Best Couples Cruises For Partners Looking To Channel Their Inner Child
You might consider a Disney trip more of a family vacation idea, but many adults traveling without kids still enjoy the splendor of a Disney Cruise Line vacation. There are adults-only areas on every one of Disneys cruise ships, including spaces for dancing and late-night entertainment sans kids.
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Each Disney ship also offers special adults-only dining experiences at romantic restaurants like Remy and Palo. Try Palo for brunch on one of the sea days, and Remy for romantic dinners and a fancy date night that pulls out all of the gastronomical stops. At Disneys private Caribbean island, Castaway Cay, youll also find an adults-only beach where the water is warm and the bar drinks are plenty strong.
Noble Caledonia Review Which Recommended Provider
If a small ocean cruise to less-visited destinations is what you’re looking for, you’ll want to consider Noble Caledonia. Its cruise ships carry between 36 and 250 guests, making them some of the smallest you can sail on, and passengers told us they felt well taken care of, rating customer service and passenger-to-space ratio the full five stars.
As a WRP, Noble Caledonia has committed to promptly refunding customers for cancelled cruises and offering alternatives, including a refund, if itineraries change due to travel restrictions.
As well as a personal on-board experience, it’s one of just three companies to earn a full five stars for the quality of its port excursions. One passenger said: ‘We really enjoyed travelling to little-known islands that are rarely visited. This was possible because it was a small boat with only 70 passengers.’
On the flip side, you won’t find the wealth of facilities that bigger boats offer. And ticket prices are high, though passengers still rated Noble Caledonia a very good four stars for value for money.
Should I book with Noble Caledonia? If you’re interested in well-run visits to lesser explored destinations rather than gyms and swimming pools, Noble Caledonia is a fantastic choice.
Hubbard Glacier Alaska Cruise
Adventure-loving couples should look no further than a cruise to Alaska. Journey with your loved one to the Last Frontier and discover its rugged terrain, exotic wildlife, and larger-than-life glaciers.
Watch: Alaska Cruise: Experience The Last Frontier
One of the top cruises for couples is a seven-night itinerary to Hubbard Glacier. Departing from Vancouver, British Columbia, your cruise will sail through the Inside Passage, the route that takes ships into a maze of fjords, bays, and islands.
During your day at sea, youll be able to spot an abundance of animals including orca whales, bald eagles, brown bears, and adorable puffins.
Your first stop will be in Icy Strait Point, where plenty of heart-racing activities await. Board the worlds largest and highest zip line, which features a 1,300-foot vertical drop, or kayak on the sparkling waters of Port Frederick. Try your hand at freshwater stream fishing at Game Creek, or search for whales and sea lions aboard a high-speed open-air boat.
The next day, your ship will visit Hubbard Glacier, one of Alaskas most impressive natural wonders. Measuring seven miles long, 76 miles wide, and 30 stories high, Hubbard Glacier is the worlds longest tidewater glacier.
Hubbard Glacier, Alaska
Ketchikan, Alaska
Once you dock, youll be treated to an Alaskan lunch of smoked salmon and clam chowder, followed by a short hike around the area. Its a lovely way to end your unforgettable journey through the wilderness of Alaska.
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Best Cruise Line For Couples In Their 30s: Virgin Voyages
Virgin cruises are the perfect fit for young couples who want to cruise on a ship that’s completely kid-free. The cruise line, which falls under Richard Branson’s Virgin brand, is designed for night owls who like a good party as much as a spa break.
Virgin Voyages’ ships each offer more than 20 dining spaces, with bars adjoining most, so you can grab a romantic cocktail together before sharing bites in restaurants like veggie-forward Razzle Dazzle or charming Korean BBQ Gunbae. Or, if your idea of romance is grabbing a quick meal to enjoy on your balcony, the Galley offers a fresh market with 10 different international eateries.
The party vibe onboard is high, and you can dance your face off at venues like The Manor or the poolside Aquatic Club. And if you’re taking one of Virgin Voyages’ Caribbean sailings, your itinerary will include a stop at the Beach Club at Bimini, an exclusive for Virgin guests. The ship will stay well into the night as big-name DJs like Mark Ronson and Diplo spin the decks, or passengers can enjoy quiet time by renting a private cabana. Expect beachside bonfires and snuggling under starry skies.
What Are The Full Results
Weve listed the top three cruise lines for each of the six categories below and highlighted the top-ranked cruise line for each category. A full breakdown of the rankings and a detailed explanation of the methodology used can be found on U.S. News and World Reports website.
Best Cruise Lines for the Money
Best Cruise Lines for Families
Best Cruise Lines for Couples
Best Cruise Lines in the Caribbean
Best Cruise Lines in the Mediterranean
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Virgin Voyages For The High
Adult-by-Design Virgin Voyages is more than a marketing slogan. Virgin cruise ships offer an adults-only big-ship experience that brings the boundary-pushing vibes. Think: sex therapists, risque shows, lively nightlife and the like. Virgin’s passengers are called sailors and all on board must be age 18 and up. While fares are entirely all-inclusive, they include basic nonalcoholic drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities, fitness classes and meals.
Virgin’s Scarlet Lady launched in 2021 and the line is quickly adding more ships to its roster, including Valiant Lady and Resilient Lady. All will focus on Caribbean ports and Mediterranean hot spots, like Ibiza. The ships carry over 2,500 passengers and rooms are designed to accommodate one to four adult passengers.
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Silversea Cruises Feature Door
Whether you choose a Silversea Antarctica expedition or a luxury Alaska cruise, fares include most drinks, some excursions, tips, and transfers. Additional charges may be charged for some premium drinks and specialty restaurants. In addition to onboard perks, Silversea’s all-inclusive cruises include transfers from your door to the ship and back.
Silversea has ten ships , four of which are luxury expedition class ships. Capacity ranges between 100 and 608 passengers. While children are allowed onboard, most cruises outside of summer season in popular regions set sail almost child-free.
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Best Caribbean Cruises For Travelers On A Budget
The undisputed leader in the Caribbean cruise market when it comes to affordability is Carnival. Not only does Carnival offer lower fares than youll find at most rival lines, it also purposely deploys its Caribbean-focused vessels to a wider variety of U.S. home ports than other lines to make traveling to them less pricey.
Youll find Carnival ships sailing to the Caribbean from all the major Florida cruise hubs, but also from ports as far-flung as New York City Baltimore Charleston, South Carolina Mobile, Alabama New Orleans and Galveston, Texas. The idea is that a large percentage of the U.S. population can reach a Caribbean-bound Carnival ship by car, saving the cost of flights.
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With one exception, Carnival ships arent as big as the biggest Royal Caribbean and Norwegian vessels. But theyre still packed with a lot of fun-focused attractions, including multiple pool areas, waterparks with waterslides and, on the newest Carnival ships, the lines signature, deck-top SportSquare areas with ropes courses, basketball courts, miniature golf courses and other outdoor amusements.
In part because of its low prices, Carnival has a huge following. It accounts for nearly 1 out of every 5 cruises taken worldwide. But it isnt for everyone.
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Saga Cruises For The 50
Saga Cruises, a British boutique cruise line, offers small-ship sailings exclusively to passengers over 50 years of age. Fares include all meals at any restaurant, gratuities, Wi-Fi, most drinks , fitness classes, transfers to and from the ship and shuttles into town from port.
The line has two ocean ships, the 999-passenger Spirit of Discovery and the 999-passenger Spirit of Adventure, both with all balcony staterooms. Saga cruise itineraries include the Baltic, the British Isles, the Canaries, and the Caribbean.
Saga river cruises feature the same level of included perks on adults-only sailings aboard Spirit of the Danube and Spirit of the Rhine.
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These Are The Best Cruise Lines For 2023 According To Us News And World Report
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Cruising is making a big comeback after a few hard years due to the pandemic. COVID is of less concern to travelers, and now most major cruise lines have dropped travel requirements. With the industry largely back to normal and companies like MSC and Royal Caribbean launching new ships, cruisers are currently spoiled with choices.
With so many options, it can be difficult to know which cruise line to choose. U.S. News and World Report is making that task easier for cruisers with their annual release of Cruise Line Rankings across several categories.
Whether you are looking for the best couples cruise, the best value for money, or the most luxurious option, the new report can help narrow down the choices, making planning the perfect cruise vacation a little less daunting.
To determine the best of the best, U.S. News and World Report looked at several metrics across different cruise lines, including itinerary, affordability, amenities, health ratings, and reputation. The result is not a straight ranking of best cruises but rather a thoughtful, categorized grading to suit various types of vacationers and preferred cruising locations.
% Adult Only Cruise Lines
People who are looking for a relaxing and quiet cruise trip can now opt for adult only cruises. No more yelling children in the pool, or crying toddlers in the restaurants. This relatively new concept has emerged due to the popularity of adult only areas aboard regular cruise ships. It was only a matter of time before this was extended to entire ships.
While most cruise lines still focus on offering family-friendly cruises, there are some that have pioneered adult-only cruises. Their ships are either entirely kid-free or at least their kid-friendly facilities keep away traveling families. Some cruise lines simply have adult-only ships others still accept children, but definitely have fewer on board.
The key to finding adult-only cruises is looking for those sailings that lack family appeal. Ships without children facilities and cruises with a strong focus on culture, food and history will naturally have far fewer kids onboard. Below, youll find some of the best adult-only cruises available today.
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Best Couples Cruises On A Luxury Cruise Line
Luxury is top priority at Celebrity Cruises, and for partners on a couples cruise that means a fully furnished suite that can be a place of refuge after a busy day of new experiences around the world. It also means romantic dinners at some of the best restaurants at sea, with menus created by a Michelin-starred chef worthy of the seas finest luxury lines.
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After dinner, you can enjoy a drink on your romanic cruise at the Sunset Bar , where you can take in panoramic ocean views with your partner or with new friends youve met on board.
Viking Ocean Cruises Review Which Recommended Provider
Viking has held on to the number one spot in our survey, earning an outstanding five stars in every category. This Swiss-based cruise company specialises in small to medium, adult-only ocean cruises, with all of its ships carrying fewer than 1,000 guests.
As a WRP, Viking has committed to promptly refunding customers for cancelled cruises and offering alternatives, including a refund, if itineraries change due to travel restrictions.
Customers told us they appreciate the ‘classy, crowd-free’ atmosphere that eschews the rowdy bars, casinos and hard sell that you’d expect from cheaper rivals. Instead guests can focus on relaxation in the spa, lecture theatres and jazz lounges.
The small size of the ships is a key part of the appeal, with passengers praising the personalised service from crew described as friendly, helpful and efficient. Smaller shops can also visit harbours that are less crowded.
Should I book with Viking? It’s not cheap, but the friendly atmosphere, excellent food and unusual destinations are a winning combination, so it’s no surprise customers rated value for money as outstanding.
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Best Cruise Experience: Holland America
Courtesy of Holland America
- Ship Name: MS Koningsdam
- Itinerary: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta
Holland Americas mid-sized fleet offers a more sophisticated cruise experience than most mainstream vessels, and although not adults-only, the MS Koningsdam offers a musically-themed cruise voyage that appeals to an older demographic. In the evening, there are instrumental concerts at Lincoln Center Stage, the BB King Blues Club, the two-story World Stage to Music Walk, Rolling Stone Rock Room, and Billboard Onboard an interactive setting for rock music. The ship also focuses on food and drink with live cooking demonstrations in Americas Test Kitchen and at Blend, a hands-on cocktail class. The 2,650-passenger Koningsdam sails to several destinations from the U.S., including sun-filled itineraries to the Mexican Riviera.
Windstar Small Ship Cruises
Unable to accommodate children younger than 8, while passengers under 21 must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 25 years old, Windstar Cruises also essentially offers adult-only cruises in practice.
The intimate atmosphere and elegant designs of their small cruise ships are adult-oriented and not really suitable for children, especially younger ones. There are no childcare, entertainment or other kid-friendly services on board. Additionally, Windstar also doesnt offer a child rateeach minor occupying a stateroom as a third person will be charged the applicable third person rate.
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Best Cruise Lines For Couples
A couples cruise can be one of the most romantic vacation options, but choosing the best cruise line for couples can be a challenge. You don’t want that sunset marred by crowds on deck, the romance of a dinner for two killed by whiny kids at the next table, or a cozy evening ruined by cramped cabins with minimal amenities.
To pick the most romantic cruises for couples, we looked for crucial couples cruise features like private balcony rooms great bathrooms and extra-special amenities options for couples dining cozy nooks and date-night venues almost-private open-deck spaces for relaxing by day and stargazing by night the best cruises for couples on a budget and even adventure options for two.
Do You Need A Passport To Take A Cruise To The Caribbean
You can visit the Caribbean without a passport on a closed-loop sailing . Examples include cruises that depart and return to Galveston, Tampa, Baltimore or Orlando. Some Caribbean ports, including Martinique and Guadeloupe, will not allow cruisers to get off the ship and enter the country without a passport, so check your itinerary and cruise line instructions.
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Top 12 Best Cruise Lines For Adults
Adult-only cruises have recently gained momentum due to the popularity of adults-only areas aboard the ship. We outline the best cruise lines for adults.
Over the past few decades, cruise ships have become more diverse in the activities, restaurants, itineraries, and accommodations offered. This diversity has caused the industry to boom, becoming one that generates multiple billions of dollars.
Over 27 million people enjoy cruises annually. We outline the best cruise lines for adults, both adults-only and those with adult amenities.
Can I Gamble At The Cruise Casino
Most cruise lines allow passengers over the age of 18 to gamble at their onboard casinos. Remember that some older ships, and all Disney ships, wont have a casino. But if you are sailing on a new ship, you wont you wont need to worry, as most cruise ships have casinos full of slot machines, table games, and scheduled poker tournaments.
Tip: Cruise ship casinos have lower odds than your standard Vegas casino. For example, blackjack on a ship pays 6 to 5 compared to the standard 3 to 2 payout.
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Best Modern Cruise: U River Cruises
Courtesy of U by Uniworld
- Ship Name: The A
- Itinerary: Haarlem, Netherlands Düsseldorf, Germany Cologne, Germany Koblenz, Germany Rüdesheim Germany Frankfurt Germany
Geared towards millennials, U River Cruises takes a hip approach to river cruising, with modern, stylish ships featuring chic rooftop lounges with ice bars and fabulous, trend-setting dining venues. Theres also yoga, paint and wine classes, and themed cruises that bring special guests onboard, ranging from celebrity drag queens to famous tattoo artists. On the 120-pasenger A ship, cabins include adjustable mood lighting, USB ports, built-in Bluetooth speakers, and luxurious baths with heated mirrors and plush bathrobes. Plus, theres dedicated rooms for solo travelers or groups of three. On the Rolling on the Rhine cruise, the ship stays late in port, with night excursions in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and others included in the fare.