Everything to Know About Carnival’s Adults-Only SEA Cruises

During the last few months, and especially over the last few weeks, I’ve been seeing a lot of buzz about Carnival’s SEA Sailings. 

But what exactly are these unique cruises and how does one make it onboard? I went on a deep dive to find out everything you could possibly want to know about these adults-only voyages and how to get in on the action. 

What Does SEA in Carnival SEA Sailings Stand For? 

SEA is a catchy acronym that ties to the ocean-theme of cruising. In this case, it stands for Sailings Exclusively for Adults. 

A limited number of these cruises are available exclusively for guests over the age of 21 through March of 2026. 

Why is Carnival Offering Kid-Free Cruises?

As one of the most family-friendly cruise lines in the industry, it’s certainly unexpected to see Carnival offering cruises exclusively for adults. So, what gives?

The very first of these Carnival SEA Voyages were announced for Carnival Magic and Carnival Conquest after both vessels had to reschedule their planned visits to dry dock.

Instead of letting the ships sit idle, the cruise line decided to use that time period to try something new.

“The adults-only cruises are a result of scheduling conflicts with planned dry docks for some ships, and Carnival decided to fill those slots with casino-themed events,” a message from the cruise line explained.

The sailings have been primarily marketed to more active members of the Carnival Players Club, which is the cruise line’s casino loyalty program, as a way to maximize revenue by getting these big spenders back onboard.

As part of this, these cruises feature expanded casino access, extended gaming hours, themed casino parties, and tournaments that may not normally be offered.

Carnival has also increased its bar staff for these voyages to allow for faster service, and drinks can be delivered to cruisers while they’re gambling.

This is also a chance for the cruise line to assess demand for adults-only sailings and see if this is something that Carnival might want to continue to offer in the future on a limited basis.

That said, Carnival Ambassador John Heald has already confirmed that the cruise line has no plans to fully transition into an adults-only cruise line.

More Perks Offered 

In addition to expanded casino access and the peace of a kid-free environment, Carnival is enticing adults to take advantage of these unique cruises with offers that will only be available on these voyages. 

Depending on their VIFP loyalty status, guests may also get to take advantage of perks like free Wi-Fi plans, waived room service charges, a complimentary gift in their stateroom, early cabin access, and up to $150 in onboard credits. 

Additionally, some of the restaurants onboard are swapping to higher end menus for more mature palettes just for these voyages. 

For example, I found an American Table menu made specifically for a Carnival SEA Sailing that features entrees like Pan-Roasted Halibut, Lobster Fettuccini, Duck Breast A L’orange, and Blue Cheese Crusted Filet Mignon. 

Normally, the menu options are simpler, featuring dishes like grilled free range chicken breast and linguini. 

What Itineraries are Available? 

Of course, cruising isn’t just about the experience onboard, but also about all the places guests will get to visit.

Though these sailings are limited, a good variety is still being offered for select voyages based out of Miami and Port Canaveral in Florida and Galveston, Texas, through March of 2026.

The first of these itineraries, which is a 9-night southern Caribbean sailing operated by Carnival Conquest, already set sail from Miami on August 22, 2025.

From Miami, the Conquest-class vessel will next embark on a 12-night Southern Caribbean cruise on August 31, 2025, a 9-night Eastern Caribbean sailing on September 12, 2025, and a 10-night Southern Caribbean voyage on September 21, 2025.

The 2,980 guest ship will then resume normal operations until January 2026, when she embarks on a 12-night adults-only sailing to the Southern Caribbean on January 5, 2026, from Miami.

This will be followed by a 13-night SEA Cruise to the Southern Caribbean that sets sail on January 17, 2026.

But before we look too far ahead into next year, it’s worth noting that Carnival Magic will also be operating three SEA Cruises this year.

The first of these cruises is a 7-night sailing from Miami to the new Celebration Key and Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas that begins on October 18, 2025.

This will be followed by another 7-night sailing to Celebration Key on October 25, 2025, but Half Moon Cay will be replaced by Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos.

Last but not least, Carnival Magic will host an 8-night Eastern Caribbean sailing just for adults on November 1, 2025, from Miami.

In the new year, Carnival Glory will operate two very exciting SEA Cruises. The first will be an 8-night Southern Caribbean cruise that is based out of Port Canaveral, Florida, and embarks on March 2, 2026.

The Conquest-class ship will then leave on a 15-night Transatlantic voyage from Port Canaveral to Barcelona, Spain, that will depart on March 10, 2026.

Similarly, Carnival Dream will operate two SEA Cruises of her own, both of which will be based out of Galveston, Texas.

The first sailing will be a 9-day cruise to the Western Caribbean that sets sail on February 7, 2026, which will be immediately followed by a 15-night Transatlantic crossing to Barcelona on February 16, 2026.

How Can You Get Onboard for a Carnival SEA Sailing? 

Many Carnival fans have reported that they received invitations for these special voyages – especially if they are elite members of the VIFP program or the Carnival Players Club.

However, you do not need an invitation in order to participate in a SEA cruise.

All interested cruisers have to do is go to the Carnival website and register to get information about the sailings by creating a free account or logging in with their existing VIFP credentials.

After registering, all people have to do is click the “Exclusive Adults-Only Cruise Deal” button to peruse the included sailings and make a new booking.

Catie Kovelman

Catie is an award-winning journalist and researcher. By day, she helps market new movies and TV shows as a senior research manager. But by night, she loves writing cruise news. In addition to Cruise Hive, Catie has contributed to a variety of newspapers, magazines, and other online publications, such as The Plaid Horse, Unwritten, YourTango, Fangirl Nation Magazine, Chapman Magazine, the Orange County Register, and Voice of OC.