One of the benefits of being part of the “mature market” is that we can plan travel that meets our individual needs. If you prefer temperate climates, more culturally or historically focused itineraries or challenging activities you can choose the cruise that meets those needs. If you would prefer to avoid families travelling with children, you can do that as well.
Although we still take the occasional family vacation with our now adult children and our grandchildren, it is a very different process to plan and implement such an event. But that is an article for another day.
Our focus now is to meet like minded travelers with the same desire to travel for our own enjoyment and enrichment. That does not preclude us from booking just any cruise, but it does mean that we are careful to avoid ones that are aimed at the family experience for a number of reasons.
So, here are some tips to ensure you get the “over 50” experience you really want.
- Carefully choose the time of year you travel.
Avoid summer or other holiday periods when children are off of school and more likely to be part of the family vacation. Watch for March break weeks as these can span over most of the month depending on the school district. Traveling during the “shoulder season” of April to June and again September to November means that you are not dealing with the usual heat and crowds of the peak summer season. It also means you are not paying peak prices either.
- Choose a destination or length of trip that is not as favourable for families.
Most families stick to the Caribbean, Mediterranean or Alaska cruise itineraries that offer “family friendly” tours and destinations. Consider instead cruises that are longer than 7 days, visit more exotic locations or are repositioning cruises.
- Search for companies that focus on mature clients as part of their brand.
There are few in the mass market cruise industry (Carnival, NCL or Royal Caribbean) unless you move into the more luxury lines (Holland America, Celebrity, Viking or Princess) that focus exclusively on the mature market. You can definitely enjoy Disney and Disney cruises as an adult, and there are adult only areas on most Disney ships, but the rest of the passengers will most likely be families any time of the year. Check for perks such as adult only areas of the ship or later dining times. Ask about senior discounted fares as those companies want your business.
- Find activities that are geared for your age group.
Shore exclusions may be sedentary or very active so read the descriptions carefully to ensure you are getting what you want. We stay away from excursions that describe driving to “see” the sights since we are still very active, however we are also watch out for those that require lots of walking over rugged terrain to be sure we know what we are in for.
- Find diversity in your port excursions that appeal to your age group.
We have developed a love for art history and can spend hours walking through museums but we understand that it’s not for everyone. One of our travel friends suggested sea kayaking while in port. We had to find a nice way to decline as I haven’t been in a kayak since, well, never. It really brought home that we all have different strengths (and weaknesses).
If you want to avoid the large crowds of a ship excursion consider more independent or small group excursions, unless of course you are in a high risk location or the site you want to see is farther away and timing is of the essence. You can also book private guides to get that one on one experience. Participating in the Cruise Critic Roll Call for your cruise is a great way to find out more about port excursions, and perhaps share some of the costs.
- Keep in mind requirements for your specific situation.
If you are a solo traveler or need an accessible cabin you will need to book early as these types of accommodations are limited on most cruise ships. Don’t forget to buy good out of country medical insurance and the other additional protections of travel interruption, cancellation or lost baggage. As we age these coverages become more expensive but I cannot stress how important they are. Be sure to pack an over the counter first aid kit and carry enough of your prescription medications to last the length of the trip, plus a day or so more for unforeseen delays. I also carry my eyeglass prescription in case I lose or damage my glasses.
One promise that Ken and I made to ourselves as we struggled through the restrictions imposed by the global pandemic is that we will never take travel for granted. As we move into the new reality we will plan not only for what we can do, but plan to avoid what we don’t want.