Holidays for an over 60's couple who can't tolerate each other very well!!

lady_noluck

Help! My parents (aged 68 + 66) have decided to go on holiday and would possibly like a cruise. I don't know where to start looking to suggest anything.
Problems are:
1. They can't really tolerate each other very well. (The last time they were on holiday together was 1989!!) so would need to be with other similar aged people who they could socialise with to cut down 'couples times'. (How they've stayed together 42 years and not killed each other is beyond me :wall::wall:) They also have no friends they could go away with. Mainly because they have no friends. Sad but true
2. They've never been on an aeroplane so flying long haul is definitely out.
3. They're not very active so wouldn't want to do much walking/exploring
4. Dad can't tolerate 'too much heat' whereas mum loves the sun.

On the plus side, they've never been out of the UK so they've got the whole world to explore!

Are there any companies that do specific holidays for 'older people' with no travel experience looking to take a relaxing break, socialise and see there's a world outside Dunstable??? :j
Thank you in advance :beer:

jess444_2

Hi, I wander whether you would get more of a response if you posted this in the holidays thread?

I think a Cruise sounds like a good option. Although I have not been on one myself I have been told they are very social, so wouldn't have to spend too much time alone.

Good luck

P2TKL

lady_noluck wrote: »

Help! My parents (aged 68 + 66) have decided to go on holiday and would possibly like a cruise. I don't know where to start looking to suggest anything.
Problems are:
1. They can't really tolerate each other very well. (The last time they were on holiday together was 1989!!) so would need to be with other similar aged people who they could socialise with to cut down 'couples times'. (How they've stayed together 42 years and not killed each other is beyond me :wall::wall:) They also have no friends they could go away with. Mainly because they have no friends. Sad but true
2. They've never been on an aeroplane so flying long haul is definitely out.
3. They're not very active so wouldn't want to do much walking/exploring
4. Dad can't tolerate 'too much heat' whereas mum loves the sun.

On the plus side, they've never been out of the UK so they've got the whole world to explore!

Are there any companies that do specific holidays for 'older people' with no travel experience looking to take a relaxing break, socialise and see there's a world outside Dunstable??? :j
Thank you in advance :beer:

First of all...thank you for making me laugh...you brightened my day !

I have been on 10 cruises with varying cruise lines and I would recommend Fred Olsen for the age of your parents and the friendliness on board Would they be able to get to Dover or Southampton where lots of cruises start ?
I can identify with the problem of your mum liking the sun and your dad not being too keen on the sun....just like me and hubby ! If I am sitting in the sun hubby finds something else to do....loads of things going on around the ship. They will also meet lots of other people. They will share a table at mealtimes and can socialise as much or as little as they like.
I can recommend both Med and Baltic cruises....
If you would like to know anything else please feel free to pm me..
Good luck and hope this helps

Goldiegirl

Well Saga are known for their over 50's holidays, and they do cruises.

However, I understand that the average age on Saga cruises is err.... mature, more like late 70's, than mid 60's.

At 52, I wouldn't consider a Saga cruise, but I love cruising and go with P & O

Outside the school holidays, the average age on most cruises is around 60 - 65, sometimes a bit older.

Most P & O cruises sail from Southampton.

They go to a variety of destinations - to the Med, to the Baltic, to Norway, to name a few.

You can be as coupley or non coupley as you like. There's activities available, so if you don't want to see your partner to can go off to an activity.

They can have a table for 8 for dinner so there's lots of other people to talk to

In the ports they can go on shore excursions, so they will be safe in a group, and come back to the familiar British surroundings of the ship.

I love cruises, although I spend all of the time with my husband and have a table for 2!

Nile

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere (please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com"]forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

Mands

lady_noluck wrote: »

Help! My parents (aged 68 + 66) have decided to go on holiday and would possibly like a cruise. I don't know where to start looking to suggest anything.
Problems are:
1. They can't really tolerate each other very well. (The last time they were on holiday together was 1989!!) so would need to be with other similar aged people who they could socialise with to cut down 'couples times'. (How they've stayed together 42 years and not killed each other is beyond me :wall::wall:) They also have no friends they could go away with. Mainly because they have no friends. Sad but true
2. They've never been on an aeroplane so flying long haul is definitely out.
3. They're not very active so wouldn't want to do much walking/exploring
4. Dad can't tolerate 'too much heat' whereas mum loves the sun.

On the plus side, they've never been out of the UK so they've got the whole world to explore!

Are there any companies that do specific holidays for 'older people' with no travel experience looking to take a relaxing break, socialise and see there's a world outside Dunstable??? :j
Thank you in advance :beer:

Oh, that's a bit of a combination isn't it?

A cruise is an interesting option for them: privacy of their cabin but the ability to head outside that and find plenty of other people and things to do at pretty much any daylight hour.

But what cruise line? They tend to have different identities, which attract different types of people, so you would need to figure out which sort suited them.

Some are entirely casual in terms of dress, some have some formal dress days, some encourage evening dress. Would they fancy taking a tux and ballgown or a suit and pretty dress for some nights or prefer to be all casual?

If they don't particularly like each other's company then it'd probably suit to be on a ship where couples are assigned to larger tables; that way they'd be sitting at dinner with two or three other couples.

There are masses of cruises in and around the Med and one of the most popular start points is Barcelona. A flight from one of the London airports should be a gentle start to flying.

In terms of actual cruise lines it'd be worth looking at Saga, P&O, Fred Olsen, Royal Caribbean and Thomson and seeing if any of those appeal.

Let us know how you get on? It's probably worth spending a fair bit of time on the research: if they find that they like their first cruise then it sets them up for future holidays too.

Mands

getmore4less

Cruises could be ideal, we do them and spend time apart my oh likes doing different things to me we just pick the things we want to do and meet up when they are the same.

Does dad like a beer? he could go to the bar while mum lies on a lounger in the sun.

The one thing to consider is the cabins can be small, most can be set as twin but they will be on top of each other.

large table(6+) but it is usual to sit together, allthough there are alternative eating options so they don't have to eat together.


The main UK departures, P&O, Fred Olsen, Cruise and Maritime, Princess do a summer season.

not much from now till april it is round the world deason.

Get a few brochures and look for something interesting.

Prices are variable so don't jump on anything till you have checked what sort of price you should pay.

a usefull uk forum www.cruises.co.uk

Bob_the_Saver

Book them flights with a budget airline and forget to get priority boarding, if you listen to many people who post on here they'll never get to sit together on the plane,
that might help a bit.

getmore4less

If staying in the same cabin might be a problem there are a few cheap deals around where having a cabin each will not be that expensive.

10 days in the med Feb on NCL jade will be around £500pp inc flight with a cabin each.

What's the budget that may make a diference to what they can choose to do

motherofstudents

I'd suggest that once they have chosen and booked a cruise, they go on cruise critic to see who will be on the same cruise. We did this last year and organised to go on private excursions ( a group of 8 of us). We emailed each other and met up on the ship. We then had a couple of brilliant trips and are still in touch and meet up with two of the couples. The trips are cheaper and can be tailored to suit what people want to do.

We went with Celebrity which is a lovely cruise line but you can check reviews on tripadvisor or crusise critic. I'm sure they will enjoy it. My husband and I went to Norfolk in September and unfotrunately were quite bored with each other. On the cruise we had lots of other people to chat to.

Katiehound

Just to say that this year Fred.Olsen C.L. has ships sailing from the following ports:
Southampton,Portsmouth, Dover, Newcastle, Liverpool, Greenock, Rosyth, Harwich and Belfast. Clearly they are hoping for more folk to cruise from their 'local' port.
Much lass hassle sailing from UK rather than flying. Huge luggage allowance and no problems with liquids in the hand luggage!