Advice - elderly cruising

[runnerandme]

I would first make a list ( I am forever making lists). Put down what she likes to do. Does she like Broadway type shows? Does she like music? Does she want quiet? If she wants to only do buffet style or would she enjoy eating in a dining room? Then you can start to narrow your choices.

My elderly in laws loved Celebrity. She just wore a dark pants and fancy top for formal wear and she was fine. She loved watching the dancing, trivia and spent a lot of time people watching.

 

They found it easy to navigate the M class ships.

 

Also consider arriving at the departure city a day ahead so she can rest from the travel before getting on the ship.

[loubetti]

When it comes to the elderly and cruising, there is no "one size fits all" answer to this, it depends on the person. When in her 60s and 70s my mother went on several cruises with me, including 3 very rough northern trans-Atlantics on QE2 and QM2. I never had an issue with her walking back to her cabin, where she always used the stairs, and often in force 10-12 seas!

 

Today, at 86, her low blood pressure and inner-ear vertigo affects her quite a bit, and I would not take her on a cruise ship. Her mind is sharp, she can walk, but I stopped her from driving over a year ago.

 

Also, if you require a scooter, wheel chair or walker, let me say something you might not want to hear:

 

In the HIGHLY unlikely event of a ship evacuation (think Costa Concordia), the elevators may be out of commission, and do not expect that I or my family will sacrifice our lives or safety for this individual. Imagine if you are on a lower deck and need to get to the boat deck to evacuate, and you need a wheel chair or scooter and only tilting stairs are available. That's not a scenario I care to envision.

 

I would definitely suggest a cabin on the boat deck if one needs mobility equipment.

 

Just don't look at the normal, but the abnormal scenarios. I don't mean to be cruel or harsh, but after 37 years in aviation, I look at all the possibilities.

[cantw8togo]

I took my elderly mom who has mobility issues and Alzheimer's on a cruise last February. I chose a HC, aft, balcony cabin on Celebrity's Summit. I knew that we would be spending more time in the cabin than I might have if I was traveling with my kids, plus my mother's mobility issues dictated the need for the HC cabin so it was great having the extra room and the huge balcony. As an added bonus, our cabin came with additional perks such as an expanded room service breakfast menu and canapes in the afternoon, so we ate most breakfasts on the balcony and had our own happy hour over a glass of wine and a game of Scrabble while we sailed away from the latest island port. It was very memorable.

 

The other deciding factor for choosing this cabin was that both the buffet and the MDR was located in the aft part of the ship, so it was closer to the elevators that we used the most. Mom only went to the shows once or twice and when she did, I pushed her in a wheelchair as the theatre is often located towards the front of the ship.

 

We didn't prebook any excursions incase she didn't wasn't up to doing any touring; rather we hired taxis at each port. In hindsight, I wish that we had booked some "easy" or "mild" excursions through the ship the night before each port. Yes, you run the risk of not getting exactly what you want, but if there is something that you really want to see, you could book further in advance or just hire a taxi that day. The issue that we had with taxi's is that in the Caribbean, the pace of traffic is a lot faster and closer that what mom is used to and she found it quite stressful. We did take a bus tour on the final day and she found it a lot more enjoyable.

 

Check out the Disabled Board for tips and discussions on travelling with mobility issues; you can find it under Special Interest Cruising on the main page.

 

Have a great trip with your mom.

[Karysa]

Here are my suggestions to add to the ones that you already received. I would book a smaller ship. Entertainment that she would like. A cabin in the centre of things. Interesting islands for a tour. The Saint islands are always good choices as each has something a little different to offer. Purchase direct plane tickets so you won't have to run through the airport. Purchase travel health with medical evac insurance. Have a wonderful cruise.

[jocap]

If you're checking the Saga cruises, they sometimes offer insurance as well, but we often use their insurance for other lines.

Also, I think Fred Olsen goes from Rosyth and Greenock, if you're all in Scotland.

Jo.

[Elann]

1. Is cruising a good idea for the elderly?

Last year - I took my 82 year old grandmother on a cruise. She could have not been happier. Everone treated her like a princess.

2. I am assuming she can remain onboard in port and not have to 'do tours', should she not wish to do so?

My grandmother had COPD and could not walk around well. She was tickled pink to sit up on deck and people watch. Another thing I did was to get her a balcony room. She just LOVED to sit out on the balcony.

 

3. She would not like to dress formally and prefers informal dining and so I am trying to identify what Cruise companies would be best suited to her. Destination can be anywhere.

NCL is good for informal but a nice top and slacks works on any cruise.