TRAVEL
Senior Travel Done Right
Travel trends report showed that almost all seniors will travel for leisure, with about half traveling internationally. I’ve noticed that senior travel is becoming more common every year. Because they are traveling more, I suggest seniors leave a complete itinerary to one person they trust. This way someone knows exactly what their travel plans are and where they are supposed to be. This is especially important if you are doing group tours or on a cruise with multiple stops.
Group tours are a perfect way for seniors to travel. With cruises and escorted tours, the seniors are completely taken care of. No lugging suitcases in and out of hotels. With cruising, you unpack once and always go back to your comfortable room. I especially like river cruising, where the group of passengers is under 200 and the staff to guest ratio is high.
Safety is a top priority among seniors when traveling abroad, especially when you’re talking about less developed countries and those with language barriers. The tour operators we provide for guided escorted group tours absolutely make seniors feel safer and more secure in their travels. The support of an experienced tour guide and the feeling of safety in numbers with a group, create a wonderful, low-stress travel experience for seniors.
Many seniors are also on a fixed budget, so a group tour can help with pricing and value.
Most are also looking to save money when planning a vacation, that’s why nothing beats going to a value-oriented tour operator. Instead of seeking, researching, and spending hours to find that great travel deal, the easiest and quickest way to actually find that cost-saving deal is considering a guided tour and working with your trusted travel advisor. A travel agent has many resources available only to the travel industry and can help the client find just the right trip for the perfect senior travel experience. Also, when the tours are air-inclusive, seniors love having everything taken care of for them — from air to hotels to sightseeing.
Unfortunately, many seniors also have pre-existing health conditions that can affect their travel plans, so I highly recommend seniors to purchase travel insurance. The travel insurance will provide many financial needs if you were to become sick or injured. If traveling overseas, we also recommend enrolling in the STEP program through the government for travel warnings.
If you are mobility challenged or have special health issues, I advise discussing them with your travel agent. There are so many different ways we can accommodate you, but we must have knowledge of these issues in advance.
If you are participating in a river cruise, talk to your agent about the different vendors and which one will be best for you. Some have more included options that will accommodate late risers and slower walkers. Plan in advance and allow yourself ample time to come and go from wherever.
You should also take into account the amount of physical activity that you can do on your vacation, just to make sure that you can keep up. If you are taking a tour of China that visits the Great Wall, the walk is very difficult just getting to the start of the walk. Find a tour that takes into account any mobility issues you might have so you don’t hold up the entire group or aren’t left behind. This is when your travel agent can really help in choosing just the right tour or cruise to go on.
Consider what help you might need at the airport as well. If you need wheelchair assistance at the airport, inform your travel agent so this need is recorded in the reservation. Once you arrive, there is no guarantee there will be enough wheelchairs or attendants when you arrive if you haven’t pre-ordered one.
Think ahead for any wheelchair you may need on a cruise too. Cruise ships don’t have wheelchairs on board you can use for your trip, If you aren’t bringing your own but have mobility issues, there are companies that will rent you a wheelchair or motorized scooter and have it waiting in your cabin.
Finally, if you’re still thinking about what kind of trip to take, consider a multi-generational trip. I’ve written about this in past articles. A family trip is a wonderful way to connect and spend quality time with all ages. It’s more fun for you to see your family having a wonderful time together and will be a memory your family will talk about for many years. If you have any questions regarding traveling, please feel free to drop me a line! I love to talk about travel!
About Cindy Berre:
Travel Advisor. Experience Expert. Dream Destination Coordinator. “Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” - Ibn Battuta. A beautiful quote that just begs the question, “What stories do you want to begin?” Is it time for you to create a new and memorable adventure for yourself, your family, your team, and your life? With more than 25 years coordinating dream destination weddings, picture-perfect honeymoons, and story-inspiring vacations sending clients all over the world, I’ve got everything you need to write your next story. With a traveler’s heart and a business mind, I can elevate your experiences with a savvy eye on a budget – big, small, and everything in between. Many people believe they can save a bundle by taking the DIY approach to deliberating over travel plans via internet “deals” and emailed “bargains”. That’s not the usual case. The old adage, “if it’s too good to be true…” rings true too often. However, working with a seasoned professional with provider insights, industry connections, and upper-level access to real offers, you can create the itinerary and experience you want at the budget that works for you with less stress, more surety, and none of the “travel surprises” that can send blood pressure soaring! Here’s how I can assist you: •Family vacations •Honeymoons •Destination Weddings •Adult Only Vacations •River and Ocean Cruises •Luxury Travel •Adventure Travel •Culinary and Wine Travel With me, you’ll have extensive training and experience on your side and peace of mind knowing I will help ensure your vacation or destination travel plans are flawless. Part of my job is reassuring clients that they have someone in their corner, especially when traveling with today’s ever-changing rules and restrictions. Allowing an expert to take care of things for you is a guaranteed, more confident way to enjoy your vacation experience. I am a destination specialist for Costa Rica, Hawaii, England, Germany, Switzerland, Mexico, the Caribbean, South Africa, and Guatemala -- just to name a few. Let’s plan your next culinary, golf, hiking, biking, Irish pub crawls, private yacht, villa, spa, luxury, castle, cruise, reunion, singles, safari, or romantic adventure today. It’s a story in the making!