As a cruiser under 40, I am often asked if cruises are fun for young
people. YES! You just have to know which are the most suitable
ships and itineraries, so these are my tips, especially designed for
young Australians.
1. Stick to short
The longer the cruise, the “longer in the tooth” the passengers are.
Choose itineraries under 10 nights for local departures and seven
nights for overseas. Your best bet is to take a short sampler cruise,
from one to three nights.
2. Reach the beach
The South Pacific will attract a more younger crowd than New
Zealand. Why? NZ cruises last 14 days and appeal to retirees. South
Pacific cruises are geared towards beach-lovers, with an emphasis
on water-based activities such as snorkelling. Most young people
seeking adventure in NZ fly there.
3. P&O and Royal Caribbean
So, you don’t want to cruise with “oldies”? What about teenagers
and children? Or people your age but with kids? On your average
superliner, 300-400 will be children (more around Christmas, less
outside of school holidays). Accompanying them will be their
parents and perhaps their grandparents. This leaves a few hundred
childless couples and singles (from 20-somethings to seniors). If
you’re happy with a mixed bag, you’ll enjoy these cruise lines. It
won’t be one big party, but there is fun to be found, and the ships
are not full of drunken hooligans, despite what the media portrays.
4. Voyager and Spirit
Deserving separate mention, Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas
and Carnival Cruise Lines’ Carnival Spirit come to Sydney this
summer, and both are introducing special features and facilities to
attract a younger, active crowd. You will still find a majority of
families, but I’m putting my money on plenty of people in their 20s
and 30s. Off icially, Carnival Cruise Lines describes its target
audience in Australia as “sociable, open-minded couples and
families who are youthful in spirit, adventurous and enjoy trying
new experiences”.
5. Captain Cook Cruises in Fiji
I have heard great things about Fiji Sailing Safaris. Past passenger
and Cruise Weekly adventure cruise columnist Rod Eime confirms it
is “def initely” a good option for under-40s. Although the company
no longer markets this itinerary, it still offers four-night and sevennight
Fijian cruises. For more information visit Captain Cook Cruises’
website: captaincook.com.au.
6. Americans afloat
If you can afford a trip to the US, take a Caribbean cruise with
Carnival. Depart from Fort Lauderdale, Miami or New York. Do not
go for longer than a week and do not go via the Panama Canal
(popular among the over-70s). Or explore the world’s largest
playground at sea, with the most onboard bars, nightclubs, pools,
spas and top-notch entertainment: Allure of the Seas.
7. Finding youth
No matter which ship you’re on, there will be someone your age
somewhere. I’ve tracked them down on river cruises in Europe and
Asia (easy when there are only 150 passengers) and Azamara Club
Cruises (mid-size, upscale ships that are popular with younger
travellers in the Med). Linger where they are most likely to be: the
