How To Avoid The Kids…Even In The School Holidays

For those travelling without children and who are keen to indulge in nothing but undisturbed rest and relaxation, avoiding the families can become the name of the game in terms of holidays. As family cruising becomes more popular than ever, here are five ways to avoid the kids – even in the school holidays.

Choose an adult-only ship

We’ll start with the most obvious; avoiding kids is easy on an adult-only ship. P&O Cruises lead the way in adult-only cruising for many years with Arcadia and Aurora, two ships exclusively for adults. Alternatively, Saga Cruises offer adult-only cruising for over 50s on their two ships, Spirit of Adventure and Spirit of Discovery.

Find the on-board hideaways

If adult-only cruising appeals but you’d like to keep the facilities that come with family ships such as those in the Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line fleets, on board hideaways can provide a peaceful nirvana amidst the hustle and bustle.

Royal Caribbean was the first cruise line to introduce an adult-only solarium on each of its family ships and has since gone on to offer extensive adult-only areas including deck-top retreats, private lounges, spas and beach clubs. The Retreat on board P&O Cruises ships and The Sanctuary aboard the Princess Cruises fleet both offer similar adult-only areas featuring plush loungers, exclusive pools and hot tubs, plus waiter service and healthy bites.

Go for longer

It’s a well-known fact that most families book 7 night holidays, rising to 14 nights in the summer. Anything longer than this becomes rather expensive for a family with children and as a result you’re unlikely to see many on longer sailings. A longer itinerary will often take you to more exotic destinations or show you lesser visited ports in places such as the Mediterranean, meaning you’ll see more of the world on your mission to avoid the kids.

Look for luxury

Although few luxury cruise lines will cater for children on board their ships, the all-inclusive cost of sailing with a five or six-star line means that it is often an option reserved for couples, rather than large families. Operators such as Azamara Club Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn and Silversea offer an intimate, elegant and high-end cruising experience designed to appeal to an adult audience. If you’re looking to take advantage of good value inclusive fares, whilst at the same time enjoying luxury surroundings and avoiding cruising with children, these cruise lines can be a great option.

Consider a river cruise

A lack of family-friendly facilities means you’re highly unlikely to come across children on board river cruise ships. The itineraries and the ships themselves are designed to cater to an adult clientele; excursions often focus on food, wine, history and art, and you won’t find any kids clubs on board. For these reasons alone, river cruising rarely attracts passengers under 18 years old.