10 Adult-Only Activities on DCL

Over the last several years, I’ve done many cruises with no kids. And our cruise line of choice? Disney! We’ve tried others and keep coming back to Disney, which was made for families, but adults are welcomed and even pampered. Here are 10 adult-only activities onboard.

1. Upcharge Dining – Every Disney ship (excluding the Adventure, which now allows kids 10 and up in their version of Palo) has at least one adult-only restaurant with a charge to dine there. The Magic, Wonder, Dream, and Fantasy all have Palo, an upscale Italian restaurant, and the Wish, Treasure, Destiny, and (I assume) Believe all have their version, called Palo Steakhouse. The Dream and Fantasy added Remy, a fine-dining French restaurant, while the Wish, Treasure, Destiny, and (I assume again) Believe have a fine-dining French restaurant called Enchante. All of these restaurants require reservations, all have excellent food and service, and all are worth every penny for a couple of hours in an elegant atmosphere surrounded by adults, and only adults.

2. Late Night Shows and Games – Every night, one of the lounges onboard turns into an 18+ venue with games and shows designed just for adults. It’s late; they usually start around 10:30 pm, but it’s fun! Match Your Mate, Disney’s version of the Newlywed Game, is always a highlight, and some of the group games like Majority Minds are always entertaining. The entertainment hosts run it all, and they’re top-notch. Sometimes variety acts will perform a family show onboard, and then an adult version later that night, with a little more adult humor. If you’re a night owl, this is where you want to be!

3. Adult Pools – Every ship has an adult pool area onboard. The Dream and Fantasy have two! The Magic and Wonder have large spaces, but like the main adult pools on the Dream and Fantasy, because of their locations, kids often traverse through on their way to another area of the ship. The Dream and Fantasy also have my favorite adult pool area – Satellite Falls. It’s a small pool with a great water feature on the front of the ship; it’s quiet, and it’s relaxing. The Wish-class ships have a beautiful adult pool area in theory, and it’s located out of the way on the far back of the ship, so no kids are wandering through. But it’s too small. Adults are packed in those tiny pools on sea days. Each ship’s adult pool areas have their pros and cons, but all of them are ultimately kid-free, and a nice way to spend the day.

4. Adult Coffee Shops – While coffee shops for everyone can be found in other areas of the ships, there’s an adult-only Cove Café on every ship. Some of them are nicer than others, but none are bad!

5. Nightclubs and Lounges – For a ship designed for families, Disney did an amazing job with the theming of their nightclubs and lounges. They hold many activities throughout the day in each of them, and kids and families flock to them. At night, however, they become 18 and up! There are games and shows in one of them that I mentioned above, but the others will have live music, great atmospheres, and fun settings. Even as a lifelong teetotaler, I spend many evenings in the clubs drinking Coke Zero and spending time with friends.

6. Adult Beaches on Lookout Cay and Castaway Cay – If you’re visiting one of Disney’s island destinations, they both have beautiful adult-only beaches and restaurants.

7. Adult Trivia – I’m a big trivia fan, and Disney holds adult-only trivia sessions during the day. I don’t miss them if I can help it!

8. Fitness Center – The gym onboard has similar rules. Teenagers 14-17 can use the space, but they must be accompanied by an adult. So, if working out is your thing, make sure you visit!

9. Senses Spa – The spa onboard is for adults! The Rainforest Rooms are a particularly relaxing, adult-only space. There are some treatments that can be booked for teenagers, but an adult must remain with them, so they won’t be running amuck!

10. Tastings and Mixology – Disney holds several different tastings and mixology sessions on each sailing. They all have an additional cost and require reservations, but if you imbibe, odds are there is one that will appeal to you. There are mixology classes and tastings for champagne, old-fashioneds, chocolate and liquor, and whiskey. Just to name a few!

Do you have any favorite things for adults to do?