It’s inevitable, it will happen to us all, at some point we will age. But that doesn’t mean you need to trade in your explorative, adventurous lifestyle. Travel for 50+ needn’t be a worry or a hassle! There are plenty of opportunities out there that are not only tailored for the older generation but also won’t make you feel like your independency has been stripped. A great way for baby boomers to travel is by cruise. No need to worry about different accommodations or travelling between various destinations, all the leg work is done for you and you still get the experience of travelling to multiple cities.
We wanted to find out what a typical cruise would be like for a solo 50+ traveller. So we’ve spoken to Denise, a mid-60s woman whose love of travel hasn’t been dampened by solo travel, her age or gender. Denise recently embarked on her very first cruise and we wanted to get her thoughts on whether or not a cruise is the easy, hassle-free travel option it says it is.
1. What made you decide to go on a cruise for the first time?
I guess it was on my bucket list of things to do. So I went and did it.
2. How many destinations were you able to visit along the way?
4 destinations over an 8 day cruise. We travelled to Dubrovnik, Hvar, Venice and Split; flying to and from Malta and picking the cruise ship up at the latter.
3. Did you feel that you were properly looked after both on the ship and after disembarking at the various destinations?
Yes I was well looked after, although this was probably the wrong ship to go on for a solo traveller. There were lots of families and I should probably have opted for an adults only cruise which would have had more opportunities to meet people.
4. Did you find the cruise an easier option than arranging travel between all these destinations yourself?
Definitely. I didn’t have to do any of the legwork apart from getting myself to and from the airport to travel to the ship.
5. What was the best thing you discovered about cruises?
That life is like being in a bubble. It’s so relaxing, and because it’s so relaxing the world just floats on by while you’re busy indulging yourself in having a lovely time.
6. Was there anything you would change about your cruise experience?
I’d go on an adult only cruise ship instead of a family one. But this is only because I would have liked to have had more opportunities to socialise with other solo travellers a bit more.
7. Did you feel that your age group was properly catered for?
Yes definitely. There were a variety of different activities during the day and throughout the evening. In terms of the excursions, you could choose them yourself from a huge variety. There were plenty of different activity levels too, so you could choose to be more active or transported. I was looking for walking excursions that gave me some history of the place. And that’s what I did.
8. Would you go on a cruise again in the future?
I would.
9. If you didn’t go on a cruise, how would you choose to travel around to different destinations?
Well that would depend on where I wanted to go as to accessing ease of travel. It would certainly be harder to go to that many places outside of the cruise environment. There would be a lot more flapping around, going to airports or whatever which would all be very time consuming. Whereas on cruise it’s all very leisurely and there’s no stress.
10. Do you have any concerns travelling by yourself as a woman? If so, was this a reason why you opted for a cruise?
Yes I think so. I think I would feel, as a woman travelling alone, quite vulnerable. But the cruise environment made me feel safe and well looked after. A cruise environment means that you can just say yes to whatever it is you’d like to do and then it’s all arranged for you so, again, stress and hassle removed. Your holiday is a real holiday because it’s all about relaxation and enjoyment.