Some Helpful Information for our Senior Cruisers

John · 08-20-2006, 01:34 PM

Experience says that seniors enjoy cruising and many cruise lines accommodate them with open arms.

You can enjoy a relaxing afternoon by the pool with a good book, an on board lecture, bingo, a game backgammon, or become as active as your hearts desire with yoga, exercise classes, dance lessons, wine tastings, meet other singles and much more.

Choosing a cruise line that meets your desires is a priority. Are you a single and female that loves after dinner dancing? Then you should consider a ship that features Gentleman Hosts. Gentleman Hosts are men over 50 who are on board to dance with the unescorted ladies. Well the ladies deserve to be looked after by a gentleman. You may also be seated at a dining room table with other single men & women who are sailing alone. There are plenty of on board functions and activities to enjoy as well.

CRUISE LINES WITH GENTLEMEN HOSTS:

* Crystal Cruises
* Cunard Seabourn Line
* Holland America Line
* Orient Lines
* Saga

John · 08-20-2006, 01:36 PM

FAVOURITE CRUISES FOR SENIORS:

If your preference is to sail on a cruise line that has no or few children on board the then your choice should be one of the following lines:

Crystal Cruises:
The majority of passengers sailing aboard the luxurious Harmony and Symphony are between 50 & 70 years old. 4-6 social hosts are on every sailing. Enjoy elegant Mozart Tea in The Palm and reflect the past as the wait staff serves you in period costumes of velvet and lace. Lecturers include Walter Cronkite and Debbie Reynolds. Sail with top chefs Jacques Pepin and Andre Soltner during the Wine & Food Festival sailing. Crystal offers exotic itineraries throughout the world including a world cruise. A very desirable cruise line with up to 80 different ambassador hosts. 4 -8 ambassador hosts are on each cruise.

Cunard/Seabourn Cruise Line:
Popular with seniors, especially so on the entire voyage of the World Cruise. The Queen Elizabeth 2 a favorite with her old world style offers Transatlantic crossings. The QE2 has 10 world cruise segments. Enjoy harpists and elegant teas as you step back in time to the era of the luxury steamship. Dance hosts are on every sailing. The Seabourn Sun and her gracious touches appeal to the mature adult. The remaining ships of the Seabourn ultra-deluxe fleet are yacht-like vessels featuring the finest in food and service at sea. Age range aboard the Seabourn Pride, Spirit, and Legend is 45 to 80.

Silversea Cruises:
The yacht-like ships of this ultra-deluxe line appeal to a well-heeled, well-traveled clientele. A quiet and peaceful atmosphere. Life aboard consists of trivia, bridge, culinary demonstrations and wine tastings. Programs may include photographers from National Geographic and some voyages feature chefs from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.

Orient Lines:
75% of the passengers on board Orient Line are seniors. This line offers value priced cruising with longer, exotic cruise-tours around the world. Local folklore is enjoyed aboard the vessel while passengers are in port. Dance hosts are on all sailings except those in the Mediterranean.

John · 08-20-2006, 01:40 PM

FINDING SENIOR DISCOUNTS:

Seniors can almost always get extra savings on their cruise. Selected cruise lines will take 10% to 25% off the top for those 55 and only 1 passenger per stateroom is required to be at least 55 years of age, and the other passengers in the same stateroom are entitled to the same low price. In addition, if you require air transpiration as part of your cruise package, you may qualify for a senior discount on your air ticket also. Be sure to ask one of our cruise consultants about our senior discounts for airfare add ons.

SELECTING A SENIOR CRUISE:

When choosing a ships, the important thing to keep in mind is that they are not all the same. Selecting the right ship is particularly important to seniors. The mature adult of 70 or older usually prefer a small to midsize ship as it limits the amount of walking required. The younger, active seniors loves the small as well as the midsize ships, yet there are a select group that prefer the megaships of lines such as Royal Caribbean . These ships offer a wealth of activity and dining options.

The itinerary is just as important as the ship. Alaska & Mediterranean cruises offer spectacular scenery and are favorites with seniors.

John · 08-20-2006, 01:54 PM

Here are the website links to the cruiselines mentioned

Crystal Cruises

Cunard

Seabourn

Silversea

Saga

John · 08-20-2006, 01:58 PM

Medical Facilities

All cruise ships are fully- equipped with both medical facilities and a doctor. Passengers are encouraged to notify their Cruise Consultant about special medical needs prior to sailing. This way, the ship can stock appropriate medications should they become necessary.

Special Diets

While many people go on a cruise to enjoy the amazing cuisine, cruise lines understand that many people are on a special diet. That is why ships today carry a lighter choices section on their menu as well as vegetarian and kosher menus. Options include low sodium, low fat, low cholesterol, and sugar-free entrees, and desserts. Be sure to inform your Cruise Consultant and Maitre d' should you have any extra-special dietary needs.

Cruising with Grandchildren

Cruising is an excellent way to bridge the generation gap with fun activities for people of all ages. Grandparents can spend the day taking in a lecture, reading by the pool or betting in the casino. The grandkids can participate in organized children's activities, play in the pool, or watch a movie. Then everyone gets together for a dinner with grandparent and kid-friendly food before taking in a night of activities fit for kids of all ages.

John · 08-20-2006, 02:03 PM

There are many ways to save money on a cruise if you plan wisely. The two things that help most are to plan early and to be flexible. Put some research into your planning and compare prices. Here are some suggestions:

* Select a cruise line that is less expensive than others.
* Go during the off-season. Tropical cruises are cheaper in the summer.
* Wait until the last moment and bargain with the cruise line. They may be willing to cut the price to avoid vacancies.
* Deal with an organization that specializes in selling short-notice travel. Three of them are: Stand Buys, Spur of the Moment, and Grand Circle's Last Minute cruise club.
* Decide early so you can get early booking discounts and will have the cheaper accommodations available to you.
* Some large travel organizations obtain discounted fares because of their huge buying power.
* If you live in Seattle and the ship sails from Miami, look for sea-air packages. This can cut the cost of your airfare because of the early booking of low cost space by the cruise companies.