filled with serious casino enthusiasts, and naturally, “we cannot make those casino offers to children,” Heald explained.

A while ago, I also explained to you how to win a completely free cruise at the casino.

So in the end, Carnival emphasizes that it isn’t turning into an all-adults cruise line.

The vast majority of Carnival cruises will continue to welcome families. “Please ignore [rumors we’re becoming] an ‘adults only’ cruise line. We are a proud family cruise line… and always will be,” Heald assured.

However, I believe this could also be a good opportunity to test the waters, given the growing demand for adult-only cruises.

Adults-Only Cruises: A Growing Trend in the Cruise Industry

For Carnival, this can be a new thing, but the concept of adults-only cruising has been gaining increasing interest across the industry.

This is happening even as many major cruise lines have been doubling down on family-friendly offerings in recent years.

In fact, some of the biggest new ships are so packed with children and family activities that some passengers have started complaining about it.

Cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, MSC, and Carnival itself have added huge water parks, teen clubs, and family suites to attract more parents and kids.

To give grown-up travelers a break, these mainstream lines usually include adult-only areas on board. For example, Carnival’s own “Serenity” deck retreat is reserved for guests 21+ seeking peace and quiet away from the family areas.

At the same time, another trend has emerged: child-free cruise experiences designed specifically for adults, and a small but notable group of cruise operators has gone “all-in” on the adults-only idea.

For example, Virgin Voyages (launched in 2021 by Richard Branson’s Virgin Group) bans anyone under 18 from its ships as a core part of its identity and has now also introduced an unlimited annual cruise pass.

The goal is to create a sophisticated vibe that simply isn’t possible with little ones running around. Virgin’s CEO famously joked that when you put kids in a pool “they scream, and we don’t want that”.

Another leader in this niche is Viking Cruises. Their ships have been 18+ only ever since the line started its ocean operations in 2015 (Viking’s river cruises likewise adopted a minimum age of 18, after previously having a 12+ guideline.)

As you probably already know, Viking caters to a mature crowd focused on destination enrichment, and the absence of kids allows Viking to maintain a quiet, cultured atmosphere.

And lastly, there are some cruise lines that have adopted a “half-and-half” approach.

For example, P&O Cruises (a sister company to Carnival) operates a split fleet: most of its ships welcome families, but two of them are reserved exclusively for adults.

What is new is seeing a family-focused line like Carnival dip its toes into the concept, even if only for a special event.

I personally believe that it reflects the fact that there’s significant demand for kid-free vacation options.

Some cruisers simply prefer an environment with no children aboard, whether for peace and relaxation, romance, or the company of like-minded adult travelers.

Will This Be The Future For Cruises?

Of course, none of us has a crystal ball to predict the future, but it certainly looks like the trend may be going in this direction.

Thanks in part to the presence of more and more ships (many cruise lines have become huge in recent years), there is an opportunity to offer increasingly personalized experiences.

For example, in recent years, we have seen a great increase in themed cruises.

I also told you about the adults-only clothes-optional cruise, a sign that cruises are now able to offer increasingly personalized experiences even for a niche of passengers.

For cruise enthusiasts, this simply means more choice. You can pick a cruise that matches your travel style: a fun-filled family one with kids, a relaxing adults-only cruise, and a cruise line even announced a sailing where everyone can bring their own dog.

Neither style is “better” universally, it truly depends on what each traveler values in their vacation.

The broader trend across the industry suggests that both families and child-free travelers are important, and cruise lines are finding ways to serve each.

Let me just be clear on one thing: Carnival and others are not abandoning families, they’re simply adding new options for different audiences.

And as in every industry, having more options is just a good thing. Only make sure you choose the right cruise for you, and remember to have a look at the ranking of the best cruise lines.