what cruise for a couple with an age difference?

[Wieb]

Hello!

 

My husband and I are thinking about cruising for the first time. the abundance of lines, ships and destinations is overwhelming. So i call in the reinforcements for some advice on what cruiseliner/ship to choose.

 

- destination is Europe as we dont want a long haul in by plane.

- I am in my 30ies, but my husband is in his 50ies. We want a cruise on which both will feel good. and nobody will frown upon us.

- no children on board, or well, not too many of them.

- we are both gourmet people so the quality of dining is of utmost importance

- we both enjoy quiet and relaxed, with of course something to do, but no shout it out load over the PA going on all the time.

- pampering above filled itineraries

- all inclusive would be nice.

- there is no budget as we decided that we want to find the right cruise above finding one that fits in the budget right now. so cruise date might go to 2014 or beyond.

 

appriciate any opinions...

[Starry Eyes]

I'm in the US and mostly familiar with US based lines. We also have an age difference, and I have never experienced any negative feedback from staff or crew...passengers are vary just like people everywhere. Anyway among the lines I have cruised, Celebrity or Princess sound like better fits. fairly classy, more relaxed and pampered than some other lines, nice decor, generally not too many kids. try to sail while school are in session for fewer kids. also longer cruises attract fewer children. you will likely be on the younger side, but not wildly so. holland America has it's fans, but when we tried them, DH was young among passengers while I was a baby by comparison. these lines are not all inclusive...none of ours over here really are all inclusive. celebrity has drink packages which might appeal to you. also try to budget for visits to specialty restaurants if you are foodies.

 

hopefully Europeans will jump in with knowledge of more lines.

 

If you have plenty of money, there are also luxury lines that will give better food and service for a higher price...if you feel comfortable spending that much, disregard the above and look at Crystal for example.

[Essiesmom]

I believe P&O may be similar to Princess and Celebrity, and they have three ships that are adults only. Fred Olsen is a line you might look into, also. And consider Cunard for more upscale decor, dress code, and food (in grill class). Each of these lines has a board here at CC...try a post on each and see what answers you get. And depending on what languages you are comfortable with, you might consider Hapag -Lloyd and Phoenix Reisen. EM

[TracieABD]

I would select Princess or HOlland America. Go once the kids are back in school. :)

 

I like the food better on Princess and the ambiance better on HAL.

[LHT28]

Have a look at Oceania

[Gloria Mundi]

You may want to look at smaller ships. They're more expensive but they may be what you want if you (the younger partner) can live without on-board casinos, entertainment, etc. Have you checked the River Cruise board? There are also a few smaller line sthat cruise around the British Isles.

 

DH and I (74 and 59) just took a 78-passenger ship cruisei n Alaska and loved it, and it would meet most of your criteria. I stayed very active; DH did some hikes, kayaking and skiff tours. The food was very good but not exotic and not the huge variety you get on a big ship. The stateroom was small, but some of the river cruises offer bigger ones than what we had. Extras: our final bill included only alcohol charges which wreen't too bad, plus gratuities (totally voluntary) and $30 for the day I went out snorkeling wearing about $500 worth of clothing and equipment supplied by the ship.

 

There were kids but since their parents were never more than one deck away, they were well-behaved and we enjoyed having them around. All of them took the Polar Plunge off the ship!

 

You should be able to find something both of you enjoy. Most cruise lines make a point of having a wide variety of activities so everyone can find something they enjpy.

[spookwife]

the age difference is a non issue.

 

all your other requests.. well let's just say you may need to be flexible.

 

you need to look at PREMIUM and LUXURY lines to get most of what you are wanting.

 

all the mass market lines will have multigenerational families on board and some will be absolutely rife with kids. the smaller the ship the longer the cruise, the fewer kids.

 

try Seabourne.

[Wieb]

This is much more complicated that I would have ever foreseen, but also much more fun that i could ever imagine too!

 

I had a quick investigation into the websites of all the suggeted liners and noticed that they are indeed in the same category, but offering various possibilities. Oceania has caught my particular attention. It seems to be smaller ships, with here on the boards good reviews and an average age that starts at 40, which means that I will not look like a baby on board.

 

Now only a tad bit worried about the entertainment they offer?

[cb at sea]

No one will give a 2nd thought about your ages.....you'll be surprised how little others will notice you at all....unless you speak to folks, they are in their own, little vacation world.

 

Sounds like you'd like a true, luxury line....fewer kids on those, lots of pampering and great food. Not alot of onboard activities, tho....at least, less than on a mainstream cruiseline.

 

You should go to a travel agency and get the brochures for several luxury lines....see which one "floats your boat", so to speak!

[LHT28]

Oceania has caught my particular attention. It seems to be smaller ships, with here on the boards good reviews and an average age that starts at 40, which means that I will not look like a baby on board.

 

Now only a tad bit worried about the entertainment they offer?

They have low key entertainment the 2 newer ships (Riveira & Marina) have more production shows then their smaller R-ships

 

Depends on what you are looking for :confused:

 

Food is what they are noted for ;)

 

check out their forum

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=51

[Bowie MeMe]

Hello!

 

My husband and I are thinking about cruising for the first time. the abundance of lines, ships and destinations is overwhelming. So i call in the reinforcements for some advice on what cruiseliner/ship to choose.

 

- destination is Europe as we dont want a long haul in by plane.

- I am in my 30ies, but my husband is in his 50ies. We want a cruise on which both will feel good. and nobody will frown upon us.

- no children on board, or well, not too many of them.

- we are both gourmet people so the quality of dining is of utmost importance

- we both enjoy quiet and relaxed, with of course something to do, but no shout it out load over the PA going on all the time.

- pampering above filled itineraries

- all inclusive would be nice.

- there is no budget as we decided that we want to find the right cruise above finding one that fits in the budget right now. so cruise date might go to 2014 or beyond.

 

appriciate any opinions...

 

I think that you might just be describing a river cruise. They have become wonderful vacations of good food, nice people, just a little entertainment of an evening -- often featuring people from the communities (and some are really great performers!). You go from town to town and generally dock close to the center of town where you can stroll around on your own or with group tours/leader. My last river cruise was the tulips and windmills with Uniworld and I loved it.

 

There are various levels of price and refinement. You will both be young for these boats but they are very inclusive and most of the passengers are very interesting well traveled folks. Open seating so not "stuck" with tablemates. Uniworld, Viking, Avalon, and more look for the gourmet themed cruises since that is an interest.

[Bowie MeMe]

They have low key entertainment the 2 newer ships (Riveira & Marina) have more production shows then their smaller R-ships

 

Depends on what you are looking for :confused:

 

Food is what they are noted for ;)

 

check out their forum

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=51

 

Oceania is so port intensive and food intensive that entertainment is not a big concern. People like to linger over dinner discussing the most wonderful things you have seen or will see. I particularly loved the Istanbul to Athens route. Wonderful things to see.

 

I think as you get a bit more comfortable with your age and being with a wide variety of ages you will find that travelers are not so judgmental of you being on the young side. Old folks don't bite. On many cruises (especially the longer ones or ones taking place during school times) your husband will be considered that "nice young man! with the pretty wife!" relax and enjoy it. Time will take care of your "young". If you don't judge your elders they will not judge you. Relax and be happy and interested and interesting and age becomes a not important number.

 

I wish I was 30ish again. Just so I could go more places, see more things, and enjoy life to the fullest without tripping over my cane!:D

[LHT28]

Oceania is so port intensive and food intensive that entertainment is not a big concern. People like to linger over dinner discussing the most wonderful things you have seen or will see. I particularly loved the Istanbul to Athens route. Wonderful things to see.

 

I do not have a problem with the entertainment on Oceania ...some people do find it a bit lack luster

We enjoy meeting new people over dinner or drinks :D

 

Lyn

[Wieb]

thank you barbara and walter,

 

That was exactly an answer i was looking for. I have no problem with "older people" (hey, I married a man 19 years my senior...) and i usually fit right in. the concern was, will fellow travellers let you fit in. I enjoy intelligent and witty conversation, and reading now more about the oceania cruises, i must say that they sound heavenly.

 

An older crowd also means no abundance of childern and that is important for me. I mean, the little tykes can be adorable, but if i would need to listen to children screaming all day long, every day... not very relaxing in my opinion.

 

The upscale of the cruise seems to exclude people get overly drunk and making a nuissance of themselves right? if the emphasis is on food and not on drink, one might reasonably assume this.

[LHT28]

The upscale of the cruise seems to exclude people get overly drunk and making a nuissance of themselves right? if the emphasis is on food and not on drink, one might reasonably assume this.

 

Most Oceania passengers are well travelled & I have yet to see any drunks onboard ...not saying it does not happen just I have never seen any

 

People do not really care what age you are ...just that you are well behaved ;)

No running around the decks, pushing all the elevator buttons, jumping in the pool splashing people or crying at meal times :D:D

 

You will probably enjoy Oceania

 

Lyn

[Wieb]

hihihi Lyn,

 

yes I think I have outgrown most of that behaviour, except the jumping in the pool part, but I can save it for the privacy of my own pool at home :D.

 

If the people on the Oceania cruises are like the people that reacted on my message on this forum, I am going to like it very much indeed.

[mitsugirly]

Just find a ship that suits YOUR needs, not others. This is your vacation and who cares what others would think IF they would even notice you. You will never see any of these people again. :p

 

I am a "cougar". My husband is 16 years younger than me. We having been cruising together for the last 3 years and never once thought about what others might think or say. We have never encountered any negativity or looks. If we ever did, I really wouldn't care anyhow. This is my life, my decision, my happiness. That's all that matters. :)

 

Go have your cruise and have the time of your life! :D

[CraftyEC]

Do look at some of the other 'luxury' cruise lines too. When I read your original post I thought "that sounds like Seabourn, or similar (Regent, Silversea)" and was surprised that so many of the initial posts suggested lines like P&O or Fred.Olsen. Nothing wrong with these lines, but I don't think they are quite what you are looking for.

 

Seabourn is very civilised and relaxed, with a fair spread of ages, and perhaps fewer of the more infirm than some lines (not good or bad in itself, just and observation) and the food is superb. It is all inclusive, and although it is, by definition, a lot more expensive 'up front' there are very few extra expenses. On our first SB cruise we were lucky enough to have $400 on board credit and didn't spend it all! Of course had we taken any ship's tours (we didn't apart from the complimentary 'shopping with the chef' one) that would have eaten it up. Overall it wasn't significantly more expensive for us than a traditional cruise where you have to pay for drinks and sundries. And the little luxuries were great!

 

If you're looking for a bigger ship, with more of a mainstream feel, with a European base, then Princess could meet your needs.

 

Have fun planning and choosing, it's part of the vacation!

[Porthopper101]

Just find a ship that suits YOUR needs, not others. This is your vacation and who cares what others would think IF they would even notice you. You will never see any of these people again. :p

 

I am a "cougar". My husband is 16 years younger than me. We having been cruising together for the last 3 years and never once thought about what others might think or say. We have never encountered any negativity or looks. If we ever did, I really wouldn't care anyhow. This is my life, my decision, my happiness. That's all that matters. :)

 

Go have your cruise and have the time of your life! :D

 

Oh....I like you & how you think! My husband is 14 years older than I am. I never worry about what people think. As you said, this is my life, my decision, my happiness.

 

I read CC for entertainment. My decision is my own. I do not offer advice or ask for advice.

 

Happy crusing

 

M

 

P.S. We keep intouch with a dozen people we met on our last cruises.

[Wieb]

o yes, the age issue is not about "what other people think about us", but we are social people and thus would like a crowd in which we can blend in. in that respect the age fact about us, is a tricky issue. But plenty of comments here show that cruisers in the upscales lines are a free spirited crowd, so it will not be a problem to find conversation partners.

 

seabourn is also being checked at this moment. such an active and helpful forum!

[kitty9]

You might want to look at Crystal. They are not huge ships, carrying 1000 passengers or less (small when compared to other lines that are 2500 to nearly 6000) with excellent food and service. They have an excellent Creative Learning Institute program where they bring guest speakers to lecture on the history and culture of the area in which you're cruising. They also have some of the most interesting shore excursions with smaller groups for each tour.

Their evening entertainment is very good with production shows and guest entertainers. If you like dancing, they have professional dancers on each cruise to give lessons for free.

[kelmac]

Hello!

 

My husband and I are thinking about cruising for the first time. the abundance of lines, ships and destinations is overwhelming. So i call in the reinforcements for some advice on what cruiseliner/ship to choose.

 

- destination is Europe as we dont want a long haul in by plane.

- I am in my 30ies, but my husband is in his 50ies. We want a cruise on which both will feel good. and nobody will frown upon us.

- no children on board, or well, not too many of them.

- we are both gourmet people so the quality of dining is of utmost importance

- we both enjoy quiet and relaxed, with of course something to do, but no shout it out load over the PA going on all the time.

- pampering above filled itineraries

- all inclusive would be nice.

- there is no budget as we decided that we want to find the right cruise above finding one that fits in the budget right now. so cruise date might go to 2014 or beyond.

 

appriciate any opinions...

 

Wieb,

 

My wife and I have been on 40 cruises together. She is 42 and I'm 62 -- the best bang for the buck would be Celebrity. Classy, modern and excellent cuisine. We did our first cruise together on Celebrity's Horizon back in 1993; at the time she was 23 and I was 43. Best first vacation ever!:)

 

If you want to take a smaller upscale ship, go with Oceania or Azamara. If you would like to experience a traditional cruise/ocean liner experience, try Cunard's Queen Mary 2.

 

Really can't make a mistake with any ship, but do a bit of research and have fun with it.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:D

[OCruisers]

Didn't consider the age difference thing to be a factor (really isn't) ... looked more at what you both like.

 

For a mass market cruise line CELEBRITY is the one you might want to at least consider.

 

LuLu

[dundeene]

We sailed on Oceania in the Med in April.

Beforehand we made friends on the rollcall, not knowing anyone's ages.

We ended up being two 40-something couples, one very young couple on their honeymoon and one couple a few years out from retirement.

 

We all got along GREAT. . . . . shared tours, drinks and lunch many times. Age was never an issue.

[burm]

I do not have a problem with the entertainment on Oceania ...some people do find it a bit lack luster

We enjoy meeting new nnnnnnnpeople over dinner or drinks :D

 

Lyn

 

 

Oceania is a wonderful cruiseline. The passengers are invariably well travelled. I have yet to see a drunk and it is unusual to see a child. Entertainment is low key, but you can walk into the lounge 5 minutes after the show has started and still find a good seat. You never seem to have to wait in line for anything like you do on other lines.

 

Although O only offers anytime dining, there is never a long wait for a seat. While there are no formal nights at all, some people like to dress up for the specialty dining rooms. BTW - there is no extra charge for the specialty dining.