Cruise Chicks: Girls’ Getaway Cruises
Friends, sisters, bridesmaids and birthday crews: how to plan a women’s group cruise everyone enjoys.
Get Girls’ Trip QuotesThe Girls’ Trip That Plans Itself (Almost)
A cruise solves the three things that sink most girls’ getaways: nobody agrees where to eat, the budget drifts, and someone always ends up doing all the driving. On a ship, dinner, a pool, a show, a spa and a new port every morning are all within a short walk of your cabin, and most of the price is settled before you leave home.
Cruise Chicks is about one kind of trip: women traveling together for fun. College roommates who have not shared a weekend in years, sisters and cousins, a book club that wants sunshine, a bride and her bridesmaids, a 40th or 60th birthday crew. We cover how to choose the ship, how to share cabins and split costs fairly, how to plan spa time and shore days, and the common-sense safety habits that keep the trip carefree.
Start Here
Plan the girls’ trip
Who decides, how long to sail, which ship suits the group and when to book.
Planning steps →
Spa and shore days
Book treatments on port days, mix beach time with sightseeing and keep everyone happy.
Spa and shore ideas →
Cabins and costs
Who rooms with whom, what is charged per person and a fair way to split the extras.
Split it fairly →Which Kind of Girls’ Cruise Are You Planning?
A friends’ long weekend
Three- to five-night sailings from Florida, Texas, California and other home ports are the easiest to fit around work and family. Ideal for a first group trip together.
A bachelorette sailing
A cruise keeps the whole party in one place, with no designated driver and no hunting for venues. See our bachelorette cruise guide.
A milestone birthday
Turning 30, 40, 50 or 70 with your favorite people. A week in the Caribbean or the Mediterranean gives the occasion room to breathe. See milestone birthday cruises.
A wellness escape
Pick a ship with a strong spa, fitness classes and quiet adult areas, and build the days around rest. See spa and shore days.
Why a Ship Works So Well for Women Traveling Together
One booking, many moods. The friend who wants the pool all day and the friend who wants a museum in port can both be happy, then meet for dinner. Nobody has to compromise all week.
A known budget. Your cabin, most meals and the entertainment are paid up front. What remains, from drinks to spa treatments and tours, is easy to track and split, which takes the awkwardness out of money.
No driving, no logistics. The ship moves while you sleep, so a week can include four or five destinations without anyone packing a suitcase twice.
Room for the quiet one. Most groups include someone who needs an hour alone. A balcony, a library corner or an adults-only deck gives everyone breathing space.
How Big Is Your Group?
| Group size | What usually works | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 4 friends | Share one or two cabins; book everything together. | Picking a cabin size that suits three or four adults, not just two. |
| 5 to 8 friends | Adjoining or nearby cabins, one organizer, one group chat. | Splitting extras fairly when not everyone drinks or books the spa. |
| 9 or more | Ask about group terms through an advisor before anyone books separately. | Late joiners who cannot get cabins near the rest of the group. |
Larger groups, including family reunions and class trips, have extra tools available. Our sister site Group Cruise Planner explains how group contracts work, and Cruising Reunions focuses on reunion cruises for families and old classmates. If your girls’ trip is a Thanksgiving or New Year’s tradition, Holiday Cruise Groups covers holiday sailings in depth.
A Note for Solo Women
Not every woman on board is traveling with friends. If you are sailing alone and want to meet other travelers, solo cabins and single supplements are explained by our sister site Sailing Single. This site stays focused on women traveling together, and many of our safety tips apply whether you are with five friends or on your own.
Age Rules Worth Knowing Early
If anyone in your group is under 21, check the cruise line’s age policy before you book. Since 2025, Royal Caribbean and Carnival have required guests to be at least 21 to sail without an older adult on sailings from North American ports, with exceptions for married guests and military members. Virgin Voyages is adults-only and sets its minimum age at 18 on every sailing. Rules change, so our cruise advisors confirm the current policy for the exact sailing you choose.
For deals across lines before you choose a ship, Wave Season gathers each year’s promotions and Cruising for Less tracks lower-fare opportunities.
Who Is Behind This Site
Cruise Chicks is part of the Smart Traveler network, led by Mister Cruise. He has sold travel since 1972 and worked full-time in the industry since 1977. He has sold or originated more than $500 million in cruises and has trained more than 500 travel agents.
When you ask for a quote, our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise handle it personally — not a call center — and book everything for you. Meet Mister Cruise →
Plan Your Girls’ Getaway Cruise
Tell us how many of you are going, the occasion and when you can travel. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will compare ships and cabins for your group and send free quotes.
Get Girls’ Trip Quotes