cruising for little old ladies.

tocsin

I haven't been on a cruise for a while, but one site I bookmarked was http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/ for reviews of ships and itineraries - hope that helps.

balmaiden

Thanks for all replies. Thanks for that link tocsin,will have a good look. Errata , interesting that you say about sickness on cruises. My poor old Mum went down last evening with severe sickness and diarrohea. Looks very much like the virus that has been in our local hospitals and the one that they have on cruise ships. The name escapes me at the moment. She really is very poorly, I am glad that she is at home and not sailing the seven seas!! Hopefully she will make a quick recovery and can go on with her plans.

Errata

balmaiden wrote: »

Thanks for all replies. Thanks for that link tocsin,will have a good look. Errata , interesting that you say about sickness on cruises. My poor old Mum went down last evening with severe sickness and diarrohea. Looks very much like the virus that has been in our local hospitals and the one that they have on cruise ships. The name escapes me at the moment. She really is very poorly, I am glad that she is at home and not sailing the seven seas!! Hopefully she will make a quick recovery and can go on with her plans.

You're welcome, and I hope you mum recovers well and quickly. The difficulty with becoming ill on a cruise is that there is always the possibility of being hospitalised at the next port of call, prior to a possible repatriation.
I know this sounds very gloomy, but it seems to me that if risks can be understood then people can make a choice about them.
Norovirus seems to be endemic on some cruise ships, and even deep cleaning doesn't seem to eradicate it completely.

balmaiden

Norovirus, that's the name I was struggling with. I am wondering if you had this would you be less likely to get it again? Anyone know?

Errata

The name Norovirus covers a group of viruses, so if you caught one veresion and recovered you could catch another version afterwards and ..........

After having a norovirus infection it is possible to become infected again, because immunity to the virus only lasts for a short period of time.

newleaf

Another vote for Fred Olsen here. We went on a cruise last year, (our first) in the Baltic on the Boudicca, from Newcastle. However they do also sail from Southampton.
We found most of the other passengers were of a much older age group than ourselves. That said, they were looked after very well and I can see the attraction in cruising, especially for unaccompanied ladies - and we saw several. It feels very safe, small ship, lots of free entertainments and activities, plus optional trips ashore at extra cost. The cruise director and her staff took great care of the passengers who needed a little extra help. There were a few very doddery folk, but they all seemed to be having a whale of a time.
The benefits of cruising as far as I can see are firstly it's a very efficient way of seeing several 'difficult to get to' places in a fairly short space of time. Secondly, no hanging about at airport, uncomfortable flights or jet lag. And finally, full porterage service, so no hassle with humping luggage about - you drop it off prior to check in and the next time you see it, it's in your cabin.
There were 3 formal nights on our 10 day trip, but attendance at these was not compulsory. Most ladies wore an evening skirt or trousers and a sparkly top, rather than the full ball gown experience. There was an alternative restaurant to use if dressing up did not appeal.
The elderly demographic actually put us off going with FO again, and we are going to try Cunard this year in the hope of a livelier crowd.
I definitely do recommend the Baltic cruise though - St Petersburg is the most beautiful and fascinating place.

Edit to add: Sorry to hear your mum has a tummy bug. Hope she will be feeling better soon.

margaretclare

Poor mum! Make sure she drinks, just keep drinking water. Dehydration is what kills you rather than the bug itself. Also you can get sachets of Dioralyte which helps to replace the electrolytes (sodium and potassium) which are lost in vomiting and diarrhoea.

The best advice for anyone with a tummy bug: drink, drink, drink!

Be_Happy

I would agree with all that Newleaf says about Fred Olsen. It is certainly the one I would recommend for the older age group. On the cruises we've been on people were going around in wheelchairs and zimmer frames, seeming to be thoroughly enjoying themselves.

One point I would add is to go for the best grade of cabin you can afford. The difference is worth it. Avoid the inside ones if you are at all claustrophobic.

balmaiden

Thanks for all replies. Mum on the mend but has been very poorly. I think Fred Olsen will be the one, judging by replies on here and also looking online, it seems that company would best suit their needs.

Margaretclare, poor Mums first night of sickness, she remembered, between fainting and vomiting, to sip water. She says it didn't stay inside for very long, but at least she had the presence of mind to keep her fluid levels up. That, I think, must be the very worst thing when living alone, to be ill at night and no one to help you.

Errata

Balmaiden - you might like to read this http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/suffolk/8476623.stm

and google fred olsen sickness for details of other outbreaks on their ships.