Cruise Line Turns Down 'Cougar' Voyage

Older women, younger men forced to find another party venue

By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 12, 2010 3:40 PM CST

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Cruise Line Turns Down 'Cougar' Voyage — In this Oct. 8, 2008, file photo, passengers aboard the Carnival Destiny enjoy the beach at the Grand Turk Cruise Terminal in Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos. (AP Photo/Carnival Corp. & plc, Andy Newman, file)

For one cruise line, the prospect of a racy party targeted at older women and younger men just isn't worth it. Carnival Cruise Lines hosted a 300-strong group of "cougars and cubs" last month, but when CougarEvents.com tried to schedule another, Carnival said no thanks. "We have decided not to have any future groups on our ships booked on this theme,'' said a spokeswoman.

Carnival's refusal likely has to do with its attempts to embrace a family-oriented image—the cruise line has "distanced itself from being Spring Break USA," an industry expert tells the Miami Herald. Thankfully for cougars and cubs, the event wasn't without a venue for long—Carnival competitor Royal Caribbean picked up the Second International Cougar Cruise, notes USA Today. It sails in May.
(More cougar stories.)

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