As people age, their travel needs and preferences change to suit their lifestyles. Seniors facing mobility challenges often look for travel options that offer safety and comfort and are devoid of the hassles of organizing accommodations, transportation, and choosing destinations. This is one reason why people in their golden years opt for cruises to spend their vacations. Besides, most senior-only cruises offer special benefits to seniors to make their stay enjoyable.
1. Accessible staterooms and venues
Many top cruises often have staterooms and venues designed with accessible features and amenities. These staterooms cater specifically to senior travelers, offering features aimed at providing maximum comfort and convenience. Seniors who depend on mobility devices like wheelchairs will gain access to rooms with wider doors with their door sills removed. Plus, verandas are made accessible by having balconies wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs. Besides this, some cruises also have staterooms with around a five-foot turning radius to make navigating easier.
In addition, there are standard features such as low-level clothes bars in closets, roll-in showers built with handheld showerheads, grab bars in the bathrooms and fold-down shower benches. Along with this, some accessible staterooms also have lower vanities and sinks, thresholds with ramps in the bathroom, and higher toilets.
Also, many top cruises agree to customize their accessible stateroom according to the requirements of their senior guests. For example, some cruises offer teletypewriters for guests who experience partial or complete hearing and vision loss. These are portable room kits that are equipped with a visual-tactile alert system. Such kits are useful for detecting door knocking, telephone ringing, alarm clocks, and more. Closed captioning options on every television in the staterooms also aim to improve guests’ convenience.
Along with making the rooms accessible, many cruises also add accessibility features to their other spaces. These often include wider corridors, conveniently placed elevators, and open public venues. Besides this, there can be lifts for the pool, lower playing tables and slot machines in the casino, as well as accessible public restrooms. Ramps and gradually inclined floors leading to public rooms, along with automatic doors, are also often observed to be common accessible features for senior guests.
2. Transportation assistance
Many cruises, including those for 55 and over, also extend assistance with transportation. So, seniors are offered all the necessary support while transferring from the airport to the pier and the other way around. Plus, assistance is provided for departing and boarding the ship. Seniors with mobility issues can also request assistance with getting to venues and areas of the ship that are not designed to be accessible. Besides, shore excursions in the cruise program are often specially planned to include accessible tours across various destinations. These tours typically involve vehicles with ramps and wheelchair lifts. To take advantage of these benefits, a senior guest is generally expected to book everything in advance.
3. Host program
To enhance the cruise experience of senior guests, many top luxury cruise lines offer a host program. The hosts are enlisted in the program after a meticulous screening and interview process by the cruise company. These hosts typically offer all the assistance to guests to make their stay comfortable. They help guests get the most out of their cruise experience by accompanying them for dining and onboard activities. Besides, they can chaperone senior travelers on shore excursions as guides.
4. Entertainment activities and classes
Seniors on a cruise can also take advantage of activities and classes that are typically tailored to meet their specific requirements. These activities are often based on a wide range of interests, meaning there is something for every senior. Generally, these activities include sessions on music, art, cooking, and indoor games such as trivia nights and bingo nights. Along with these, some cruise lines also offer dockside lecture sessions on the history and culture of the different ports that are part of the itinerary.
5. On-board spa
Senior passengers can also enjoy a relaxing stay on the cruise by using the spa amenities onboard. Often, spa activities are specially curated for older individuals so that they can savor their leisure time onboard. From manicures and pedicures to hairstyling, body wraps, and stone massages, one can take advantage of many options.
6. Special meals
While most passengers are keen to relish the amazing cuisine available on cruises, seniors generally like to stick to their special meals. This is why many cruises typically have curated meal plans for seniors. These meal plans have lighter fare options, such as beverages and foods, catering to the special requirements of senior passengers. For example, some cruises may offer vegetarian meals for seniors who specifically request the same. Plus, there are facilities like 24-hour room service and flexible reservation times for dinner, adding to the convenience of senior travelers.
7. Special perks and discounts
Often, seniors can take advantage of special discounts and perks to make their cruise travel affordable. Many top cruise lines give exclusive rates for travelers 55 years and above. Plus, there are special senior discounts on select sailings, such as up to 10% off cruise deals for seniors over 65.
