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Spirit of Discovery cabins and suites

Spirit of discovery staterooms review, floor plans, photos.

Spirit of Discovery cabins and suites review at CruiseMapper provides detailed information on cruise accommodations , including floor plans, photos, room types and categories, cabin sizes, furniture details and included by Saga Ocean Cruises (Saga Cruises) en-suite amenities and services.

The Spirit of Discovery cruise ship cabins page is conveniently interlinked with its deck plans showing deck layouts combined with a legend and review of all onboard venues.

Forward Balcony Suite

Forward Balcony Suites offer the following cabin amenities and exclusive suite perks:

• 24-hour room service
• complimentary Wi-Fi
• coffee/tea-making facilities
• turndown service
• full butler service
• 2 twin beds or 1 double (king) bed
• step-out balcony
• spacious living room
• walk-in closet/wardrobe
• en-suite bathroom (double-sink vanity, WC, shower, whirlpool bathtub)
• fresh fruits basket, fresh flowers
• daily newspapers and magazines
• in-cabin dining (Continental Breakfast, dishes from all the ship's restaurants, afternoon tea service (full)
• Espresso coffee machine
• customized (fully-stocked) mini-bar

Forward Suites are named "Sidney De Haan", "Joseph Meyer", "Rose" and "Ruby".

Aft Balcony Suite

Aft Balcony Suites offer the following cabin amenities and exclusive suite perks:

Aft Suites are named "Bailey", "Fair Isle", "FitzRoy", "Hebrides", "Humber", "Lundy", "Thames" and "Trafalgar".

Midship Balcony Suite

Midship Balcony Suites offer the following cabin amenities and exclusive suite perks:

• spacious seating area with large sofa
• en-suite bathroom (double-sink vanity, WC, separate shower/bathtub)
• fresh fruits basket
• daily newspapers
• in-cabin dining (Continental Breakfast, afternoon tea service / full)

Twin Deluxe Balcony Cabin

Twin Deluxe Balcony staterooms offer the following amenities and exclusive perks:

• seating area
• en-suite bathroom (WC / shower, toiletries)
• fresh fruits
• bathrobes and slippers

Twin Standard Balcony Cabin

Standard Twin Balcony staterooms offer the following amenities and exclusive perks:

Single Cabins

All single-occupancy staterooms (regardless of category) offer as amenities the Saga Cruises standard:

• 2 twin (lower) beds or 1 double (king) bed - Standard Single is with a double bed
• walk-in closet (wardrobe)
• private (step-out) balcony
• en-suite bathroom (WC, shower, toiletries)
• bathrobes, slippers

Single Suites additionally offer as bonus perks:

• bathroom (WC / shower/bathtub)
• daily newspaper

All single cabins are with step-out verandas.

Wheelchair-Accessible|Adapted Cabins

The ship has a total of 10x Adapted Cabins (ADA-certified, wheelchair-accessible staterooms).

The accommodations are all with step-out balconies and in 3x categories: Adapted Junior Suite, Adapted Twin Deluxe, and Adapted Standard Twin.

Adapted Cabins are located on Deck A (room numbers A021, A028, A523, A531), Sun Deck (rooms S009, S509), C Deck (rooms C036, C537), and D Deck (D025, D526).

Handicapped staterooms feature wider entry doors, sitting-level keycard slots, wider turning spaces, ramped thresholds, beds with open bed frames, lowered vanity (in the sitting area), amplified phones, captioned TVs, wider bathrooms (with roll-in shower, fold-down shower bench, grab rails, lower sinks and closet rods, raised toilets, hand-held shower head).

All ADA cabins are conveniently located near the elevators.

The ship's gangways are all wide enough for most types of wheelchairs and disability scooters.

All decks provide elevator access. Passenger lifts are sized 2,7 m2 (176x156 cm). The lift's door width is 89 cm.

Passengers who require permanent or regular onboard use of a wheelchair/mobility scooter must be booked into an adapted cabin.

Spirit of Discovery cabins review

Saga Cruises MS Spirit of Discovery ship has a total of 554 staterooms, all with private balconies, spacious seating areas and private, luxurious bathrooms. The average cabin size is 215 ft2 (20 m2). All staterooms feature artworks, luxury furniture, premium fabrics, fittings and finishings.

After the suites, next premium grades are Deluxe cabins - larger in size and offering more facilities, better (higher) deck locations, better sea views and easier access to the most popular ship facilities.

Saga's Discovery ship also offers a wide choice of "single cabins" in all 4 grades (Suite, Deluxe, Superior, Standard). Each of these staterooms can be booked with single-occupancy rates (no single supplement required for the solo passenger).

Staterooms as decors and colour schemes are in three styles. First group's design features garden-like elements with light timbers, pastel-green colours, beautifully embroidered fabrics. Second group's design incorporates the more sophisticated grey with a dark-timber scheme, with pink-orange accented furnishings and carpet and upholstered headboard. Third group's colours are most calming, in neutral sunset tones with burnt oranges.

All staterooms offer as standard (complimentary) cabin amenities:

• smart HDTV (infotainment system - Internet, on-demand movies, ship info channel, real-time camera views from the Bridge), direct-dial phone, electronic safe box and lifejackets (in the closet)
• hotel-type beds (two twins, convertible double beds or fixed double beds with headboards), luxury bedding and pillows, bedside cabinets, wall-mounted reading lamps
• mirrored dressing table (writing desk) with a chair and magnifying mirror, separate lounge area (low table with two comfortable armchairs), large wardrobe
• en-suite bathroom (WC, glass shower, single-sink vanity with under sink storage)
• private step-out balcony (with table and deckchairs)
• individually controlled air-conditioning, LED lighting, keycard room access

The cruise ship’s 4 top-tier suites (Forward Balcony Suites categories AA and BB) are named Rose Suite (after the Saga Rose liner / 1965-2010 scrapped ), Ruby Suite (after the Saga Ruby liner / 1973-2016  scrapped ), Sidney De Haan Suite (after Sidney Isaac De Haan / 1919-2002, Saga Group's founder) and Joseph Meyer Suite (after Josef Lambert Meyer / Meyer Werft's founder).

The cruise ship’s 8 top-tier suites (Aft Balcony Suites categories CC and DD) are named after regions and islands in the UK - Bailey Suite, Fair Isle Suite, FitzRoy Suite, Hebrides Suite, Humber Suite, Lundy Suite, Thames Suite, Trafalgar Suite.

Spirit of Discovery cabin and suite plans are property of Saga Ocean Cruises (Saga Cruises) . All floor plans are for informational purposes only and CruiseMapper is not responsible for their accuracy.

• Saga Cruises

First time on Saga - information please.

By peeceecee , March 2, 2021 in Saga Cruises

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We are serial P&O cruisers and are seriously thinking about trying out Saga next year. In particular the cruise to Iceland in June 2022 onboard Spirit of Discovery.

We would be interested on hearing members views on the ship (good and bad).

There are three speciality restaurants. Can these be pre-booked online prior to departure? If not, how difficult is it to secure reservations. 

Do you have to book the included shore excursions prior to departure or can this wait until you are onboard?

We would be interested on hearing how any cruisers who have been on Saga and P&O compare the two.

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There are quite a few reviews on this board, try searching for ‘spirit of Discovery’ on this board and you’ll find plenty of threads.

You will be unable to book the specialities prior to boarding.

I think trying to compare P&O with Saga is a little like comparing chalk to cheese 🤷🏼‍♀️  

A good review below by Solent Richard 

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2717195-spirit-of-discovery-comprehensive-cruise-review/?tab=comments#comment-58961569

Sorry not a review but contains a link to the review 🙂

On 3/2/2021 at 2:49 PM, peeceecee said: We are serial P&O cruisers and are seriously thinking about trying out Saga next year. In particular the cruise to Iceland in June 2022 onboard Spirit of Discovery. We would be interested on hearing members views on the ship (good and bad). There are three speciality restaurants. Can these be pre-booked online prior to departure? If not, how difficult is it to secure reservations.  Do you have to book the included shore excursions prior to departure or can this wait until you are onboard? We would be interested on hearing how any cruisers who have been on Saga and P&O compare the two. Thank you Peter

Hi peeceecee

There must be some telepathic vibes going on here. We are also inveterate P&O cruisers - been with them almost exclusively since 2007. We have been on Fred Olsen in the interim but were not impressed - mainly due to the cabin accommodation. Have also cruised on a Viking Ocean cruise but they almost exclusively involve flying to join or return from the ship (or both). The cruise was wonderful but struggling with airports/luggage/flights etc is just a bit too much to deal with in our view.

We have just had 2 P&O cruises cancelled for this year and have looked at SAGA as an alternative.

We are now booked on that very cruise in June 2022 (Icelandic Adventure) and we are also seeking information about how things are done on SAGA. Glenndale's comments about the speciality restaurants is helpful but we are also wondering about dress codes for various venues and dates. Do SAGA have specific "formal" nights (usually 4 on a P&O cruise of 14 nights duration). What level of formal is acceptable and how is the dress code imposed outside of the main dining room.

If you opt not to get "dressed up", where can you eat and are you restricted from visiting certain bars as a casual or semi-formal dresser?

I know these are relatively trivial points but they do impact significantly on your packing plans for a 2 week cruise

Windsurfboy

I like you will be a Saga newbie in  May 22 , Baltic  sea , and had similiar questions.  99% of which I found answered on this forum, for example there is a thread on formal  nights and speciality restaurants  comes up in the threads on spirit  of discovery.  Most of the best threads were from October 2019 to March 20 when SOD was new and actually sailing.

Also for Solent Richards blog useful 

As above, you will not be able to book the restaurants online, but booking on board is easy (if sometimes tedious) - just visit or telephone the Maitre'D to make a booking. The brochure from Saga previously said that bookings could be made for all 3 restaurants at reception - not possible when I was on board, but may be sorted now.

In order to make sure that everybody on the ship who wants to try them has the opportunity to do so, Saga do not allow anyone to make multiple repeat bookings in one go. Do try them - in addition to excellent food, they have a very special ambience all of their own.

Dress code - yes, they do have formal nights and formal wear is expected everywhere outside of your cabin after 6pm - but traditionally, they have always understood that not everybody has or wants the full formal bit  so basically as long as you have made an effort, (gentlemen make sure you have a suit of some sort with jacket and tie) (or a combination that could pass for a suit), you will be OK.

Formal night is meant to allow people to dress up and feel a bit special, it is not intended to make people feel uncomfortable or out of place.

And if you really cannot bear the thought - room service is included in your fare, and the menu is pretty good.

2 hours ago, nosapphire said: As above, you will not be able to book the restaurants online, but booking on board is easy (if sometimes tedious) - just visit or telephone the Maitre'D to make a booking. The brochure from Saga previously said that bookings could be made for all 3 restaurants at reception - not possible when I was on board, but may be sorted now. In order to make sure that everybody on the ship who wants to try them has the opportunity to do so, Saga do not allow anyone to make multiple repeat bookings in one go. Do try them - in addition to excellent food, they have a very special ambience all of their own. Dress code - yes, they do have formal nights and formal wear is expected everywhere outside of your cabin after 6pm - but traditionally, they have always understood that not everybody has or wants the full formal bit  so basically as long as you have made an effort, (gentlemen make sure you have a suit of some sort with jacket and tie) (or a combination that could pass for a suit), you will be OK. Formal night is meant to allow people to dress up and feel a bit special, it is not intended to make people feel uncomfortable or out of place. And if you really cannot bear the thought - room service is included in your fare, and the menu is pretty good.    

Hi nosapphire

Tks for taking the time to respond. Am I correct in interpreting your comments on formal nights to mean that formal attire is expected everywhere on the ship after 6pm. I had thought that perhaps the Grill and/or Veranda self-service restaurants might allow a more relaxed dress code for those who do not particularly want to "dress up". Would smart casual be allowed in any of the dining venues on a formal night?anywhere

The procedure in the far distant days of December 2019 (sigh... how long ago) was as below (this is taken from the on-board paperwork).

QUOTE: The following is clarification of our dress codes applicable from 6.00 pm in all public rooms .

Formal Attire Ladies: Long or short evening dress, or other elegant outfit. Formal Attire Gentlemen: Tuxedo.dinner jacket or dork lounge suit & tie. Smart Casual Ladies: Casual dress or trousers. Smart Casual Gentlemen: Open-neck shirt and smart casual trousers. T-shirts,jeans and shorts are not permitted in restaurants after 6.00 pm END QUOTE:

The daily programme stated what the evening dress code would be for that day, and it would be either smart-casual or formal - no overlap.

BUT - looking at Saga's current website (link below) makes me wonder if they are changing it to make formal optional.

It certainly does not specify that formal wear is expected in all public rooms on formal nights, so seems there is a good chance that smart casual will be acceptable outside of the main dining room.

Maybe ask them directly.

https://travel.saga.co.uk/cruises/ocean/the-saga-experience/what-to-wear.aspx

10 minutes ago, nosapphire said: The procedure in the far distant days of December 2019 (sigh... how long ago) was as below (this is taken from the on-board paperwork). QUOTE: The following is clarification of our dress codes applicable from 6.00 pm in all public rooms . Formal Attire Ladies: Long or short evening dress, or other elegant outfit. Formal Attire Gentlemen: Tuxedo.dinner jacket or dork lounge suit & tie. Smart Casual Ladies: Casual dress or trousers. Smart Casual Gentlemen: Open-neck shirt and smart casual trousers. T-shirts,jeans and shorts are not permitted in restaurants after 6.00 pm END QUOTE: The daily programme stated what the evening dress code would be for that day, and it would be either smart-casual or formal - no overlap. BUT - looking at Saga's current website (link below) makes me wonder if they are changing it to make formal optional. It certainly does not specify that formal wear is expected in all public rooms on formal nights, so seems there is a good chance that smart casual will be acceptable outside of the main dining room. Maybe ask them directly. https://travel.saga.co.uk/cruises/ocean/the-saga-experience/what-to-wear.aspx

You may well be right. Saga appears to have moved up market with their new ships and in direct competition with the likes of Viking, Oceania and Azamara. All these lines have a smart casual dress code with no formal nights and whilst some potential customers may welcome formality many may not. Saga may need to go with the flow if it wishes to take passengers from these lines.

When Saga had the old Spirit of Adventure there was a choice of dress code on formal nights between formal dress in the main dining room or smart casual elsewhere. This worked perfectly well as it enabled those who wished to dress up to do so, while not compelling those who didn’t. Dining was perfectly civilised, whatever people chose to wear. The food was the same in both restaurants so no one missed out by not choosing the main dining room. My husband and father in law, having worn suits and ties for every day of their working life, had no wish to do so on holiday.so were very happy to cruise on this ship.  Having cruised on both Oceania and Viking we found it very refreshing to sit down to fine dining without dressing formally to do so.

The only problem I forsee with that may be on formal nights a semi-empty dining room and even longer queues at peak dinner time for the other venues.

 I suspect that if a poll was carried out among Saga guests (past and potential), there would be a majority in favour of abandoning formal dress code in favour of smart-casual - (with it being enforced to make sure it was smart-casual, not just casual).

One cruise (Saga Pearl II) a vote was taken whether Christmas Day should be formal, as per tradition, or smart casual, the vote was overwhelmingly for smart casual.

Perhaps it’s the opportunity now for Saga to move with the times and update their policies, although there seems to be a fear of upsetting those who like dressing up. We were disappointed to see that Saga ‘s dress codes had become even more formal on SOD with polo shirts banned on casual nights. As a polo shirt worn with a jacket is fine at Claridges, what’s wrong with it on SOD?

30 minutes ago, Kohima said: Perhaps it’s the opportunity now for Saga to move with the times and update their policies, although there seems to be a fear of upsetting those who like dressing up. We were disappointed to see that Saga ‘s dress codes had become even more formal on SOD with polo shirts banned on casual nights. As a polo shirt worn with a jacket is fine at Claridges, what’s wrong with it on SOD?

Agreed. I cannot see the logic behind that decision. It means that I am perfectly OK with my slightly tatty Primark shirt that cost £5 two years ago, whereas someone wearing a £100+  Ralph Lauren polo shirt (other brands are available!) will be chucked out. Unbelievable. 

17 minutes ago, wowzz said: Agreed. I cannot see the logic behind that decision. It means that I am perfectly OK with my slightly tatty Primark shirt that cost £5 two years ago, whereas someone wearing a £100+  Ralph Lauren polo shirt (other brands are available!) will be chucked out. Unbelievable. 

Indeed. This attitude always reminds me of the Inbetweeners episode in which the lads go for a night out in a London disco. One of them is wearing his brand new expensive trainers, but when they get to the door he is refused entry; "no trainers". In a nearby alley there is a tramp wearing a delapidated pair of conventional shoes, so in desperation he offers his new trainers in exchange for them and is promptly admitted. Even though it is obvious that the tramp has recently urinated on them!

My concern relates primarily to the luggage requirements if several formal nights are mandated. 

As regular P&O cruisers we have become used to dressing up on up to 4 nights and have packed formal wear and any accompanying accessories (mainly shoes for Mrs Arlo) accordingly.

This was no real hardship as we normally drove to Southampton with an overnight stop near Newbury. Our luggage consisted of 2 medium suitcases for all other clothing, 1 medium case for the formal bits and a "shoe bag" (hold-all type).

With SAGA we will be taking advantage of their chauffeur service (shared in our case due to living outside the 75 mile radius from Dover) but I can see an issue if we stick with our normal luggage profile. 

We could of course ditch our medium cases and purchase 2 large cases that will hopefully accommodate everything. However I'm loathe to add to our existing complement of luggage if possible. Also the medium cases are a convenient size for sliding under the beds in the cabin to provide a bit of extra storage. I'm not sure if that would be possible with the larger cases.

If we can get away with smart casual in one or more of the speciality restaurants or the self-service Grill on formal evenings then that could solve the problem.

Luggage isn’t really a problem with the included Saga car service. People seem to take all sorts of combinations of bags.

I hope they keep the main restaurant and the speciality restaurants  formal. Especially the club, a nice meal listening to live music whilst dressed up is something special. 

Yes there  should be somewhere for those who don't like formal to eat and drink. I also would like the idea that on formal nights that half the grill is self service, the other half waiter service for those who want smart causal not formal but like waiter service at dinner. If the grill is smart  casual then the nearest bar is the Brittania. 

But if there is to be formal it should be enforced 

We have some large hard luggage cases, just open them up and they slide under any bed. Plenty of room for multiple large cases under the super king beds in the cabins .  In other ships we've  fitted 3 large cases plus two carry on  sized cases under the bed

4 hours ago, nosapphire said:    I suspect that if a poll was carried out among Saga guests (past and potential), there would be a majority in favour of abandoning formal dress code in favour of smart-casual - (with it being enforced to make sure it was smart-casual, not just casual).  

I'm not sure which way the vote would go. I would hope they'd  do it before any changes. Given they have e-mail address  of passengers, it would be very easy to canvass everyone . In fact I'd really  encourage them to do it and also publish the results.  

This dress issue is always going to be divisive. However if Saga wishes to broaden its clientele, picking up such as Oceania, Azamara and Viking guests, it may need to be more flexible. Formal dress requirements have been mentioned as reasons not to cruise with Saga. Equally, it could be the other way around?? Surely, with a bit of tolerance all round, everyone’s preferences can be accommodated?

I have a feeling (with no proof) that how formal the cruise is depends on the Captain. Certainly one Captain seemed to be very keen on formal nights, and as he was very much involved in the development of the new ships it could explain why the dress code became apparently stricter on the Discovery. (Maybe we were supposed to fit in with the posh furniture).

There was a disparity between head office information and ship board information - head office were telling people that nothing had changed, and then when on board the information was that they were "tightening up" and "raising standards".

The standards were always kept high - the Maitre'D was a positive (discreet) bloodhound for spotting people trying to get into dinner unsuitably dressed - but the main criteria was to look as if you had made an effort, and the full "kit" was not an essential.

But on the Discovery, some longstanding Saganauts were suddenly being told that the attire that had been accepted at dinner on every previous Saga ship right back to the Rose was no longer acceptable on the Discovery.

Interestingly, it was suggested that if they did not have "right" kit, they had dinner in the Club (steakhouse) instead.

On formal nights our dinner companions in the MDR were always absent.

The formal dress situation seems more of an issue for the men than the women. Although a smallish number of women are in the ball gown category on formal nights, most women wear clothes that are interchangeable with smart casual nights. It’s more difficult for the men who are forced to wear suits and ties of some sort.

My partner really enjoys formal nights. He’d never worn a tux before we started cruising. He bought one before our first 3 nighter. I think it’s a James Bond thing. He thinks he’s the bees knees when he wears it.

To be fair he looks really good in it and makes me fancy him all over again.

23 hours ago, Kohima said: This dress issue is always going to be divisive. However if Saga wishes to broaden its clientele, picking up such as Oceania, Azamara and Viking guests, it may need to be more flexible. Formal dress requirements have been mentioned as reasons not to cruise with Saga. Equally, it could be the other way around?? Surely, with a bit of tolerance all round, everyone’s preferences can be accommodated?

I think it may be the other way round, even if only 10% of the small, more up market ships (Oceana, Viking, Azamara, Seabourn etc ) clientele miss formal nights but dont like big Cunard ships, then this will be a considerable boost to Saga with it's two ships . Saga will be the only smallish ships with formal nights.

Many people don't think they'd like  formal  until they try it, and for men Bring out inner James Bond

• 2 weeks later...

Host Sharon

I am a long-time P&O cruiser who has been totally converted to Saga. You can read my blog on Spirit of Discovery in 2019 here.  http://sharonp-shipsinmylife.blogspot.com/2019/

A helpful blog Sharon, thank you.

On 3/15/2021 at 9:49 AM, Host Sharon said: I am a long-time P&O cruiser who has been totally converted to Saga. You can read my blog on Spirit of Discovery in 2019 here.  http://sharonp-shipsinmylife.blogspot.com/2019/    

Thank you Sharon. Your blog was really interesting because we were on the same cruise, but did different things. It was a lovely itinerary.

Having sailed on the Spirit of Discovery, I can recommend anyone who hasn’t sailed with Saga before to read Sharon’s blog as it really gives a good flavour of the new ships, with lots of detail about the cabin. The overwhelming feeling on the ship is of spaciousness everywhere, especially on the outside decks.

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• Saga Cruises

Which deck to choose

By Ladycommonsense , March 14, 2023 in Saga Cruises

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Ladycommonsense

More questions from a Saga newbie so do bear with me please. From everything I’ve read on here and on various other sites it seems that, as most people pre-register, it will be those people that get the cabins in better locations. I think we are therefore resigning ourselves to being quite low down in the ship….. so my question is this please; it looks as if there are a lot of cabins on E deck which are above the club and playhouse, given this to be the case, does a lot of noise escape from these two venues into the cabins above. Also, what is the stability of the ship like it what is situated in aft cabin is. It is a position I prefer actually, however I’ve now become used to the new larger monster-style ships which tend to be very very stable indeed.

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What counts as a better location can be different for other people. Some like high, some like low, some like forward, some like middle, some like us prefer aft. Generally middle and low is the most stable but we haven't found aft on C or D deck to be particularly unstable. E deck standard cabins generally sell out relatively quickly, or at least the discount falls rapidly as they are the cheapest cabins available so you are unlikely to have to be low down in the ship unless for price or other reasons you want to be. As someone has pointed out on another thread, the aft E deck cabins are not on sale early on as they are reserved for entertainers etc. 

2 hours ago, david05 said: What counts as a better location can be different for other people. Some like high, some like low, some like forward, some like middle, some like us prefer aft. Generally middle and low is the most stable but we haven't found aft on C or D deck to be particularly unstable. E deck standard cabins generally sell out relatively quickly, or at least the discount falls rapidly as they are the cheapest cabins available so you are unlikely to have to be low down in the ship unless for price or other reasons you want to be. As someone has pointed out on another thread, the aft E deck cabins are not on sale early on as they are reserved for entertainers etc. 

Thank you so much for the information. I guess having got used to the huge ships and their stability, my interest was really about the stability of these smaller shops…… and you have answered that perfectly. Thank you.

The early booking discount applies to each cabin grade individually not collectively. So some grades may for example, still be selling at a 35% discount whilst the discount on others may have fallen to 30% or less. Sometimes this means that a higher grade cabin may temporarily be selling for less than one in a lower grade. So it pays to get quotes on more than one grade.

5 hours ago, david05 said: What counts as a better location can be different for other people. Some like high, some like low, some like forward, some like middle, some like us prefer aft. Generally middle and low is the most stable but we haven't found aft on C or D deck to be particularly unstable. E deck standard cabins generally sell out relatively quickly, or at least the discount falls rapidly as they are the cheapest cabins available so you are unlikely to have to be low down in the ship unless for price or other reasons you want to be. As someone has pointed out on another thread, the aft E deck cabins are not on sale early on as they are reserved for entertainers etc. 

Entertainers are housed anywhere on the ship . We had a few up on the Sun deck

Windsurfboy

Discounts vary by deck , you might want to read the which is your favourite deck thread , if you haven't done so already. 

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The best adults-only cruises to try if you can’t stand being around kids on vacation

What are the best adults-only cruises — the ones that not only ban kids but cater to grown-up tastes and interests?

You may be asking because you just spent time on a megaship where the kids took over the pools and hot tubs (not to mention the elevators), much to your chagrin. Or, you might be looking for a vacation with more lectures and less limbo, or perhaps a cruise that skews more R-rated than G.

The list of cruises for adults only is, alas, very short. Only a handful of cruise lines ban children from their ships and promise cruises for grown-ups — perhaps the most notable being cruise newcomer Virgin Voyages and fast-growing Viking .

The trend in recent years in cruising is, in fact, more family-focused, with more kids appearing on ships of all types. Indeed, some of the biggest, best-known cruise brands have gone full-bore after the family market , to the extent that the sun-soaked top decks of their ships sometimes can feel more like a scene out of "Daddy Day Care" than a blissful vacation retreat.

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Don't despair, though. Even as many lines double down on the family market, a small group of cruise operators remains all-in on the idea of adult-only cruises.

Here are our picks for the best adults-only cruise lines, with a grown-up vibe to boot.

Related: A beginners guide to picking a cruise line

Virgin Voyages

The much-ballyhooed new line from Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group has banned children under the age of 18 from its ships. It's part of an effort to create a hipper, more-sophisticated, adult-focused vibe that company leaders think is sorely lacking in the cruise world.

"We have done a ton of research really trying to create a sophisticated experience," Virgin Voyages CEO Tom McAlpin said in the days before the line's 2021 debut . "I've done some personal research. We found that when you put kids in the pool, they scream, and we don't want that."

Related: I've been on more than 150 cruise ships. Here's what I thought of Scarlet Lady

Virgin Voyages' first three adults-only cruise ships, the 2,770-passenger Scarlet Lady and sister vessels Valiant Lady and Resilient Lady , cater to grown-ups looking for a decidedly adult sort of fun with such offerings as interactive dance parties and a drag queen performance. It also offers a karaoke lounge with pink-and-purple karaoke rooms and a tattoo parlor (read about how one of our staffers was among the first to get inked on board ).

What you won't find on the three ships (a fourth is due later this year) are waterslides, watery splash zones, teen lounges and all the other family-friendly features that are becoming so common on bigger ships.

To create an adults-only cruise experience, Virgin Voyages took a page from fast-growing Viking 's playbook. Viking's 12-ship ocean cruise division has banned children under the age of 18 since it debuted in 2015. In addition, its 80-ship river cruise division has had a minimum age limit for more than two decades. (Initially, the cut-off was age 12; as of 2019, that jumped to 18, too.)

Not that Virgin and Viking are anything alike. Virgin is designed to appeal to millennials and older travelers who want to party like they are millennials. Viking, by contrast, is the anti-millennial line.

Viking's target market is squarely in the 55-plus bracket. It zeroes in on that demographic with an upscale, destination-focused experience that is heavy on what the industry likes to call "enrichment" — onboard lectures and other learning opportunities. It also emphasizes tours focused on history and culture (with at least one free excursion in each port) and entertainment offerings that veer more toward string quartets than dancers in string bikinis.

"What we're looking to do is try not to be everything for everyone," Viking's executive vice president of marketing, Richard Marnell, told TPG. "We do not have a kids' program. What we have is . . . [an] immersive experience that is best suited for people that are intellectually curious."

P&O Cruises

This storied British line clearly sees the demand for adults-only cruise ships, but it isn't giving up on the family market, either. The line splits the difference between the two segments. Five of its seven vessels (Arvia, Iona, Britannia, Ventura and Azura) are marketed as "family-friendly" and open to passengers of all ages. The other two (Arcadia and Aurora) are reserved exclusively for adults.

Given that more than 95% of the Southampton, England-based cruise line's passengers are British, you'll probably want to be either British yourself or a major Anglophile to consider booking one of the latter two vessels. Sailing with P&O Cruises is a very British experience, something that becomes clear the moment you see its vessels. They feature hulls painted with massive Union Jacks.

In addition, you'll find quintessentially British offerings on board P&O Cruises ships, such as elaborate afternoon teas, quoits on the top deck and restaurant menus designed by chefs big in the United Kingdom, such as Marco Pierre White.

That said, if you're a Princess Cruises fan, you might feel right at home on a P&O Cruises ship. Nestled under the same corporate umbrella, the two brands are longtime sisters that have swapped ships back and forth (though Holland America fans might be interested to know that Arcadia actually shares a ship design with that line's Vista class).

For booking purposes, P&O Cruises considers anyone who will be 18 or older when sailing an adult.

Saga Cruises

Like P&O Cruises, Saga Cruises is a British line that has honed in on the business of offering voyages just for adults. But it goes way beyond what P&O Cruises or any other line does in shunning younger travelers. The minimum age at Saga Cruises isn't 18 or even 21 — it's 50.

That's right — you won't find a single millennial or even that many Generation Xers on board a Saga Cruises ship (at 58, even the oldest members of Generation X only make the cut-off by eight years). You will find a heck of a lot of baby boomers, many of them retired.

Saga Cruises operates just two ocean vessels, sailing exclusively out of the U.K., plus several river ships. Like P&O Cruises, it's a product that is probably best for British travelers or big-time Anglophiles.

Other adult-focused cruises

In addition to lines that ban passengers under the age of 18 outright, a number of cruise operators allow young children but get relatively few of them.

Examples include such upscale lines as Regent Seven Seas Cruises , Silversea Cruises and Seabourn , which cater heavily to an older crowd. Small-ship specialist Windstar Cruises allows tweens and teenagers on its six ships, but it doesn't allow any children under the age of 8.

Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, which sells both ocean and river cruises, traditionally discourages customers from bringing passengers under the age of 12 on vessels except during Christmas holiday sailings.

Also, the longer the cruise, the fewer children you will find. Book a two-plus-week sailing to a more exotic location, like Asia or South America, during the school year on a line like Holland America or Princess, and you'll share the ship predominantly with adults.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• Top ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Nation’s only two congressmen in a state level race contrast in visions

(The Center Square) – With less than a month before mail-in ballots start going out, Democrat Jeff Jackson and Republican Dan Bishop are gearing up for the final leg of the North Carolina attorney general race.

The only two U.S. House of Representatives members who are battling in a state level race remain hopeful in their chances of winning what will likely be the state’s most expensive and competitive attorney general election in decades. Each is a former state senator, and neither has won a statewide election.

If Bishop wins, he would be the first Republican candidate to win the attorney general seat in North Carolina since Zeb V. Walser in 1896. The Center Square was unsuccessful getting answers to questions for this story from his campaign.

The Jackson campaign told The Center Square in a statement that this race is about different visions.

“Rep. Jackson is traveling across the state to deliver his vision for the office, including taking on the fentanyl epidemic, supporting higher wages for law enforcement, defending consumers from fraud and scammers, and standing up to political corruption,” the statement said.

Jackson was first elected to the U.S. House in 2022, winning District 14 by a little over 15% against his Republican opponent. Bishop won a special election in 2019 following the Bladen County-centered ballot harvesting saga, then twice won reelection.

Both candidates worked in the legal field. Bishop was a litigator specializing in commercial law, while Jackson served as the assistant district attorney in Gaston County.

Jackson’s campaign is greatly out-fundraising the Bishop campaign, with Jackson raising more than triple what Bishop raised in the second fundraising quarter of the year.

Jackson ended the period on June 30 with $5.7 million in the bank to Bishop’s $2.7 million,  according to campaign finance documents .

Both candidates have been quick to blast the other as unsuited for the position of attorney general.

“Jeff was an assistant district attorney for three years,” Bishop  said in a statement  on social media. “I practiced law for 29.”

Bishop says  he leads Jackson 244-3  in “career appearances in state civil trial courts.” The Jackson campaign pushed back.

“He’s the only candidate in this race who has never prosecuted a case,” the campaign told The Center Square. “Dan Bishop has never prosecuted a single case – ever.”

Their campaign’s policy focuses are also strikingly different.

Jackson  is running  on “combating poverty” and “fixing our democracy,” while including “climate action,” “racial justice,” and “LGBTQ+ rights” as other important issues.

He has stood by President Joe Biden’s policies and has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris,  applauding her  as “the former prosecutor we need to make the case to our country about the stark choice we face in this election.”

Bishop has stood by former President Donald Trump and  has equated  a vote for Democrats to a vote for “chaos and disorder.”

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Bishop  promises a return  to “law and order” if he is elected. He also places his policies in contrast with the focuses of the past few Democratic attorney generals in North Carolina – nearly eight years of Josh Stein, and 16 of now-Gov. Roy Cooper.

“Dan believes Democrats like Roy Cooper and Josh Stein have abused the state’s top law enforcement office by turning it into a stepping stone for higher office and a platform to spread liberal propaganda,” said a  statement on Bishop’s campaign website .

In 78 days, North Carolina voters will decide between these two visions, in a potentially historic way.

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