Celebrity Millenium - tours only offered to passengers under 80 (Japan, S. Korea)

[scungileen]

Hi,

 

I am not new to cruising, but I am certainly new to tour companies only offering tours to individuals below the age of 80. I have just booked a cruise to Japan and S. Korea for my family which includes my 81 year-old mother (she will be 82 at the time of cruising). I was about to start booking my tours when I saw a restriction on all of the tours in Hiroshima against individuals over the age of 80. I called Celebrity and they said that it was not Celebrity's policy, but the tour company they use. In my opinion, that is a nice way of Celebrity backing away, but in reality if they choose to use a tour company that age discriminates, then they also agree to discriminate. My dilemma is that any of the off-ship tours I am finding leave much later than we dock and therefore bring you back to late for embarkation. I am perplexed as to what these elderly people do in this port. I was told you have to find your own tour. Is that a decent way to handle your passengers who are paying a nice amount of money to take a once-in-a-lifetime cruise. It's simply horrible. I know I can't be the only person who has come across this problem. unfortunately, Hiroshima is not the only port, it's Kagoshima as well.

 

Can anyone give me some guidance without breaking the piggy bank as to alternative ways to your in both Hiroshima and Kagoshima? I would really appreciate your help. To say that I am very disappointed in Celebrity at the moment is putting it mildly.

[ilovhywd]

It is possible that the tour companies feel that certain tours could be physically demanding (perhaps a lot of walking and uneven steps) and therefore not suitable for many seniors. I have also seen instances where the steps up into the buses are very steep. IMHO, it is more of a liability issue than a discrimination issue.

 

Check reputable companies such as “Tours by Locals” for driver/guides who can personalize city tours to accommodate the ship's arrival and departure times. For a family, the cost is not much more than the ship's tours.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Keith1010]

I make use of Trip Advisor at http://www.tripadvisor.com to find private tours so I would recommend doing that.

 

They are at http://www.tripadvisor.com

 

Keith

[tommui987]

Can anyone give me some guidance without breaking the piggy bank as to alternative ways to your in both Hiroshima and Kagoshima?

 

I will be 85 in April.

 

 

I walk with a rollator or a cane and have used (thankfully) a scooter in various trips. I think I can walk about without stopping perhaps 200-yards.

 

 

I have used, among others, TourbyLocals which always geared its tours

 

around my limitations.

 

I do not know about Hiroshima, but Kagoshima's principal ship's tour is taking you on a 30+ coach ride to a central point and then walking from that point to a shopping complex with attached market. You''d be better off getting a tour geared towards your physical limitations and interests.

[ScotchBoy]

We have a similar problem with an excursion on one of the Vietnamese stops; we really want to do it but you have to be aged under 50! It includes a bicycle excursion for 18 miles and then a visit to the Tunnels. I am excluded but my dear OH can do it. One of our favourite pastimes as a couple is cycling for pleasure and we have cycled in many locations - Berlin, Miami, Bonaire and Singapore. If it is the tour operator's ageist policy and Celebrity are just adhering to it, then I suppose it is pointless for us to try to DIY.

[Floridiana]

I have seen similar age limitations on Celebrity tours in the Caribbean. One was a hike open to 4 year old kids, but you had be younger than 65. Book your own tour is all I can say.

[scungileen]

Thank you to everyone who replied. I am in the process of booking my own tours with several companies - Veltra and shoreexcursions.asia. Quite frankly, some of the tours offered outside of Celebrity look more amazing and they will tailor them to your special needs. I feel bad for people who aren't computer savvy and are in this predicament. They are at the mercy of the cruise line.