| Where should I cruise with my mother? |
My mom is a 90 year-old quick witted lady who still walks but with effort. She wants me to join her on a weeklong cruise. Any suggestions?
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i use a combo of shea butter and aloe vera moisturizer. Works great. I use shea butter on my lips, around my eyes and nose (dry areas), My father swears by vasoline.
p.s. I dropped your name on Gina's post, Barb. ;)
Hi again. I have to laugh. My friend Gina Mcnew just wrote a blog post about the myriad of skincare and beauty products women use compared to men. And how it gets crazy as we get older. I laughed my butt off! I thought you ladies would enjothank you so much Lisa, that helps a lot. I know he tried to blame me for so much stuff, but like I told all of his family and mine none of that added up to a divorce. I do realize it's his needs, it just hurts so bad to think how many years he'sI used Noxzema from the time I was old enough to wash my own face, all through school and into adulthood. Then I decided it wasn't 'sophisticated' enough and went with higher priced, higher end products. About 5 years ago, I went back to 
Getting to the cruise will be the ‘hardest’ part so select a cruise port that is closest. Given your Mum’s age a short cruise would be best and obviously cruise at a time when you would most expect calm weather.
Cruising is wonderful for any age because everything is in the one place and access is very easy. Many cruises also have specific interest speakers onboard so perhaps if your Mum has a special interest then this would be worth checking out.
Happy travelling
Anne
Yes. Be sure to take some time for yourself during the cruise if she is needy. Sadly, your time with her can end at any time so go and have a great time.
I would agree with Anne’s response. A cruise would be a wonderful way to spend vacation time together. Having been in the travel industry for the past 19 years, I have sent many clients of all ages (groups, singles, families, couples) on cruises…however, the key is finding the right product for the client. As there are numerous cruise lines, and an increasingly growing number of cruise ships, it is most important that you engage with a qualified travel consultant who can help guide you through the myriad of options. One of my favorite cruise lines, Crystal Cruises, who has consistently been ranked #1, would be a good choice based on your budget. Their 2 ships are a manageable size (940-1072 guests), full spacious movie theatre with recent-release films, complimentary Creative Learning Institute, i.e., Yamaha keyboard lessons, language classes with Berlitz, Enrichment Programs with lecture series from authors, politicians, & celebrities, Computer University at Sea offering complimentary classes, bridge classes, theme cruises in the areas of art, music, ballroom dance, big band, theatre & film, food & wine, just to name a few. Most impressive are their lavish Broadway-style and musical theatre productions. Also worth mentioning is their Ambassador Host Program where cultured, well-traveled gentlemen are on board to socialize (and dance if able & willing) with single women. With so much to keep your mom busy, she may not even want to leave the ship…and would allow you the opportunity to explore some of your interests.
Depending on where you live, some close to home sailings would be Canada/New England, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera and the Panama Canal.
If I can be of further help, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you and all the best.
Margie (480) 451-0612
I’m 49 (but I’ll be 50 in July) and I have taken 4 cruises with my mother who just turned 83.
Please forgive the lengthy response that follows, but you may get something out of it. We both live in Arizona but not together. Our first cruise was the Mexican Riviera in 2003. She was very alert and able to get around independently. She was perfectly content to stay on board when we were in port while I went snorkling and kayaking. In Mazatlan we took a cab sight-seeing and did some window shopping. In Puerto Vallarta she got off and walked around by herself as there were some arts and crafts booths set up near the ship.
Next was Alaska in 2005. For financial reasons we could not afford to do any shore excursions other than basic local sightseeing trips, which was perfectly fine for both of us. On this trip she was more tired from strolling and once she got slightly anxious after we were accidently separated. I also noticed she sometimes had a hard time finding her room, but if you’ve been on one of these huge ships, it is a little understandable. We went in July for my birthday which is at the high end price wise, but the sightseeing is so incredible, I recommend an Alaskan cruise. I would suggest the round trip from either Seattle or Vancouver – the best part of the trip for us was the Inside passage. GET A ROOM WITH A WINDOW OR BALCONY (I’ll explain later). It might be too cold to sit for long on the balcony, but you’ll appreciate the extra view. It will cost you, but go without something else.
Next was the Carribean in 2006. This time I picked a room that would be easy for her to find when she was by herself. She actually never got off the ship on that trip (I went scuba diving in 2 ports). But we had a room with a window and the weather was so nice she was very happy to just sit on one of the upstairs decks and read or look at the scenery. However, we had to fly from Phoenix to Miami and I couldn’t get a decent flight that would get us to the ship within a comfortable time before it sailed, so we stayed in a hotel the night before. Take this into consideration when deciding where to go since you have to spend so much more time at the airport than you used to.
The last trip was a longer Mexican Riviera trip in 2007. We did several local sightseeing tours as the price and activity levels were a good match for her. We toured Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta. In one port (can’t spell it) it was raining, but we had a balcony and the view from the ship was just heaven. It was a warm rain, and we stayed on that balcony pretty much the whole day.
Last fall I decided to book another cruise with my mom. However in the past year she has shown more and more signs of dementia, so I knew our next cruise would likely be our last. I decided on a 14 day Panama Canal cruise from California to Florida (this way avoids the hotel). It is pretty long, but again I booked a balcony room so if we want to stay in the room, we will be content. The view and the companionship is the point. I think the ports we’ll see along they way and the experience of the canal will make for a lot of good memories.
On every single cruise we met the most wonderful people while sightseeing on deck and at meals. Those commercials that show table mates as complete boors are foreign to us. Only once did we have table mates that we didn’t want to sit with again, but it was because they were having a family reunion and we felt sort of isolated. So the next night we asked for a different table and had a great time. We prefer to share tables with other guests as we look forward to meeting new people. We must have just had good luck or good karma. My mom is very interesting and everyone who meets her is charmed and happy to have met her. We once heard people complaining about their room after the cruise but they apparently had booked a room too small for their family and I suspect they were likely trying to save money. It appears that because of this, their whole cruise was spoiled. I feel you can be miserable if you want to be. If you don’t like your surroundings, there are plenty of other places to go on a ship!
You don’t have to have grand suite, but seriously, GO ON A CRUISE WITH YOUR MOTHER, and don’t skimp on accomodations. I took an inside room on our trip to Alaska to save money and regretted it every morning when I woke up and couldn’t look outside. I missed a lot of animal sighting because of that. Fortunately there are so many places to go, you don’t have to spend all your time in your room. But you need at least a window for Alaska – trust me. I paid a little more for rooms in the center of the ship (better for Mom who has a sensitivity to sea-sickness). I booked balconies twice even though mom didn’t want me to spend the extra money. But if you go somewhere warm, it will make the experience just so much nicer and Mom later agreed it was actually very nice. By the way, the ships infirmary likely has free sea-sickness pills which they advise to start taking ASAP when getting onboard. They worked wonders for her.
The hardest part is that I had a lot of stress and anxiety making sure everything was ready before hand and getting us to the ship. I had to make all of the arrangements and had do all of her packing. I will say that after 4 cruises I got so good at packing that we got away with ONLY 2 CARRY-ON bags and 2 tote bags on that 8 day Mexico cruise. Trust me, you need a lot less than you think. No one cares if you wear the same thing 2, 3 or 4 times and you will be all the happier for carrying less at the airport.
My mother is not dependent on others for entertainment. So if you and your mom are likewise and you get along for the most part, a cruise is the way to go. I think if my mom holds up for a few more years, maybe we’ll go back and do that Alaskan cruise with a balcony, or another Mexican Riviera cruise that goes up inside the Gulf of California (Holland cruiseline does this).
Speaking of cruiselines, I have sailed 3 times with Carnival and once with Norwegian. This canal cruise is with Norwegian. I selected mid-size ships based on convenience, itinerary and price. Supposedly Holland caters to people our age and up (I cannot believe I just wrote that, wasn’t I just 20-something?) but the rooms with balconies on Holland cost more than I can justify for my budget. Read reviews on-line (Expedia, Travelocity, CruiseCritic.com) and you will get a better idea of what will work for you.
Again, I’m sorry I wrote so much. I hope you and any others who may read this can glean something out of my experiences cruising with my elderly mother.
Best wishes!
Believe it or not, I left something out of that novel I just wrote. If I were you, avoid a room that lists a bathtub. Go with the shower. Our room on our one Norwegian cruise had a bathtub, and my mother had a very hard time getting in and out of it. The step down to the floor from inside the tub was just plain scary and I had to assist her each time. The Carnival ships had very comfortable showers. The room on our upcoming Panama cruise with Norwegian has a shower. Check the details of the room before you reserve. The layout of the rooms can be viewed on on the cruiseships website or the travel websites. Good luck!
Another thought – if you have other female relatives that are also close to your Mom, sharing the trip can be very rewarding. My sister, her youngest daughter and I went with our Mom on a 7-day West Carribbean cruise two years ago. Mom had just recouped from a total hip/knee replacement so we knew she would be limited on mobility. Well – what a trouper – she even joined us for one of the daily excursions and we have such wonderful stories that we share over and over. It was nice because my sister, niece and I took turns attending to Mom and we shared all meals together. It was WONDERFUL. I would also recommend a room with a window since you may spend more time in your room that realized. But do it! And take lots of pictures.