If I’ve heard this question once, I’ve heard it a thousand times. For some reason, folks are hesitant to book a Disney Cruise as an adults-only party. Perhaps it’s the fear they will be surrounded by children 24 hours a day, or perhaps it’s the question of how many activities will be available for those not interested in characters. Whatever the reason, this question always lingers; it remains a popular thing to ask.
I am here to inform you: Disney Cruises are even BETTER without kids!
Now, this may seem like a bizarre statement about a cruise line that has built its appeal on being family-friendly. However, Disney does a great job of taking care of its adult guests.
I have both taken my children on cruises and gone on cruises while leaving them at home. While I wouldn’t trade the memories I created with them on board for anything in this world, I have found that I enjoy the pace a kids-free cruise affords me. When sailing without children, I feel much freer to enjoy the entertainment provided in the adult’s areas on board. The trivia offerings, game shows, and musical acts reserved for these areas are some of my favorite things about cruising! I greatly enjoy the quietness and more grown up entertainment they each provide. On our last cruise, we completely avoided character meet and greets and still had an overwhelming amount of adult activities to enjoy.
Quiet Cove Pool (seen above) is another great escape from other people’s children, and provides a more soothing atmosphere than the main pools do. Soft music is often playing, and cool towels are usually provided to loungers enjoying the warmth of the sun. Cove Café is a coffee shop located in the same area, and it provides specialty coffee for those adult coffee snobs traveling with you (like me), as well as pastries for purchase. No children are allowed in this area, making it a haven of quiet. Speaking of swimming, Serenity Bay on Castaway Cay is also reserved exclusively for adults, and completely lives up to its name — it provides absolute serenity! We love to arrive to the beach early in the morning and snag our hammocks or loungers for the day. The barbecue lunch provided on this portion of the island is a better offering than the lunch provided on the family beach, with items such as rib eyes and mahi-mahi to enjoy with a wonderful variety of salads.
The view at Serenity Bay, the adults only beach at Castaway Cay
Besides Cove Café and Serenity Bay barbecue, Palo provides a wonderful dining experience only for adults. It’s the perfect place to get gussied up and enjoy an area completely devoid of children. Palo currently requires a $30 per person up charge, and offers dinner most evenings and brunch on sea days.
The entrance to Palo aboard the Disney Dream. Photo Credit: wdwinfo.com
All of these areas have made our two kids-free cruises an absolute dream. We find Disney Cruises to be as wonderful of an atmosphere as any other destination we would visit without children, and we haven’t even utilized Senses Spa or Remy yet! Mixologies and wine and whiskey tastings are popular options that round out an extensive line-up of activities reserved for adults.
This is my opinion, though, and I am admittedly a Disney fanatic. So these are the two types of people I would suggest avoid Disney Cruise Line while traveling with only adults:
- If you do not enjoy Disney in any capacity, cruising with them might still leave you feeling as if you’re on cartoon overload. DCL has done a fantastic job of creating ships that feel elegant and classy, and I feel the ambiance is relaxing. However, we all know that one person that can’t stand cartoons. You cannot completely escape them on board, as, let’s face it, Disney is going to capitalize on their characters as much as they can. Many of their main entertainment offerings are based upon their characters, and even their main dining rooms are themed to their intellectual properties. If this causes you anxiety, and you don’t feel as if you can have an open mind and can go along with the magic Disney creates, another cruise line may work out better for you.
- You have to be okay with other people’s children being present. Please remember, DCL was originally created with families in mind, and there are a large number of families on board. Children ARE present. Kids clubs do a great job of keeping them busy and out of trouble, but they are not unavoidable. If children will always be a nuisance to you, DCL is not for you.
Only you can decide if that adults-only trip is right for you, but if these caveats don’t apply to you, I highly encourage you to give it a try!
Tell us, have you ever cruised with Disney Cruise Line without children?
