You're Never Too Old To Cruise!
It was not that long ago that cruising was dominated by senior citizens. A cruise was considered a "trip of a lifetime" and could only be enjoyed by those with the money and the time to travel. A cruise passenger "back in the day" also had to be able to go on vacation "disconnected" from their world. There were no telephones, no television and certainly no Internet or email on cruise ships. In fact, the Internet did not even exist.
Today, cruising is available to everyone, regardless of age or income. A 7-night cruise in 2010 is much less expensive than it was back in 1978 when I went on my first cruise. I remember paying $1,000 for an inside cabin with a bunk bed! The economies of scale with the huge cruise ships, combined with the availability of massive amounts of credit, have made cruising within the reach of virtually everyone.
Even though cruising has a much broader appeal than in the "old days", it remains a very popular vacation choice for senior citizens and retirees. Seniors continue to make up a large segment of the cruising population. For one thing, there are lots of "baby boomers" that are now at retirement age. They have money to spend and the free time to travel the world.
WHY IS CRUISING SO APPEALING TO SENIORS?
In many respects, the appeal of cruising over other forms of travel is universal. The convenience of only having to unpack once, knowing where you will be dining each evening, regardless of what country or port you visited that day, and the myriad of onboard activities and entertainment available are all enticing features. For seniors, however, the value of a cruise compared to other forms of travel is of special interest. Many seniors are on fixed incomes and there simply is no better value in travel today than a cruise.
Wayne Hagadone, President of Cruises for Seniors says, "Many of our clients are interested in the ship's enrichment activities, ranging from lecturers in culinary arts, computers, photography, to history, and archaeology." He continues, "In fact, some may not even get off the ship. For these folks, shipboard amenities such as a spa, fitness facilities, the casino, interesting enrichment courses and evening entertainment are the most important features they look for."
A RANGE OF ACTIVITIES IS IMPORTANT TO SENIORS
Cruise lines have dramatically expanded the scope and variety of shore excursions over the past several years. Unusual and interesting excursions are of particular interest to senior citizens.
As Mr. Hagadone previously mentioned, seniors have a particular interest in a ship's quality and quantity of enrichment programs. For example:
The Queen Mary 2 offers enrichment classes and even has its own planetarium.
Holland America has partnered with Microsoft to offer a variety of computer workshops
Silversea Cruises, Seabourn and Regent Seven Seas have excellent guest lecturers
Most cruise lines offer wine tastings, cooking demonstrations, galley tours, etc.
"Most seniors enjoy quality entertainment whether by multiple entertainers or a floor show," says Mr. Hagadone. "We routinely recommend Royal Caribbean and Princess ships to our clients since they do a consistently good job in this area, as does the luxury cruise line, Crystal Cruises."
And, while not exactly considered an "activity", dining is an important part of any cruise. For some seniors, the quality and variety of a cruise line's restaurants is of supreme importance. Most ships now offer a variety of dining venues and are able to accommodate any dietary requirement that a senior my have.
WHAT SHOULD SENIORS CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A CRUISE?
Seniors may wish to consider limiting their choices to cruise lines that tend to cater primarily to seniors or older adults. The assistance of a good travel agent can be invaluable when making these kinds of choices. When you choose to cruise can also make a difference in the average passenger age. During Spring Break, you may find a lot of college-age "party animals" on the larger cruise ships. Cruising in the summer months will attract more families with children and also younger adults.
"Those with stamina or mobility problems should consider a cabin located near an elevator." says Hagadone. "You should also be aware of which ports require the use of the ship's tenders (smaller lifeboats used to take passengers ashore) as opposed to docking."
Cruise lines recognize the importance of seniors to their business and offer discounts accordingly. For many cruise lines, folks 55 and above can qualify for senior discounts when offered. Each cruise line has a different policy regarding discounts so you should consult with your travel agent before booking. In most cases, as long as one person occupying the stateroom is at or above the qualifying age, the discount will apply. However, senior discounts may not be offered until "close-in" to the sailing date, perhaps 4 to 7 months from sailing.
If you are traveling alone you should also be aware of the single supplement policy. Cruise lines base their fares upon two passengers per stateroom. If you are sailing by yourself, you may have to pay the extra charge. Single supplements will vary from 125% to as much as 200% of the per person cruise fare. If you are paying 200%, you might as well take a friend with you because you are basically paying for the second person anyway. Single supplements vary from one sailing to the next. If a cruise line is having trouble filling a ship on a certain date, they may waive the single supplement altogether. Again, a good travel agent can watch for these specials and alert you when they become available.
