9 ways to have an adult vacation on a cruise ship full of kids

02.10.2024 - 13:59 / thepointsguy.com / Royal Caribbean

If you aren't cruising with kids, the family-friendly lines can sometimes seem a little too kid-friendly.

I'm sure you're picturing goggle-clad youngsters playing Marco Polo in the hot tubs where you thought you could relax and preteens loitering in the stairwells and pushing all the buttons as they crowd into an elevator. Or the massive mess you always find on the countertops around the soft-serve dispensers because hordes of children overfill their cones. Plus, why is it that the family-focused activities always seem to overshadow the seemingly small number of adults-only activities? Even on a giant megaship, it can seem like your entire vacation is overrun with rowdy throngs of kids.

But if you know where to look for child-free spots on board, and how to navigate the ship to avoid places where kids congregate, you can avoid interacting with big groups of children for most of the day.

Trust me — I do not travel with kids, yet I have taken nearly 15 cruises on the top family-oriented cruise lines, Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Line. I have found many ways to have an adult-focused vacation on these kid-friendly cruises.

Try my nine tips and you, too, can have a grownup vacation on a cruise ship full of kids.

We all want to get some sun while on a cruise. While you could head to the pool decks brimming with kids, a better option is to seek out adults-only sundecks or solariums. On most family-friendly cruise lines, you'll find an adult hideaway where plush loungers, calming whirlpools and cool swimming pools are waiting.

My favorite adults-only pool area is on Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas, which has a solarium that overlooks the ship's bow. The fully enclosed space has air conditioning, making it an alluring spot on hot Caribbean days and rainy afternoons. The space features plenty of lounge chairs and tiered water areas with cool pools and hot whirlpools. Even better, the minimum age to enter the solarium is 18.

On Utopia, there's also an attached restaurant called the Solarium Bistro. The buffet-style eatery is known for its fresh Mediterranean flavors for breakfast, lunch or dinner. While the restaurant is not exclusively adults-only, I've rarely seen kids inside since it's attached to a designated 18-and-over venue.

Another one of my favorite adults-only sun decks is Satellite Falls on Disney Dream's Deck 13. It's named for the round wading pool at its center that has a cascade of water flowing into it.

I love this space because it's typically quieter and less crowded than the adults-only Quiet Cove Pool and Cove Cafe coffee shop on Deck 11. I like to relax on one of many lounge chairs and take in the views off the bow of the ship. The only downside is drink service to the deck can take