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We are a retired couple in our mid 70's but very mobile and in reasonably good health. We walked 45 miles on our last coach tour outings. We are thinking of a cruise, possibly to the Panama Canal or Ireland. We don't want to be on a ship with a lot of families. Kids running around and/or screaming drives us crazy. However, as I read various forums, I see that a lot of people who need wheelchairs, scooters or canes take cruises. I wonder if these people in vehicles or with canes will be constantly blocking the area? Plus, having lots of these folks on a trip seems a little depressing.
It seems that on a cruise ship, we might have one or the other--kids or immobile old people. Any suggestion as to which cruise line might be best for us?
I love Celebrity and the cruises we've been on trend to an older demographic. I'm mid-40s and I prefer that crowd to party crowds or catering to families.
Itineraries and time of year seem to make a difference as cruising in Sept/Oct, there have been very few kids. I don't recall that many people with mobility issues such that it creates issues for others. The worst I found are the able-bodied but ignorant folks who try to push into the elevator before letting people off.
Doing a cruise in May, Ireland to Iceland. Can't wait!
I recommend you look at the Windstar line...~200 passengers, similar crew count, small ships that are ~ 450 ft long ships, or less.
We were recently on two of their cruises, almost back to back on different but nearly identical ships: Fjords of Norway and Iceland.
Neither cruise had children and any of the much older/compromised but not immobile passengers were well accommodated. Probably as a function of cost and itinerary, ages ranged from few 20 somethings to our 'age' and older...many of passengers on both cruises had done multiply itins with this line.
Lots of on land tours available through the ship line/on board/via net before you depart.
I am 71, do 15-20,000 steps a day around our house on normal days, play golf 3 days a week, & my wife is similar. Not marathoners or health nuts, but we haul azz and do lots of stuff...
Food was very good to outstanding, service was as one would expect with only 200 passengers and a crew that knows your names/faces and wants after day one. Most accommodations are slightly larger than the big cruise ship lines, in general.
They do have ships doing the Panama Canal and lots of other itineraries...they are not the usual huge ship, cattle car, on sale inexpensive, but they do offer some deals, and after being on both that size ship and the bigger cruise lines, I would not get back on a 'big ship' again, even it was free.
GL, mD
Of the main cruise lines, I was always under the impression that Holland Cruise lines was an older crowd.
To get your best of both worlds scenario, I would pick one of the smaller, 200 passenger boats, But they run like 10K each for a cruise.
Otherwise, I have taken 3 cruises (Princess, Carnival, Norwegian) (ages 30, 40 and late 40s), and neither children nor wheelchairs harshed our buzz. :P
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I love Celebrity and the cruises we've been on trend to an older demographic. I'm mid-40s and I prefer that crowd to party crowds or catering to families.
Itineraries and time of year seem to make a difference as cruising in Sept/Oct, there have been very few kids. I don't recall that many people with mobility issues such that it creates issues for others. The worst I found are the able-bodied but ignorant folks who try to push into the elevator before letting people off.
Over the years, we've travelled on seven of the mass market cruise lines. We are in a similar demographic as you, but don't mind the few scooters (the numbers are great exaggerated), but do mind hoards of kids. Unless you're interested in spending a lot of money and going luxury, Celebrity is the one that I would have recommended.
A few other suggestions:
Travel during Sept, Oct and Nov. Less kids. Travel on a itinerary that is 14 days or more and you'll encounter nearly zero kids.
Honestly, I'd suggest the Panama Canal. After all, you CAN see Ireland without cruising (and I'd say a land trip is a better way to see the country), but you can't do the Canal EXCEPT on a ship. Personally, I'd recommend the full transit, but others will disagree. You might also consider doing what is called a repositioning cruise. These have different embarkation and debarkation ports, and occur when the cruise lines need to move their ships for a season. For example, at the beginning of the summer, they need to move many ships from the Caribbean to the West Coast to do Alaska. These itineraries often stop at less frequented ports, sometimes more interesting, sometimes pretty boring, but nearly always less touristy. Best of all, they are MUCH cheaper. But, be aware that the perks that often go with booking a cruise (free drinks, free wifi, free gratuities, etc.) are usually not offered on repositioning cruises.
Really depends on the ship, but most stay very casual.
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