Discover Yahoo! With Your Friends

Explore news, videos, and much more based on what your friends are reading and watching. Publish your own activity and retain full control.

To get started, first

YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Adult-Only Areas of Cruise Ships Easy to Find

    By Jason Gallagher | Yahoo! Contributor Network – Wed, Nov 2, 2011
    This story comes from the Yahoo! Contributor Network, where individuals publish their unique perspectives on some of the world’s most popular websites.
    Do you have a story to tell? Become a Yahoo! contributor

    In an effort to increase the rest and relaxation of the cruise experience, Princess Cruises has completed a project that has brought an adult-only area of peace and tranquility to the majority of the ships in the fleet. The area is called "The Sanctuary" and can be accessed by the adult crowd for $10 per day, meaning the areas serve up a healthy dose of revenue as well. The renovation emphasizes the popularity of cruises for families, yet still manages to underscore the importance of allowing adults a little peace and quiet.

    What is the appeal of having areas designated for adults-only?

    Besides using the niche areas to raise additional revenue, the areas offer a retreat for anyone looking to escape the commotion that can regularly occur on a cruise ship entertainment deck. Everyone from seniors to singles can relax in comfort without fear of being disturbed. Even the Disney Cruise Line widely associated with family vacations has areas designated only for adults.

    Do any resorts feature adult-only areas?

    Orbitz has a search feature for adults-only resorts. While more of a specialty segment of travel, people with children often overlook how common adults-only resorts really are. Resorts that cater specifically to adults are actually quite easy to come by.

    Are adult-only areas becoming more popular?

    The areas on Princess Cruises are popular, but it is tough to classify the areas as becoming "more popular." More and more adults are putting an emphasis on their entertainment, which has increased demand and made travelers more aware that the facilities are offered. The offerings are definitely a hot trend right now.

    What are some common adult-only areas of a cruise ship outside of specialty offerings?

    Typically some restaurants on ships are deemed only for adults. Plus, bars, nightclubs and lounges are adult only entertainment districts. In addition, many spas on several different ships cater specifically to an adult audience. Therefore, many areas of a cruise ship are escapes for anyone seeking some time alone from the younger audience, but they are not always free.

    Is there any way to make sure a cruise is totally children free?

    Currently, there are no U.S. based cruise lines that offer a totally child-free environment. That means vacationers looking for a grown up audience of fellow vacationers needs to stick to the traditional adults-only resorts. However, escaping to private areas on a ship that serve up an adult-only atmosphere is a real possibility, but choosing the right ship with the desired features is an important step.

    Jason Gallagher is a former travel professional with a decade of experience in the industry. He remains an avid traveler and hotel fan with exposure to technology and trends in properties across the United States.

     
    • Dagwood Bumstead
      Dagwood Bumstead  •  Seattle, Washington  •  4 mths ago
      I am thinking the adults only area likely does mean there is a strip club on these ships. Why not? Single men love strippers, and lots of singles go on cruises. Of course, when you see Carnival or any other cruise line advertising on TV, they never mention adult entertainment. I am guessing the singles cruises get pretty wild.
    • Fed Up
      Fed Up  •  6 mths ago
      They have to create these areas because today's parents are too weak to discipline their children and allow them to run wild in public. I think charging for peace and quiet on a vacation is an oxymoron. These areas should be accessible and FREE
      • Ted C
        Ted C 6 mths ago
        If the cruise line can make money off of it why shouldnt they? That is why they are in business.
      • Amanda
        Amanda 6 mths ago
        I believe you need to double check your definition of oxymoron, because charging for peace and quiet doesn't quite fit.
      • NONYA
        NONYA 6 mths ago
        Beating the constant scream and cry kid, does not work. It has everything to do with the attention and lack of at the wrong times, that MOST of these kids raise hell.

        If it is medical? They have no business to bring the kid aboard, people like this deserve to be quarentined themselves. My daughter only pitched TWO screaming fits in public in her life. One a whipping solved, and the other was because she just started comming down with a fever previously undetected, so we took her home. You dont take your sick kid out of course they will scream and cry.
    • NONYA
      NONYA  •  6 mths ago
      People need sanctuary from your screaming brats. Most peoples kids only go through one or two fit throwing spells in their young life, and maybe once or twice when they are very sick.

      The people that have a kid that throws a screaming crying yelling fit all the time, the parents are the problem. Unfortunately when you get in a large croud of people that number hundreds, theres always a COUPLE of hell kids that seem to take turns and alternate days and make a time ruining noise for everone in the group while their parents for the bigger part ignore them wile everyone else grits their teeth
    • Celtlady
      Celtlady  •  6 mths ago
      FedUp, in general I would agree with you, because I have experienced wild, undisciplined kids on cruises and lots of other places. Strange how parents think they've checked their kids into a cruise ship kids's program and then ignore them! However....I've been on many Princess cruises (as well as other ships). The "Sanctuary" is a lovely large gated area with a separate pool , deluxe loungers and towels, internet access, and other amenities including QUIET. Frankly, no matter how well behaved other's kids are, it's really the background noise of 4000+ other people onboard that's the issue. Princess has a huge area set apart for kids and another for teens in the stern of the ship. If the Sanctuary was free, then it would be overrun with people who take its separateness for granted. Just because you buy a cruise ship ticket doesn't guarantee that 100% of what's on board is included! You pay extra for the casino, alcohol-based drinks and sodas, the spa facilities and some of the extra restaurants on board as well as any off-ship tours.
      • Fed Up
        Fed Up 6 mths ago
        I know I've been on many cruises . I find that most people who go on cruises behave themselves. I do not go on family style or disney cruises for this reason.
    • Dan Henry
      Dan Henry  •  Moorhead, United States  •  6 mths ago
      This is a really long advertisement. Not news.
    • i wuz framed
      i wuz framed  •  6 mths ago
      Good. Kids don't belong on cruise ships anyway.
    • cindy
      cindy  •  6 mths ago
      I think the children should not be allowed in the hot tubs. The Norwegian had a huge kid's area with slides and a hot tub. But the kids needed the parents to be present so it stayed empty while the kids peed in the hot tub.
    • Rick
      Rick  •  6 mths ago
      So princess cruises charges extra for you to enjoy your vacation and yet Disney does it for free. Whodathunk!
      • PJ
        PJ 6 mths ago
        actually, a random check of a disney cruise for 7 nights out of Cape Canaveral to the eastern caribbean for two adults, in an inside cabin, sailing on April 6, 2012 is $2799.60. a princess cruise, for 7 nights, out of Ft Lauderdale to the same destination for two adults, leaving on April 8, 2012 is under $1600. So Disney doesnt do it for free and in fact has the highest prices of all the contemporary cruise lines. if you dont want to be around someone elses kids then go on a cruise when school is in session. like between labor day to the week before thanksgiving or before/after spring breaks. when you go, sail on RCCL
      • Rick
        Rick 6 mths ago
        PJ, if you have ever been on a Disney cruise, you would know why they are so expensive. They are not the motel 6 of the seas like many cruise lines. The rooms are exquisitely detailed including beautifully tiled bathrooms. The service is second to none. They also don't use a casino as an additional source of revenue.

        As far as going off peak, its not possible when you are married to a teacher.
    • Chris
      Chris  •  6 mths ago
      Lots of words in this article and very little information
    • Proud American
      Proud American  •  Prior Lake, United States  •  6 mths ago
      So, define "adults-only area". Is it just a lounge where kids under 21 cannot go? Where you can walk around with your adult beverage without the kiddies? Or are there strippers or adult theaters in there? I'm thinking the former, but with a cruise ship you never know...
      • Celtlady
        Celtlady 6 mths ago
        It depends on the cruise line what is allowed in the adults-only area. I have been on some cruises where the top sun deck is adult-only, clothing optional. Most ships have clearly posted rules as to what is allowed in these areas. Ships based in European home ports are often less "inhibited", shall we say, than Disney-owned ships.
    • OOPS
      OOPS  •  6 mths ago
      Adult only? I envisioned something else when I saw the article. I thought there was going to be a stripper bar. Now that would make for a much better cruise.
    • ICE CREAM
      ICE CREAM  •  Espanola, Canada  •  6 mths ago
      I worked in the kids club on a cruise ship for 3 years and it was awesome but to deal with them and the parents was stressful at time and best time to go is now as the kidsare in school and it is so cheap!
    • Islander
      Islander  •  Dallas, United States  •  6 mths ago
      Seems to me that the people responsible for bringing the kids on-board should be paying the premiums.
    • Ab
      Ab  •  6 mths ago
      so what? do you call this news?
    • bobby
      bobby  •  Little Rock, United States  •  6 mths ago
      Whats the world coming to!!
    • Jackshaft
      Jackshaft  •  Cleveland, United States  •  6 mths ago
      Check out Seabourn. Been twice. Kids are not forbidden but not encouraged and managed closely. Adult and elegant.
    • 2012 End Of a Nightmare
      2012 End Of a Nightmare  •  St. Paul, United States  •  6 mths ago
      Just go into the casino. No children allowed there!
    • bibo1900
      bibo1900  •  6 mths ago
      cruise ship people fall in the same category as hunting and wal mart people............
    • NONYA
      NONYA  •  6 mths ago
      I had a friend that had a son who as soon as you woke him up, he started to cry. It was not peacefull at all, it was a nerve wracking wail and scream. Anything you said to him, or if you dressed him or gave him something to eat, he only gained more dispair in his fit. If you made him mad while he was crying, he only increased to the near fit stage.

      I witnessed this one morning, and when I took normal steps to calm him down, I was told that he will go off, just leave him alone, he will do that untill he is dropped off at the inlaws house and it will stop instantly.

      Whether a shrink will argue its the right thing to do or not, I could just about bet that when this started, a butt whipping that was persistant to each crying fit would have solved the long term problem. Meaning breaking down his will might not have stopped the crying but it WOULD have solved the noise he made while doing it. Seen it before, saw this work before, persistant every day whipping will stop persistant every day mad fit crys.
    • ConMcCarty
      ConMcCarty  •  Portage, United States  •  6 mths ago
      any lap dances or orgies going on in the adult areas?
     Post a comment
    [ [ [['A picture is worth a thousand words', 5]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/why-facebook-bought-instagram-4-theories-160400376.html', '[Related: Why Facebook bought Instagram: 4 theories]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 9]], 'http://contributor.yahoo.com/join/yahoonews_virginiabeach', '[Did you witness the jet crash? Share your story with Yahoo! News]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Dick Clark', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/dick-clark-dies-at-82-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/c/21/c217c61aa2d5872244c08caa13c16ec5.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'Reuters', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['Titanic', 7]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/titanic-anniversary/', ' ', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/b/4e/b4e5ad9f00b5dfeeec2226d53e173569.jpeg', '550', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]
    [ [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]

    News For You

    Loading...

    US News »

    • U.S. Secret Service chief: no security breach from scandal Susan Cornwell
      Director of the Secret Service Mark Sullivan at the National Peace Officers Memorial Service on Capitol Hill in Washington

      WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A prostitution scandal in Colombia involving U.S. Secret Service employees did not result in any security breach and was not behavior that reflected the high ethical standards of the agency, the director of the agency said. Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan defended the culture of the agency in …

    • Jury deliberations resume in ex-US Senator Edwards' trial Colleen Jenkins
      Former U.S. senator Edwards leaves the federal courthouse in Greensboro

      GREENSBORO, North Carolina (Reuters) - The North Carolina jury deciding whether former U.S. Senator John Edwards violated federal election laws during his 2008 presidential bid entered its fourth day of deliberations on Wednesday after it requested a closer look at some evidence. Jurors late on Tuesday asked to see trial …

    • Chicago police arrest 15 protesting CME tax breaks

      CHICAGO (Reuters) - Police arrested 15 people blocking Chicago's main financial district on Wednesday as about 150 demonstrators protested tax breaks granted to CME Group by the state government. The 15 people were issued tickets by police, who formed a ring around them with police tape and bicycles in a plaza next to the …

    • San Francisco has best U.S. parks, Fresno worst: study

      (Reuters) - San Francisco has the best city park system in the United States along with Sacramento, Boston and New York, according to a ranking of the 40 best systems across the country. The Trust for Public Land, a non-profit conservation organization that released the report, said Fresno, California's park system was …

    • Fast-moving Nevada wildfire destroys seven homes

      LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - A fast-moving wildfire burned down seven homes in Nevada on Tuesday as winds fanned the flames, and firefighters battling a series of dangerous blazes in the U.S. Southwest in dry weather and strong winds made slow progress. Blazes in rugged, mountainous areas of Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado have …

     
    Episode 11: Hard times for Hometown Hardware
    Should Bill and Donna take on more risk to boost their business? Join the conversation.
    Episode 10: Mother's Day Tribute
    Remake America celebrates moms everywhere.
    Episode 9: A prosthetic for Kyle?
    Wounded veteran Kyle lost his hand during an explosion in Iraq.
    Learn more about Remake America »