Carnival Cruise Line has added several adults-only cruises to its schedule, including a 15-day transatlantic sailing from Galveston to Barcelona, as the company expands kid-free options that proved popular in earlier test runs.
On Monday, Carnival brand spokesman John Heald posted about the news on social media. He said that the new sailings were in response to high demand for options just for adults. People must be at least 21 years old to go on the cruises, which are advertised as less tense but with all the same onboard comforts as regular Carnival trips.
"Next year, we are excited to offer more cruises just for adults," Heald wrote, saying that the decision came from Carnival's leaders, whom he often calls the company's "Beards."
The new schedule includes several cruises just for adults that leave from places in Florida, one from Barcelona, Spain, and a 15-day trip on the Carnival Dream from Galveston to Barcelona across the Atlantic Ocean. The ship, which can hold 3,600 people, will stay in Galveston until 2027.
The Carnival Dream will leave Galveston and sail to King's Wharf in Bermuda for one day before crossing the Atlantic. Destinations planned include Gibraltar, Málaga, and Alicante in Spain, before the March 3 arrival in Barcelona. Since the trip is only one way, people who want to go back to Texas will have to book different flights.
Based on what Heald said, staterooms on the Galveston-to-Barcelona ship for adults only start at $439. He told tourists who were interested to sign up right away because Carnival expects the spots to sell out quickly.
In 2025, Carnival offered adult-only trips for the first time, but only from Miami and for a small group. Heald said the reaction was better than expected.
In a post from October, Heald said that the sailings just for adults were "extraordinarily popular." He also emphasized that Carnival remains committed to catering to its primary target audience, families.
Heald said, "It is interesting to me to read that many of the people who have taken these cruises for adults still take cruises with their kids but enjoy the chance to do so without them."
By adding a sailing from Galveston just for adults, the Texas ship market has grown significantly. Previously, family-friendly itineraries dominated the market. Carnival hasn't said if they will add more adult-only cruises from Texas ports, but they are still testing and expanding the idea.
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