8 Travel Tips for Retirees
NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- Many people dream of seeing the world once they retire, but sometimes limitations from poor health and a fixed income make finding a perfect trip difficult.
While these problems can sometimes prevent retirees from realizing all of their travel ambitions, there are plenty of safe and fun travel opportunities available to seniors.
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| While poor health or a fixed income can sometimes prevent retirees from realizing travel ambitions, there are plenty of safe and fun travel opportunities available. |
"Older people are becoming more active and they want to do more things," says John DiScala, who runs the travel site JohnnyJet.com. "As much it sounds like a cliche, age is just a number."
Here are a few tips for retirees gearing up to do some much-anticipated world travel:
Don't be afraid of a little adventure
People in the travel industry have coined the term "soft adventures" for trips that are more adventurous than taking pictures at the Grand Canyon, but not quite as adventurous as, say, climbing a mountain or going whitewater rafting. Such trips are perfect for retirees who want the full experience of a location without the danger.
"People are changing, and at 60, 70 or 80 years old, they want to go out there and do things they dreamed about doing for years," says David Roth of ElderTreks, a travel company specializing in soft adventure trips for people older than 50. "We'll put them in a dugout canoe in Papua New Guinea, or they'll ride a camel across the Sahara. It's not something that's risk taking -- they're not technically climbing mountains, but they'll go trekking in mountains."
... But be realistic
Of course, everyone ages a little differently, and while some people are still fit and spry well into their golden years, other seniors develop health problems that prevent them from participating in more adventurous trips. The key, says Roth, is to carefully determine what you're up for before you book your trip.
"They have to be honest with themselves," he says. "We get people who say, 'My dream has always been to go down the Niger River' in a boat, but it may be that heat or high altitude may not be suitable for them. They should be going for a medical checkup and listening to their doctor's advice."
The company's Web site actually ranks its adventure tours on a one-to-five scale, and has a guide for determining which level of adventure you can handle. While that scale is by no means standard in the travel world, it may be worth a look if you're planning an adventurous trip and want to have a sense for whether your body is up for it.
Embrace your flexibility
Another good way to save money on travel is to embrace the flexibility that comes with no longer working, such as the fact that you can easily travel during off-peak periods.
"You can kind of go anytime you want," Clampet points out. "You don't have to work around a work schedule, so you know you can do Paris in April or see Rome in early October when crowds aren't around."
It also means you can take advantage of sites that offer last-minute deals on travel -- hey, it's not like you need to clear your travel plans with your boss a month in advance.
"Flash-sale Web sites are not just for 20-something urbanites," he says, pointing to such destinations as JetSetter and SneakAway.
Consider how close a doctor will be
If you have any sort of recurring medical condition that could threaten your life -- say, a heart murmur or an old hip injury -- then it may not be enough to avoid climbing mountains. You may also consider whether you should stick to trips where you'll have easy access to medical care.
One easy way to make sure there's a doctor nearby is to stick with a cruise, where are always doctors on duty to deal with medical emergencies. But if you'd rather not go the cruise route, you'll need to make sure you visit an area with good infrastructure and medical facilities within a short distance.
Roth says that while his own company has a support network for such situations, people at risk for medical emergencies shouldn't put themselves in a position where they're far from a medical facility.
"If you're in Papua New Guinea in the middle of the jungle, or in the Andes mountain in Peru, you don't want to have to rely on an instant retrieval," he says.
Get your paperwork in order
In addition to making sure you're in the vicinity of a hospital, you should pay careful attention to how you manage your medical conditions.
"Don't check your medications in your luggage," suggests Mark Murphy, CEO of Travalliance, which publishes several trade publications for the travel industry. "Put them in your carry-on bag, because your luggage might not show up." He adds that people who are on a strict medication schedule need to account for big shifts in time zone to make sure they keep on schedule.
People with medical issues also need to have certain paperwork in order.
"If you buy travel insurance, make sure it covers pre-existing conditions in case you have to cancel because of that condition," Murphy says. "And get some type of medical history in writing so if something does happen to you when you're traveling, the doctors don't have to figure out what's going on."
Take it slow
While some retirees seek out adventure and excitement, others might prefer a more relaxed trip. While that often means taking a conventional luxury cruise, there are plenty of interesting alternatives.
DiScala says one popular choice is to take a river cruise. The boats and barges designed for river travel aren't as enormous as the luxury cruise lines you'll see touring the Caribbean, but you'll typically find all the luxury accommodations you'd expect from a traditional cruise. And you'll also get a scenic tour of the area of your choice, whether that's the Nile in Africa or the Elbe in Germany.
Murphy, who recently took a river cruise in Europe, adds that such cruises are ideal for people with limited mobility.
"They have elevators for wheelchair access, and they bring you right into the village -- they brought the motor coach right up to the dock," he recalls. "Everything is planned for you and there are no additional charges for tours."
Prominent river cruise companies include Viking River Cruises, Uniworld and Avalon Waterways.
Don't be afraid of hostels
Taking a river cruise will be an unforgettable experience. It will also be a massively expensive one: A nine-day cruise of the Nile on Viking River Cruises starts at $2,800 per person, longer trips start north of $3,500, and that's before you factor in the airfare to get to and from Egypt. While that may be feasible for retirees who have built up a massive nest egg, retirees on a fixed income may have a harder time affording such luxury.
But there are cheaper options. Take hostels, for instance: While they're typically associated with backpacking 20-somethings, retirees who don't require bellhops and room service can find very clean and comfortable hostels in Europe.
"In Europe, especially the Scandinavian countries and Germany, the quality of hostels is much higher than backpacks thrown on the floor," explains Jason Clampet, senior editor for Frommer's Travel. "They're more like well-run dormitories than crazy frat houses, and they can be a really good option."
Explore seasonal destinations
While every retiree has different tastes, some destinations just have a way of attracting the older set. In the spring, those tend to be warmer locations with an abundance of cultural attractions. With this in mind, travel agents point to such destinations as Egypt, Costa Rica and India as being particularly popular among retired travelers.
Traveling in the fall? Seniors can take advantage of fall getaway deals to such diverse destinations as Nova Scotia and the Bahamas.
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