The holiday season is here, and it’s the perfect time to plan a vacation with friends and family. While some prefer taking the air route to their dream destinations, others love exploring the ocean. The latter is especially suitable for seniors wanting to relax and enjoy a luxurious experience. So, if you’re looking to board one of the senior cruises with your elderly parents, here are six tips to make your tour more comfortable.
Book
in advance
Booking in advance will ensure you get a confirmed room or as many
rooms as you want. This is particularly great for large families embarking on a
voyage on senior cruises. You can even get yourself adjoining rooms so that you
can look after your elderly parents. But study the cruise plans and decide
where you want your rooms to be. Early booking will save you from being placed
in the leftover spaces distributed across the ship.
Don’t
shy away from priority boarding
Most cruise lines, including senior cruises, offer early or priority
boarding and disembarking for people with special needs. This service is
particularly beneficial for senior citizens or those with memory issues as they
can skip the line at ports of call the ship visits. To avail of priority
boarding for your loved ones, you’ll have to let the cruise authorities know
about your requirements at the time of booking. In most cases, one’s boarding
pass will be stamped “Priority” as a confirmation.
Plan
your meals well
If you or the elders in your family aren’t too comfortable dining with
the crowds, you can request a quieter table. Also, it’s best for families
dining together to take the same route to the dining hall each day. This will
help the senior citizens remember it and not be confused. Senior cruise lines
also offer the option of dining early for elderly guests. If necessary, you can
also avail of room service and make dining easier, especially on tiring days
when you’ve had too much fun.
Select
suitable activities
Before booking your tickets, it’s best to discuss with your elderly
parents the type of vacation you’re planning. This will help choose the
experience, activities, and destination that all will enjoy. It will also make
it easier to select a cruise based on their offerings. All cruise lines,
including senior cruises, offer different activities like wine tasting, bingo,
other board games, social events, dance classes, etc. Planning will allow you
to convene with the cruise line and determine if these activities are suitable
for you. It also gives you a chance to plan group activities with the whole
family and avoid last-minute arguments about other plans.
Carry
necessary medications
This is one of the critical things when embarking on a journey, senior
cruises or otherwise. Check and pack all the necessary medicines and ensure
you’re carrying sufficient quantities. Also, don’t forget to carry basic
medications like those for a headache or a stomach upset. Moreover, carrying
prescriptions may come in handy if you or an elderly member experiences some
difficulty. If it’s something serious, an earlier prescription will help the
medical practitioner on board understand the problem better and medicate
accordingly.
Use a
tracking device
Tracking devices might not be necessary for every senior citizen but
might be life-saving for some. It will help families keep an eye on their
seniors while vacationing. It’s vital, especially for people with dementia,
Alzheimer’s, or sometimes even arthritis, as it alerts the family or caretakers
of their location on the senior cruises. Famous cruise lines offer GPS tracking
devices while onboarding owing to the size of their vessels. This helps seniors
find some independence during their vacation and their families some peace of
mind.