29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Carnival Cruise Line rep addresses adults-only cruise controversy
Adults-only cruises have been a big hit for the hip Virgin Voyages cruise brand.
These kid-free cruise vacations have become so popular that many cruisers have begun to wonder whether other cruise lines would break with classic cruise tradition to test out the new style of sailing, too.
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Loyal Carnival Cruise Line fans often write to the cruise line's brand ambassador, John Heald, on his popular Facebook page with questions and requests about adults-only cruises.
Few people expected that the family cruise line would actually add adult-exclusive sailings, though. On his page, Heald even told passengers he didn't think that would ever happen.
But then it did.
Why the sudden shift? Is Carnival Cruise Line moving toward becoming an adults-only cruise line?
Those were some of the questions swirling around the internet after Carnival recently announced a series of casino-exclusive sailings and SEA cruises - sailings exclusively for adults.
Sailing from Miami on select dates this summer and fall aboard Carnival Conquest and Carnival Magic, these specialty itineraries are casino-focused cruises featuring expanded casino access and other perks for Carnival Players Club casino loyalty program members.
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After the release of these specialty sailings led to rumors that Carnival is moving to become an adults-only cruise line, John Heald was quick to set the record straight.
"Please ignore that; we are a proud family cruise line, we have been and I'm sure we always will be," Heald insisted in a video message posted on his Facebook page.
Heald assured his followers that the only reason Carnival is offering adults-only casino cruises is because of schedule changes for Carnival cruise ship dry docks - maintenance and refurbishment that cruise ships undergo every few years.
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"This all is because we moved Carnival Magic's dry dock and the casino have taken a couple of cruises and made them adults only. They're making special casino offers to people," Heald explained.
Since both Carnival Magic and Carnival Conquest won't be out of service as originally planned for a few weeks later this year, the cruise line decided to offer some special invitation-only casino cruises to fill the void.
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The reason these sailings are adults only is simply because they're casino cruises.
"Now, because they are casino offers, we cannot make those casino offers to children, which is why these cruises are for adults only because they are casino-based offered cruises and they are very popular," Heald pointed out.
These new offerings have made the brand ambassador more open to entertaining the possibility of future adults-only Carnival cruises, however.
"I understand why people are saying, 'Oh, we need an adults' cruise,'" Heald noted. "So listen, I don't know what the future is going to hold, but let me just tell you we are not moving to an adults-only cruise line now."
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Those who want to continue to enjoy Carnival cruises with kids shouldn't fret.
"This is not something that you should be concerned about because for every one person who says, 'I would love an adults-only cruise,' there are many who have written and said, 'What do I do with my children, my grandchildren?'" Heald explained.
"No, we are a proud family cruise line," the brand ambassador reiterated. "These were cruise-specific situations, so please ignore what some people have been highlighting."
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