By Tracey Edgerly Meloni
“Today’s seniors are traveling to more exotic places and doing more strenuous activities than shuffleboard and table tennis.”
–Gayle Gunther, vice president, “Cruise Directors,” Alexandria
Gunther is right—this is NOT your grandma’s bridge trip, and adventurous seniors expect more than highlights. “If This Is Tuesday, It Must Be Belgium” is gone—these days, think, “Where In the World is Nonna?” Maybe the Galapagos? As boomers and beyond live longer, fitter lives, they seek learning, excitement, adventure, immersion and enrichment.
The travel industry has listened.
THE PIONEERS
Elderhostel/Road Scholar
“Road Scholar was founded in 1975 as Elderhostel,” says President and CEO James Moses. “Our founders, Marty Knowlton and David Bianco, shared a belief that it was time to change the prospects of older adults.”
In 1975, Knowlton had returned from a four-year walking tour of Europe. “He was most impressed by the Scandinavian folk school tradition of older and younger generations learning together for learning’s sake,” Moses adds. Seeing Europeans in their 60s, 70s and 80s playing active, positive roles in their communities prompted Knowlton to create similar opportunities for older Americans. “[Bianco], then director of residential life at the University of New Hampshire, was inspired by [Knowlton’s] passion and, together, they created Elderhostel. This not-for-profit organization provided stimulating classes on a wide variety of subjects for older adults on the campuses of colleges and universities across America.”
Elderhostel changed the way mature Americans viewed themselves and empowered them to break free of the stereotypes of aging. A lifelong learning revolution was born.
“Several years ago, we renamed our programs ‘Road Scholar’ to better reflect the program experience,” says Moses.
Road Scholar programs attract intellectually curious adults, generally 50 and older, who are passionate about learning and discovery. “We’ve designed our programs to appeal to the broad spectrum, no matter one’s interests, dreams or physical abilities,” says Moses.
Along with couples and groups, Road Scholar serves a high percentage of solo participants, particularly single women.
Road Scholar offers 5,500 programs in all states and 150 countries. “Some of our most popular programs include our people-to-people learning adventures in Cuba, Cuba Today: People and Society and the Cuban Art Revolution: Meeting the Artists and People of Cuba. Both offer opportunities to meet with local residents, musicians, artists and community leaders,” says Moses.
Programs explore local culture, history and cuisine in destinations such as Italy, France and the UK and in iconic U.S. cities such as New Orleans. “One of our most popular international programs is The Best of Italy: Rome, Florence and Venice.”
Road Scholar’s Intergenerational Programs also are very popular. Moses says traveling, learning something new and spending time with grandchildren always top the list of things people want to do when they have a little more free time. Intergenerational programs cover all of these with unique learning adventures designed to strengthen the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren.
There are no hidden costs on Road Scholar programs. “From expert-led lectures, field trips, comfortable lodgings and meals, to gratuities, taxes and a travel assistance and insurance plan, we take care of the details so our participants can focus on the learning experience,” says Moses. / roadscholar.org
BEEN THERE, DONE THAT? GO FOR SURPRISE
Magical Mystery Tours
Adventurous? Seen it all? Hate to plan? Want a Cinderella experience? Imagine, showing up at the airport and waking up in Morocco, or maybe Montana.
Impossible? Not a bit. Enter Denise Chaykun, president, and Stephanie Whitesel, executive director, of Magical Mystery Tours based in Washington, D.C. Travelers decide on a budget; how long they want to be away; fill out a detailed questionnaire about what they love, hate, don’t want, must have; and arrive at the airport with a secret-assignment package bound for who knows where. In advance, travelers are told what to pack and how they’ll get there. But if they can avoid peeking, the destination remains a surprise. Senior Secret Agent stuff.
“We always start with the traveler filling out our questionnaire,” say Chaykun and Whitesel. “They tell us the budget they have in mind, where they’ve vacationed previously, and what they want to get out of this vacation—a romantic trip, a girlfriends’ weekend, a crazy outdoor adventure. Each of these pieces is critical in figuring out what we can realistically plan for someone and how to build a vacation they’ll love.”
There is a $300 research/planning fee, and Magical Mystery Tours recommends allowing 6-8 weeks to plan the trip. Costs begin at $1,200 for a two-person weekend and include transportation, lodging, taxes and the $300 research fee. Want it more tailored? Just ask.
They’ve planned mystery trips for all types of people—singles, families, couples, friends and groups.
“If you have a very specific destination in mind or are trying to check something in particular off your ‘bucket list,’ a mystery trip might not be for you. We’ve worked with travelers who initially tell us that the idea of a mystery trip makes them nervous, but then they come around and really have fun with the suspense.”
Chaykun and Whitesel want to make sure guests have a fantastic vacation, with what works for them. “People of all ages have specific ways they like to travel and medical concerns that affect their trips,” they say. “We’ve worked with customers who have everything from particular phobias to food allergies to physical limitations. Like anyone else, seniors should just keep in mind what works best for them and be sure to communicate that to whomever is planning their travel.”
Magical Mystery Tours also offers close to home road trips. / magical-mystery-tours.com
TRAVEL AMAZONS
Senior Women’s Travel
SWT Tours (Senior Women’s Travel) is perhaps unique among tour companies. Created by a senior woman with a background geared to running a tour company, every hotel and restaurant in SWT’s itineraries has been vetted by founder Mary Ann Zimmerman.
Zimmerman says, “Clients come from all over the country, plus international sources, and meet at a destination hotel.”
Senior Women’s Travel focuses on trips for 50+ women with a passion for travel. It was founded on the premise that “your travel days are not over.” Senior women—widowed, divorced or with a mate who no longer wants to travel—should still be able to travel with panache, feeling comfortable and safe.
Senior Women’s Travel recently expanded to include travel for both men and women of all ages. The list of tours now includes trips with universal appeal such as Travel-By-the-Book Literary Tours and Theatre Tours. The mission of SWT Tours is to create trips unlike any others. For example, Zimmerman believes there is nothing like the Venice Literary Tour and, although there are hundreds of culinary trips, the Venice/Friuli cooking week offers a unique combination of drool-making food experiences.
SWT involves careful planning: Do hotels have an elevator? Twenty-four hour-manned desk? Is a shower-only bathroom available? And for those less mobile, Zimmerman has devised the “less walking, walking tour,” wherein the lecture part of such a sojourn can be enjoyed at a café.
There are no cookie cutter itineraries at SWT. “Each tour offers something different: a private Sunday afternoon salon with expats in Venice; special cooking classes everywhere,” says Zimmerman. “One or two new tours are added every year. This year it is Puglia” Italy’s most southern providence where travelers can lunch on the beach, stay in a small villa and learn about the olive oil making process, ceramics and cultural dishes. / poshnosh.com
THE BENCHMARK
Smithsonian Journeys
Smithsonian Journeys has provided inquisitive travelers with one-of-a-kind trips for nearly 45 years. The tour collection includes small-group, air-inclusive tours, small-ship cruising, intergenerational family travel, luxury private jet experiences and tailor-made travel options.
Almost all of Smithsonian tours are well suited for seniors. Destination specialists work closely with guests to help them consider the activity level of the trip and make sure it matches their capabilities. Small-ship cruises are typically set at a more leisurely pace, not requiring walking for extended periods of time, while some active trips require travelers to be capable of walking two to three miles over uneven terrain and are capable of climbing stairs that may not have handrails.
Big hits: African Safari, Highlights of Italy, Expedition to Antarctica, River Cruise through Provence, Costa Rica and Panama and Art Along the Coast of Maine all sell out quickly. Wonders of the Galapagos Islands, a newly announced nine-day journey, is considered a nature lover’s dream.
With more than 150 departures, Smithsonian Journeys has a tour suited for every taste and travel interest. Consult destination specialists and a personal physician prior to booking to make sure a particular itinerary is right for goals and physical abilities.
Seniors interested in intergenerational travel can explore several exciting itineraries that appeal across all generations. / smithsonianjourneys.org
SENIOR SMALL GROUP STARS
Odysseys Unlimited
Since 1989, Odysseys Unlimited has customized tours for universities, museums and other non-profits across the country. Now, they offer their expertise to all travelers, focusing on small groups of 12-24 guests.
Tours range from 10 days to three weeks, from Ankor Wat to Spanish Paradors, the Taj Mahal to the Grand Canal, the Far East to the South Pacific. Choose from land tours, small ships, private yachts and river tours. Most travelers are between 50 and 80; many take grandchildren (must be at least 15 years old). Single travelers are welcome and all should be active, able to walk extended distances over irregular ground.
“Our small groups offer the value, ease and comprehensive itineraries of group touring and the freedom, flexibility, quality and service that sophisticated travelers deserve. It’s the best of both worlds,” says Sue Bonchi, vice president of marketing for Odysseys Unlimited.
“We use full-sized motor coaches for our small groups in most destinations, safari vehicles in Africa and sometimes mini-buses in more remote destinations (the latter depending upon the number of guests traveling).”
Odysseys Unlimited is known for distinctive, high-quality accommodations, excellent tour directors and customer service.
Guests may opt to make their own air arrangements. Every effort is made to meet dietary limitations. The reservation deposit is $375 per person. / odysseys-unlimited.com
DOING YOUR OWN CRUISING
Cruise Directors
Maybe your eyes are on a cruise and you want to do it your way.
“Book early and do your research,” says Gayle Gunther of Cruise Directors in Alexandria.
“Many people think they can wait until the last minute to get the best deals. This can happen but oftentimes you get the leftovers in cabin selection, dining and air flights. If you book early and the rate drops, most reputable travel agencies will refare your reservation to the lower rate if the cruise line allows them to do so and if it is done prior to final payment.”
She adds that “even folks with mobility or medical problems can travel safely: the majority of ships are ADA compliant and they even have dialysis at sea.”
“There are plenty of young 80 year olds who would enjoy the hairy chest contest on Carnival and others who would rather relax in Celebrity’s solarium reading a book. Holland America and Princess have ballroom dancing and the new NCL ships like the Norwegian Breakaway have dancing during dinner in the main dining room.
What’s the best thing about cruising for seniors? “It’s all-inclusive. From dining to entertainment, you pay one price and get it all. I love cruising because my husband and I have different ideas of fine dining. Give him a burger at Royal Caribbean’s Johnny Rockets and he’s in 7th heaven, while I can’t wait to experience a seafood delight at celebrity chef Nobu’s restaurant onboard a Crystal Cruise.”
Afraid to ask questions? “The only silly question is the one you were afraid to ask,” says Gunther, who believes cruise bookers should use travel agents.
“A good travel agent is akin to having an angel in your back pocket. I advise clients to use all of the resources available to them including the Internet. Educate yourself and find the deals. Don’t be ignorant. But if you have a problem, the cruise line is only looking after their best interests; not yours.” Your own agent “takes your problem to heart and has to solve it. I tell all my agents, ‘treat your clients like they are your most beloved person’.” / cruisedirectorsinc.com
(July 2014)
