Travel in Style With Cruises for Seniors
Whether you want to travel to Alaska, the Caribbean, Europe or South America, there are countless options for cruises for seniors. A cruise is a fabulous way to meet new people, participate in a wide variety of educational, cultural and sporting events, and comfortably travel around the world.
There’s an abundance of choices to think about, from selecting where to go and what type of cruise you want, to which company is best. Here’s just a sampling of what you can select from and the liners that are known for catering to the 50+ crowd.
1. Celebrity Cruises
Embark on a journey of luxury and relaxation with Celebrity Cruises. Whether you're craving breathtaking ocean views, world-class cuisine or unforgettable entertainment, their ships offer it all. Indulge in spa treatments, savor gourmet dining experiences and explore exotic destinations in style. With attentive service and amenities designed for your comfort, a Celebrity Cruise promises an unforgettable escape from the ordinary. Set sail and experience the pinnacle of cruising excellence.
2. Hurtigruten Expeditions
Hurtigruten Expeditions offers a unique and enriching travel experience for seniors, providing a blend of adventure and comfort along some of the world's most breathtaking coastal routes. Tailored for those seeking exploration without compromising on convenience, Hurtigruten Expeditions for seniors offers several key features:
- Scenic coastal cruises: Hurtigruten is renowned for its coastal cruises, taking passengers along picturesque coastlines and through stunning fjords. The slow pace allows seniors to fully immerse themselves in the beauty of the landscapes.
- Comfortable accommodations: The expedition ships are equipped with comfortable cabins and amenities, ensuring a relaxing stay for seniors. Accessibility features are often available to accommodate various mobility needs.
- Cultural excursions: Hurtigruten's itineraries often include stops at culturally rich destinations, providing seniors with the opportunity to explore local history, traditions and cuisine at a comfortable pace.
3. Viking Cruises
If you're a curious traveler, then Viking Cruises is something you'll want to check out. They offer destination-focused journeys on all seven continents. Here are some of the amazing cruises you can take:
- Antarctic Explorer: This adventure takes you to the Antarctic peninsula, where you can see glaciers, snow-covered landscapes, icebergs and viewing rare wildlife.
- Great Lakes Explorer: Discover granite islands that comprise Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve while hiking and kayaking through its vistas.
- Chilean Fjords & Patagonia Explorer: Discover the rugged and natural beauty of Patagonia. Marvel in the soaring peaks and towering ice shelves as you navigate the iceberg-crowded channels of the Chilean fjords.
4. Silversea Cruises
Are you ready to be immersed in the authentic beauty of the world? Silversea Cruises brings you an ultra-luxury experience. On board, you'll find 24-hour gourmet dining, butler services and exciting entertainment. On top of all that, there are premium alcoholic beverages.
Each day, you can experience complimentary shore excursions. Your all-inclusive Silversea cruise awaits.
5. American Cruise Lines
If you're looking an amazing cruise experience, American Cruise Lines has it all! The ships and riverboats are designed for guest comfort. You'll be met with your very own personal oasis; a private view of all the exquisite scenery.
Each day is full of something new from musicians, historians and naturalists, that are there to make your experience grand. When it comes to cuisine, everything is locally sourced and inspired by the nearby region. You'll be met with gracious hospitality and an experience you won't soon forget.
6. Un-Cruise Adventures
Designed for more active seniors who want to get up close and personal, this 8-ship cruise line, led by naturalists, has itineraries covering Alaska, Central America, Columbia, the Snake Rivers, Galápagos, Hawaiian Islands, Mexico’s Sea of Cortés and the Pacific Northwest.
While not inexpensive, the trips are just about all-inclusive. On some of their Alaskan sailings, they even offer “twice-daily jaunts by Zodiac right up to the faces of calving glaciers and salmon-fishing bears.”
They also offer what they call the less strenuous “Heritage” sailings, during which you can watch the wildlife through binoculars up on the bridge. On all of the ships, the onboard fare relies heavily on the “freshest locally procured meats and seafood, meals are communal and a great sense of camaraderie quickly develops among passengers, naturalists and crew.”
You can learn more on the Un-Cruise Adventures website.
7. Lindblad Expeditions
If you’ve done a lot of traveling, you might want to consider something a bit more exotic like Lindbald, which offers some of the world’s most exotic sailings. For example, while there are lots of cruise companies that go to New Zealand and Australia, this company will take you to very unusual places like the Horizontal Waterfalls of Talbot Bay in Northwest Australia, or the Islands of the Torres Straits in Papua New Guinea.
People who have sailed with Lindblad often talk about how knowledgeable the guides are, the spa services on board and the luxury provided, with touches such as a mud room so passengers who have been out hiking or trekking can get their boots washed before going to their cabins.
You can learn more about Lindblad Expeditions on their website.
8. Cunard Lines
For boomers who are nostalgic about recapturing the travels of their youth, but perhaps in more opulent splendor than was affordable when young, Cunard Lines comes to mind.
Who wouldn’t want to sail with Queens – Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria or Queen Elizabeth? From sailing transatlantic, to cruising around the world hitting ports in Europe, Australia, Asia, South America, the Caribbean, New England and/or Canada, Cunard continues to provide passengers the height of luxury as it has done for the last century and a half, making it one of the more popular cruises for seniors.
You can learn more on the Cunard Lines website.
9. Princess Cruises and Holland America
Company-wide, these ships offer tremendous amenities, comfort, service and personal attention. Even more important is the fact that since these two cruise lines were the pioneers in the Alaskan cruise market they have the clout to secure highly sought-after permits to enter Glacier Bay National Park, which I can tell you from personal experience, is a treasure not to be missed!
If you want to explore the countryside by the famed Alaskan Railroad, both Princess and Holland American have their domed observation cars far better than the ones the railroad owns.
You can learn more about Princess Cruises on their website.
Learn more at Holland America!
10. River Baroness and Pride of America
There are also special interest cruises for travelers over 50, including cruises for WWII veterans who served in Europe aboard Uniworld’s River Baroness, which ports in Normandy with all of its abundant histories. Vets whose theater was the Pacific can sail aboard Norwegian’s Pride of America, which uses Honolulu as its home base year-round. Pre and post-cruise excursions to the Arizona Memorial, USS Missouri and Pearl Harbor are readily available.
You can learn more on the Cruise Critic: River Baroness wesbite and the Cruise Critic: Pride of America as well.
11. Grand Princess
I’ve always subscribed to the philosophy that I want to learn something new every day. For people like me, there are cruise lines that offer fun, educational and enrichment opportunities with Princess Cruises Grand Class. With more than 20 courses per cruise, it has earned the nickname ScholarShip@Sea. Classes range from computer skills to cooking to photography (including digital photography) with destinations virtually anywhere in the world to select from.
You can learn more about The Grand Princess cruise line on their website.
12. Norwegian Cruise Line
Sometimes we find ourselves in circumstances where we’re traveling alone. Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway offer a studio cabin for singles thus avoiding the single supplement charge, which can be very hefty. And with over 300 destinations to choose from, along with last-minute deals, there’s bound to be something just right for a solo traveler.
You can learn more on the Cruise Critic: Norwegian Cruise Line website.
Things to Think About
When you're picking between different cruises for seniors, keep the following things in mind:
- Your choice of itinerary. A lot of us have already traveled to many destinations, so you’ll want to decide if you want to visit someplace new or take a trip full of nostalgia.
- If you’re traveling with family, you’ll want to ensure that each generation will have something to do and enjoy, so you’ll need a cruise that is full of options for all ages
- If you have any physical limitations or health issues, you’ll want to make sure that the ship you select is completely accessible and/or that it provides high-caliber healthcare.
- If you want a cruise that provides educational and cultural programs, make sure they’re readily available onboard.
- Always ask if the cruise line offers a senior discount that you might qualify for.
- some cruises are for adults only, if you don’t want little ones around.
Whatever cruises for seniors you choose, happy sailing!