Posted on Thursday, 2 November 2017

With news that Virgin Voyages' newest ship will be adults-only, we look at other ways to avoid the ankle-biters on your next cruise.

Virgin Voyages' all-new cruise ship will be a striking affair – not only for its futuristic looks, but for the fact that under-18s will not be allowed on board the 2680-passenger liner.

It will be music to the ears of those keen on kids-free cruises. No screaming tykes at dinner, no teens constantly riding the ship's lifts for fun, and no little ones disturbing the sun-deck's peace and quiet with high-pitched shrieks.

The keel of Virgin's new ship – yet to be named – was laid down recently in Italy's Fincantieri shipyard. 86 per cent of cabins will feature terraces, and 93 per cent will boast ocean views.

Aside from these scant details, not a lot is known about the new vessel. We do know it's set to enter service in 2020 and will be able to turn waste water into electricity.

But right now, the most interesting thing about the ship is its adults-only premise.

However, it's not the first kids-free cruise ship.

Adults-only cruise ships

With the rise of vast ocean liners, families have become increasingly attracted to sea-based holidays: Onboard facilities have improved immeasurably in recent years, with a host of activities, kid's clubs and family-sized cabins.

But many cruise lines have recognised that not all customers want to be surrounded by little ones. P&O, for instance, keeps three ships for adults-only voyages, while anyone who wants to book a trip on Grand Circle Small Ship Cruises or Saga must have been born at least half a century ago.

But you don't need to book one of these to reduce the chances of encountering scores of noisy young shipmates. Many luxury lines are geared towards adults, with minimal kids-friendly facilities.

They are also very expensive, which automatically excludes many cost-conscious families. Any younger passengers you find on luxury cruises tend to be well-behaved and may even be accompanied with a nanny. However, opting for a luxury cruise ship can be an expensive way to avoid gaggles of kids.

Sail smaller ships

Families are usually less keen on smaller cruise ships because they feature fewer family-friendly facilities and tend to be used for longer, more exotic getaways. Princess Cruises and Holland America still operate a number of these older, comparatively diminutive ships.

Opt for term-time cruises

One straight-forward way to bag yourself a (relatively) child-free cruise is to book during the school term. Of course, break-up and back-to-school dates vary across the UK, so this is not a dead-cert – but avoiding the English summer holidays should limit the number of under-18 ship mates you encounter.

Other ways to keep it adults-only

You could pay extra for your own suite, thereby minimising time spent on the public deck, but this could prove to be a rather anti-social move – not to mention expensive.

Making a bee-line for kids-free parts of the ship is a cheaper way to get some peace and quiet (unless you visit the casino and lose all your money). Aside from roulette and blackjack, you could head for the spa, the adults-only sun deck or an after-hours bar. Other ways to avoid ankle-biters include hitting the buffet at off-peak times, or catching an over-18 movie in the cinema.

And if all else fails, you can simply confine yourself to your cabin and make full use of room service.

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