Recommendations?

[classicmovies]

My husband and I are in our early 70’s and would like to take our daughter and son in law (in their mid 30’s) on a cruise or river cruise but we are limited to a week.  We live in the Bay Area and don’t want to go to Mexico.  Any ideas on a cruise line that would be appropriate for our age groups and what we could do in a week?

Thanks!

 

Lynne

[wheezedr]

You could do a California coastal but my number one recommendation would be Alaska.  For a week you could do a one way North or South with Vancouver as one end or you could do a closed loop out of either Vancouver or Seattle. The Seattle closed loop is the simplest for flights from the Bay Area.

You would have multiple cruise lines to choose from on an Alaskan cruise.

Edited February 9, 2019 by wheezedr
Additional

[martincath]

I'd agree with the above, provided that 'a week' means 'a week on the ship plus enough time to get to the embarkation port' - but even if your kids have a really tight work schedule and can only take 5 days off, there are plenty weekend-to-weekend cruises that open up potential for flying Friday night or Sat morning, cruising Sat or Sun, and getting home again for work by Monday. Leveraging holidays for an extra day off helps too of course - but these all tend to be pricier specifically because of the greater convenience/less days off work aspect (like airline tickets, there's no such thing as a totally accurate 'X is more/less than Y' date or route for cruise pricing...)

 

As to age range, 30somethings and 70somethings are found on all mainstream lines; it's perhaps more important asking what you enjoy doing that you might find on a ship as opposed to your ages (I know a lot of seniors who party way heartier than even the 20somethings in my circles!) but if you do go with Alaska, the land is the main attraction so the ship's activities tend to be less of a factor.

 

That said Princess is probably the most sensible choice just because they are a bit more all-ages than HAL, have at least as many cruise options, an equally-solid Alaskan program with decades of experience (e.g. Princess/HAL have more entry permits for Glacier bay than everyone else put together) and a little more in the way of dining options and stuff to do on-board than HAL without going all the way to 'weeeee, nightclubs and bars and drunk people everywhere w0000t!!!!!'

 

River cruising - what about the PNW Columbia/Snake River cruises? Lots of flights to PDX, and there are 5/6 day cruises as well as the longer ones so you may have more flexibility. Caveat - haven't done one of these myself, but a friend is an occasional guest lecturer and speaks highly of the experience (personally they seem more expensive per diem than ocean cruises, and since we are based out of Portland often and have friends out in SE Washington we drive up & down the gorges plenty!)

[Flatbush Flyer]

A regular contributor to CC, who is a top selling TA for Oceania, has a group tour doing a short 7 day LA to LA California Coastal Cruise this coming December. That would be a great "starter" cruise to see if you like the line.

Sadly, can't mention the TA by name.

 

[bonsai3s]

3 hours ago, classicmovies said:

My husband and I are in our early 70’s and would like to take our daughter and son in law (in their mid 30’s) on a cruise or river cruise but we are limited to a week.  We live in the Bay Area and don’t want to go to Mexico.  Any ideas on a cruise line that would be appropriate for our age groups and what we could do in a week?

Thanks!

 

Lynne

 

We have had this same exact issues.  And sorry to say...you would have a difficult time finding a cruise being from the Bay Area.

1. Having only a week is difficult.  Does this include travel time? If so, then your sailing would be limited to "short" 4-5 day cruises.  Not many choices left.

2. Are you planning on flying to another port?...or want to sail out of SF only?  What about LA or San Diego?...or Alaska as previously suggested?

3. If not Mexico...again, there aren't very many choices left.

4.  Will this be your kid's introduction to cruising?

5.  River cruising...there are river cruises in the U.S., Europe, and Asia...but will take more than a week.

6.  Regarding age groups...you probably already knew that some cruise lines cater to us old folks...Holland America for instance.  Carnival may be too much of a party cruise for you.  Perhaps Princess could be a good compromise.  Regrettably, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity have limited sailings around California.

Our recommendation: (And only if you are able to fly a short distance)....you and your kids would have a wonderful time on an Alaskan cruise on the Ovation of the Seas.  Happy Sailing!

 

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

12 minutes ago, bonsai3s said:

 

We have had this same exact issues.  And sorry to say...you would have a difficult time finding a cruise being from the Bay Area.

1. Having only a week is difficult.  Does this include travel time? If so, then your sailing would be limited to "short" 4-5 day cruises.  Not many choices left.

2. Are you planning on flying to another port?...or want to sail out of SF only?  What about LA or San Diego?...or Alaska as previously suggested?

3. If not Mexico...again, there aren't very many choices left.

4.  Will this be your kid's introduction to cruising?

5.  River cruising...there are river cruises in the U.S., Europe, and Asia...but will take more than a week.

6.  Regarding age groups...you probably already knew that some cruise lines cater to us old folks...Holland America for instance.  Carnival may be too much of a party cruise for you.  Perhaps Princess could be a good compromise.  Regrettably, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity have limited sailings around California.

Our recommendation: (And only if you are able to fly a short distance)....you and your kids would have a wonderful time on an Alaskan cruise on the Ovation of the Seas.  Happy Sailing!

 

 

Some Oceania Transpacific cruises go to/from SF or LA. With RT airfare between LAX/SFO at under $200 for an approx 60 minute "puddle jump," either spot will do.

The left coast of the US is a great place to embark/disembark. Far better than Swamplandia.

 

[bonsai3s]

20 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Some Oceania Transpacific cruises go to/from SF or LA. With RT airfare between LAX/SFO at under $200 for an approx 60 minute "puddle jump," either spot will do.

The left coast of the US is a great place to embark/disembark. Far better than Swamplandia.

 

Flatbush Flyer...that's a great idea...thanks.

 

[NantahalaCruiser]

On 2/9/2019 at 3:24 PM, classicmovies said:

My husband and I are in our early 70’s and would like to take our daughter and son in law (in their mid 30’s) on a cruise or river cruise but we are limited to a week.  We live in the Bay Area and don’t want to go to Mexico.  Any ideas on a cruise line that would be appropriate for our age groups and what we could do in a week?

Thanks!

 

Lynne

Princess has 10-night Alaska cruises departing from San Francisco that might work for you if you were able to leave on a Friday afternoon and go back to work directly from the ship on Monday morning. For example, Grand Princess departing July 5, 2019.