Cruising for Seniors

Older holiday-makers discovered cruising some time ago and it is only in the last five years that many others have discovered what they already knew -cruising is a great way to travel. Here you have a secure, comfortable and sociable environment with organised entertainment and activities and lots of different places to visit yet your hotel moves with you. No packing, no hassle, no worries. Seniors have different requirements in their cruising and the cruise lines recognise these needs and try to cater for them:

• Seniors can and sometimes prefer to cruise out of season when the ships are less busy and costs are lower.
• Seniors are often experienced travellers and consequently seek more exotic itineraries with new destinations off the beaten track. Soft adventure cruising is becoming popular with Norwegian Coastal Voyages and Orient Lines in Antarctica and Cruise West up close and personal in Alaska. Swan Hellenic visits lots of out of the way places while Silversea, Seabourn and Radisson Seven Seas offer interesting and varied itineraries.
• World cruises too are becoming even more popular with seniors as only they normally have the time for a 90 day plus cruise. This is the classic cruise experience, circling the globe to explore new regions and visiting more than 30 ports on a 3 month voyage. Cunard and P&O are the main world travellers from the UK and Holland America from the USA.
• Learning or Enrichment programmes are a new trend with seniors. Onboard port lectures are not new but now there is a demand for art or computer classes or a deeper knowledge in fields like history and politics. Cruise lines like Crystal, Cunard and Holland America have all introduced new learning programmes while Swan Hellenic cruises have always carried a team of lecturers expert in the history and culture of the ports they are visiting.
• Senior-friendly fitness programmes have been offered for some time but cruise lines are now adding classes such as yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi and wellness and wellbeing courses.
• Pools with magradomes (sliding roofs), Spas and Thalassotherapy pools are popular with seniors and are increasingly provided on the newer ships as swimming and water treatments are particularly beneficial.
• Low calorie dining options have been introduced for all but seniors are probably even more conscious of the risks of the presented by that midnight buffet.