Could adult only cruises be in the future?

[vakamalua]

Even without drink packages, we’ve seen plenty of drunks on our 15 DCL cruises including plenty of parents paying zero attention as their kids run wild—as one DCL Cruise Director on the Fantasy told us, they never correct guests behavior. We’ve seen far better behavior on cruise lines that cater more to adults & offer drink packages.

 

[sponica]

I do think just demographically, they might need to explore more adult only options. I know it's a global company, but our birth rates are pretty meh in the the states and if you are geared towards a demographic that shrinks year after year...

That being said I don't want a drink package. I'm fine paying by the drink.

 

[Memorymakerfor4]

I think they should do it. More and more we encounter people on the ships and in the parks who seem annoyed by children and this would give them a place to go. Sometimes I understand, parents still need to parent on vacation and it can damper the experience to be around those people, but other times it kind of mystifies me that people act this way. I am curious if they would be able to preserve what makes Disney special, it's hard for me to describe but I think most know what I'm talking about. I agree with others that a drink package might be a mistake, but sort of like the DVC cruises, it would be cool to see more demonstrations, lectures, classes, stuff like that.

 

[dreamer17555]

Even without drink packages, we’ve seen plenty of drunks on our 15 DCL cruises including plenty of parents paying zero attention as their kids run wild—as one DCL Cruise Director on the Fantasy told us, they never correct guests behavior. We’ve seen far better behavior on cruise lines that cater more to adults & offer drink packages.

While this hasn't been my personal experience on our 16 DCL sailings, isn't this more reason for DCL not to offer a drink package? If they are unwilling to police guest behavior now it is going to be even worse when a drink package is offered. Other cruise lines who offer drink packages do have to control guest behavior more, additional security and cutting guests off and dealing with drunk disruptive guests. DCL might be biting off more than they can chew if they offer a drink package while keeping their hands off and the guest is always right approach they currently have.

 

[Mommb]

I could see Disney offering adults-only cruises a few times a year, similar to the Southern Caribbean, DVC Member, Panama Canal, and Transatlantic offerings. I don't see it happening more often than every few months, unless DCL devotes a whole ship to adults.

An occasional adults-only cruise wouldn't require a significant change to the merchandising mix since, as mentioned, some adults will still want to buy gifts for children in their lives. Adults would absolutely enjoy the kids' areas.

Behind the scenes tours would be great, but the demand would be so high that they would probably need a cost, as well as advance registration, in order to work.

 

[pjacobi]

Disney will do adult-only cruises when Virgin does family cruises. Don't hold your breath for either one!


-Paul

 

[vakamalua]

Of course, the bottom line of this discussion is just that—the bottom line. If Disney management sees an opportunity to increase profits with all adult cruises or drink packages in the future, it will be a no brainer.

 

[Racer X]

I thought it was just me... After the last cruise i need to re-evaluate future DCL cruises... which makes me sorta sad TBH. Kids have run amok.. and i don't know if there is just more of them or the parenting has gone awol or both... I saw kids almost knock down servers at dinner.. run into the galley, race down halls, being completely alone at so young it actually made me nervous as a parent.

 

[Kit Jackson]

Can't image Disney would ever offer an adult only sailing on their ships. What would they do with all the space the kids clubs occupy?

Open up the spaces to adults and when physically possible, let them play around and enjoy the space.

I have to imagine an adults only cruise on DCL would be much more expensive, since they don’t have a casino and would need something to make up the loss of revenue by not having kids aboard.

What lost revenue? A stateroom in category X on a particular cruise is going to cost the same whether it's two adults or a single parent traveling with a kid. The only two revenue sources that I can think of that are absolutely dependent on having kids aboard are BBB and the nursery.

 

[supercarrie]

Disney is just planning for the future as the birth rate continues to fall and there are less children. Maybe they will open up retirement homes at Disney.

Look at Cotino, the new Storyliving by Disney community in SoCal! There is a 55+ neighborhood with many homes. They are on your wavelength already.

 

[indylaw99]

Also thinking about people like us who have been cruising on Disney with our kids since they were born.... but they are not "kids" anymore! We still love taking Disney cruises with them, but they are now 22 and 24. So a "no kids" cruise for us would still be a family vacation. Given that Disney Cruises are now 26 years old, I have to imagine there are a lot of families like ours out there. We've got two such cruises planned in the next year.

We took our first Virgin cruise this year, and even though we will still be going back to Disney, it was interesting not having kids around.

 

[DVC Deac]

I think they should do it. More and more we encounter people on the ships and in the parks who seem annoyed by children and this would give them a place to go. Sometimes I understand, parents still need to parent on vacation and it can damper the experience to be around those people, but other times it kind of mystifies me that people act this way.

Agreed. I’ve noticed the same thing. Bad parenting and poor behavior are inconsiderate and inexcusable. At the same time, many parents care about how their kids behave and are walking on eggshells, especially at MDRs, to avoid the eye rolls, dirty looks, etc. that have become more frequent. It adds stress to what should be a fun time for everyone. I’d go a step further and suggest not only adult-only cruises, but cruises only for families with children. Let both sides be in their comfort zones and hopefully it will alleviate some tension.

 

[cruisehopeful]

It's easy for me to say I'd book an adults only cruise, but ultimately it's about the price and the itinerary. I'm sure they can make a lot of money with some new offerings onboard.

 

[dreamer17555]

Agreed. I’ve noticed the same thing. Bad parenting and poor behavior are inconsiderate and inexcusable. At the same time, many parents care about how their kids behave and are walking on eggshells, especially at MDRs, to avoid the eye rolls, dirty looks, etc. that have become more frequent. It adds stress to what should be a fun time for everyone. I’d go a step further and suggest not only adult-only cruises, but cruises only for families with children. Let both sides be in their comfort zones and hopefully it will alleviate some tension.

I really don’t think that will solve the situation with dirty looks. In my experience, nobody judges harder than another parent. This is especially true if they’ve only had Neurotypical children or children that are very easy-going and not difficult to parent.

 

[rhit2004]

You think people.complain about the lack of space / crowding in adult only areas now --- just imagine if everybody on the ship was trying to use that same limited space. Yes - the whole pool deck becomes a de facto adults only area which increases space, but things like the lounges, Adult only dining, and Senses spa are all limited space and would not be any bigger for an adults only cruise. The adult spaces would be more heavily used because nobody has kids to entertain and everybody can enjoy the spaces. I know my wife and I spend significantly more time in the lounges/Palo/rainforest room/etc when we cruise without kids than with them.

 

[MillauFr]

Look at Cotino, the new Storyliving by Disney community in SoCal! There is a 55+ neighborhood with many homes. They are on your wavelength already.

Knowing it is Disney they will be charging $10m for a home that sells for $2m just outside of the Disney bubble. And people will be lining up to buy them because the houses come with free soda.

 

[We’reAllMadHere]

You mean like charging twice as much as other cruise lines do?

Right. But even more so.

What lost revenue? A stateroom in category X on a particular cruise is going to cost the same whether it's two adults or a single parent traveling with a kid. The only two revenue sources that I can think of that are absolutely dependent on having kids aboard are BBB and the nursery.

I assume Disney ships run closer to capacity than double occupancy. An adult only cruise, I’m guessing, would average closer to 2 people per room, which would lead to potentially higher cabin costs.

If Disney is running at lower capacity, maybe when school is in session, that’s a whole different story. I have no issue with an adults only cruise, and I’m sure there is demand for it. The existing adult only activities on cruises seem to sell out (alcohol tastings, Palo, etc.) already.

 

[European]

You think people.complain about the lack of space / crowding in adult only areas now --- just imagine if everybody on the ship was trying to use that same limited space. Yes - the whole pool deck becomes a de facto adults only area which increases space, but things like the lounges, Adult only dining, and Senses spa are all limited space and would not be any bigger for an adults only cruise. The adult spaces would be more heavily used because nobody has kids to entertain and everybody can enjoy the spaces. I know my wife and I spend significantly more time in the lounges/Palo/rainforest room/etc when we cruise without kids than with them.

I would focus most of my time in the kids clubs and definitely not in the spa or Palo dinner on such a cruise. Or the special events/activities.

 

[dreamer17555]

You think people.complain about the lack of space / crowding in adult only areas now --- just imagine if everybody on the ship was trying to use that same limited space. Yes - the whole pool deck becomes a de facto adults only area which increases space, but things like the lounges, Adult only dining, and Senses spa are all limited space and would not be any bigger for an adults only cruise. The adult spaces would be more heavily used because nobody has kids to entertain and everybody can enjoy the spaces. I know my wife and I spend significantly more time in the lounges/Palo/rainforest room/etc when we cruise without kids than with them.

I think my post on page one outlines how DCL could do this and keep crowds from overwhelming one space.

Of course rainforest passes, palo, have a finite amount of slots so they will sell out but that is pretty typical for most Disney Cruises these days.