Seniors cruising the waters
Cruising the oceans is like being in “another world” for Queensland retirees Brian and Dianne Lamb. The couple have had their fair share of luxury living having cruised from New York to Bermuda and even around the Caribbean Islands. “It’s like a five-star hotel – cocktails before departure surrounded by happy smiling faces full of excitement,” Mrs Lamb says.
Cruising the oceans is like being in “another world” for Queensland retirees Brian and Dianne Lamb.
The couple have had their fair share of luxury living having cruised from New York to Bermuda and even around the Caribbean Islands.
“It’s like a five-star hotel – cocktails before departure surrounded by happy smiling faces full of excitement. There’s also free lunch, dinner, karaoke shows, dancing, swimming, competitions, educational lectures, resting, sunbathing, duty free drinks,” Mrs Lamb says.
As life expectancy increases and more workers retire at an earlier age, the number of baby boomers, retirees and senior travellers enjoying a cruise holiday is on the rise.
Over the past five years, the Australian cruise industry has reportedly experienced double-digit growth year-on-year, with the expanding number of holidaymakers aged 55 years and over helping to fuel that growth.
One of Australia’s biggest cruise liners, P&O Cruises, informs DPS News about a third of its passengers are aged over 55 years.
Sister cruise line Princess Cruises, which operates two ships full time in Australia, has also reported a surge in first-time cruisers aged over 55 years on both its round Australia and New Zealand cruises.
Statistics last year show senior traveller numbers are particularly strong on cruises in the cooler months, generally during April through to October.
P&O Cruises and Princess Cruises report its liners cater for older passengers with a range of traditional activities such as dancing and art classes, as well as entertainment including soloists and jazz musicians.
As the number of senior cruisers rises with the ageing population, Mr and Mrs Lamb are not wasting any valuable cruising time. Ready to ‘hook, line and sinker’, the couple has already booked their next cruise where they will again hit the Caribbean waters in a few weeks.
Are you a senior cruiser or have you just returned to ‘dry land’? Share your cruising experiences by commenting in the box below.
