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Senior couple relaxing at a resort
Destinations

How to Find the Best All-Inclusive Resorts for Seniors

by My Senior Health Plan
written by My Senior Health Plan

Last month, we shared all about cruises and why they’re a great choice for winter vacations. But as nice as cruises are, not everyone is up for a voyage at sea. For those not interested in cruising, but who still want the benefit of minimum planning, all-inclusive resorts are a wonderful option. So this month we’re looking at how to find the best all-inclusive resorts for seniors.

With so many to choose from, you’ll definitely be able to find the perfect all-inclusive resort for your preferred vacation style. These havens of leisure take the guesswork out of travel planning, provide everything you need in one place and come in all different sizes, styles and price points. But, with so many options, how do you know which is the right resort for you?

Even with their convenience, there are a few things every senior should know before booking an all-inclusive resort. Here’s how to find the all-inclusive resort for a perfect getaway.

Adults-only or family-friendly?

If you’ve never stayed at an all-inclusive resort before, you may not even realize adults-only is an option. And don’t worry, you won’t be limiting yourself if you only consider adults-only properties. There are several beautiful adults-only resorts offering great experiences and activities.

Even if going to an adults-only resort isn’t important to you, do check to see if the resort in which you’re interested has a quiet pool, just in case you change your mind and want to escape the hubbub of loud children and families.

Accessibility and healthcare

Whenever you’re traveling, whether in the United States or abroad, access to quality medical services is important. So take the time to check the area around the resort to make sure you know where the nearest hospital is. You should also be aware of whether or not the resort keeps medical personnel on staff. Since you never know when a health emergency may occur, you’ll want to be near a good medical facility should the need arise.

Handicapped guests should easily find a resort meeting their needs. If you’re in need of handicap facilities, call head and confirm your room is handicap-accessible. Also ask if the common areas are handicap-friendly, too.

Activities and dining

One of the best parts of staying at an all-inclusive resort is the many activities available to you. Whether you’re interested in outdoor sports, beachfront fitness classes, cultural excursions, spa treatments or evening entertainment and shows, there’s truly no end to the fun and excitement awaiting you.

Do be sure you fully understand what the resort includes in your package, though. Yes, most activities, like fitness classes and evening entertainment are included, but spa treatments and most off-site excursions usually cost extra. Thoroughly examine the resort’s website to learn what is and isn’t included in your stay before you purchase.

Fortunately, dining and drinking are usually fully covered, and you’ll be glad they are! With most resorts having multiple choices for restaurants, 24-hour room service and well-trained baristas and bartenders, you’ll be hard-pressed to end your days hungry (or thirsty).

Shop around

Finding the best all-inclusive resort for you can be a challenging task. There are quite a few options, and your first priority should be knowing what you want to get out of your trip. Then determine the best place to accommodate those desires at a competitive price.

There are several hotel chains around the world offering discounts for seniors. Best Western Hotels and Resorts, for example, offers 15 percent off stays for guests aged 55 and older. Marriott Hotels and Resorts offer the same discount for guests 62 and older. Wyndham Hotels and Resorts offers a similar discount for guests aged 60 and older.

All-inclusive vacations can get pricey, which is why travel insurance is so very important. Protect your investment, and don’t book a trip without first securing travel insurance. Learn more about plans that can work for you here.

Going on an all-inclusive vacation is a truly wonderful experience! With preparation and know-how, you’ll be well on your way to making memories that will last a lifetime.

 

 

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Cruise Liners On Geiranger fjord, Norway
Cruises

Five Tips You Should Know Before Booking Your Winter Cruise

by My Senior Health Plan
written by My Senior Health Plan

For many seniors, cruising is ideal. You don’t need to do a lot of planning to enjoy a top-notch trip, and you can sit back and enjoy while almost everything is taken care of for you. You want a fun-filled vacation but don’t want to plan the activities yourself. Who can blame you?

Winter cruises are especially fun with exciting seasonal destinations like The Bahamas, Costa Rica, Belize, Cabo San Lucas, Cozumel, Asia and even Antarctica. But before you click “Buy!,” we have five tips to help you make the most of your winter cruise.

Tip #1: Don’t count out the little guy

There are hundreds of cruise lines with ships in every imaginable shape and size—each one offering something different. Typically larger ships have more to offer in terms of activities and restaurants. But that doesn’t make large ships the best choice for you.

Many senior travelers prefer cruising on smaller ships because the decks are easier to navigate. And there aren’t as many passengers! There may be fewer amenities, but if you’re simply looking for relaxation and nice excursions, a small boat should fit the bill.

You might want to consider booking an adults-only cruise though. This type of cruise is a great way to cut down on some of the crowds and noise sometimes associated with cruising.

Tip #2: Thoughtfully select your cabin

Once you’ve selected your cruise ship, you’ll need to decide where to stay once you’re onboard. With some cruise lines offering as many as 20 different cabin configurations, the decision can be daunting.

Narrow your search for the best room by how many people it should sleep, whether you prefer (or need) a window or balcony, and how close you want to be to the elevators, pool, restaurants and other entertainment. Of course, you probably won’t be spending much time in your cabin, so you may be able to trade the balcony for a window room that costs less.

As you search for the right cabin, you may notice extremely competitive pricing. If you see a surprisingly low price, be sure to read all the fine print before booking. No matter how great the bargain, you’d hate to spend your trip in a windowless cabin below a nightclub.

Tip #3: Plan excursions and activities in advance

You might be tempted to leave planning your activities and excursions until you’re on the boat. After all, not having to plan is the reason you’re cruising in the first place, right? But waiting until you get to the ship can be a mistake.

Space will be limited for the most popular activities, whether you want to zipline through a jungle, visit a cultural site or get a relaxing couples massage during a day at sea. So think about what you want to do on your winter cruise, and make your reservations as early as possible!

Tip #4: Get to the port early

Don’t fly into your port of call the day you embark. Delays happen, flights are canceled, taxis get stuck behind road work… The last thing you want to do is start your trip stressed and worried about making the port on time.

So get to your port of call a day early, and rent a hotel room the night before. You’ll be relaxed and ready to leisurely make your way to the ship when boarding begins. And don’t forget to check if priority boarding is available for seniors. You’ll be glad you did!

Tip #5: Invest in travel insurance

Despite your best efforts to plan and prepare for your vacation, there are some things that are simply out of your control. Whether it’s a family crisis, unfortunate winter weather or a medical emergency all you can do about those scenarios is insure against them. If something happens while on the trip, and you need medical care beyond what’s available on the ship, you don’t want to be responsible for those costs.*

Don’t book your winter cruise without securing travel insurance. Learn more about plans that can work for you here.

Winter cruising is a great way to vacation while avoiding chilly weather back home. So as you plan your cruise, keep these five tips in mind. You’ll be well on your way to enjoying the trip of a lifetime!

*There are a few coverage exceptions, but Medicare doesn’t provide healthcare coverage while you’re on a cruise.

 

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Happy Senior Tourists Holding Map
Travel Tips & Deals

Best Time of the Year for Travel Discounts

by Susan Saurel
written by Susan Saurel

Are you planning for your next vacation? It’s important to take some time and look at the prices before deciding to travel. If you’ve traveled before, you know how expensive things can be if you don’t plan adequately.

Traveling with your loved ones makes it even more important to plan things well in advance. You should not be scared by the price of flights. There are lots of ways to save while traveling. All you need to do is create a great strategy.

1. Getting the best Airfare price

To demonstrate how much, you can save by getting the best deal, here is an example. John wants to get away for the weekend to surf and enjoy the sunset on the beach.

He will be checking prices for a flight from Chicago to Miami. He is eager to start his vacation. Therefore, he will be looking at flights a few weeks from today. What should he consider before traveling?

2. Day to travel

According to Edugeeksclub, the day you choose to travel will have a big impact on the price you are going to pay. A research conducted by CheapAir.com found out that Tuesday and Wednesday are the best days to travel because they are budget-friendly. Sunday is the most expensive day.

On average, someone who is flying on Sunday will pay $76 more than the person flying on Tuesday or Wednesday. If you will be traveling with family and friends, the differences will add up pretty fast.

Returning to our example, if John decides to travel on Friday and return on Sunday, he will have the perfect weekend getaway but it will hurt his wallet. John needs to be flexible with his travel days if he wants to get travel discounts.

This means he should skip the weekend getaway and go for the midweek flights. If he traveled from Chicago to Miami on Thursday and returned on Saturday, he would get very high travel discounts. Changing your travel day can mean so much to your wallet. Therefore, when you want to travel, always look at your travel date and find a flexible date that will increase your travel discounts.

3. Fee Awareness

People across the world pay billions in airline fees on an annual basis. Therefore, if you are searching for the lowest travel price, you need to be aware of the fees.

For instance, most airlines charge anywhere between thirty to sixty dollars’ foe checked bags. You might also get charged for seats with adequate legroom or for selecting seats.

Being aware of these small fees can help you save a lot of money in the long run. You can avoid some of these fees by choosing not to use them. For instance, you can carry a bag instead of checking it. Some airlines will offer you discounts by paying your fees and charges in advance or making an upgrade. Before doing any changes you have to do your homework.

4. Shop around

As your travel day approaches, you might be tempted to shop on the airline of your choice directly. However, you will not get discounts by looking at the specified airline only. In fact, using the airline’s website makes it much more difficult for you to compare prices.

To avoid paying a lot of money, use travel search sites to check what different airlines have to offer. Currently, the best sites are Kayak and Google Flights.

Searching for multiple airlines at the same time will help you discover cheaper dates to fly and even calculate for you all the fees you’ll be required to pay. Further, these sites offer great advice on how to get travel discounts.

Going back to our example, if John decided to search for flights from Chicago to Miami using Google Flights, he would get American Airlines for only $268. This is a hell of a discount compared to traveling without checking out different sites. You have to be flexible with your travel dates and shop around if you want discounts.

  1. 5. Book early enough

The last-minute rush does no one no good. You need to book ahead of time if you want to get travel discounts. Plus, you’ll have peace of mind. Airline prices fluctuate from time to time however, you need to book at least four weeks in advance especially if you are going for a vacation. Booking too early or too late will lead to more expenses.

The rapid advancement of technology has made most aspects of our lives easier, including booking a flight. With the Hopper app, you’ll be able to monitor flight prices and discover the best time to book your flight.

Buying earlier than two months or later than four weeks means you’ll be spending more than required. The best time to travel depends on when you want to travel. Holiday seasons are usually more expensive than ordinary days. Therefore, it’s importanttoknow the best time to book your flight and travel.

Conclusion

Going for a vacation is one of the things we all look forward to. It’s important to make plans early enough to avoid inconveniences. As the popular saying goes, failing to plan is planning to fail. Do your research and use the resources we’ve discussed in this article.

Getting travel discounts is not as difficult as most people think. It all revolves in choosing your travel day carefully, being aware of your expenses and booking early enough to avoid the last-minute rush. Happy traveling!

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Cruises

Cruising with Control

by Kimberly Johnson
written by Kimberly Johnson

There are many reasons to choose a cruise ship for your vacation over land-based options. This article will cover the four most compelling reasons to choose cruising for your dream vacation. Cruising with Control
Cruising ship vacations are all inclusive. Cruising with Control

You know upfront what you are going to spend on your vacation. Your fare includes your transportation, dining, entertainment, and use of the ships many facilities. On a luxury cruise even your wine, spirits, shore excursions, gratuities, and airfare might be included in your fare.
Cruising with ControlCruising allows you to explore the world, and you only need to unpack once!
If there is navigable water, there is probably a cruise ship available to take you there. Cruises can range from a few days getaway to a hundred day plus around the world cruise. There are river cruises in Europe, America, Africa and Asia. There are adventure cruises that take you up the Amazon, into the Alaskan wilderness, or to the Galapagos Islands. Ships range in size from a few couples to over 5000 passengers.
Cruise ship vacations offer something for everyone. Cruising with Control
Do you want to sit on deck, or your private balcony, and read a book? Or perhaps watch a movie under the stars, after a gourmet dinner. Maybe climb a rock wall, zip line, golf, or even surf on board the ship. Try your luck in the casino, or dance the night away. Work out in the gym followed by a relaxing spa massage. See ancient ruins, visit the world’s best museums, or hike a rain forest. These are just a few of the things you can experience on a cruise vacation. Of course you can do nothing at all if that suits your desire.
Your meals are included on your cruise vacation.
Gourmet dining is one of the benefits of a cruise ship vacation. You will not go hungry as options range from a 24-hour buffet, to sit down formal dining, or maybe the sushi bar, pizzeria, or fresh bakery appeals to you. Feel like eating healthy? There are always healthy as well as vegetarian, and kosher options on board. You do not need to gain weight on a cruise! In fact we have lost weight on cruises.

Why Cruise? Cruising with Control

Economical travel, go any where in the world, do anything, enjoy the many dining options!

Cruising with Control

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cruising 101
Cruises

Cruising 101

by Jeff Dailey
written by Jeff Dailey

If you’re thinking of taking a cruise, there are a lot of options to consider, from the cruise line and style to the destinations, vacation length and types of on-board amenities. Cruising is a fun (and economical) way to see several places in a relatively short amount of time without having to unpack and repack every day. While some “hard-core” travelers may scoff at cruises, don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.
Cruising 101Choose your cruise line
This is probably the single most important task when planning a cruise. Choose the wrong cruise line, or even more specifically, the wrong ship, and it can mean the difference between a blissful, relaxing trip or one filled with 18-year-olds getting rowdy on rum punch. To figure out which ship and line suits your preference, do some research online and ask friends who have taken cruises. Find out the median age onboard; if a ship caters to an older demographic, there’s typically not much to do after 10 p.m. Ask about the quality of food. The food on most vessels is in line with what you get at 4- and 5-star restaurants on land, so beware that elastic waistbands might be needed by the end of your trip. Also gather opinions on cruise schedules. Some cruise lines allow for flexibility in your itinerary, others have two dinner seatings and if you’re not on time, you don’t eat. Ask about the activities are onboard. Is there a variety? Are the shows good? For comparison, Royal Caribbean brought “Hairspray” to sea several years ago, and a few ships have Cirque du Soleil spinoffs. Finally, inquire about the decor; newer or updated ships will feel more like a Ritz-Carlton than a Motel 6.
As far as cruise styles, “mainstream” cruise lines, like Celebrity and Royal Caribbean can carry a small city on the water. Other cruise lines, such as Viking River Cruises or Oceania Cruises, provide luxury and a slower pace. There are also specialized cruise ships, like the American Queen Steamboat that runs multi-day cruises up and down the Mississippi River.
Choose your destinations
After finding the right cruise line, figure out how many days you want to spend on the cruise (remember that depending on where you live, it can take a day to travel to the departure port and a day to travel home). The number of days will then dictate what destination options you have. Some itineraries will feature just one port for visiting, while others will dock at anywhere from three to 10. If you’re traveling from the United States, the travel experts at Away.com recommend touring the Caribbean, Hawaii or Alaska. There are also plenty of cruise lines that tour the Mediterranean, the rivers of Europe, and even Russia and Asia. Cruising allows you to get an overview of destinations, rather than an in-depth look into the local scene. Because you’re traveling by a large ship (unless you do a river cruise), you will explore only coastal towns, and typically the ship will be in port only for about a half a day. As you peruse the destinations available, you can normally see a sample itinerary, too.
Book your cruise
Once you’ve selected the cruise line, the number of days and the destinations you want to visit, then you’re ready to book your cruise. With all your meals, snacks and beverages (alcohol and specialty restaurants onboard might cost more), your room, and onboard entertainment covered, there’s not much left to plan. You can choose to research things to do in ports, or you can take advantage of the shore excursions that cruises offer.
Pack for your cruise
No matter your destinations, it pays to look up the typical weather and pack accordingly. A cruise in July might sound warm, but if you’re heading to Alaska you can skip the bathing suit and pack an extra sweatshirt. Everyone packs differently, but it’s in your best interest to pack minimally, as the rooms are not as big as a typical hotel room. Bathing suits and shorts are usually fine for the daytime, but evenings typically require more of a resort-casual wardrobe. And most ships have one or two formal nights, so pull out the old bridesmaid or prom dresses. Most importantly, if you’re traveling outside of the United States, make sure your passport is up to date and packed along with your ticket so you’ll be good to sail away.
Provided by: Brandpoint

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Cruises Becoming Top Multigenerational Travel Choice
Cruises

Cruises Becoming Top Multigenerational Travel Choice

by Jeff Dailey
written by Jeff Dailey

Among the hottest trends in travel is family travel, but multigenerational trips — which span three generations of a family — are quickly gaining popularity. Last year, 32 percent of vacationing U.S. grandparents took their grandchildren along.

In a recent study, Preferred Hotel Group found that 40 percent of U.S. leisure travelers — about 21 million of them — took a multigenerational trip in the previous 12 months. The study also found that nearly eight in 10 multigenerational travelers plan “milestone vacations,” with half planning around a life event like a birthday, anniversary, reunion or wedding.

There are many reasons why such trips are popular. Today’s seniors are living longer, healthier and more mobile lives and are eager to make up for long distances away from grandchildren. Grown children, strapped for time and money to plan relaxing vacations and trips to see extended family, are combining the two.
The last decade has seen a significant increase in multigenerational cruising, and the cruise industry has responded to changing vacation patterns by adding enriching destinations, excursions, on-board activities and amenities to cater to every age.

The ease of cruising makes it an appealing vacation option. Travelers can see multiple destinations without packing and unpacking, and if it gets to be too much, Grandpa can easily retire to his cabin.
The almost all-inclusive nature of a cruise also makes it convenient for families to budget for lodging, meals and entertainment.

While mega-cruise ships offer more activities and amenities, many families opt for the unique experience of a sailing cruise. These vessels provide an intimate environment similar to a private yacht while offering an adventurous, educational holiday for the whole group.

Star Clippers’ fleet of three sailing ships provides the thrill of sailing on an authentic tall ship, an extensive water-sports program and exotic destinations with cross-generation appeal. The ships’ smaller size — either 170 or 227 passengers — means families can have an intimate vacation experience without long lines and large crowds.

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