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Cruising over the age of 55 brings
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unexpected watch outs that younger
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cruisers simply don't need to think
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about. I know because I've been there.
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I'm in my 60s and since I turned 55,
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I've been on 100 cruises. And I'll admit
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some of the things I discovered the hard
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way as you'll hear. But these showed me
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where and how we should approach
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cruising differently to ensure
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everything goes smoothly. Welcome
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aboard. I'm Gary Benbridge and I've got
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news about traps and opportunities you
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won't hear if you're listening to advice
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aimed at younger cruisers. Let's start
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with itineraries because this is where I
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see many over 55s trip up.
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One of the joys of being older is we
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have more time or flexibility because
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we're not tied to school vacation and
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public holiday breaks. This more time
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means we can look at longer voyages and
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world cruise segments because they have
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more over 55s on them and they explore
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less welltrodden parts of the world like
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South America, Asia, Australia, New
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Zealand and the South Pacific. It also
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means avoiding the busy cruise regions
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of the Caribbean, Mediterranean or
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Alaska which tend to have more seven
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night itineries well suited for younger
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more timelmited travelers. But if those
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three regions do appeal to you, then I
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recommend you avoid cruising in peak
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school vacation seasons because not only
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is it cheaper, but it also means fewer
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crowds in the ports and the ships will
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be less full. For example, I found for
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us the Caribbean is best in November,
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early December or January, February. The
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Mediterranean is best in June and
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October and Alaska May, early June and
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late September. Also, when cruising
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these regions, look for itineraries
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longer than seven nights because they
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tend to have more 55 plus travelers on
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them and less families. Repositioning
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cruises at the start and end of each
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region's cruising season are another
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perfect option for us, and you'll find
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many fellow a travelers on board. I'm a
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big fan of these and always have these
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in my plans. The most popular are
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transatlantics between Europe and the
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Caribbean and transpacifics between
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Alaska and Japan, but you can also find
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them moving between the Mediterranean
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and Asia and from Australia to Alaska
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via the South Pacific and Hawaii.
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They're usually fantastic value and
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because they include plenty of sea days
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around five or six, they're actually
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more relaxing than port intensive
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itineraries, which is important I think
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for us because it leads me to another
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itinary consideration as we age,
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stamina. As much as we don't like to
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admit it, an itinerary with a port every
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single day could start to be a bit
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wearing. So look at those which do have
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more sea days. Also, when looking at the
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detail of itineraries, look if there are
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tender ports and how many of them they
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are. They may be a bit more awkward, a
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bit more stressful getting on and off
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them, particularly if mobility starts to
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wayne. Something many over 55s have told
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me is that now avoid its at times of the
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year when it has extreme climates,
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especially heat like the Mediterranean
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July and August, which can be sweltering
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and definitely more draining for us.
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There is another itinerary suggestion I
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have which is consider river cruising
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especially in Europe as they're more
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intimate smaller ships with routes
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excursions at sites that are designed
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with a more mature traveler in mind. Now
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once you're clear on the itinerary
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there's choosing the line to get right
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to. Most cruise lines today seem
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desperate to attract young travelers and
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families even though the west actually
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has an aging population. So there's
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plenty and everinccreasing numbers of
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over 55s looking for great options.
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However, lines traditionally focused on
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our age group are definitely chasing
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families. For example, Honda America run
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kids travel free or discounted rates and
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Princess new ships and programs are
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absolutely targeted more at the family
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market. So other than when looking for
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cruises, say for a multigenerational
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family trip, most over 55s, me included,
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are looking for kidfree cruise options.
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Our choices are narrowing. Adult only
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lines are few and far between. Viking
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and Virgin Voyages are the only two
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mainstream global 18 pluson only cruise
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lines. UK cruisers have the option of
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the over50s Saga and adult only
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ambassador cruise line with Pino
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Cruisers having two adult only ships,
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Arcadian Aurora and Mela running one
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adult only ship. Carnival has been
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testing out some adult only gambling
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focused cruisers out of Florida, so that
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could be one to watch as well. The
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premium and luxury lines tend to be
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better suited to us overall because they
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have programs with more enrichment
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talks, wine tasting, cooking classes,
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live music, trivia, dance classes, and
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certainly way more kind of a program
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than resort style attractions on Royal
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Caribbean, Norwegian, MSE cruises. But
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you can't assume those premium luxury
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lines will be all adult as much as in
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the past because premium lines like
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Holland America, Princess Kunard, and
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Celebrity are becoming more popular with
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families, especially in Alaska and the
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Mediterranean. But they still tend to
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have few families and kids outside of
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school holidays, even with active kids
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clubs running. Now, if your budget is
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larger, the luxury and ultra luxury
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lines do tend to attract even fewer
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families cuz most have no kids clubs or
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programs. Salic, Oceanania, Winstar,
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Azamara, Seaborn, Silver and Regent. But
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you need to be cautious in this category
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because the new Explorer Journeys is
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actively targeting younger travelers
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with year round kids clubs. While
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Crystal's kids clubs are only open
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seasonally at peak school vacation
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times, even choosing a line which ship
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you choose within their fleet
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increasingly matters to us, too.
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As many lines expand, the type of ship
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they're introducing into the fleet is
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changing, making some of their ships in
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the fleets better for us than others.
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Generally speaking, the older ships
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being a better match. For example,
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Celebrity. The new Edgeclass ships are
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very different ships with different
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venues, dining arrangements, and even
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cabin types to their older, more classic
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Solstice and Millennium class ships.
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Kunard's Queen Victoria and Queen
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Elizabeth ships are again strikingly
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different to the newer Queen Anne. The
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older Princess ships with smaller ships
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are different to not only the royal
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class ships like Sky Majestic Princess,
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but very different to the more mega
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style ship Sphere class, Sun and Star
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Princess. Generally, I find the smaller
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ships in the fleets are easy to
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navigate, more classic, and often tend
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to be a better match. If you do though
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want to have a truly big ship, more
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result style cruising experience, then
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consider the ship within a ship on those
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ships like Norwegian's The Haven, MSE's
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Yacht Club, Royal Caribbean Starclass,
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or Celebrities The Retreat. Particularly
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if you're in peak vacation times, they
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won't be guaranteed at all only, but
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they will offer a calmer space. Step out
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of those bustling, boisterous big ship
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experiences. Now, let me talk about
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cabins. something where younger
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travelers are often keen to choose a
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lower cost, guaranteed fair that just
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ensures a grade, but not a specific
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cabin nor where it is. Maybe it's just
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me, but I found that as I get older, I
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have got fussier about my cabin and
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where it is located. I want to ensure
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I'm not going to be affected by noisy
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late night venues like nightclubs, live
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music venues, or theaters because I'm
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less likely to be in those venues
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partying these days. but in my cabin
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trying to relax or sleep. I don't want
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to hear pool deck chairs being scraped
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as people move them about when I'm
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perhaps relaxing in my cabin during the
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day or having a lion. I do spend more
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time enjoying and relaxing in my cabin
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than when I was younger. That's why I
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recommend you book a fair and choose
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your cabin following my be surrounded on
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all sides by other cabins rule and check
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the deck plans to ensure that you're not
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near potential issue venues. But also
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these days I find many over 55s also say
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that the following is important to them
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too. Where mobility becomes an issue. A
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cabin closer to elevators are better and
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certainly more midship is going to
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reduce the walking distance between
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dining rooms and venues if you're kind
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of in the center of things. And of
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course paying more attention to the
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bathroom setup could become important.
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So you avoid cabins with showers which
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are in bathtubs in favor of those with
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walk-in showers instead. If
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accessibility and mobility is or
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becoming an issue, it's important to
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check the line rules. Most require a
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wheelchair or scooter to be stored in
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the cabin, and so it must be of a size
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to fit through the cabin door. Many also
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require users to book an accessible
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cabin or at a minimum let them know and
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get approval if you're using a
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wheelchair or scooter in advance.
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Different mobility equipment, oxygen and
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mobility aids can be hired through
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specialist providers that partner with
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the lines and they can be delivered
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directly to your cabin. So check with
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the line who their partners are. Now
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having got some of these cruise basic
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rights, there are ways us over 55s can
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pay less than younger cruisers for the
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same cruise and cabin. Here's how. But
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first to watch out as you look for those
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fairs and deals. Unfortunately, scams
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targeting older travelers are on the
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rise, especially on social media sites
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like Facebook. Also, scammers are buying
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ads that look like actual cruise line
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ones, and they show up on Google search.
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Now, all of these require phoning to get
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deals, but they will connect you to a
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scammer. So, be vigilant about where and
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who you book with. And always check the
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phone number if you're calling. I've
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suggested trusted cruise expert travel
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agents in several countries in an
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article on my blog at tips.com/agents
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if you need some help there. There's
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also a silver lining for us. Senior
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discounts are offered by several lines.
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Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival
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offer discounts for travelers over 55
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and MSE Cruises for over 65s on certain
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sailings. In the United States, if you
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become an AARP member, American
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Association of Retired Persons, they
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offer discounts and added perks, not
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just on cruises, but also on hotels,
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flights, and even excursions that you
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may want to use for your cruise, too. Of
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course, cruise loyalty programs could
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work, too, because many of us cruise
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more often. Choosing one or two lines
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and sticking with them could unlock
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major perks over time. And here's
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another tip on fairs. Book your next
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cruise while you're still on board. The
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deals and bonuses are usually much
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better than anything you'll find on
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land. Another thing to consider, which
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can be attractive price-wise, is
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consider going on a group or escorted
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cruise. Many travel agents of all sizes
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will create cruise packages that may
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include hotels and transfers, but will
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have discounted fairs and added onboard
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perks. Many will have a host from the
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agency along to assist, which could be a
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plus as we age. Now, even some
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independent travel agents offer them.
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For example, Walter Biscardi of Where's
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Walter Travel? One of the agents I
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recommend in the United States, runs
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frequent hosted groups with great deals.
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First, port excursions are another area
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where being realistic about our limits
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pays off. It's tempting to book that
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musty excursion without properly
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checking how demanding is actually going
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to be. I've seen too many people caught
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out by long walking tours over uneven
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cobblestones, excursions that involve
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steep climbs in hot, humid weather, and
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on a recent cruise in French Polynesia
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where most people on an ebike excursion
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struggled because involves steep hills,
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off-road terrain, and many had to
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withdraw partway through because they
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hadn't really thought about their
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ability to do it. Always read the
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descriptions the cruise line has in the
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notes of the tour carefully or ask the
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shore excursions team if you're
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slightest bit unsure. The tour
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description small print will include
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fitness levels, distances, type of
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ground, number of stairs, and so on.
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I've been on way too many excursions
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where I've seen people simply cannot
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cope. One thing to consider is to
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sidestep cruise line excursions and find
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alternative small group or private tours
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where you can go at your own pace and
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the guide can easily adjust to any of
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your needs along the way. And they don't
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have to be costly because sites like
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tours bylocals.com list local guides
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often at very affordable rates. Of
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course, also look at companies like
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Shore Excursions Group, Venture Shore,
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and Viotor because they will also list
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options too. And remember, you don't
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have to do something in every port.
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Pacing yourself is better than overdoing
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it, and mixing up some tours with more
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casual self-exploring could make all the
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difference. Packing also changes as we
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get older. And here's a few important
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things to note. First, I recommend
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packing as light as possible and
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consider using the laundry ball. Lighter
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means not having to lug suitcases and
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baggage around the airport, cruise
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terminals, and so on. it will be much
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more pleasant. But if you do want to
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bring more luggage, do what I do and
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book transfers and hotel arrangements
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with the cruise line. When I do this, it
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means my bags are handled for me. They
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take them from the airport to the hotel.
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Usually, I can leave them outside my
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hotel room. They collect them, load them
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onto the transfer bus to go to the port
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and so on. It does make it so much
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easier. Few other packing things that
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apply more to us these days. Medications
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are critical for many of us. Ships don't
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have pharmacies to fill our
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prescriptions, so bring more than enough
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of what you need. I always bring
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actually several weeks more than the
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cruise. Keep it in your hand luggage.
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And I like to bring it in the original
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packaging with a photo of my
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prescription just in case. I always
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bring a personalized first aid kit. I
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see that as a must because it means
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avoiding going to the costly medical
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center kind of for more mundane issues
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that that kit could deal with. Don't
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forget technology. Cruise lines now run
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so much through their apps and so having
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your phone or tablet ready to use with
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the Cruise Line app already loaded will
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make your life so much easier. The app
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always runs without having to buy a
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Wi-Fi package, but so much is done on
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the app. You really do need to be ready
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for that. This next one is a really
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important point. You need to make sure
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things go right even when they go wrong.
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Travel insurance is non-negotiable, but
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it must be the right kind. Make sure
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your policy covers pre-existing
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conditions and includes medical
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evacuation off the ship and repatriation
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home. The reality is as we get older,
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the chance of needing medical help
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statistically goes up and evacuation
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costs can be eyewatering. So make sure
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you've got the right insurance, not you
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just rely on, say, credit card
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insurance. I mentioned that
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repositioning cruises were a great
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option for us over 55 travelers. So,
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join me over in this video where I look
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at the pros, the cons, and tricks to
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find and have amazing repositioning
