Many Cruises Cater to Senior Travelers
Found this great article by J. Clark online at the Dallas News on Senior Cruises information. We’ve written hear about senior cruises before. It’s one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to senior holiday travel. Another bonus, there are quite a few cruise lines that actually cater to senior traveler’s needs and wants. So if you are looking for the best cruises for senior travelers, look for something that suits your style just perfectly. Luckily, there are lots of choices. I wanted to share this information with you, just in case you are starting to think about your winter vacation plans. I’m thinking myself about a cruise through the Panama Canal from California to Columbia in November or December this year. I’m currently doing my research but I’ve narrowed it down to a couple of seniors cruise lines.
Variety of cruises cater to senior travelers
Senior Cruise Holidays
First of all, seniors are no longer people who retired at 65 and are looking forward to a few years of nonworking enjoyment. They may be just 50 years old and still employed, with a yen for travel. They may be people who like a cruise with a lot of activities to keep them busy on and off the ship, or they may prefer peace and quiet and a more relaxed, social cruise environment. Most of all, each has personal likes and dislikes, and that translates to a host of reasons seniors choose certain cruise itineraries and certain ships.
“The definition of seniors is changing. Now they are more active, more daring,” said Carolyn Brown, editor of Cruise Critic, an independent online magazine.
That’s one reason, for instance, that Seabourn, a luxury line long a favorite with traditional older passengers, is putting more emphasis on active pursuits on its newest three ships.“Seniors are looking for more things to do, to explore,” noted Nancy Parode, senior travel guide for About.com, an online resource.
For an excellent rundown on what various cruise lines offer for seniors, go online to Cruise Critic.com/articles.cfm?ID=112. Cruise Critic says which seniors would feel most at home on a line and why.
Cruise Critic picks Holland America and Celebrity as the best premium lines offering excellent value, Royal Caribbean and Princess best for active seniors, Crystal for best enrichment programs, Cunard for ocean crossings, Carnival for seniors on a budget, Disney for three-generational reunions at sea, Cruise West for best soft-adventure itineraries and Silversea as best ultradeluxe small-ship line for seniors. It also lists caveats for each: why you may not want to sail on that particular line.Many other websites offer information and tips for senior travelers, but respected travel columnist Ed Perkins doesn’t think much of them.
“Sadly, those sites – at least the ones I looked at – are long on generalities, short on specifics … a disappointing lot,” Perkins writes of the half-dozen he assessed. “Most of the tips presented … consist largely of pedestrian tips you see everywhere for travelers of any age.” Perkins’ column is seen in many newspapers as well as online at Smartertravel.com.
One aspect of cruising seniors particularly like is that they don’t have to constantly pack and unpack as they would on a motor tour. This is especially true of river cruises, which have boomed in popularity in recent years. Most passengers on these cruise ships, which are found by the hundreds in Europe , Egypt and China, are seniors who enjoy the camaraderie of smaller ships and the touring convenience they offer. In Europe, for instance, river cruise ships dock at a different city each day and sail at night, so passengers can enjoy visiting seven cities in several countries on a single seven-night journey.
The lounge is the gathering place for river-cruise passengers to meet others on board. Other facilities and services are limited on these ships, which typically carry about 150 passengers. Lectures on upcoming ports are given, but entertainment often is nothing more than a pianist playing before and after dinner. Also, none carries a doctor aboard, as large oceangoing ships do, and seniors with mobility issues may have problems negotiating stairs between decks (no elevators) and walking tours in towns.
River cruises are not inexpensive, but as Avalon Waterways managing director Patrick Clark says, “They offer great value.” Unlike on oceangoing ships, airport transfers, shore excursions and wine with dinner are usually included. A typical seven-night European river cruise may cost around $2,500 per person in the summer high season, and as much as $1,000 less in low season (spring and fall).
This article recommends that you do your research before you sign up for a senior cruise vacation. On a cruise, you’ll meet lots of other like-minded folks and everything is pre-arranged for you and you don’t have to do a lot of packing and unpacking of suitcases.
