Best Adults-Only All-Inclusive Cruises
An adults-only, all-inclusive cruise is the holy grail for travelers seeking a child-free, hassle-free vacation. Viking Ocean cruises, Virgin Voyages and Saga Cruises are your best bets for kid-less bliss and free-flowing cocktails. However, other cruise lines come close to providing adult-oriented sailings, with scarce children and all-inclusive benefits.
With that in mind, we've rounded up the best all-inclusive adults-only cruises -- plus, some additional lines and itineraries to consider.
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Best Adults-Only All-Inclusive Cruises: Viking, Virgin Voyages and Saga
These three cruise lines stand out for their commitment to adults-only cruises while offering inclusive pricing -- read on.
Related: A Guide to All-Inclusive Cruise Deals
Viking Adults-Only Cruises on Oceans, Rivers and Beyond
Viking Ocean Cruises are adults-only, as are its river and expedition cruises. The minimum age on all Viking ships worldwide is 18. Fares include a shore excursion in every port, Wi-Fi, meals in multiple onboard restaurants, as well as wine, beer and soda with lunch and dinner. Viking Ocean, Expedition and Mississippi River ships also offer no-charge self-serve laundry facilities, and on ships with in-room mini-bars, complimentary stocking of a range of drinks and snacks (dependent on your stateroom category).
In ports that require transportation into town (like Pireaus/Athens) coaches are provided at no charge. Oh, and if you return to port with a bottle of wine from Tuscany, there’s no corkage fee to drink it on board. Of course there are some exceptions to Viking's all-inclusive fares. Gratuities, drinks outside of meal times, and select shore excursions will cost extra, and premium beverage packages are available for purchase.
Outside of the Mediterranean, Viking Alaska or Caribbean cruises are an easy choice for those seeking adults-only cruising during busy summer travel seasons to regions that are otherwise wildly popular with families.
Viking Ocean cruise ships are all identical, each carrying 930 adult passengers; all cabins offer private balconies. Viking Expedition ships carry 378 adult passengers, and its river ships across the globe all carry fewer than 200 passengers.
Virgin Voyages for the High-Energy Cruiser With an Adventurous Side
“Adult-by-Design Virgin Voyages” is more than a marketing slogan. Virgin cruise ships offer an adults-only big-ship experience that brings the boundary-pushing vibes. Think: sex therapists, risque shows, lively nightlife and the like. Virgin's passengers are called sailors and all on board must be age 18 and up. While fares aren't entirely all-inclusive, they include basic nonalcoholic drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities, fitness classes and meals.
Virgin's Scarlet Lady launched in 2021 and the line is quickly adding more ships to its roster, including Valiant Lady and Resilient Lady. All will focus on Caribbean ports and Mediterranean hot spots, like Ibiza. The ships carry over 2,500 passengers and rooms are designed to accommodate one to four adult passengers.
Related: 11 Things to Love About Virgin Voyages' Scarlet Lady
Saga Cruises for the 50-Plus Cruiser
Saga Cruises, a British boutique cruise line, offers small-ship sailings exclusively to passengers over 50 years of age. Fares include all meals at any restaurant, gratuities, Wi-Fi, most drinks (wine with lunch and dinner plus soda, house spirits, draft beer and mocktails), fitness classes, transfers to and from the ship and shuttles into town from port.
The line has two ocean ships, the 999-passenger Spirit of Discovery and the 999-passenger Spirit of Adventure, both with all balcony staterooms. Saga cruise itineraries include the Baltic, the British Isles, the Canaries, and the Caribbean.
Saga river cruises feature the same level of included perks on adults-only sailings aboard Spirit of the Danube and Spirit of the Rhine.
Adults-Only Cruises That Aren’t Quite All-Inclusive
P&O Cruises’ Adults-Only Option
P&O Cruises offers two adults-only (18+) cruise ships: the 1,874-passenger Aurora and 2,094-passenger Arcadia. The British line is a good option if you want a kid-free experience on a larger ship, but expect typical add-on pricing, not all-inclusive. The line offers itineraries that range from 3 to 40 nights worldwide.
Related: Marella Cruises vs P&O Cruises: Which Cruise Line Would Suit You?
Marella Cruises Offers One Adults-Only Cruise Ship
Marella Cruises launched its first adults-only ship, Marella Explorer 2, in 2019. Fares on the 1,814-passenger vessel include both tips and a selection of drinks (alcoholic and nonalcoholic). Four of its nine eateries are specialty restaurants that come with additional charges. You must be 18 to sail.
All-Inclusive Cruise Lines That Aren't Adults-Only
If you're after a true all-inclusive cruise, you'll likely have to opt for a luxury line. Yes, fares will be higher, but you'll be spoiled for choice with perks. These lines typically don’t have age restrictions that make them true adults-only cruises, but high fares, longer itineraries and less theme park-like destinations tend to discourage many families from booking.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises Offer the Most Base Fare Inclusions
Regent Seven Seas Cruises offers the most inclusions of any luxury line in its base fares. That means all tips, drinks (including mini-bars), a wide array of shore excursions in every port, shuttles into town when needed, main dining rooms and specialty dining, one account of unlimited Wi-Fi per suite, as well as airfare and airport transfers. Regent's five ships (with a sixth launching in 2023), range in size from 490 to 750 passengers.
You can expect some kids on Regent Seven Seas' Alaska and European cruises in the summer, so if you're set on cruising at that time of year, opt for longer cruises that shy away from places with more family-friendly excursions.
Silversea Cruises Feature Door-to-Door All-Inclusive Cruising
Whether you choose a Silversea Antarctica expedition or a luxury Alaska cruise, fares include most drinks, some excursions, tips, and transfers. Additional charges may be charged for some premium drinks and specialty restaurants. In addition to onboard perks, Silversea's all-inclusive cruises include transfers from your door to the ship and back.
Silversea has ten ships (and two more on the way), four of which are luxury expedition class ships. Capacity ranges between 100 and 608 passengers. While children are allowed onboard, most cruises outside of summer season in popular regions (like the Caribbean and Europe) set sail almost child-free.
Other Options for Almost Adults-Only Cruises
Other cruise lines are adults-only but have more a la carte charges, or are inclusive but don't ban kids (even if you don't often find them). Some of these lines might still be right for you, so don't rule out the following options.
Most River Cruises Are Nearly Adults-Only
The majority of all river cruise sailings have few, if any, children onboard. They also tend to have more inclusive fares that include beer, wine and soda at dinner, plus at least some shore excursions, along with Wi-Fi and bicycle use generally included.
Adults-only cruising is the standard for Viking River cruises, which, as mentioned above, requires all passengers to be 18 and older. The minimum age to sail on some river cruise lines Emerald Waterways, Grand Circle Cruise Line and Scenic) is 12 to 13. Most other lines adhere to rules similar to those of AmaWaterways, which bans children under age 4 and discourages kids younger than 8.
You can expect extensive all-inclusive cruise offerings from Tauck and Uniworld as well, which offer free airport transfers, all alcoholic drinks all day and night, gratuities, mini-bars and even extra-special events like dinners in castles.
Related: What's Included in My River Cruise Fare?
Adult-Focused, Small-Ship Cruises with Few Children
While ultra-premium lines Oceania and Azamara are a slight step down from the previously mentioned luxury lines, the focus is almost entirely on the adults. Neither cruise line has planned activities for children, which works as a deterrent.
Azamara's four vessels carry roughly 700 passengers each and fall just shy of being all-inclusive. Tips, nonalcoholic drinks, a limited menu of alcoholic beverages (select standard liquors and beers, plus house wines), self-service laundry and the AzAmazing Evening are all included on every cruise. Excursions, transfers, premium alcohol, internet and specialty dining generally cost extra on Azamara.
Related: 7 Reasons Azamara Is the Cruise Line for You
Base fares on seven-ship cruise line Oceania include only Wi-Fi, nonalcoholic drinks and meals in main and specialty restaurants. Other inclusions can be added as packages and under the line’s all-inclusive O Life program, which includes shore excursions, airfare and transfers.