As lines report record sales, adults only cruising continues to rise

• Adults-only cruising is increasing in popularity, with lines like Oceania Cruises also now catering for the market.
• Virgin Voyages has been seeing record bookings and other cruise lines have been transitioning towards adults-only cruising.
• Could kids’ free travel play a significant role in the future of cruising?

Virgin Voyages has just reported its best-ever month of bookings in January 2026, reflecting a shift in the preferences of cruisers. Oceania Cruises recently announced it has transitioned to an adults-only line.

As of January 7, 2026, all new reservations are for travellers 18 years and older.

Viking was the first in market with an adults-only proposition, promising no kids and casinos onboard their ships.

Virgin Voyages first launched in 2014, following in the same vein as Viking. The brand positioned its ships for a younger and livelier cruiser. Think tattoo parlours, 90s dance classes and drag shows.

Nirmal Saverimutto, CEO of Virgin Voyages believes that kid-free travel is here to stay. “We didn’t approach kid-free travel as a short-term trend. We built Virgin Voyages around it from day one.

“That’s why we’re growing faster than the industry, and why our repeat rates are at record levels.

“Kid-free travel is not a niche category. It’s a movement. And we are now the go-to brand for anyone traveling without kids.”

While Virgin Voyages still operates as somewhat of a niche in the cruising world, they are growing rapidly and their adults-only approach continues to gain traction, and other cruise lines are noticing this as well.

Perhaps the most surprising cruise line to take a turn in this direction has been Carnival Cruise Line, who are known ships that are designed very much with kids and family in mind. 

Carnival first announced a few surprise adults-only voyages that were only offered to casino member guests, but has since expanded its offerings and rolled out more adults-only cruises in the USA. 

Feedback from these voyages were extremely positive, with guests commenting on the completely different vibe and energy to the ship, and even anecdotes of getting to experience the pool without splashing kids, trying waterslides for the first time, enjoying upgraded dining and more. 

Considering the positive feedback, it didn’t come as a surprise that Carnival expanded its adults-only offerings, offering five new sailings. As mentioned, these are all currently sailings out of the USA, but it does mark a new chapter for Carnival. 

Aussie guests have expressed plenty of interest for these types of cruises and they’d certainly cause a stir if they were announced to come down under. 

While Oceania Cruises was not known as a family-friendly line, its repositioning to an adults-only cruise line stamps itself as a luxury cruise line. The move made a statement to the industry, signifying it would be catering to guests who value extra space, sophistication and tranquillity.

Viking is another premium cruise line that operates as adults-only, prioritising ambience over potential accessibility for families. 

Ambassador Cruise Lines, who operate out of England, has also become an adults-only cruise line. Its well-priced offering is designed for

For those looking for adults-only cruises, Ambassador is an interesting line to consider as their prices are significantly lower than those of Oceania and Virgin Voyages. Furthermore, all their cruises are adults only, not just a select few, meaning they have much more availability and options than Carnival. 

What hasn’t happened yet is much movement in Australia. Virgin Voyages sailed just one season in Australia before moving on, however, their singular season came right after the pandemic at a tricky moment for the Aussie cruise industry. If the Australian government and cruise industry can collaborate to create better regulatory conditions, lines like Virgin Voyages could well be lured back to Aussie shores. 

While the family cruise experience certainly isn’t in any danger of dying out, it looks like adults-only cruising could soon change from an uncommon niche to a popular option amongst major cruise lines. 

A key driver as to how popular adults-only cruises become will be whether cruisers are willing to pay extra for them. An adults-only cruise will generally mean less people overall on the ship, as there aren’t kids cramming into cabins with their parents. 

However, with a slightly higher fare and the allure of increased spending in places like bars, casinos, specialty dining and more, it appears cruise lines are cottoning on to the idea that adults-only cruising can have its benefits for everyone.